Tag Archives: vintage

Vintage Monday :: The Dames Hit the Town

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

Last month I told you about a new, monthly supper club that Dottie and I started with some great gal pals: The Dames. It was the brain child of our friend Doe, who is one of the most creative, organized and talented people I know! We realized that we wanted to see each other more—and we wanted to connect with other cool mamas. The concept? Get 10 or so rad mamas who love dressing up and once a month we hit a retro restaurant and have a fun night out! Last month we went to Joe’s of Westlake, an old school Italian restaurant with fab architecture. This past month The Dames decided to go to the historic John’s Grill—a cool seafood joint made famous as a setting in Dashiell Hammett’s novel The Maltese Falcon.

BUT before we met at the restaurant, our friend Shona suggested we meet at the Union Square Macy’s 6th Floor bathroom. “The Macy’s Bathroom? Whuhhh?” Sounds a tad strange, but hear me out. The Macy’s 6th Floor Bathroom is somewhat historic. Upon entering, you pass through an unremarkable, generic bathroom with the classic row of white sinks. Turn a corner, however, and you are suddenly met with this:

Off the main restroom is a square room made of green and cream marble. There are pedestal wash basins, a lovely crystal chandelier and a gilded ceiling. It’s FABULOUS! The walls are covered with floor-to-ceiling mirrors and it’s not until you push on the mirrors that you realize that all of the stalls are hidden behind them.

One of the snazzy metal and marble wash basins. The faucet got cut off but it was golden…

The bathroom was actually designed as part of the old I. Magnin department store back in 1948. I’m not sure why it was never renovated—but we were sure glad it survived! While we waited for everyone to show, we took pictures. I think everyone who actually had to *use* the restroom thought we were crazy. Festive! But crazy.

Dueling leopard was glamorously hilarious!

I look so serious! haha

Finally we made it to John’s Grill! This time there were 9 of us—and we branched out to include some “non-mama” friends but very groovy girlies. Alas, Dottie couldn’t make it this time but she was very missed! The beauty of The Dames is that it’s low stress—can’t make it one month? No biggie, just show up the next month!


For some reason our table only had half the place settings. I snuck around and grabbed them off the other tables, “I think they had us confused with The Broads…..we’re The DAMES, dammit!”

The elusive Maltese Falcon, used in the movie of the same name. I am not quite sure why there is an Emmy in the case too but any chance to pose next to an award? I’ll take it!

The food was fab and the company even more delicious. I was just so nice to get out and get to know this lovely group of ladies. I highly recommend starting your own little monthly supper club! You don’t have to be vintage obsessed—mix it up! Here’s all you have to do:

1.  Invite a great mix of ladies. You can get together with your besties, but  you don’t have to even know everyone well. Honestly it’s kind of more fun when you don’t. Our group is a mix of a few women who are already good friends and a handful I didn’t really know that well to start—but I’m soooo enjoying getting to know them better! Start with 2-4 people and let each person invite one extra!

2. Pick your “thang”. For us, it’s finding retro, old timey restaurants, but there are so many options. You can pick the newest restaurants in your town (and discover new favorites), you can explore different cultures (thai! sushi! ethopian!), you can pick a favorite food (pasta? pizza, seafood?) and try all the spots in town in a quest for the best….the possibilities are endless.

Getting a little time out on your own is so important for a mama—and even if you don’t have kiddos, quality hang time with your ladies can be so rejuvenating. Once a month isn’t a big commitment either. Give it a whirl! And be sure to let us know if you try it! Do you belong to any other groups? Reading groups? Crafting circles? Or do you just have a standing date with a best girlie? I’d love to hear!

PS  Pssst! Due to a nasty looming cold, I wasn’t able to go to the third installment of The Dames, which was held last week at Spenger’s Fish Grotto. Miss Dottie was there representin’ and I must say it looks like she had things alllll under control. Dottie rules!

 

Wallpaper in Two Really Cool Rooms.

Kiddo Rooms, , , , , ,

Welllll helllllo there! I’m back from sunny LA and our shoot went really well. If you follow me on twitter (@galexina) then you are probably sick of me yackin’ about how I met Al Pacino…..but um, I MET AL PACINO! We were shooting a print ad at the Saban Theater and he and his director came by to check the space out. I thought everyone was joking that he was coming by and then all of  sudden WHOOO AHHHH! There he was! He was rather short and disheveled, but totally cool. And he has THAT VOICE. I kept thinking “OMG it’s Michael Corleone!!” Alas, no photos could be taken….we were all instructed to be casual and not disturb ze Pacino. Like, “What? Oh Mr. Pacino it’s you….how are you? Fine fine, can you move over a tad? You are in my light.”

*ahem*

I will say I  did share a brief conversation with him and our producer bought him a cappuccino and he was very gracious. He left twice and then reappeared—startling me because I was trying to gossip about how he looked kind of like Richard Lewis now. I can’t lie. It was cool.

But enough of that. For now. Because I’m trying to name drop Pacino as much as possible. So I have two things that caught my eye recently that I wanted to share with you. And they both involve WALLPAPER.

1. First up. Wow. This is fantastic. I’m ready to move in people. What a clever use of photographic wallpaper. It’s warm and whimsical and SO GREAT for a kid’s room! I love the big orange plastic chair too—I believe it’s an IKEA garden chair (we have several in our backyard) but it’s a great idea for a child’s room. Enough space for  mama and kiddo to hunker down with a good storybook, but not too precious that you have to worry about any mishaps.

image: esther mokka

The little impish gnome that appears to be hovering on the wall on the right? It’s actually a wee hat rack! (I know this because I had virtually the same one when I was a little girl…well, and of course I know this because there’s a hat hanging off it.) OK, moving on….

2. How cozy cool is this sweet space? I love the bunk bed loft and once again, clever use of wallpaper. Underneath the bed is rad little playspace—and what do I see? That cute little cosco chair I showed off in my vinage kiddo chair post. Fab!


found via simple lovely + mademoiselle astuce

How cozy do they look up in there? OK. I’ll be back in a little bit with two more posts today. PLUS we have a special guest feature we did recently that debuts this afternoon and we can’t WAIT to share it with you! Alas, it doesn’t involve Al Pacino.

Modern Kiddo Presents :: Alix’s Retro Holiday Mix, vol. 2

Holiday Kiddo, , ,

By now your home should have been filled with the sweet sounds of a vintage Christmas! Thanks for all the kind tweets and comments—I’m so glad you guys liked my Retro Holiday Mix, vol 1. This week’s mix is a tad more lively (as opposed to smooth and groovy), and chock full o’ fabulousness that I know you’ll love.

For those that missed last week’s post, here’s the dealio! Over the past years I have wanted to digitize my vinyl as a way to preserve it—and so I could share it with others. I’ve transformed a fair amount of my albums to MP3 and thanks to the help of my super cool friend Spencer (from the awesome SAP Music blog who has one of the best record collections around) I’ve managed to build a fun menagerie of retro MP3s. I love cranking my old LPs around Christmas and wanted to share some of my favorite vintage holiday tunes with you! Some highlights of this mix include faves from my childhood albums: Sammy Davis Jr., The McGuire Sisters, The Pepperment Kandy Kids and the Jackson 5 (my top fave retro holiday album).

So without further ado, I’m pleased to present:

{PLEASE NOTE: Mixes are locked until December! }

MIX IS UNLOCKED!

DOWNLOAD ALIX’s RETRO HOLIDAY MUSIC MIX, VOL. 2 HERE

Modern Kiddo Presents :: Alix’s Retro Holiday Mix!

Holiday Kiddo, , , , ,

Christmas time (and the holidays in general) is without a doubt my favorite time of year! It has been ever since I was a little girl. I love the lights. I love decorations. And I LOVE THE MUSIC. As a result, I have been collecting vintage Christmas records for ages—there is something about a holiday song played on a hi-fi that makes it even more festive. Reminds me of the music my parents would play for us when we were kiddos.

Back in the day, Christmas music was so much more fun and interesting. Nowadays I feel like all we get are the “diva” croonings of the latest R&B star slaughtering an old carol with vocal acrobatics. In the 50s, 60s, 70s people actually wrote new christmas songs and did innovative versions of old standards. There were also TONS of compilations featuring all the stars of the day. I especially loved the album artwork—take a look at just a few of these:

This next one has a rather worn and uninteresting-looking cover (bowl of apples by the roaring fire, anyone?) oh yo, but just you wait! Open this lovely LP up and see what’s inside……

A pop-up house! It’s so cute and adorable….

But on to the REAL reason behind today’s post. As most of you know I’m an obsessive thrifter and vintage lover….and as a result I have amassed a big collection of cheesy-but-delightful holiday records. Over the past years I have wanted to digitize my vinyl as a way to preserve it—and so I could share it with others. I’ve transformed a fair amount of my albums to MP3 and thanks to the help of my super cool friend Spencer (from the awesome SAP Music blog who has one of the best record collections around) I’ve managed to build a fun menagerie of retro MP3s. So I wanted to share with you some of my favorite vintage holiday tunes! So without further ado, presenting:

The ALIXMAS 2010 Retro Holiday Mix!
It’s all goofy cocktails-by-the-fire kinda music. Some highlights?

“Too Fat for the Chimney” — Gisele Mackenzie
“Santa Claus is Coming to Town” — Loretta Young
“A Christmas Song” — Shawn Phillips (sorta dixieland cowboy xmas)

And of course the groovy smooth sounds of David Cassidy
“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”— The Partridge Family

It’s an eclectic mix and I played it non-stop last year. I’ll be putting together some more in the coming weeks. Feel free to link here and share the Christmas love!

{NOTE: MIX IS OFFICIALLY UNLOCKED FOR DECEMBER!}

DOWNLOAD ALIX CHRISTMAS MUSIC MIX HERE.

Vintage Kiddo: Holiday Style for the Ladies

Mama Style, , , ,

image: Kate Spade

Hurray! It’s Thanksgiving this week! And you know what that means, Christmas and Hannukah will soon be upon us. I soooo love the holidays— this is always my favorite time of year—but I have a rule about not even *thinking* about Christmas until after Thanksgiving. I never understand the rush. Trust me, though, once that turkey is long gone I’ll be ready for my carols and pretty lights.

At the same time, I know that holiday parties are right around the corner—my work party is Dec. 10!! So since we all have a little extra time this weekend I thought it might be fun to do a little holiday-style shopping round up especially for the ladies! Hey, why should those kiddos get to have all the fun??

VINTAGE PRETTIES
When it comes to party dresses I have three criteria: I want to feel pretty, I want to wear something that’s a little different from what everyone else is wearing and I like to feel somewhat comfortable (meaning, no teetering on 5 inch heels for this girlie).

Of course you know my first choice is going to be a vintage dressie. It’s the one way to guarantee you walk in wearing something that no one else has! The cut, the colors, the fabrics. If you are searching on eBay or Etsy, here are some grand key words that will pull up some festive lovelies.

This pale blue Ice Princess dress is soooo lovely. Pair it with white sparkly tights and look like a little snowflake! From Etsy seller Chiffonier.

I am so gaga over this colorful chiffon, swirly mosaic gown. It’s tooo fabulous! Plus I love any excuse to wear a gown—although if a maxi dress is too much for you, you can always lop it off around the knee for the picture perfect cocktail dress! From the always awesome Frecklewonder Vintage:

Mmmm. This watermelon fuschia cocktail dress is also soooo gorgeous. Reminds me of a Kate Spade dress! I can imagine twirling around in this with a glass of bubbly in mah hand! Also from my sweet gal Frecklewonder:

I also love this brilliant emerald green dressie….just look at those jewelled pockets. If this fit me it would already be hanging in my closet. Available on eBay—I lost the listing. I’ll find it and update, pinkie swear!

This one is slightly more casual but still so fun….the candy cane, chevron stripes are FAB. From thewitcheryvintage.

And then, of course, there are the VELVETS. Rich, sumptuous and perfecto for the holidaze. SadieDeluxie Cranberry Red Mini Dress

This dreamy blue sapphire dressie: Persephone Vintage

SPARKLE TOPS

As much as I love a good vintage dressie, it’s often hard to find them in the perfect size. A great option are these lovely sequin vintage tops. Pair them with a cute skirt (modern or retro) and add a perfect touch of sparkle!

I love the tinsel effect on this cutie harlequin dazzle top from Etsy seller figandtwig:

These two remind me of the fairytale, Snow White and Rose Red…..brunettes would look drop dead divine in the cherry red and blondes would look terribly chic in the baby blue. Both from Rtsy seller SkivvyluluVintage.

COLOR vs BLACK
A lot of times I hear, “Alix….I love looking at these pretty pictures, but I’m not QUITE this flashy/colorful. It’s just not me.” Well, honestly I think color is for EVERYONE. But I understand that some people feel much more comfortable in a classic Little Black Dress. And that’s OK! You can still add a little punch to the LBD and here are some of my favorite ways.

Colorful stockings! This is one of my all time, super fave looks that works with pretty much any black dress. The key is to keep your shoes simple—look how fun these outfits are, and everyone is wearing simple black shoes!




Another favorite way to sparkle up a holiday outfit are embelleshed vintage cardies. These sweet and cozy sweaters are typically from the 50s and add a sweet touch with their beading and sequins. The perfect way to add a little oomph to last year’s dressie! They are a great investment because you can even wear them throughout the year with jeans too.

This one from leibemarlene is so beautiful.

The one above is sold, but you can pick up one just like it on eBay from LoveSpyVintage.

This pretty beaded 50s cardigan from July Poppy is also heaven…

Here’s another take on the sequin cardy. I love it belted liked this! Available at Tiger Vintage.

PRETTY PARTY SHOES
And then, of course, there are the sassy shoes! When in doubt, wear something fun, festive and COMFY on those toes!

These Miss L Fire golden t-strap numbers are so dreamy. I have them in black with a red rose (see ’em here) and can vouch for the fact that they are COMFY as can be. Pick up a pair at one of my *fave* online shops, MODCLOTH.

Look how cute these black and white mary jane sassers are? I love the bow detail. Also from MODCLOTH.

I think these grey patent flats with jewel toes are soooo sweet. And they’re a steal from Target.

These purple suede wedges have a little more of a heel, and I love the color. From Target.

These fuschia fancy flower flats have such a great toe embellishment with that pom pom flower. Love them! They’d be cute with jeans too! From Old Navy.

And because vintage isn’t for everyone (again, sizing can be tricky) here are two super cute modern options that have a very retro sensibility but are available in a multitude of sizes.

How cute is this Vintage Style LBD? The little belt and Audrey Hepburn neckline is so lovely.

Of course I had to throw in a little pop of COLOR. I think this Purple Jewel Tone dress would be supremely flattering on all shapes…and while it’s colorful it’s kind of classic, no? Also from Ze Target. No I don’t get kick backs from Target. I’m just obsessed.

I leave you with my final obsession. The adorable Sue of Giant Dwarf (maker of the iconic Starlette Crown which I covet beyond belief!!) has these heavenly little hair pins. Her Starlette Sparklers, hair pins made with uber sparkly German Glass Glitter, are so fun and pretty. I think one would be super fetching, but I looooove the trio. You know my Devil-Ette code name is The Starlet, so I think these MUST make their way into my hot little hands sooon! They are a great reminder that a little jeweled hair clip can be the perfect final touch to your holiday outfit.

HAPPY MONDAY friends. Should we do another one of these grown up round ups again soon? That was pretty fun!

PS How cute is our Thanksgiving Header, courtesy of Kiddo Artist in Residence, Draw*Pilgrim?? My sweet friend Pilgrim is something I’m supremely thankful for!!