Hopi Doll from Gary Hsu, Rumble Seat Music, Ithaca, NYThere is a community build at the playground at the Elementary School today. We drove by and left Rob and Bruce off…to see the community had turned out for this, and it was miraculous. Looks like the littles will have a wonderful place to spend their free time without the prospect of splinters and other worries the old playground provided. However, Team Cassetti mourned the old playground and the marvels of a game they played called “no touch gravel tag”. Made the teens very wistful.
Rob got his lenses fixed in his glasses. While he waited, Alex and I trolled the commons looking at the fancy card shop and then spending time at this totally over the top bong store with the bongs and smoking paraphenelia treated as it it was high art. I guess that is where the “Heads Together” aesthetic has gone 30 years later. “Heads Together” was this wild (and to me, slightly scary) store in Squirrel HIll (in Pittsburgh) that was in the bottom of a more mainstream retailler that sold bongs, smoking stuff, they did tattoos, they had records and tee shirts and the like. They may have sold jeans too. It was not the place a girl from a girls school would normally wander…but it was new and so I would go there and “check it out”. Now, this stuff is in the mainstream…how funny the world is. We bought some cool stuff for a friend who has just been diagnosed with mono from the cool toy store (we got a few books, some stickers, a make a bracelet kit and a little ugly doll to make her feel better. Made sense to me. I mean, what 18 yr old really wants flowers when they can have cool stuff? right?
We then visited Rumble Seat Music, which, I must admit, blew my mind. From the outside, its pretty nondescript…but when you enter the store, Rumble Seat accurately depicts themselves this way:
“Rumble Seat Music stands for authenticity in the origination of design. It’s seen in our inventory that we only stock the highest quality instruments that we have offered to our customers. In our pursuit of excellence we have expanded our mission to include premium Native American Art, Jewelry, Textiles and Vintage Cowboy boots. Also Check Out our New Line of the Highest Quality Leather products from Haus Leather.”
Custom Made Rodeo Style. 12” Long. 4 1/8” Wide. 13 3/8” Tall. $295 Rumble Seat Music 607-277-9236They are absolutely accurate. Upon walking through a fairly nondescript foyer, you enter a double story space that graciously welcomes you (like high end retail) causing me to reflect on the old Paul Smith stores, Ralph Lauren’s showroom in NYC or Bergdorf Goodman. Everything is lovely, beautifully displayed and the guitars are curated on the walls and in these grand display cases where groupings according to type or color are shown together. It is a treasurebox of musical instruments (with side rooms for amps, and a humidity controlled room for acoustic guitars), nestled in with native american rugs, jewelry, and lyrical Hopic Kachina dolls. There is a group of western or western inspired chairs and sofa in the center of the space, adorned with Native American Rugs, and Native American/Western patterns. Boots, such as the one to the right, are neatly lined up on shelves interspersed among the guitars. There is a competency among the people that staff the place that exceeds the normal money taking and showing folks around the store, but showcases the excellence that the owner prides him/herself in.
Who would know such a treasure existed here in our little hamlet? Well worth the visit.
121 W. State Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
340 Read St, Santa Fe, NM 87501
sales@rumbleseatmusic.com
P: 607-277-9236
F: 607-277-4593
As an aside, Rob Cassetti has been appointed to the Village Board of Trustees. He is to complete a term of a member who is leaving his seat. He has been additionally appointed Fire Commissioner. We are very proud of Mr. Boy and feel that this adventure will be positive for him and hopefully for the village at large. Congratulations Rob!
Must go soon. More later.