Love Sedona

Our Favorite Stores: Crystal Magic

 
 

Sedona loves crystals so much that we have people named for them. And stores.

One of our favorite places is Crystal Magic. You’ll find its purple awning on the north side of West Highway 89A. After many years in business, it’s time to praise a store that has become a local landmark.

First, the staff is friendly and helpful. Always changing, just like everywhere in this transient town, but nonetheless, always friendly. Second, they stay open into the evening. That’s saying something for a town where most retail is closed by 5pm, no matter the day or season. (And for goodness sake, when the suns up, we’re on the trails!)

Third, the selection is broad and up-to-date. The crystals are varied, well-displayed and well-explained, and a corner room shows off the biggest beauties of the bunch. Add to this an extensive collection of books, clothes and goodies, from incense sticks to Birkenstocks to candles to Feng Shui décor, and you’ve got a store that’s chock full. Someone’s on their toes here, because the latest Michael Beckwith book appeared before we knew it existed.

It’s one nice thing about the aging of the New Age: the far-out places are becoming institutions! Crystal Magic has become a store we can count on.

 

  

How to Speak Sedonan

   Want to blend in more with the locals? Here's a primer on the local dialect.

 

First, use the word energy as often as possible. As in, "Wow, your energy is great today," and "Hmm, the energy seems to have changed since my last visit." In fact, whenever you're uncertain how to review food, music, living quarters or nature spots, draw on the "e" word.

 

Note local vocabulary. The word money is far too droll. We prefer "abundance" or "prosperity." When a New Age event requests a "love energy donation," don't worry, it's not sexual.

 

 Know which topics to discuss. Popular chit-chats cover how lucky we are to live here, the joy of precipitation in any form, and the loveliness of last night's sunset. Sound hip by examining whether Sedona is "the next Aspen," and intellectual by analyzing whether or not that's a good thing. Meanwhile, stay away from "the alternate route," and other topics on the trade-off of a pretty nature spot for a new road. A fist fight could ensue.

 

 Finally, know your pronunciations. The shopping galleria, Tlaquepaque, sounds like t1ah-keh-pah-keh, although t1ah-keh-pah-kee is acceptable. Palatki is the ancient ruin, not a New York governor, and is pronounced pa-LAHT-kee. Soften the "g" when naming the ancient peoples of the area, the Sinagua (sin-a-wa), but harden your consonants for the Mediterranean restaurant Cucina Rustica (koo-chee-na ROO-stee-ka).

 

  Good luck, and by the way, your energy looks great!

 

    Note: This essay is an excerpt from Sedona: The Essential Guidebook.

 

 

The One CONSTANT in Sedona is The CHANGE

An apparently quiet Sedona summer month reminds us what a transient place this is, at least from a retail point of view. Here, for example, are 10 changes I’ve noticed of late.

 

Four Sedona psychics, two of whom are Native Americans, have left The Center for the New Age to venture out on their own. Sedona Sacred Spirit replaces the defunct SAGE Crafts space (known to locals as the former pet shop). The store has a new paint job, and appealing sign hanging above, “A New Spirit Has Arrived.”  Located between ACE Hardware and Heartline Café, the shop will offer authentic Native American goods, plus the tours and psychic services of its founding partners. Scheduled for opening on September 1^st.

 

In Tlaquepaque, there’s a brand new toy store. The owner owns Tlaquepaque itself, meaning Wendy Lippman is a busy girl. Toy Town is the name. Just up the block, the ancient trading post, Gordon Wheeler’s is closed for business, while Visions West takes the small spot next door to the Hideaway Restaurant. The store offers a mix of art, furnishings and crystals.

 

But wait…there’s more change! Here in the land of the New Age, reincarnation isn’t just a common metaphysical belief, but a retail idea too. So it is that we welcome Victorian Cowgirl back, this time to the east side of Hwy 179, just a stone’s throw from the “Y.” If you’d rather recycle than reincarnate, consider Bee Thrifty Mountain Supply on Contractor’s Road, off west Highway 89A, specializing in used sporting goods. Could be the perfect place if you didn’t bring hiking shoes to town.

 

In Uptown, the offices of Pink Jeep Tours had always enjoyed easy access to caffeine at the adjacent Ravenheart coffee stop until it closed a few months ago. Now there’s word of a replacement. New operation, same caffeinated product: Welcome to Pink Java.

 

Also in Uptown, we’re moving from pasta to sushi in the Hyatt Piñon Pointe Plaza. The restaurant space formerly occuppied by Bice and then Bistro Bella Terra will become Hiro’s. The Japanese restaurant started in Flagstaff, where it received awards for best sushi and best family dining. Nearby, the Lou DeSerio Gallery features the work of this long-time Arizona photographer. It moves from a location up the block.

 

While Ravenheart shrinks from two spots to one, a West side eatery will go from one to two. Chocolá Tree, not content with being the west side organic vegetarian eatery, is now your place to eat in the Hillside plaza. It replaces Zelo Cosi, which closed at New Year’s.

 

Reviews of these and more coming soon.

 

So goes another summer in Sedona, where the one thing you can count on is change.

 

Dennis Andres, “Mr. Sedona”