Mexicali Blues Bangor: Grand Opening on June 25!!

The vibrant community of downtown Bangor has recently seen its scene become a bit more colorful, with the addition of the eclectic Maine-based global marketplace Mexicali Blues! Occupying a gorgeous, freshly renovated retail space at 1 West Market Square--former location of the Grasshopper shop--the newest Mexicali Blues is their biggest store to date, and on June 25 they will be celebrating accordingly, with a Grand Opening that is not to be missed!

Mexicali will be opening up their all-new expanded retail space downstairs, offering additional hippie clothing, fashion accessories, and bohemian home decor items that have been responsibly imported from across the globe! For the first time ever and only in this location, merchandise for all seasons will be available and on display throughout the year. Need a cozy alpaca sweater for chilly Maine evenings at the lake, or a batik sundress for a tropical vacation in the dead of Winter? The Bangor Mexicali Blues has you covered!



Saturday, June 25, Mexicali will be celebrating their expanded space and extensive collection of merchandise by offering groovy activities and fabulous discounts for all customers. There will be a 20% discount on everything in the store (except gift cards), a free gift with every single purchase, and a raffle for big prizes like a $100 Mexicali gift card!

Get your groove on with belly dancers and eclectic music as you shop, and take advantage of a 10% discount at local restaurants Giacomo's and Impanema (with Mexicali receipt) to refresh your spirits with some delicious local food. Join Mexicali Blues in Bangor on June 25, and leave with awesome memories, unique merchandise purchased at a deep discount, and maybe even some surprising winnings! Follow Mexicali Blues on Facebook for further details and an event schedule for the Grand Opening.


View 1 W Market Square, Bangor, ME 04401 in a larger map

Design to Fit Your Mind Tee Shirt Contest 2011

Our first annual Mexicali Blues tee shirt design contest was a rousing success, with many talented artists submitting their awesome designs that best embodied the "Mexicali Spirit". Above you will see the winning design, by Douglas Comstock from Bristol, Maine. While it was extremely difficult to choose, we really dug his design for all the awesome details and the fact that from far away it looks like a face while up close it is a groovy yogi! Well done, Douglas! We are looking forward to printing and wearing your design!

Here are some more of our awesome submissions:




















We loved everybody's designs, and wish we could make all of them into tee shirts! Thank you so much for your submissions, and get stoked for another design competition next year!

Paper Lanterns Around the World

pink rice paper globe lanterns

Paper lanterns create a soft, magical light that is nearly impossible to replicate in any other form. No other type of lantern exudes the kind of ethereal light in all directions that emenates from a paper lamp. The glow of a paper lantern can be effectively soothing or festive, depending on the context, and this is part of why this type of lantern is so popular throughout the world.

photo via http://www.weddingdates.ie/

In Thailand, flying paper lanterns are set ablaze and into the air for festivals throughout the year. Flying lanterns have a candle inside which, by heating up the air inside the lantern, causes it to rise far into the night sky. Sky lanterns are often known as wish lanterns, and tourists and local Thai people love lighting these pretty paper lanterns, making a wish, and then setting them free.

photo via China today

In China, the color red is associated with joy and good fortune. Thus, the red paper lanterns that are frequently seen throughout China, particularly during festivals and celebrations, symbolize vitality and good luck. The Chinese New Year is followed by a festival dedicated to these iconic paper lanterns; the Lantern Festival has grown to rival other huge celebrations like Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, and is sometimes referred to as Second New Year.

photo via this neat diwali site

Diwali is the Indian New Year festival of light (Diwali literally means "row of lights"), and is celebrated by Indian people all over the world. "Diwali is a festival of the light which dispels the darkness of our ignorance; it is a festival of the light which shows us the way on our journey through life."(via red hot curry) To celebrate this enlightened light, Diwali revelers line their streets with paper lanterns (especially star lamps), set off fireworks, and play with sparklers.

Paper lanterns are used all around the world to create an ambiance of celebration and good cheer. The paper lanterns from Mexicali Blues are responsibly imported from countries where they are traditionally used for big celebrations like the ones we just described. Here in the United States, we often see them used as lighting for weddings, party lights, or hippie lanterns to create a mellow decor in the home.

Check out our selection of star lamps, paper globe lanterns, traditional Nepalese paper lanterns, nylon globe lanterns, and hanging light kits to give them their glow! This week only (from 02/14 - 02/20) we are also offering 30% off of all lanterns and light kits, as well as 25% off of EVERYTHING at Mexicali Blues stores and our Mexicali website. Don't let the dull dim of February get you down; turn on your love light!

Eco Friendly Gift Wrapping Ideas

photo via Kanu Hawii

Deck the halls with balls of paper may as well be the refrain cheerfully trumpeted by carollers as they melodically instruct us on the key points of successful Holiday decoration and gift giving. Not to be a Grinch, here--indeed, part of the thrill of receiving holiday gifts is tearing their wrappings with abandon in a treasure hunt that involves only one obstacle! However, it's this practice that creates a dramatic increase in garbage going to landfills at this time of year. In fact, a Stanford University study found that Americans throw away about 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year's than any other time of year, making about 1 million extra tons of trash each week!

Fortunately, there are many ways to retain the fun spirit of unravelling your gifts while reducing your contribution to the Holiday trash heap!

Newspaper is an easy and classic way to wrap presents, but is often seen as the cheapskate's way out. No longer! Get creative and dye it with food coloring, or paint on it with watercolor or tempera paints. Cutting out pictures from magazines, comics, or old greeting cards and gluing them on are another way to make a newspaper-wrapped box look a little more special. Use glitter to make it extra festive, or just draw on it with markers, crayons, or colored pencils! You can also use stamps to make plain paper prettier; one rubber stamp is all you need, or make your own stamp out of a raw potato (this is a great project for kids)!

You can also reuse brown paper bags in a similar way. Just cut along the glued seams and it gives you a big piece of paper to work with. This solid brown wrapping has a nice rustic look that is complimented by a simple, earthy ribbon like cotton or hemp twine.

These are awesome ways to recycle things you already have rather than getting something new only to throw it immediately away (plus, it saves you money). Of course, our very favorite way to give (and receive) gifts is to wrap it in something that is useful and will continue to be used. Put the present that you would have put in one of those glossy gift bags in a reusable shopping bag instead! They come in all kinds of cool colors and styles (we love these ones from envirosax and baggu; they fold up really small and are perfect for throwing in your purse or your pocket when not in use) and will help prevent excess trash far beyond the holidays! Other useful things that make great wrapping are pretty tea towels or cool fashion scarves. Use fun shoelaces as ribbon, or try this awesome (and easy) tutorial for cool personalized pipe cleaner gift tags.

If more traditional wrappings are just irrefutably your style, gift bags and tissue paper can be a more environmentally friendly option than wrapping paper. Simply save the bags and tissue and reuse them next year! Use festive fabric or a square scarf to try a Japanese technique of wrapping called furoshiki (video tutorial here). There are so many options beyond traditional wrapping paper! Let's do what we can to reduce our dependence on disposibility this holiday season, and say Happy Holidays to not just our friends and family, but to our planet as well!

Hippie Holiday Gift Guide

Here come the holidays! And in the midst of snowy weather and spending time with family and friends under the glow of twinkling lights, it's time to get down with the holiday shopping! Unique and affordable are the top two criteria we consider when shopping for our loved ones; we want to give something as meaningful and individual as they are without breaking the bank! Here are some of our very favorite Mexicali Blues gift ideas:

Fleece Lined Convertible Mittens

These fleece lined convertible gloves-or glittens as we like to call them-are seriously the best winter warmers ever! Made of wool and lined with fleece, they keep you warm and dry in even the most perilous of precipitation. At only $14, these are a practical gift that is big on style! Be sure to check out our website for many colors of striped convertible mittens, rasta convertible mittens, and patterned convertible mittens, all of which have matching fleece lined wool hats.

Mexican Baja Hoodie

Bridging the distance between surfer cool and hippie casual, these warm and versatile Mexican hoodies make great gifts for the laid-back guy (or gal) in your life. Available in different color combinations (including one of our favorites, the rasta hoodie) and super-affordable ($18!), this is a gift that will rock the socks off of the lucky recipient!

Tibetan Prayer Flags

Our traditional Tibetan prayer flags are a groovy way to add a peaceful vibe to a hippie home or office. They can be hung indoors for a pop of bright color, or outside where breezes will help them to fray and carry good karmic wishes and prayers out into the world. Our mini prayer flags also make an awesome decoration for a hippie Christmas tree! If traditional prayer flags aren't your style, Mexicali Blues has batik yoga flags and chakra flags, which make excellent gifts for the yoga enthusiast. Check out our earlier blog entry about the meaning of prayer flags so you can share the history of them when you share them as a gift!

Thai Fisherman Pants

Thai fisherman pants are our favorite pants for meditation, yoga, and lounging. Their wrap style makes them an excellent fit for almost everyone, and they are some of the most unique yoga pants around! Available in a wide variety of colors and only $20 each, these are the hippie pants that are sure to please everyone on your gift list!

Hand Knit Mukluks

Hand knit mukluks are the holiday gift that everyone loves to get, especially those of us living in Maine where it is freezing cold this time of year! These toasty bohemian slippers are like sweaters for your feet, with a lined bottom of the foot to keep you from sliding all over the place. There is nothing like coming inside after a long snowy day and relaxing in the warmth and comfort of these awesome mukluks , available exclusively at Mexicali Blues!

Mexicali is proud to carry cool and unique items that have been responsibly imported from all over the world. With a wide variety of affordable fashion scarves, handcrafted sterling silver jewelry, Grateful Dead t shirts, and so much more (including our very own Steal Your State merchandise--combining our love of the Grateful Dead with our love of Maine!), Mexicali is an awesome place to find unique and exotic gifts that you won't find anywhere else!

Check out our comprehensive Mexicali gift guide for more hippie gifts, zen gifts, hippie stocking stuffers, and more! We also have four new & really cool different styles of Mexicali Blues gift cards, so you can personalize the present of a Mexicali shopping spree!

From all of us at Mexicali, we wish you the happiest of holidays and a peaceful new year!

A Brief History of Tie Dye

When we think of tie dye and where it might have originated, the first image that often comes to mind is the freewheeling hippie lifestyle of the 1960's. Today, many of us who wear tie dye feel some connection with that peace-loving hippie spirit! You might be surprised to learn that the history of tie dye actually began long before those free-loving, music-grooving Woodstock-era days; the earliest mentions of tie dye in historical records were in ancient Japan and China.

In China they were using tie-dye from 618 to 906 C.E., during the T'ang dynasty. In Japan they used tie dye during the Nara period of 552 to 794 C.E. Their early methods of tie dye involved extracting the natural dyes from flowers, berries, roots and leaves by boiling them in hot water, dipping sections of cloth in the different colors made, and letting them steep.

Around the 15th century, a style of tie dye known as Tsujigahana (translated as "flowers at crossing") became fashionable. This process used intricate stitching to delineate the the sections of the fabric to be dyed separate colors, rather than the traditional dip-dying, which often allowed the colors to run together. This method also involved painting designs on the fabric with sumi ink, which would then darken more than the surrounding fabric when it was dyed.

Tie dye gained popularity in the United States during the Great Depression, when it was considered an economical way to add new color to old materials. Pamphlets were handed out describing how to tie dye and use old cotton, flour, coffee, and sugar sacks to create new clothing and home decorations.

Woodstock, 1969. Photo via flickr user hlthom4

Tie dye was embraced during the Vietnam War era when young people craved peace and freedom from the uptight generations that preceded them (particularly parents and authority figures). Tie dye was a form of artistic expression and protest for the free-spirited hippie generation; it was an easy and inexpensive way to express individuality while brightening up the world with unique and happy colors!

At Mexicali Blues, we see tie dye as an awesome way to express yourself with cool colors and patterns that will always stand out in a crowd! Here are a few of our favorites:

classic rainbow spiral tie dye

peace sign tie dye

butterfly batwing mudmee top

tie dye starburst tapestry

Check out our sweet collection of tie dye and mudmee tie dye on our website, and join us next week as we explore all the different types of tie dye!

Upcoming Events with Mexicali Blues!

See post below for more information about this weekend's concert!

Mexicali Blues Summer Concert: Marie Moreshead & Connor Garvey

Mexicali Blues in Freeport, Maine

It's no secret that Mexicali Blues loves music. Not only is our name taken from a Grateful Dead song, but anyone who has been inside the stores has probably spotted the rather extensive collection of band t-shirts and stickers in the midst of all the gemstone jewelry and Buddha sculptures. Perhaps you have even seen store employees drumming on the counter and grooving a bit to the tunes playing over store speakers as they fold scarves and tapestries.

Over the years, Mexicali has helped to sponsor and arrange concerts by up-and-coming artists, like the Dave Matthews Band who opened for the Samples in 1994. The store sponsored and helped found the Roots & Reggae on the Bay fest, which will be happening again this year on July 31st in Damariscotta. From annual concerts like the Up North Festival or Pier Review to one-off gigs at the Camden and Boothbay Opera Houses, Mexicali owners and employees are always there, ready to rock out and lend a hand where needed.

This year on June 26, Mexicali Blues will be having our first show at one of our own retail locations, on Bow street in Freeport! The two talented musicians who will be rocking your socks off are Connor Garvey and Marie Moreshead, singer/songwriters and musicians extraordinaire.

photo via stay tuned radio

Connor Garvey plays folk-funk on guitar and ukulele, using unexpected rhythms and chord progressions to provide pleasing melodic backgrounds to his smooth and soulful singing. His lyrics are unique and thoughtful, and the yarns he spins will suck you in. Don't be surprised if you find yourself inexplicably smiling and wanting to sing along when you see him play! Check out his MySpace page here.

photo via Portland Press Herald

Marie Moreshead is a pop-folk songstress never without her acoustic guitar, with a sweet and undeniably pretty voice and lyrics that make you see the sunny side of life, even when the words are sad. She was named one of Portland's Top Ten Artists to Watch in 2009, and when you see her live, you will wholeheartedly agree! Legend has it that Moreshead used to work at the Mexicali store in Portland before she took to becoming a full-time music-maker. Visit her lovely website here.

Gather your lawn chairs or blankets, and come join Marie Moreshead, Connor Garvey, and Mexicali Blues on the lawn of the Freeport Store on June 26, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm, for some musical magic, good vibes, and an all-around amazing afternoon!

Music Monday: The Black Keys

photo via last.fm

Formed in 2001 in Akron, Ohio, The Black Keys are the blues-rock musical duo of guitarist/vocalist Dan Auerbach and producer/drummer Patrick Carney. Their songs are often rough and swinging, though the degree of noise and action changes depending on the tune. From a barroom brawl taken outside to the the foggy-headed lament of a hangover, there is some intangible quality to their music that seems to reek of booze.

And that isn't necessarily a bad thing:



With nine albums under their belts, the Black Keys have had some sonic ups and downs, with good reviews and bad. Their newest album, Brothers, is definitely one of the good ones. The fuzzy pounding baseline contrasts really nicely with the sweet, swinging blues of Auerbach's falsetto on the first track of the album, "Everlasting Light":



Another awesome song from the new album is "Tighten Up", which is super catchy and includes whistling! It also has a great video. Be warned, there is some brawling and a bit of (presumably fake) blood towards the end, so if you are very sensitive to violence you may not want to watch it.



If you decided to forgo the video, you can still listen to the song (and you should, because it rocks!) below:


If you want more of The Black Keys, check out their website here for photos, tour dates, and more good stuff!

Mexicali News: New Store in Portland!!

When you walk down Moulton Street after the 21st of May, you might notice the distinctively sweet and smokey smell of Nag Champa incense hanging slightly thicker in the air. Mexicali Blues, the local stop for carefully chosen and responsibly imported clothing, jewelry, and decor is expanding in Portland! Opening across the street from the current Old Port location, the new store will be devoted to showcasing the brand's impressive collection of gemstone and sterling silver jewelry. "We are so excited to finally give Mexicali jewelry the space it deserves!" says co-owner Kim Erskine, who runs the popular store with her husband Pete. "Gaining more space will allow us to share more of the things we love with people we care about, in a less cluttered fashion. What's not to love about that?"



The bright new location has high ceilings and wonderful natural light. Store manager Meg Conley says, "It's such a fresh look; it's like a whole new store! We're so excited to play with this new space, fill it up with jewelry and all the accessories that will best compliment the gemstones." The staff are all aglow, eager to get creative with store displays and arranging merchandise. They bounce around with smiles on their faces, every now and then espousing their new favorite phrase, "We're so Mexcited!".

Mexicali has traditionally stayed open until 10 o'clock on weekdays in the summer, one bright beacon of nighttime shopping in a sea of dark store fronts. "We really are hoping that having two stores open in this area will be a boost for all the stores around us, and we've been sharing schedules with the owners and talking about how we can help each other out," says Conley. "There's a wonderful sense of community in the Old Port among all the shops. We are all in it together to keep local business alive."

With the addition of the new store comes improvements on the old, with several higher quality dressing rooms to be installed, as well as new shelving units and displays. The outdoor space between the stores will be well utilized also, with racks of clothing on the sidewalks and product demonstrations to be scheduled throughout the summer. Conley speaks of staff brainstorming sessions coming up with plans to artistically connect the two. "Maybe we'll draw flowers on the sidewalk with chalk!" she muses, laughing. "I think we're going to have the most awesome summer here. Can you tell?"

Prayer Flags Explained!

When the tradition of hanging prayer flags began more than 2000 years ago, Tibet was ruled by warlords who carried their own flags into battle. The native people took this as their inspiration but spun the intent on its axis when they made their own flags to honor the nature gods of Bon, their shamanistic religion. They used five colors to represent the five elements: blue for sky or space, red for fire, green for water, and yellow for earth. They believed these flags would carry blessings on the wind to anyone nearby, so they took to hanging them over mountain passes and rivers to benefit all who passed underneath.

In the 7th century, Buddhism largely took the place of Bon, absorbing many of its characteristics including the flags, and bringing the new ideals of peace and compassion. The early prayer flags displayed both Buddhist prayers and pictures of the fierce Bon gods who they believed protected Buddha. Over the next 200 years, Buddhist monks began to print their own mantras and symbols on the flags as prayers for peace, prosperity, wisdom, and compassion to be sent out into the world with each breeze.

There are two types of prayer flags, those hung horizontally and those hung vertically, attached from a high place to the ground. Vertically hung prayer flags are known as Dar Cho, with "Dar" meaning to increase life, fortune, health, and wealth, and "Cho" representing all sentient beings.

The flags most commonly seen (as in the picture above) are typically hung horizontally, and are known as "Lung-ta" which translates into "Windhorse". The central image on each flag is often of a horse with three flaming jewels on its back, representing the Tibetan Buddhist trinity. This trinity consists of Buddha, the enlightened one; Dharma, the path of Buddhist teachings; and Sangha, the Buddhist monastic community. The Windhorse is meant to evoke power, subdue evil, and act as the vehicle of enlightenment.

There are several other creatures that are commonly seen on prayer flags.






There is the Senge, or snow lion, who symbolizes bravery.





Tag, the tiger, represents the strength one must possess to follow the Dharma and become enlightened.





Kyung is the destroyer of evil; he soars on a bed of clouds with flames emanating from his horns.





Finally, there is Druk the dragon, whose roar is said to cut through the fog of ignorance, which is the prime obstacle on the path to enlightenment.




The prayer flags may be hung indoors, but they are designed to be strung up outside where the wind will disperse their messages if you choose to do so. After some time the flags will fade and fray, symbolizing the natural passing of all things. It is believed that when prayer flags fade and blow away thread by thread, the prayers become a permanent part of the universe. Every time you look at prayer flags, let them remind you to continue to send out your own prayers for peace and kindness in the world. As you do so, you will benefit from their blessings as well.