Tag Archives: retro

Kiddo Time Machine :: Vintage 70s Kid’s Room Were Swank!

Kiddo Rooms, , , , , ,

Howdy gang. I was cleaning up the house this weekend and stumbled upon my stash of old vintage home interior books—I have a handful from the late 60s and 70s. I love them but I have to be honest, I rarely crack ’em open. Thank goodness I did, I had totally forgotten about all the amazing kid’s bedrooms in some of them! I thought you guys might like to take a little look-see with me, so after an afternoon with the scanner, here’s what I have for ya. I think you’ll like!

I love those little mod pedestal stools that look all magic mushroomy. I totally remember that old green froggy toy bin in the back/ Four beds though…hmmmm. Was that for sleep over fun or was this some Jon and Kate style family?? Let’s continue…

“Oh hey it’s Todd here. Just shootin’ some pool with my good buddy Lance.”

OK. Where to begin. The honkin’ star on the ceiling? The ‘stash on that chalk drawing? Wow. I hate to say it, but in 10 years Lance will be driving a Camaro and probably won’t have anything to do with ol’ Todd. But don’t worry…Todd will get his revenge. He’ll invent the Walkman in the 80s and become a digi-mogul. Lance will end up renovating Todd’s rec room.

Tiny Tuesdays look out! Here’s a vintage baby nursery. Intriguing…

Ahh, ye olde floating wall nursery, with the deadly medieval metal pole hanging over sweet bebe’s head. Fantastic! I confess, I do love that rug…almost as much as I love the full formal hair do mama is sportin’ in her nightie.

This next one is amazing. Lots of cool cubby space for hunkerin’ down and reading your best Encyclopedia Brown book.


Sigh. I love the wallpaper, the book nook, that aquarium and those vintage adidas. Nice kicks, kiddo….

This next one is fun. I’m crazy about polka dots (although these are a little eye-cross inducing, methinks).

Look how cute that little polka chair is too! And nope. You aren’t imagining things. The next photo is the same room, but it was in a different book! I love the little romper on the boy.

This next room is a pre-teen dream. The yellow Arne Jacobsen chair is so dreamy.  Ten points to whoever figures out what the hell is on that top shelf down there.

UPDATE!!!!!! I know what’s on that shelf. It’s a HAIR DRIER. Brilliant. Check it out:

image: sugarpie honeybunch

Ahoy matey, the S.S. Kiddo is set to sail! This theme room is amazing….down to the porthole and the bell on the wall. By the way, those white circles aren’t fancy lights. This particular book is a three-ring binder. I was able to crop the holes out of most of the photos but I didn’t want you to miss out on the grandeur of the director’s chair/desk combo. Or that starfish pillow on the bed. And while we’ve solved one mystery (the ladydrop gumdrop above), can someone tell me WHAT IS THAT GREEN THING PEEKING OUT OF THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER DOWN THERE??

Moving on! Check out this four poster bed. Holy florals, batman! I love the matching trunk, chair and wee table on the left. Gotta say I’m highly intrigued by the colossal Fish on Wheels on the floor over there on the right.

The 70s ruled. In addition to bold colors and fun pop stylin’….there was that 1976 bicentennial action that nudged people to go all Colonial. Check out that old-timey phone! The play space is great in here (and I love those mod window treatments) but wait til you see the beddie.

How cool is that?? It’s like a double bunk/fort with a build in puppet theater. Looove.

Check out this creative little space. The slanted wall could have felt oppressive, but the big happy rainbow just livens up the whole joint.

Kory lives here—and apparently Kory is The Man. If you couldn’t tell by his rad tube socks and name emblazoned on the bedroom wall, then just feast your eyes on his bunk bed pods:

I’m speechless, people.

Next up is Sasha’s pad. And this kiddo is giving Kory a run for his money. I mean the Star Wars Tie Fighter, X-Wing and R2D2…but I’m mostly digging the color swoosh on the wall….which somehow runs across the window shade, thank you very much.

My parents were into Danish modern when I was litle—and this was no mean feat growing up in Flint, Michigan, lemme tell ya. My brother and I had these really cool mod red bunk beds that were a bit like these next ones. There is no ladder, you climb up the slats on the end. Super cool! Alas, ours didn’t come with the head-decapitating magazine rack hanging over the top bunk.

And finally….my top favorite. The Indoor Playground. HOW. COOL. IS. THIS.

As always, vintage makes me want to embrace color and just kick everything up a notch. I hope you were inspired by these rooms as much as I was. Just promise me you won’t, you know, hang any awkward magazine racks over yer child’s bed, ok? We’re here to inspire, not clock yer kiddo.

Images: From the collection of Miss Alix. Better Homes and Gardens Decorating book (1968), Better Homes and Gardens Decorating book (1975) and House and Garden’s Complete Guide to Interior Decoration (1970).

Real Life :: The Dames Supper Club

Mama Style, Real Life : Alix, Real Life : Dottie, ,

There’s nothing more I love than spending time with my family….but let’s be real. Sometimes a girl’s gotta hang with her girls, right? We all have crazy busy schedules, but a little group of us (including myself and Miss Dottie) decided that we could commit to a once-a-month dinner date. I know a handful of people who have little dinner groups where they get together and try out new, hip restaurants—which I have always thought was a really fun idea—so I was all up for it. My friend Doe, however, came up with a really fab spin on this. Her invitation read:

“Hey retro lovin’ mama! Does your child know all the words to The Archies and The Partridge Family? Is their favorite cartoon The Jetsons? Is your child asking YOU how to make a jello-mold? Are you finding it a challenge how to explain to the neighbor kids why all your paintings are paint-by-number?? Well you need to join The Dames de Gâteau!”

The concept? We get all gussied up and meet once a month for dinner and drinks at an old school “retro” restaurant. Of course we always leave room for dessert—hence the name, Dames de Gâteau (Ladies of Cake)! Doe’s sister is part of a similar group in New York (The Dames du Beouf!). I gotta say it was SO MUCH FUN! We chose  Joe’s of Westlake as our first target. Joe’s is an old school Italian restaurant with fabulously retro decor…..

We were pleased to see a whole fleet of seniors strollin’ on in when we got there. The joint was hoppin’!!

Hahaha….OK, I know it totally looks like no one is in the place in that photo, but I swear it was packed….that picture was from the end of the night!

The bar area has this really groovy seating area with a big fireplace.

A little jazzy band was playing, the King Hutch Duo: featuring King Hutch on piano and Eddie on drums! (Between you and me, I think Eddie is getting a bum deal…how come King Hutch gets top billing?? It’s a DUO! We kept cracking up about it. I told Dottie I was going to change the name of Modern Kiddo to “Princess Alix….and Dottie on drums!”

We took our meal in ze Cascade Room.

I tried my very first martini. (I know, right? I realized I have never had one. And here’s why…..it’s completely gross! Sacrilidge I know. But hey, I’m more of a gimlet, lemon drop, cosmo girl….I like a little juice in muh drink. Cosmo’s are one of my favorites but Sex in the City kinda ruined them for “groups of girls going out” and that wasn’t the vibe I was going for. Martini. *shudder* )

The food was hearty and abundant. And very very old school. Deep fried scalllops? Mmmmm. Yes please!  The sides were almost bigger than the main—everyone got homemade raviolis.


The “Child’s Plate” cracked me up….roast beef or pot roast??? haha. Wolfie would be horrified at those options. Yup, this place is legit. Nary a chicken nugget in sight!

Afterwards we went to the bar/lobby area. The decor is crazy. Here’s Doe whispering the secret location of our NEXT get together!

We really had a blast and I think laughed the entire meal. It was such an amazing group of ladies. As fgor the food, well. Kind of hit or miss. My chicken parm was delish….Dotties steakie was just so-so, but we weren’t really doing this for the fine dining. We were doing it for the company. And THAT was first class all the way, baby!

Presenting, the fabulous Dames de Gâteau Supper Club ladies!

I highly recommend a little dress up supper club for you and your pals! Once a month isn’t too much to commit to and it’s soooo fun. We had a great mix of ladies—some of the girls were old friends, some were ladies I didn’t know as well but always wanted to know better. If you and your girls decide to do something similar, please let us know! Better yet, blog about it and link over here! I guarantee you you’ll have a blast…oh, and don’t forget to leave room for dessert….

Ooooo weeeee! It's a Hip Chore Chart Download, from Draw! Pilgrim.

Downloads, , ,

Hi guys. Happppppy Monday! Thanks for all the awesome love for Pilgrim’s great room tour on Friday. As a special Monday Bonus we something super cool—a FREE DOWNLOADABLE CHORE CHART for you, created by none other than Pilgrim herself. This super rad chore chart was inspired by the vintage woodland style Pilgrim used in Donovan’s bedroom decor. I think it’s crazy adorable. THANK YOU PILGRIM!!

Click here to print out a full size one for your own helpful kiddo!

Oh, and yep. I’m back! Expect a full Prague update on Wednesday my friends!

Real Life: Tiki Oasis 2010 Part 1

Real Life, Real Life : Alix, , , , , ,

Ahhh, the sweet days of summer have come to a close and I’m so very sad. Thankfully we managed to sneak in one last little tropical getaway to the magical Tiki Oasis just a few weeks ago. So what is this thing called Tiki Oasis I keep yammerin’ about? Lemme tell ya .Tiki Oasis is a celebration of Polynesian pop culture and is “the largest and longest running Tiki Event on the planet.” For one weekend every August, Tiki-enthusiasts take over the historic Hanalei hotel in San Diego (now called the Crowne Plaza) and fill the place with art, music, tropical drinks—and of course, fabulous fashions.  I suppose I should start at the beginning….our trip began with a short-n- sweet plane ride down to San Diego:

Finally, we arrived! The weather couldn’t have been more perfect. Mid 70s with a touch of a breeze. ALOHA, indeed.

The hotel itself is lovely. Palm trees, little waterfalls, a huge pool and, of course,  lots of cool Tikis all over the property.

The best part is that it’s an extremely family-friendly affair. Single folks, couples young and old, and families with kiddos—all mingled together. The whole weekend was the doing of my sweet friend Baby Doe (aka Dorinda) and her cool hubby Otto von Stroheim. They are the Producer’s Extraordinaire who dreamed up this crazy thang and made it all happen. This was the 10 year anniversary. It’s so crazy impressive I can’t even tell you.

Here is the always charming Doe with her little cutie Dash (and Wolfie on the left—sportin’ his Pineapple Princess aloha togs! My friend Stephanie makes groovy kid’s clothing out of vintage muu muus! More on her later….).

All told over a thousand people frolicked at the Oasis that weekend. I’m so proud of Doe—she is crazy sweet and cool and yet runs these huge events with the precision of a 5 star general!!

During the day, you could swim or browse the amazing vendors who had set up shop on the lawn near the pool and in the hotel conference area. Vintage clothing, records, artwork, tiki mugs and necklaces, even polynesian BBQ spices. There were also a wide variety of symposiums—The History of Tiki, Rum & Chocolate, The Persuasive Power of Punch, Pin-Up Hair and Makeup, Live Tiki Carvings…it was overwhelmingly awesome.

Hey look! It’s Modern Kiddo reader, Mrs. DeTiki! She was a doll and had these really cute retro-style handbags she makes.

Wolfie and Greg loved checking out the awesome vintage car show in the parking lot.

Wolfie had so much fun…I love he started wearin’ this groovy surfer necklace. By the end he had a tiki pendant to match! How cute is that tee, by the way? It’s for Greg’s kiddo band The Time Outs and the rad “Rocky the Rock Hand” artwork was done by Michael Fleming, aka Tweedlebop!

There was literally something to do at every moment. You could do everything….or nothing. We were big fans of the “do nothing” option and I’m pleased to report we clocked many hours by the pool.

Every day amazing DJs spun vintage vinyl—boat loads of 50s/60s exotica, surf, lounge and more. The vibe was super chill and cool. You honestly felt like you were living in a vintage movie….

Aw yeah! The debut of my vintage swim cap!!

I love the elevators…they’re glass and look out on an atrium of waterfalls and palm trees. At night, two guys played stand up bass and guitar IN THE ELEVATOR. See? Even the elevators are cool.

As the sun set, the vendor booths disappeared only to be replaced by lawn chairs…and the night time entertainment began. Fun bands and dance performances. Wolfie was allowed to stay up a little later to watch the first few performances.

Of course I had a blast dressing up. It’s not required by any means, but loads of people get dolled up in their vintage Hawaiiana finest. High off my vintage bathing cap victory, I decided to bust out THE BIG BUN for Saturday night!

I’ll be posting more on the Tiki fashions over at Strawberry Lemonade, my other bloggie.

Whew. OK, that’s it for the Part 1. The next installment will be Kiddo-centric and I’ll tell you allll the cool things there are for you and yer wee ones to do. Because you ARE coming next year….right??


Vacation Flashback: Heading Outta Town.

Things We Like, Vintage Kiddo Photos, , , ,

I know when August hits many families are exhausted from a full summer and can’t wait for school to start. As a workin’ mama, however, I have to say I’m totally not ready! My schedule has been action packed but all with work. Wolfie’s been at a fun summer arts camp and then he and Greg visited grandma and grandpa in Myrtle Beach ….but I haven’t really had a summer vacation to speak of yet. That’s why I’m soooo looking forward to this weekend. We’re all heading down to San Diego for Tiki Oasis—a fun, retro weekender celebrating  tiki culture. I’m plotting outfits, thinking about squeezing in a day trip to Legoland, dreaming of lounging poolside and of course some nice quality time with my sweet boys. Also, August 22 is mah birthday and I’m soo looking forward to hangin’ with my girlfriends who will be down in San Diego with their families too. Expect a full report next week!

In honor of the elusive Family Vacation that I’ve been chasing all summer long, here’s a little virtual slide show of retro holiday fun!


image: bunchofpants


image: striderv


image: panta rhei


image: Harold HAESLER


image: kristina^^

hubba hubba….


image: kristina^^


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image: Kristina^^

Hahaha, awwwm what’s up, Playboy University? Check that kiddo out!


image: striderv


image: king power cinema


image: musicmuseCA


image: striderv


image: striderv


image: spajadigit


image: MS2172


image: striderv

Oh for the love of matching lavender (orchid??) purple shorties, I hope you’ve had a smashing summer. Where have YOU gone this summer, dolls? Or are you planning on squeezing in one last great escape before school starts? DO TELL! I love to live vicariously through ya….