Apologies for the complete radio silence - I have been BUSY! The kid sis has gone legit and is a bonafide performer! She will be playing the Wild Records pre-show at Viva Las Vegas 15. In turn, I have been commissioned to make an entire wardrobe of clothes, so the only electronic device I have seen in the last week is my sewing machine. I'm pretty excited about some of her get-ups so posts with those will be sure to follow. Until then, I hope you enjoy yet another one of Southern California's premier bowling alleys.
I am so enamored with the glory of Linbrook Bowl's sign that I feel it alone is reason enough to stop what you're doing and wherever you are in the world, find your way to Anaheim, CA. All the other pictures in this post are purely informational; they exist simply so you can understand that bowling is actually provided at Linbrook Bowl, but really, come on...the sign!!! I haven't even mentioned yet that the pin spins, have I?
1958 seems to have been a magic year for bowling alleys.
You might remember that our last Bowl-O-Rama entry,
Palos Verdes Bowl, also sites 1958 as its year of birth
One of the other amazing features of Linbrook Bowl is the original coffee shop.
Apparently, the coffee shop is the "Cheers" of Anaheim.
If "sometimes you want to go where everybody knows
your name," then head to Linbrook. I can't endorse their
Friday fish special, but I can guarantee that it will be
packed with friendly regulars.
The coffee shop could stand some minor restoration,
but Mary seemed to enjoy her milkshake in the
orange, vinyl booths.
According to some very reliable sources, the Kopa Room at Linbrook Bowl
hosts some of the best karaoke in Orange County! The bar was too dimly lit
for me to get any good pictures, but don't you want to make plans to meet
at the Kopa?
Every table in the bowling alley features old pen & ink drawings about
Victorian bowling history
Strangely enough, I forgot to get a picture of the lanes, themselves. Again, I assure you, Linbrook Bowl is a place for bowling; they have 40 lanes! I just can't get past the sign. Every time we drive by it, I want to stop and take more photos. Neon, twinkle lights, a giant, spinning bowling pin - who could ask for anything more?
wacky tacky has received a major award! I know what you're thinking; "Aren't we out of season for both awards and for A Christmas Story?" Well, in our minds, it is never too late, or too early for that matter, to get into the holiday spirit by receiving a major award!
A major award
With much humility we accept The 7x7 Link Award as graciously bestowed upon us by Emily over at the very glamorous and very informative, The Silver Screen Affair.
Blog awards are an honor, a privilege, and a lot of work. Instead of my usual stream of consciousness blather, I am directed towards genuine gratitude, self-reflection, and sharing.
The dictates of this award are three-fold. First, the recipient must share a little-known fact about himself. Second, the recipient must share seven of his own blog posts that were the absolute mostest (most: beautiful, popular, controversial, helpful, surprisingly successful, underrated, and pride-worthy). Third, the recipient must pass the award along to seven deserving bloggers. And away we go...
1. A little-known fact about Mr. Tiny:
Mr. Tiny was born in a co-ed Honduran prison as part of the Scared Straight Program. The first year of his life was spent in the chimpanzee enclosure at Tegucigalpa Municipal Zoo as his genetic make-up is only 98% similar to that of the general human population. I guess that is two facts.
I think the dress I made Mary for her senior prom
turned out pretty beautifully - if I'm allowed to say that.
More importantly, this blog featured the beautiful
photography of Jessie Stopnik.
At wacky tacky we try and keep it pretty light. In fact, subconsciously we avoid controversy at all costs.
We didn't receive any flak for this at all, but it might be deemed controversial to bad-mouth Santa.
A rambling post about found photography, weddings, my
grandparents and rape whistles seemed to strike a chord with
some readers. I knew when I was writing it that it made me
happy, but I didn't know that anybody else would like it.
Actually, that is sort of how I feel about all of my posts.
I am an unwitting defeatist, an unapologetic late-bloomer, and an unabashedly- lazy human being. I therefore am most proud of my very first blog. Proud simply over the fact that I forced myself to get going!
3. Seven praise-worthy blogs:
My Pretty Baby Cried She Was a Bird - I wish I had a more eloquent way of expressing this sentiment, but the fact is, this blog is extremely well written. Whether she is talking about her clothes, movies, book reviews (my favorite), or party planning, Lisa has such a unique point of view that one can't help but be pulled into her wonderful orbit.
Ranch Dressing with Eartha Kitsch - This is an inspiring blog that is equally hilarious and sweetly sentimental. Eartha won me over with her reposting of bizarre craigslist ads and her moving tribute to her neighbor, James. I don't know how I lived so long without this blog, but I am sure glad I found it!
Thriftaholic - Beautiful photographs and a glimpse into all the things that make Chicago a great city are but two reasons to follow this blog. The proprietress, Leilani, with her keen eye and uncanny ability to cleverly mix and match wardrobe elements, renews our favorite pastime, "thrifting," by showing readers how it can be a creative outlet, a healthy indulgence, and a lifestyle.
Jessica Stopnik - Sometimes I wish I knew how to use a camera. Even with modern, "fool proof" technology, I still manage to mess up every frame. Jessica Stopnik is a gifted photographer who uses her family and her environment to capture the richness of love and life. The lighting, the mood, the subject, and the eye behind the camera are perfect in every photo.
Wearing History - This blog is a thoughtful, thorough, and sensitive examination of costume history. Lauren is the most highly-skilled pattern maker, designer, seamstress, dreamer/creator, business owner that I know. Readers are regularly treated to images of her jaw-dropping creations, scans of historical documents, and beautiful photographs of "What Real People Wore."
Trash You Up - A blogger that offers no apologies for the deep and abiding love of junk and rock & roll, Erin shows us how cool life can be when you embrace the things you love. Seriously, the best collection of junk I have ever seen!
Mary-Go-Round - What good is the ability to bestow a major award if one cannot employ the tiniest bit of nepotism? Sure, Mary is my sister. Sure, Mary's posts are scattered and infrequent. Sure, Mary usually features an outfit that I have made for her. The soul of her blog, however, is her music and hopefully, she will take this as a kick in the pants to start recording and posting more often!
Thanks again to Emily at The Silver Screen Affair, who continues to delight with her inspired blogging.
California Living: The Magazine of Western Homes & Gardens - November, 1947 Nothing quite says "California House & Gardens" or "Western" like a living fashion plate at Rockefeller Center in New York City.
So you thought soap carving was a pastime relegated to inmates at your local correctional facility with the end result being a "shank" or a faux handgun? Tut, tut. According to one Ms. Lilliace M. Mitchell, "Soap's A Lot of Fun," and soap carving is the ideal activity "for your next party." Interested? Read on.
"Soap's A Lot of Fun"
I think I can identify almost every one of the hand-carved figurines above:
rabbit, Springer Spaniel, penguin, somber duckling,
what the baby of a rooster and a moose antler would look like,
breeching dolphin or banana split, woodpecker with a pompadour
Don't fret over that empty knick-knack shelf!
For a dollar's worth of Ivory and an evening's worth of fun, you can fill that shelf
with handmade beauty! Don't forget to coat each carving with clear, nail lacquer.
"Here is an example of what you may be able to accomplish after a sufficient amount of practice." I'm glad we're not setting the "bar" too high, but I think we should leave the carving of nude, bathing figures to the inmates.
I will be bold and issue a preemptive "You're welcome," for supplying you with the smash hit of your next smart dinner party or apres-theatre soiree. I can just imagine the looks of astonishment you will receive when you afford each guest his or her own bar of Lifebuoy or Lux and the "stray nails," "discarded manicure implements," and "pen points no longer used for writing." Certainly, neither you nor your party will soon be forgotten!
Giving "Clean as a whistle" a whole new meaning!
Ah, yes, but how clean is a whistle?
I am not immune to the thrill of soap carving! I grabbed a
cake of Lever 2000 Fresh Aloe and carved a fully-functional
soap whistle. Perfect for the times when one slips and falls
in the shower.
Happy St. Patrick's Day everybody! Mr. Tiny is currently laid up, so no Irish escapades on the docket for today. The little sis, on the other hand, was invited to a very special wedding shower for our friend Dollie DeVille. Since the shower was booked for March 17, Mary needed a frock suitable for both a daytime shower and St. Patrick's Day.
My obsession with classic films once again came to the rescue when I pulled from the fabric stash a fabric envelope full of curtain panels.
The Von Trapp children in their curtain clothing
The Scarletts in their finest drapery duds.
Inspiration via The Sound of Music, Gone With the Wind, and even The Carol Burnett Show coupled with a single, discounted, curtain panel from Anthropologie gave me enough of a head start to create a new dress for Mary.
Mary has it styled as a late 40's-early 50's day dress with
matching basket purse!
As with all of my best-laid plans, the idea to take some nice photos of the dress in a more verdant atmosphere was foiled by the rain we're experiencing today. So all we got were a couple of snapshots in the kitchen!
A close-up view of the green, rose print
Beyond the color of the print, I felt like I was a bit of a "greeny" after making this dress and purse. Firstly, I recycled; the dress is made out of just one reused curtain panel. Secondly, I used every part of the animal - you know, like the Indians. The curtain had an attached valance piece with pom-pom trim that I used for the purse. As I mentioned, the curtain panel came in a fabric sleeve/envelope with buttons which I used to make rosettes with button centers to further adorn the basket purse.
Mary was not taking her modeling job very seriously.
I think she was upset when I told her that there was no
way she was going to get pinched with that much green!
We are not Irish, but there was no telling that to my Swiss & Yugoslavian grandparents. They gave all of their children good, strong, Irish names like Jeffrey Logan and Patrick Joseph. They also raised us on films like The Quiet Man and Darby O'Gill and the Little People. Therefore, no St. Patrick's Day is complete without hearing Sean Connery sing to Janet Munro.
"My Pretty Irish Girl" - Darby O'Gill and the Little People
The prettiest Irish girl that ever was or ever will be is Maureen O'Hara. For me, she tops the list of the most gorgeous and fiercely feminine women to have ever walked the planet. After working together on the movie, Dance Girl, Dance, Lucille Ball was quoted as saying that she thought O'Hara was the most beautiful woman in the world. I like her because she is beautiful, yes, but also because she is strong and full of character.
“Being an Irishwoman means many things to me. An Irishwoman is strong and feisty. She has guts and stands up for what she believes in. She believes she is the best at whatever she does and proceeds through life with that knowledge. She can face any hazard that life throws her way and stay with it until she wins. She is loyal to her kinsmen and accepting of others. She's not above a sock in the jaw if you have it coming.” ― Maureen O'Hara, Tis Herself
The feisty, Irish temper could be the most attractive piece of the puzzle! (Source)
Hot 'n Tot is the perfect example of not judging a book by it's beautiful, glowing sign. That's the saying, right? Hot 'n Tot has been around since 1946. Certainly, the cool, atomic bow-tie, light box, and neon diamond sign is a little bit newer, but we liked it so much that we were ready to give the coffee shop the wacky tacky seal of approval without even trying the food. On one of our adventures, we just happened upon this Lomita, CA landmark; the sign, coupled with the fact that we were feeling a bit peckish, lured us in for some dinner. In retrospect, as passersby, we think that maybe we should have snapped a photo of the sign and continued passing on by. The food isn't awful, but it is also nothing to write home (or even a blog) about; that is why this is a "signs of the times" and not a "chow time" entry. Anyhow, we give major credit to any eatery that can weather the ever-changing culinary constitutions of Southern California eaters all the while maintaining a dreamy sign.
One of my very favorite places in Los Angeles is the original Farmers Market. Founded in 1934, Farmers Market has become a Southern California institution and a major tourist destination. Truly, it deserves an entire post of its own as it is such a beautiful landmark. On any given day, visitors can buy fresh produce, sample foods from all over the world, and visit Shine Gallery!
I guess I am a bit of a junking/treasure hunting/thrifting snob. I don't really feel like I have found a treasure unless I have unearthed it from among a pile dirty clothes, chipped ceramics, and broken electronics. There is something about sleuthing in a thrift store, bargaining at an estate sale, or broiling under the California sun at a swap meet/flea market that makes me feel like I have earned the artifact - a less-handsome, less-rugged, less-adventurous, trash-digging Indian Jones. For that reason, I resent stores where cool things are abundant and out in the open for everyone to see. Shine Gallery is really no exception to my nutty neuroticism, but I can't help but love it. Shine is a wonderland of dead stock novelties and collectibles and every time I go to Farmers Market, I come away with something awesome from Shine. This post is just a bunch a photos that hopefully, will have you making your way to Farmers Market for some food, fun, and treasure hunting!
An interior view of the store.
Don't let the giant $1.50 sign fool you; not everything at Shine
comes at dime store prices. I go there for inspiration but usually
find a few things that fit my miniscule budget.
Vintage Fold-Away shopping baskets
make loading up a heck-of-a-lot easier.
I love the way the store is designed/merchandised. It is very clean and but far from sterile as the goods are so colorful. They even use those Fold-Away shopping baskets to stage items for sale.
They're doing nothing to quell my fixation with pennants!
Pennants and the circus!!!!
For reasons that will be forthcoming shortly, my most recent obsession is vintage circus/carnival memorabilia. I realize I am either very late to jump on the bandwagon or very early for the next
go-round.
The oversized, novelty, name buttons are a hit with me; I have two already. Unfortunately, they don't have any that say "Mr. Tiny." One day I hope to achieve "Picture Patch" status. Sadly, I think I've passed my teen idol years. Dick Clark, Ricky Nelson, and Fabian have nothing to worry about.
3 great reasons to START smoking with you new Finger Cigarette Ring:
"Hold your cigarette while your hand relaxes,
No hazard of dropping cigarette while fatigued,
No more nicotine finger stains"
Shine Gallery carries everything from everyday, vintage postcards to more obscure and
collectible pieces like this ice-skating, beer bottle man, lamp with fiberglass shade.
I love Christmas stuff. I think this feather-bearded, glitter
Santa would be even happier at my house.
Babies in a box and monkeys in a sack.
They even have 1930's Disney merchandise!
They carry some things that are pretty socially unacceptable, but that
offer insight into the mindset of a different time.
Vintage cowboy/girl goods! Fortunately, I have a little self-control.
Mary & Jessie were not above flirting with
the staff to try and get a discount!
Shine Gallery (Inside Farmers Market LA)
6333 3rd St #134
Los Angeles, CA
(323)954-4700
