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Drinkable Languages Offered At LA Time-Travel Mart

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the time-freezy-hyper-slush-is-a-category-five-explosive dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Via the sci-fi blog io9 comes a fantastic project that not only has a great premise but backs a great cause. The San Francisco writing center called 826 Valencia works to teach kids passion for the written word. The program really works, and has expanded to other cities across the country in an effort to get more young people writing. To fund these outreach programs, the organization has opened some ... unique businesses in their new locales. The LA chapter, for example, features a Time Travel mart. The imaginative place features dozens of products like Robot Milk, Viking Oderant, and Olde Fashioned English Gunpowder. Other centers around the country offer similar themed experiences, like the NYC Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. or Seattle's Greenwood Space Travel Supply Corporation."

5 of 62 comments (clear)

  1. Am I the only one... by sltd · · Score: 5, Informative

    ... who was confused by "drinkable languages" in the headline? Do I need to, like, RTFA?

    1. Re:Am I the only one... by tristian_was_here · · Score: 3, Informative

      I wasn't confused by the head line but what is the article going on about?

  2. Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Neglect by mwigmani · · Score: 5, Informative

    All those links and the summary doesn't mention Dave Eggers, the author, and founder of 826 Valencia, as well as McSweeneys.

    Also, that group once did a Pirate supply store.

    They were subsequently sued by the RIAA.

    1. Re:Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Neglect by Belgand · · Score: 2, Informative

      They did not "once" do a pirate store. The pirate store is still around located at 826 Valencia St. in San Francisco. I was in there just the other day. As such, the pirate concept is the original.

      As well, while they do actually sell some items the majority of the "store" is simply to open drawers filled with appropriate bits (such as the artificial beards with a big mess of hair-like substance inside), read the amusing signs, and promote writing.

      The fish tank is excellent.

      It's also located next to the absolutely amazing Paxton Gate which, well, it's hard to describe exactly, except that all of the amazing things there are for sale.

  3. You left out the best part... by 0x4a6f6e43 · · Score: 2, Informative

    If you haven't read this then you haven't seen the real creative talent of these people: I personally can recommend the bottle of Uncertainty. It comes in real handy from time to time... http://putative.typepad.com/putative/2007/01/fedex_refuses_s.html