Boxes, Bags, Buttons, Stamps & Patches Galore!
Boxes, Bags, Buttons, Stamps & Patches Galore!
Rusty's Electric Dreams :: Issue #361
Keeping this part short, so the rest of the issue can be looooooong. Yes, Substack has length limits to these and, yes, I push those limits every issue. \_(ツ)_/¯
Happy almost autumn, folks!
— Rusty Blazenhoff
P.S. I’m definitely making one of these boxes for my birthday (which is 9/23)! 🤣
As seen on the Internets
[Also see: this 😂]
For your consideration:
:: Pen pal inspo: (1, 2)
:: Heavy menstrual 🤘
:: There’s going to be a Bewitched doc (Thx, Anna!)
:: Now THIS is breakdancing
:: Fridgescaping gone bizarre. (Thanks, Kasey!)
:: Strata-cut animations: Then and now
:: Nothing like the first time (sound up)
:: Someone “who knows without learning”
:: I always forget they aren’t really talking 😂
:: NYC’s Rat Man gets his own statue
:: And, so is this.
:: This is FANTASTIC and it’s real, not AI (Thanks, Jenny!)
:: Help a queer woman feminist bookstore expand its shelves (Hi, Fin!)
Real Things That Actually Exist: Yes way!
Out: Authentic luxury bags.
In: Grocery bags that look like authentic luxury bags.
Real Things That Actually Exist: Yay!
Button, button, who’s got the button?: Me, apparently. I didn’t need stamps, but did that stop me from buying four sheets of these? No, friends, no, it did not.
Featured Events
❤️[Buena Park :: 2025] Did you know there's an immersive live-action experience at Knott’s Berry Farm? If you missed it this year, don’t worry—it’s been around for a few years and I have to imagine will be back in 2025. Ghost Town Alive! wrapped up on September 2nd, but longtime reader Grace Kim had the chance to check it out and recommends going:
She was impressed by the level of commitment from the actors, who stayed in character from morning until late afternoon. “They really looked authentic,” she said, and even remembered her name and the storyline she was involved in—a love triangle! One bandit kept his promise to meet her three hours later at the barbershop, showing up with the reward he had promised.
The attention to detail was remarkable, with actors taking their time during each interaction, whether writing a receipt for a hotel room or issuing certificates for gold claims. “There were a lot of regular guests who I think go every weekend.”
She had one slight disappointment: not being able to become Mayor for an hour. After collecting the required stamps, she found out the position had already been filled for the day. ”I guess that's the reason to go again.”
On Dr. Marsh’s advice from the barbershop, her first stop was City Hall, where she became a citizen of Calico by taking an oath. Then, she opened a savings account at the bank and inquired about a $4 hotel room. When she joked about not having any money and needing to earn some at a brothel, she learned in no uncertain terms, “Calico doesn’t have one.” 🤣
With many storylines to follow—like delivering packages and finding lost cats—there was plenty to do. While she missed the hoedown at the end of the day, she’s already planning her return next year.
Here are some tips Grace shared for making the most of Ghost Town Alive!:
Go early if you want a chance to be Mayor for an hour.
People-watching is good from the porch of Town Hall.
Strike up conversations by asking about the hoedown or offering to help with a task.
The newspaper changes four times daily, so check back for new editions.
The saloon features a cool, live piano player—next time, she plans to see if they take requests.
The barbershop offers mustaches or tattoos (“I was a tattoo girl”).
Mull around the bank around 2:15 p.m. for extra surprises.
Thanks for the intel, Grace!
Raise your hand if you’re interested in a group trip next June or July. In the meantime, there’s always Knott’s Scary Farm.
BAY AREA, CA+
[Bay Area :: ongoing] Go join an Explorers Guild event. Be part of the Raining Chainsaws art collective, or just go to one of their amazing shows or art-making events. Attend a Wholesome Circle. See what the Church of Clown is up to. If it’s lowtide, head to TEPCO Beach. For more fantastic and affordable Bay Area happenings, check out Richie Rhombus’ Cool Happenings list (beautifully described as an “in-the-know guide for intimate, quirky, thoughtful events as well as ridiculous parties and larger gatherings outside the mainstream”). Also, keep an eye on the calendars for Artists Television Access, City Arts & Events and The Marsh.
LOS ANGELES, CA+
[L.A. :: ongoing] There’s always something going on in L.A. and, not surprisingly, many of the events revolve around pop culture and entertainment. In no particular order, here are a few I’ve learned of:
Electric Dusk Drive-In, Vidiots, 1iota.com, Groundlings, Cosm, Puppet Up!, Largo at the Coronet, Dynasty Typewriter, Cinespia, Bob Baker Marionette Theater, Lucky Tiki Speakeasy, Magic Castle, Black Rabbit Rose, The Los Angeles Breakfast Club (❤️ who wants to join me for the Paul Scheer breakfast on 9/18?)
❤️[L.A. :: 9/14] Cinespia is hosting a special tribute screening of Pee-wee's Big Adventure in honor of Paul Reubens at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Pro tip: watch this first.
[L.A. :: 9/21] Opening night of INDECLINE’s first-ever gallery show, Killing the Precedent. 7 - 11 p.m. Superchief Gallery LA
ELSEWHERE
[Houston :: 10/31] Meow Wolf Houston, Radio Tave, opens on Halloween. The year-long Portal Pass is available now.
❤️[Worldwide :: 9/21] Do you remember?
[Somerville, MA :: 9/21] What the Fluff? festival (Don’t miss artist Sarah Dudek’s Marshmallow Fluff Micro-Museum!)
❤️[Portland, OR :: 11/2] Portland All Souls River Procession: An absolutely lovely, solemn ritual art procession along the Williamette to honor the dead, led by a local art collective.
[U.S. :: 12/1-12/19] John Waters Christmas Tour
[New York :: Ongoing] Shadow Traffic
❤️= I plan on attending!
Patch Me If You Can
Plea for Patches: Earlier this year, I scored a blank bomber jacket at the Pasadena flea market, and my grand plan is to cover it with the coolest patches I can find. I’ve got a few already, but I need a lot more to make this jacket truly epic. So, I’m officially accepting patch donations—BUT only ones that come with a good story! Send me one, and I’ll send one back in return (just be sure to include your name and return address and, of course, its story):
Rusty Blazenhoff
[Email me for my snail mail address]
OMG "In this house."
And I'm so sorry my L.A. travel plans don't coincide with a Breakfast Club meeting. Soon, maybe!