All Photos By Gail
Do you recognize this object? Do you know how works? How old are you? Don’t answer that. It’s hard to believe that this totally rad Pink Rotary Dial Desk Telephone was once the height of cool and contemporary consumer design. Now, it’s just a sculpture, or a piece pop culture ephemera.
Maybe you’ve seen one used as a prop in an old movie you enjoy for its nostalgic pull.
It is beautiful though, ins’t it? Sure it is.
Photographed at ICFF at Javits Center, NYC, in May of 2018
All Photos By Gail
If you like retro foreign cars, and also drinking, here’s a way to combine those two passions without risking arrest or death. The SMEG500, launched in Paris in May 2013, is a Refrigerator / Wine Cooler representing a creative collaboration between SMEG — makers fine retro-look refrigerators and other high end kitchen appliances — and Fiat, the iconic Italian car manufacturer. Talk about a sweet ride!
Handmade with genuine original Fiat 500 parts, the refrigerator / wine cellar is A+ rated for energy efficiency, has a 100 litre capacity, and is available in White and Green as well as the Red finish.
Check out that side profile!
The SMEG500 retails for about $10,000 and can be purchased at This Link!
Photographed that the Architectural Digest Design Show at Pier 94, NYC in March 2018.
All Photos By Gail
These extremely rare, retro-vintage Hi Brows Boots were worn by one of the GoGo dancers on the 60s-era TV show, Hullabaloo. Made of white vinyl with red and blue vinyl panels and black vinyl piping, the red and blue color block design was inspired by the non-representational paintings of Dutch artist, Piet Mondrian. They are low heeled and below the calf in height, with a back metal zipper at the back. Why these boots originally sold for just a few dollars per pair, they can now fetch as much as $700 or $800 on eBay.
Hullabaloo was a Pop Rock weekly variety show that ran from 1965 to 1966 (two seasons), NS was broadcast on the NBC network. As with ABC TVs Shindig, which began 4 months earlier, this series combined the musical trends of the day, The British Invasion, Detroit’s Motown sound and the merging Folk Rock trend. Unlike Shindig, this series featured a segment from Great Britain hosted by The Beatles‘ manager Brian Epstein, who presented “up and coming” groups. The weekly hosts, at NBC ‘s Burbank studio, included George Hamilton, Roger Smith, Noel Harrison, Paul Anka and Sammy Davis Jr.
The performers, from both sides of the Atlantic, included The Four Seasons, The Beatles, Nancy Sinatra, Gary Lewis and The Playboys, Petula Clark, Barry McGuire, The Kinks, Herman’s Hermits, The Byrds and The Lovin’ Spoonful.
Photographed in the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens, NY.
The unusual detail in this set, the GE Model 21C134 (1960) shows how television manufacturers tried to differentiate their products while selling essentially the same thing. The controls have been moved to the top, while the oversize wheels and large handle make the set easy to move. The color scheme suggests that the set was intended for an informal basement or “rumpus room” setting.
Photographed in the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria Queens, NY.
It’s so funny that I was just talking with a friend on the FaceBook about the Girl Groups of the ‘50s and ’60s, and the next thing I knew, I was clicking on the link to “Rolleiflex”, the wildly nostalgia-inducing new video from 20 year-old Detroit native Blaire Alise and her band, The Bombshells. OMG, this video amazing!
Shot on Super 8 film, the video will feel instantly familiar to viewers of a certain age: like a collection of memories in a visual scrapbook, or even like a favorite dream. While watching it, I felt at times like I was back in junior high school again. This song captures a magic that has been missing from music for a long time. It’s lyrical content, melody, and multi layered harmonies are first rate, and her vocal delivery is so heartfelt that it transports the listener to a time in life when, as unbelievable as that may seem in the present time, happiness was unquestionable. Production values are excellent as well. Blaire admits that “Rolleiflex is about memories, specifically, “It’s about trying to capture all of the moments you can, with the fear of not being able to take all of them in.” I think she succeeds beautifully.
Blaire Alise is currently based in New York, where she and The Bombshells regularly perform. “Rolleiflex” can be found on their new album, My Eye, which is out now. Enjoy!
There are a lot of Bad Hombres out there! Are you one of them? Well then, you will want to get this custom logo T-shirt. Let all your friends know that you are one Bad Hombre and proud of it! Cool vintage retro style with simulated distressing. Available in assorted colors for only $19.95 at This Link! All shirts ship for free through Sunday March 19, 2017, so get shopping!
And while you’re in the shop, pick up a Nasty Woman T-shirt (regular unisex t-shirt or ladies fit t-shirt ) for the lady in your life, at This Link!
Photo By Gail
This oil painting by artist Sul-Jee Scully, entitled The Magic Beach Hotel (2015), so perfectly captures the wistful vibe of late summer. I want to go there.
Photographed at The Painting Center, 547 West 27th Street, Suite 500, in the Chelsea Gallery District.
Being a rabid collector of vintage Halloween memorabilia, someone going by the pseudonym of Rip The Skull has accumulated what might be the largest group of Vintage Halloween Post Cards ever seen. There are literally over 1400 thumbnail images of these amazing cards cataloged on just one of his/her many Flickr.com pages. I can’t help but get a vicarious thrill from someone who has such a wild passion for collecting.
This one is just insane!
Sadly, there were no postcards with pictures of Satan on them, but this one (above) looked pretty close.
