You've seen them from the outside: bright little buildings adorned with mystical scenes from the Bible. These Tucson botanica shops are even more colorful within, brimming with all manner of kitschy products that speak to the eye and to the soul.
Also called Yerberias, or herbal stores, the shops act as "folk pharmacies" for those dabbling in the metaphysical. Yerberia San MiguelΒ at 5151 S. 12th Ave. is both a gift store and a psychic center. Owner Jose Candelo reads palms and tarot cards in the next room, which he calls Centro Espiritual San Jose. Sometimes when you're in the candle aisle you can hear mystical music coming from behind the door.Β
Candelo is originally from the Dominican Republic, which is steeped in its own Afro Caribbean traditions that fuse with Catholicism to create a unique blend of spirituality. He calls himself an Espiritista Vidente, which is kind of like a spiritualist or a clairvoyant. Speaking to him in Spanish, I get the impression he's a bit of a Renaissance man, super confident and capable of anything that comes his way.Β
His shop carries a little bit of everything: various teas and herbs to cure health deficiencies, dried sage and incense to make your house smell good, candles of every shape and variety. But I was here for amor ... so I asked him to pick out several products that I could use on Valentine's Day (ahem).
Some are featured in the video, and others I've listed below. Buena suerte!Β
Photo by Andi Berlin/Arizona Daily Star
Sexy soaps like Come to Me (Ven a mi) and Hummingbird (Chuparosa) are excellent for bath time. Throw them in the tub and they make a nice foam like a bubble bath, Candelo says. At $2.99 apiece, you can try out a bunch of them.Β
Photo by Andi Berlin/Arizona Daily Star
Scented oils to put on your skin, like Love (Amor) and Come Back to Me (Regresa a Mi), $4.99 apiece. You can use them like perfume and rub on your wrists, ankles or the back of your ear. Or you can drip a bit in the bath for a lovely aroma.Β
Photo by Andi Berlin/Arizona Daily Star
The store also carries mystic powders for sex and other life events. The instructions on the back of this package, $4.99, say to dust it onto your skin with a powder puff, or to add it to the bath or an oil lamp. "Many old time spiritualists used these powders to dress petitions and important papers." Not too sexy, but hey it's got proven results!Β
Scented oils to put on your skin, like Love (Amor) and Come Back to Me (Regresa a Mi).
