Road Trip in Pictures||CA to AZ

on the road...

This past March, we made our first ever trip to the Grand Canyon. Road trip! Road trip! Along the way, I reminisced about Route 66 and what it would be like to do this in the golden age of "road tripping". I tried to snap some shots of vintage signage and any roadside motels along the way.

Vintage Must-Have: Breton Stripes

by the sea...

Warm weather is here and what better way to enjoy that than running around in a striped top and capris? Often taken for granted, let's look closer at the Breton Striped shirt and where it came from.

EVENTS Bulletin:: MAY 2016

May is approaching and so are some GREAT events!

10 Item Wardrobe Pt. 2 (Phase 1)

Pt. 2 is finally here!

It has begun! I've completed my clothing clean-out. This is where the hard part comes in, actually figuring out what I want my capsule wardrobe to be. I have my inspirations. Now I need to find items that fit this new wardrobe.

After the purge, I pulled out my favorite pieces that I currently own.

It's funny how you don't realize what you have until you get rid of things. Turns out I have more clothing that fits my new aesthetic than I thought.

EVENTS BULLETIN:: APRIL-MAY 2016

Hello lovelies!

Just wanted to feature some cool vintage events here in Southern California.

A.)

If you're the type that enjoys dressing up and loves Disney nostalgia than Dapper Day might be a fun event for you! I have never been but it seems like fun! It's coming up soon on Sunday May 1st 2016 in Anaheim, CA.

10 Item Wardrobe- Pt 1

simplicity is best...

Lately this seems to be my catch phrase. Where clothing is concerned, I can't think of a better policy. Most of us have been in the same boat, having a closet full of clothes and yet we're still saying that tired phrase, "I have nothing to wear."

INSTAGRAM DISCOVERY- Five Star Soda

When it comes to soda packaging, the aluminum can and plastic bottle are what we have become accustomed to. The glass bottle, however, is best for handcrafted soda, without plastic or aluminum to jeopardize the integrity of the flavor. The right amount of fizz and unique label graphics makes bottled soda not just a novelty, but a timeless classic.  

 

Photo credits

 

 

Over at Five Star Soda, each soda is rated using a five star scale, complete with notes on flavor, aroma and overall taste. These well-written reviews include soda pop classics and handcrafted originals. Discovering new sodas to enjoy and reading the creatively written reviews makes Five Star Soda my favorite Instagram discovery so far!

 

Find out what they're about here and enjoy perusing their website!

Stay thirsty my friends!
Sincerely, Vera

 

 

 

REVIEW SF Vintage Shops- Pretty Penny & Haight Ashbury

I'd like to start off this post by saying that I am not a San Francisco native and I've only been to the Bay Area twice. But while I was there in March, these were the two places that stood out to me as great places to find vintage at affordable prices. I'm sure there are many more! 



at the Mission District store

Stars On Bikes...

Hi! How is everyone?
Sometime ago the girls and I went to Warner Brothers Studios, (more details on that will be in another post). When we were taking our private tour I noticed people riding around on bicycles, people that worked for the studio. I remembered that back in the day to get around the large lot of the movies studios the classic stars would ride bikes to get to point A to point B.

That's why the theme of today's post is "Stars on Bikes", I found a few neat pictures of celebrities at the studio and out and about hope you enjoy them!



Robert Taylor

October In Pictures...

TCM Film Festival 2013- Dial "M" for Murder 3D

Hi!
Today we have a post about the annual Tuner Classic Movie Film Festival, it's been some months since the Fest but it's never to late to share!
 

 Sunday April 28th 2013, day three of the film festival we went to Hollywood accompanied by a friend to see a Hitchcock classic- Dial "M" For Murder, starring the iconic Grace Kelly, along with Ray Midland and Robert Cummings. The movie was being shown on the big screen at the Chinese Multiplex 6, this is located on Hollywood Blvd. next to Grauman's Chinese theater.
 



We were especially excited because it was going to be shown how it was originally intended- in 3D. Unlike expected, the 3D in the 1950's was surprisingly high tech. Film critic Lenard Malton spoke with Norman Lloyd before the film an actor, director and friend of Alfred Hitchcock. He was 98yrs old!!! And is most known for his part in Saboteur and for directing over 20 episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents in the 1960's. TCM events are always well planned and have great guests, we all had a great time and can't wait for next year!  

 

in the theater before the movie

  

after the film at the front door

Inside the hall leading to the theater
(Bette Davis)

Julie Andrews



Steve McQueen

Sincerely, Vera

What a Nice Day For a Swim!

 Hello everyone!

It feels great to be posting again! We've been busy but we still haven't stopped sewing, thrifting or researching. We've found and made some really neat things and cant wait to share it all! Today I wanted to share these lovely swim suits. I give the photo credits to My Vintage Vouge, it is such a great website for vintage images from the 1920's-1960's. They've given me a lot of sewing ideas and inspiration while pairing new outfits. So if you haven't seen this site already I would definitly check it out! Most of these suits are form the 1940's and 1950's- Enjoy!
 

 

Sincerely, Vera

'What's On the Menu?' A Look at Vintage Menus

Earlier this month, we stopped by an estate sale and discovered a small collection of vintage menus and mementos. The prices were a little steep and bargaining didn't help as much as we had hoped, but we snapped up as many as we could. I did a little research to see if some of the places are still around and tried to find a photo of what the restaurant looked like inside. A tall order (no pun intended), but I had to try!

 

Welch's of Long Beach

Who can resist a vintage kid's menu?! I was surprised to see this among the other menus. This certainly brought back memories of ordering from the "fun" kids menu. But there was never prime rib or sole fillets on my menu!

 

 

Maynard L. Parker, Courtesy of The Huntington Library, San Marino, Calif.

 I tried to find out more about this restaurant, but kept getting photos. Click this link to see more pics of the inside!

 

The Hotel Statler

The Hotel Statler company was one of the earliest hotel chains in the U.S.. Catered to travelling businessmen and tourists, it was founded by Ellsworth Milton Statler in Buffalo, New York in around 1907. Looking at the design, graphics, I'm assuming this menu is from the 1950s. Some of their locations have since been demolished, but others still exist and are being used as offices, apartments, or as another hotel. Apparently, the Los Angeles location where this menu is from was demolished in 2011 and is the site where the Wilshire Grand Tower will be built.  Click here to see which ones are still operating hotels!

 

I can just imagine myself sipping a "Sunnybrook" highball next to this lovely pool under a bright yellow umbrella-after all, it's only 75cents!
 

Hotel Pere Marquette

 The 14-story Pere Marquette was built in 1926 in downtown Peoria, Illinois. It is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The hotel was recently closed for an entire year in 2012 for extensive renovation and expansion into a full-service, upscale Mariott hotel.  The year I found for this menu is 1942. I love this blue-on-blue color for a menu!

I didn't realize how terrible this pic was--sorry!

Here's a close-up of the "Plate Luncheons" section

 

I really like looking at them for authentic design/color ideas. I was suprised that the owner managed to keep them in a safe place. Paper usually somehow gets damaged.

There are a few more coming, so keep an eye out!

-Viola



TCM Film Festival 2013- Day 1:The Great Escape

 

For all you classic movie fans, listen up! Turner Classic Movies has been hosting a 3 day film festival for the past four years--showing many movies in theaters located in the heart of Hollywood. Some films have been restored, others realeased in original 1950s 3D, and some dusted off from the vault shown to the public for the first time since their original release.

 

 

Having missed the festival last year, the girls and I were excited to catch it this time around. We were able to go and see The Great Escape (1963) on Friday, Starring Steve McQueen, James Garner, and James Coburn.
 

 

Played in the famous Grauman's Chinese Theater, it provided a fabulous vintage backdrop. It was also exciting because we had never been inside before! Viv took some snapshots of the interior of the theater and outside of it amidst the crowds and character impersonators on the iconic Hollywood Blvd. Ben Mankiewicz talked to the film's producer Walter Mirisch before the film began, setting the premise for the film. Over all, it was a fun experience!

 

Inside the theater above the screen



Decor of the lobby



Lobby Lighting



Close-Up of the lobby carpet



Wall art in the lobby

Down the stairs to the Women's bathroom

Women's Sitting Room



Even the heating vents stick to the theme!

Its been a few weeks since we've attended but we can't wait for next year! We also atttended Sunday, but we'll share that day in another post. Long live the classics!
 

 

The location of the after-party across the street

--Viola