Raising Retro Kids: Pedal Cars
Pedal car history goes back to the 1890’s when toy makers took their cue from real cars on the road. At the turn of the century, the cost meant that these cars were playthings for only wealthy families especially with many families reeling from the financial devastation of The Great Depression. No pedal cars were […]
War Seemed More Relaxed in the 1950s
In today’s society, the mere mention of a bomb on a social networking hub could have the police knocking on your door. The term “terrorist threat” is held by loose standards as children and young adults could face jail time for inappropriate comments made to friends in jest. Would this kind of behavior been worthy […]
Underground house for sale – another cold war bunker, but with style!
If you’re looking for another unique cold war home, you can’t get any better than this. Girard “Jerry” B. Henderson built a 6,000 square foot luxurious underground home near the Alexander Dawson (named after his father Alexander Dawson Henderson, along with the Alexander Dawson schools) buildings in Las Vegas where he lived . Henderson, made […]
Frank Gifford Photography
These gorgeous photographs came to our attention and we can’t get enough of the colors and subject matter! Please visit his site for more (and we’ll be featuring more of him here too!) – About Frank Gifford, the photographer behind these images: Frank began exploring the Mother Road and related interests after the year 2000. […]
Kingman, Arizona: the past and the present collide on Route 66
Immortalized in the anthem penned by Bobby Troup, Kingman in western Arizona is a bit of an enigma. On the map, it appears to be in the middle of nowhere and yet for the adventuresome traveler it is in the middle of everything. It is a stop for travelers on the road to somewhere, and […]
Retro Roadtrip: The Sunset Motel
We love personal recommendations for motels – one of the great reasons to stay a place is that you’ve heard positive feedback. This past week, we put a request out on the Route 66 Yahoo group and got some amazing feedback about The Sunset Motel in Moriarty, New Mexico. We “have gotten to know Mike […]
How to stock a Mid-Century cocktail bar for the summer
It’s summer and this long winter we seem to have depleted our bar selection, so it’s time to stock up! So, what do you need to stock the perfect Mid-Century Bar? The Alcohol Selection: Gin Vodka Rum Bourbon Scotch Tequila Sweet vermouth Dry vermouth Cointreau For the non-mixed drink crowd: White wine Red wine Beer […]
1950’s Modernism: A guide for the clueless.
What is characteristic of Modernist architecture? Do the major design features involve steel and glass? Was the design machine-inspired? (does it look somewhat like a machine?) Do the upholstery’s and fabrics look like those found at www.maharam.com? Does the design lack unnecessary details? Does its form follow its function? Does the design emphasize linear qualities? […]
MidCentury Style on a budget
We’ve seen a resurgence of mid-century style in the past few years, thanks to era-specific shows like AMC’s Mad Men. Since its airing, viewers have had a chance to see how appealing mid-century design really was. Nowadays, you’re hard pressed to find a bar cart for under $300. You can thank Don Draper for that. […]
Mid-Century Motel Review: The Canyon Motel and RV Park
Continuing our spring break tour, we were excited to hit Williams, Arizona and especially happy to check in to the Canyon Motel and RV Park! This historic motel was slated to be torn down and replaced with townhouses. It would be gone today if not for Kevin and Shirley Young, a couple of California transplants, who […]