Otherworld.

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I spent a good handful of years working in bookstores and libraries; as such, I appreciate a great story. You know, the kind where you can feel it go to work on your insides. I think someone's favorite stories can reveal a lot about a person: what intrigues them, what they wonder about, what they fear, what they hope for. I'm not sure what mine say about me yet, so I'll let you come to your own conclusion for now.

I’m writing this to you from a little balcony nestled behind a veil of perfect northwest autumn foliage, sipping good, black Portland coffee and hearing birdsong. The early light makes everything glow in the way that only an Oregon morning does. I've spent the last couple days here reconnecting with old friends, visiting my favorite antique shops, uncovering new-to-me hidden gems, and shooting some dreamy fairytale visions with a couple amazing local photographers. I’m excited to share it all with you in the coming weeks, and to see for myself too! September always hits hard and fast for me; it’s a month of transitions in more ways than one, and because there is so much happening, it really just flies by. While I try to be mindful and in the moment wherever my path takes me, I’m not sure where the time has gone! I’ve been busy taking stock of where I’m at and what I’m doing, reflecting on what works and what doesn’t and making adjustments accordingly. Where is this story taking me? Is it the one I want to tell? I feel ready to collect myself and move forward into fall with a pep in my step and a renewed curiosity for the unknown and unexpected which are, of course, inevitable.

In thinking about the stories that are closest to my own heart, I always come back to my favorite ladies of lore and legend. The Lady of Shalott (one of my most favorite poems): Lady Godiva: Chaucer’s Wife of Bath: of course, the high priestess Pythia of the Oracle of Delphi: Emer and Fand from Cúchulainn’s hero’s journey tale and epic Ulster Cycle narrative (which I am always reading and re-reading). Maybe it’s because I grew up a good Irish Catholic girl and have been surrounded by Irish tradition in some form for as long as I can remember (I spent almost a decade training in Irish dance when I was younger, which draws heavily from elements of traditional storytelling), but I’ve always been captivated by Irish myth and legend. Another cultural favorite of mine has to do with the Old Irish version of the otherworld, in a class of tales called immrama (sometimes roughly translated as “to sail away”—this is where I get to make an Enya reference and amuse myself). The stories concern a hero’s sea journey to Tír na nÓg—“Land of the Young”—the Irish otherworld. Something of a utopian land of the gods, you might compare this to the concept of Avalon from Arthurian legend. While influenced by Christian thinking, the immram preserves many elements of Irish mythology and pagan tradition, which often occur as a challenge to the hero’s faith throughout the journey from island to island in pursuit of fantastical paradise. A crossroads between Irish myth, Christian genre, and classical stories, immrama have a rich and fascinating history; as such, I have to refrain myself from rambling on about this rather endlessly.

Anyway, you’ll find me with my nose deep in this stuff in the coming weeks. As I mentioned, I’ve spent time recently reworking some things; I’ve streamlined my offerings a bit, and embellished certain other things here and there. If you peek at my site, you’ll now find a section dedicated to a small collection of date specials and dream encounters of mine; if you feel inclined to indulge me, they’re all set at a discounted rate and will have a permanent home in my offerings until I’ve crossed something off my to-do list. In addition, I’ll also have a new limited offering each month: same idea, but these are based on the pulse of time and the seasons of my soul; in other words, each one will be available just for the duration of the month before it changes.

In the spirit of fantastical journeys and transcendent tales, I’ve been trying to figure out how to incorporate more adventure and whimsy into the way I do things and am truly so pleased with how it’s been coming together. If you’ve already booked one of these new experiences with me, you know who you are—also know that I appreciate you endlessly, and thank you for putting your faith in me! You’re a big part of why I love what I do.

Evidently, I’m caught in a whirlwind of magical worlds: just in time for the celebration of All-Hallows Eve! This is my favorite time of year to break out my selection of favorite folk horror art films. More beautifully strange than scary, I love to spend the month immersed in foreign vintage visuals and rich, dramatic folklore-inspired dreamscapes. So, October’s date special is this: I’ll bring my movie projector with some homemade apple cider and red wine poached pears, my favorite fall treats. We sip and snack while we screen something beautiful from my collection, then conjure up a magic of our own. (4 hours, 1300)

Looking ahead, I plan to spend most of the month haunting my home base in the Bay, but will be in Chicago from October 11-13 for a quick Midwest appearance. I’ll have limited availability, so pre-booking is recommended if you’d like to catch me before I slip away again! And feel free to take a peek at my website or inquire with me about my Chicago-specific special while I’m in town.

If you haven’t caught on by now, I like to move through the world inspired by the things of esoteric legend I am so deeply enamored with—I’m grateful to have you here in witness of my own.

xoxo, L

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UPCOMING AVAILABILITY

{ OCTOBER }

1-10: sf bay area

11-13: chicago

14-29: sf bay area

30-31: pdx (tentative!)

{ NOVEMBER }

1-13: sf bay area

14-15: los angeles

16-30: sf bay area

(May be subject to change! If you don't see a preferred location near you, pre-booking a date of 3+ hours can coax me to your corner of the world.)

I make day trips throughout the West Coast as well as FMTYs anywhere else, domestically or internationally.