Your Summer Dream: The Beach Boys Monument

It seemed, for a time, as if there was a particularly-virulent Beach Boys backlash.  It was like the song "Kokomo," by mere association, single-handedly voided the credibility of the entire Brian Wilson songbook.  It felt like one had to explain away an affinity for The Beach Boys by describing it as a "guilty pleasure."  

"In My Room"

If there was a backlash, it seems to have subsided and I, for one, am glad.  Maybe it is my Southern California upbringing, maybe it is because when I am alone in my room I still feel like a melancholy teenager, but my love for The Beach Boys is abiding, and I'm willing to say it out loud on this very public forum.  "I, Mr. Tiny, am a Beach Boys fan!"

The childhood home of the Wilson brothers should serve, if not as a museum or a music school, at least as a shelter to another Southern California family with enough musical potential to challenge the success of The Beatles and sell over 100 million records.  Instead, with the building of the 105 freeway, the Wilson Homestead became another victim of eminent domain.

The street where their childhood home once stood is now marked by a monument erected by faithful fans of The Beach Boys and registered with the State of California as an historic landmark.  In the land of perpetual summer, we could comfortably visit the monument at any time of the year but we decided that summertime proper was the only time to make our pilgrimage to the Beach Boy Monument in Hawthorne, CA.

Mr. Tiny takes a stand - atop The Beach Boys monument.

The monument recreates the cover of the "Surfer Girl" album but includes
all six Boys - Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Brian Wilson, Mike Love,
Al Jardine, and David Marks. 

"The Rocking Surfer"

Dedicated on May 20, 2005, the monument, in terms of form, is a little less than inspired; the red bricks don't speak to the sand, sun, or surf with which The Beach Boys are so closely identified.  The spirit with which the structure was built and the messages inscribed on those red bricks, however, offer some redemption.

HA!

"Wouldn't It Be Nice"

I thought I got all of them, but I missed Carl Wilson!

"Good Vibrations"

There isn't some deep message to sustain the length of this post; it is just an appreciation for a local band that made good.  Here are some of my favorite Beach Boy hits!

"Be True To Your School"

"Dance, Dance, Dance"

"Don't Worry Baby"

"God Only Knows"

I couldn't have said it better myself!

What is your favorite Beach Boys song?  Whatever it is, make it your summer dream to go visit The Beach Boys Monument!

"Your Summer Dream"

The Beach Boys Monument

3701 W 119th St

Hawthorne, CA


Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

Tiki Time: Polynesian Pops at the Tiki Apartments

After spending so much time scanning the horizon for the strange and exciting in this world, I feel like I have been blessed with a divining rod for the wacky tacky.  Sometimes we don't even have to search; led by some greater force, the wacky tacky is simply thrust upon us!  Such was the case this weekend when on a scenic drive through our coastal communities, we stumbled upon the Tiki Apartments in Redondo Beach, CA.

I have never loved apartment living.  There is something a little claustrophobic to me about shared walls, and something a little unnerving about footsteps on the ceiling.  The Tiki Apartments might provide enough Mai Tai magic to cure me of my phobia.

   

Providing a watchful eye over the tenants, these 

tiki gods line the walkway into the complex.

It came at the cost of several pedestrians (who should have known to jump out of the way when they saw us jumping the median), but I'm sure they were more than thrilled to make the sacrifice so we could manage throw the wacky wagon in park and get some pictures of this inspired island of Polynesian pop.  There was so much to love about this place - the outrageous, orange,  "Tiki" script, the lush landscape, the tikis themselves - but one of my favorite parts was the multicolor/metallic/iridescent mosaic tiles that created bold stripes on the facade of the building.

Surrounded by The High Tide, The Sea Gull, The Shore Break and many other ocean-themed apartments, the Tiki, and its sister buildings, prove that a little theming goes a long way in making a generic, mid-Century apartment complex something wonderful, wild, and wacky tacky.

Don't you just want to throw a lei around
 this tiki and get the luau started.

Imagine the parties!!!
I think if I lived here, I couldn't be stopped from throwing one giant, perpetual, Polynesian party!

Having grown up a very short distance from the Ala Moana Apartments, a fantastically tiki-styled building marked by an extreme A-frame entryway, there was no reason for me to be so mesmerized by the south seas theming of these apartments, but the Tiki is just so glittering and glamorous.  Although there were two people silently soaking in the sun poolside, from somewhere, probably drifting in on the ocean breeze, we could hear a hula. 

"Hawaiian Hula" - Ana Lani & Ray Kinney

Did we mention that this place is just a short walk from the beach?  Where's my muumuu, I'm ready to move in!!

Tiki Apartments

389 Palos Verdes Blvd.

Redondo Beach, CA

Cheers & Aloha!

Mr. Tiny

wacky tacky Icons: Elsa Lanchester

Elsa Lanchester

October 28, 1902 - December 26, 1986

(Source)

My favorite actors have always been character actors.  While she was a star of great magnetism in her own right, Elsa Lanchester was definitely a character!  Born to vegetarian socialists in Edwardian England, Elsa's fate was sealed as a wacky tacky woman from the moment she entered the world!

Elsa the Exotic!

(Source)

An early student of Isadora Duncan, the mother of modern dance, Lanchester began her career as a dancer and singer in Britain's iconic music halls.

"Don't Tell My Mother I'm Living in Sin"

In pretty short order she transitioned into silent films; her first credited role was as Beatrice de Carolle in the 1925 film, The Scarlet Woman.

Looking like a proper starlet
(Source)

A pretty safe assumption is that Lanchester's most iconic role is that of Mary Shelley/ The Monster's Bride in the 1930's classic, horror film, Bride of Frankenstein.

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Don't you love the hiss?

In an effort to maintain full disclosure, I will admit that I have never seen Bride of Frankenstein in its entirety!  My first exposure to Lanchester was actually her hilarious portrayal of Edna Grundy in the "Off to Florida" episode of I Love Lucy.  In this episode, Lucy and Ethel mistake Grundy for escaped convict and "gray-haired hatchet murderess, Evelyn Holmby."

"I love buttered grass."

I Love Lucy, "Off to Florida" (original air date 10/12/56)

The next thing I can remember Lanchester in is Disney's Mary Poppins.  As Katie Nanna, Lanchester may not have had a major role, but what she lacked in screen time she made up for in scenery-chewing, scene-stealing, outrage!

Mary Poppins (1964)

(Source)

Lanchester had a long (spanning seven decades) and storied career, to say nothing of her infamous marriage to star of stage and screen, Charles Laughton.  But we know her best for her eccentricity, her charisma, and her outstanding contributions to wacky tacky film festivals.

Bell, Book and Candle (1958)
(Source)

I've never been a Kim Novak fan, but Lanchester, as spooky
Aunt Queenie, definitely makes the film watchable.

Pajama Party (1964)
(Source)

In my VERY favorite of all the AIP beach party movies,
 Lanchester played eccentric Aunt Wendy

That Darn Cat! (1965)
(Source)

As part of the 1960's obsession with nosey neighbors (see Gladys Kravitz),
 Lanchester played the indignant Mrs. MacDougall.

That Darn Cat! (1965)
(Source)

Mrs. MacDougall, herself.

Blackbeard's Ghost (1968)

(Source)

As zany as ever, Lanchester plays pirate progeny,
Emily Stowecroft, in this classic tale of  cursed pirate haunting the living
 and saving the homestead of old ladies from a dubious mob head by
fixing the big track meet, thereby saving his eternal soul and
bringing love to faculty member at the local college!
I LOVE this movie!

I really enjoyed watching these excerpts from her 1970 appearance on "The Dick Cavett Show."  One really gets a sense of her upbringing, her relationship with her husband, and her weirdness.  Dig that crazy medallion/talisman!

"The Dick Cavett Show" (1970) - pt.1

"The Dick Cavett Show" (1970) - pt. 2

Doesn't she look like a bundle of fun?!!

Thanks for your indulgence.  We haven't featured a wacky tacky icon in a long time and having just recently reviewed Blackbeard's Ghost, I have been on an Elsa Lanchester high!

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

A Little Church for Big Sinners!

Some of my very favorite wacky tacky entries are the drive-bys - the ones where a quick five minutes does the trick before you have to hit the trail again.  The truth is that roadside attractions are in necessity in breaking up the monotony of a lengthy road trip or even just a morning commute.  Sometimes, when you're on the road, you just need a small dose of wacky tacky to recharge your own wacky tacky battery; when that little bit of wacky tacky is teamed with a little bit of the spiritual, then all we can say is "Hallelujah!"

Like an celestial island in the middle of a bottomless sea of iniquity, stands The Little Tree Church in Tustin, CA.  Sitting serenely, if diminutively, in the parking lot of the Jamestown Village Shopping Center, The Little Tree Church has only been in existence since the 1960's, but its roots are planted far more deeply in the rich soil that is Orange County history (the full history of TLTC can be found here).  The tiny church was built as a tribute to the landowner's grandmother's childhood church and was originally built around an existing oak tree.  The tree has subsequently died and been removed, but fortunately, the church remains.

Having just been a guest at two very wonderful, yet extremely different, weddings, I must coin a new phrase, "To each his own."  I, however, having been blessed with an extraordinary imagination, can just imagine what a sweet and simple ceremony could be held within the walls of The Little Tree Church.  With a few friends who are presently engaged, we wanted to go inside and scout the location, but the door was locked.

"Sanctuary, sanctuary!!!"
  Seriously, the only time I have ever
been told that I look like someone famous is when a little
 kid told me that I looked like the Hunchback of Notre Dame!

Side note: I picked this sweater up at some random men's
 fashion store at an outlet mall; I was on the fence about it, so
 I'll let you be the judge.  Does it give the impression of
(a) a vintage knit or (b) something Cliff Huxtable would
 wear on his day off?

From what we understand, The Little Tree Church has a maximum capacity of eight people - six congregants, preacher, and organist.  The inside of the chapel is available for viewing, but we arrived on a whim (after business hours) so we just had to envision the inside.  It's traditional New England styling led my thoughts directly to the chapel in Pollyanna.  Indeed, Hayley Mills is never far from my mind, but can't you just see self-righteous Aunt Polly telling Pollyanna not to stare at the orphans while Reverend Ford "sermonizes something fierce?" 

Reverend Ford's (Karl Malden) sermon from Pollyanna

If you're driving on the 5 freeway through Tustin and you need a wacky tacky fix, or just a moment of reflection, stop by and see The Little Tree Church.

The Little Tree Church

C St

Tustin, CA

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

Sew What?! Mary-mekko

My parents did a good job with our names (Mr. Tiny seems like a bit of an unconventional choice but when you see a beatific, little, infant male, "Mr. Tiny" starts making a whole lot of sense).  Mary in particular works with so many puns, plays-on-words, rhyming couplets, etc.  Not only that, but how many songs are written for and about "Mary" - answer, like a million.

"Mary's A Grand Old Name" - Tom Burke

"Mary, Mary" - The Monkees

"Mary, Mary" Run DMC

Along the way in my highly-sordid and meandering career path, I worked for a large retailer that had a unique relationship with the Finnish fabric manufacturer, Marimekko.  For those unfamiliar with the company, Marimekko was founded in 1949 as a maker of oilcloth.  The company switched gears rather quickly and really took off when the fabric designs (heavily influenced by a mid-century Scandinavian aesthetic) were printed on sturdy cotton and turned into a small line of dresses and skirts.

A sample of early Marimekko apparel from the book,
Marimekko, by Marianne Aav
(Source)

Designer, Maija Isola's  Unikko by Marimekko
This iconic floral is probably their most
 well-known (and imitated) design.

Marimekko's international popularity blossomed in the 1960's when their oversized, mod patterns

became part of the American domestic landscape with table linens, dishes, decorator fabric, clothing, and even toys.

I love this one!

 Other Marimekko prints

(Source)

I guess that all of this information is the most circuitous and roundabout method of telling you about "Mary-mekko," the Marimekko outfit I made for Mary.  Last weekend we took part in a top secret mission that "required" a new outfit for Mary.  All I can say is that there was a VERY loose theme - 50's, tiki, pool party.

Once upon a time, when I worked for the aforementioned
retailer, we used my favorite of all Marimekko prints,
1960's "Tulipunainen" by designer, Maija Isola.
  This fabric was printed in many colorways, and when
it became available for employee purchase,
I bought yards and yards and yards of each color. 

To be perfectly forthright, I have never used purple much in my designs; it is one color that just doesn't appeal to me as much as the rest of the spectrum.  Thusly, this particular length of material had languished at the bottom of my fabric hoardings for many years.  The tonal purples (none of them a rich, bright purple) and the awesome print, however, made this material a definite winner in my book.  Moreover, I knew (in the sick way that hoarders are always able rationalize their behavior) that this fabric would one day come in handy and make the perfect outfit.

   

Inspired by a top that was recently made by my friend
 Lauren at Wearing History, another pattern that I altered to
make her a top for VLV, and the very brief period
of time I was alloted to accomplish this project
(about 5 hours), this is the "Finnish-ed" product -
a ruffled, crop top and a gathered skirt.

I had to laugh at the outcome because I made it out of Scandinavian fabric designed in the 60's, for a 50's-themed Polynesian party, and the result was a little Mexican folky. Unlike the rest of the clothes I make for her, this one was actually pretty quick and simple (as they relate to my middling ability to sew) and she swore that she'd actually wear it again!

Unfortunately, we were in a rush on the day of the secret mission,
and I wasn't sure if cameras were allowed, so I didn't get pictures
of her outfit until long after dark at which time it had become
apparent that my jokes had lost all of their potency.
This is the face of low tolerance.

She carried a large, vintage rattan basket purse that I threw
a fabric medallion/flower adornment on right before we walked
out the door.

Not knowing whether she should say, "Hei,""Aloha," or "Buenos Dias,"
Mary added a hothouse full of orchids to her hair and loaded her arms down
with all of her bamboo bangles to up the tiki ante.  Would you believe
that her bamboo earrings were crafted that morning out of napkin rings?
  Well, believe it!

When the time comes, I'll be able to show & tell a little bit more about our secret mission.  Until then, Mahalo from wacky tacky!

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny