Head Vases: Not Just for Flowers
Head vases - vintage ceramic vases styled like a woman's head - are very 1950s. They are also very popular with vintage collectors. (Dita von Teese has several, as seen in her formerly-pink kitchen…Read more
Oceanside Tiki Tour
Outsiders might never discover this on their own, but Oceanside - the beach city just south of Camp Pendleton - has some serious tiki spirit.* If you're in town, try this self-guided Oceanside…Read more
Merry Kitschmas and a Retro New Year
I'm taking a few days off for the holidays, but will be back after New Year's. In the meantime, enjoy this picture taken on Christmas in 1958. This is my grandparents'…Read more
Retro Reads: Kittens and Kulture (Volume 1)
From La Vie Parisienne to Alberto Vargas to Irving and Paula Klaw, pictures of pretty ladies have always been in demand. One of today's best-known photographers in pinup is Susana Andrea of Vestige…Read more
Black Kat Vintage: Mike Ness’ Estate Sale
Once upon a time, Mike Ness of Social Distortion founded Black Kat Vintage in Orange, sharing space with Villains Vintage. The store is now closed, but Black Kat Vintage had…Read more
Bali Ha’i: Going Strong since 1954
Once upon a time in 1935, a little film called "Mutiny on the Bounty" was made on Catalina Island, and a bar for the cast and crew was improvised. After…Read more
Pupu Platter for Thanksgiving Dinner
I made a pupu platter for Thanksgiving dinner this year. I pretty much make my own rules when it comes to food. Especially around holidays. Every single year, I make…Read more
Retro Roundup, Volume 5
I'd love to have a vintage television. But, I'd want to modify it to work with today's technology. (How cool would it be to watch A Crime to Remember on a…Read more
Shelter Island Tiki Tour
Much of the tiki-themed architecture of the 1950s and 1960s is gone. Some great tiki buildings, such as the Kahiki and the Trade Winds, were torn down. Many have been remodeled…Read more
Retro Holiday Gift Guide (2016)
It's November. Have you started your retro holiday shopping yet? Let's be realistic. It's not always possible to get someone the perfect vintage or antique item, no matter how much work…Read more