March 2009

Illinois - 80's Shopping Mall Experience

Submitted by Mary on Tue, 03/31/2009 - 3:09pm (199 reads)

The mall scene in this video is from the movie "Weird Science" which was filmed at Northbrook Court Mall in Northbrook, Illinois. If you want to see what the 80's looked like in Illinois, just watch any John Hughes movie (Vacation, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, and more!). read more...

Idaho - The Caldwell Outdoor Drive-in Movie Theater

Submitted by Mary on Mon, 03/30/2009 - 8:59pm (386 reads)

About five years ago or so I wrote about our local Starlite drive-in movie theatre in Durham, NC with concern for it's future. It is now closed, and it is highly unlikely that it will open again. So, if you have a drive-in near you, visit it. Or, next time you are taking a trip somewhere, see if there is a drive-in nearby. A drive-in takes up so much land that often the land is so valuable these days that it is sold to a big box retailer. Drive-in movies are an important part of American pop culture history, and should be treated as such. History shouldn't be torn down. read more...

25 years ago: I'd Like To Get To Know You Well - Howard Jones

Submitted by Mary on Sat, 03/28/2009 - 10:31pm (180 reads)

This song pulls at my 80's heart strings; it has such a sentimental 80's sound. My memory that goes with it isn't sentimental, however. It's just a funny, typical 80's school girl memory. read more...

Mahalo to Hilo, Hawaii for restoring a beautiful old theater

Submitted by Mary on Sat, 03/28/2009 - 8:51pm (171 reads)

Retropolis gives a big salute to the people of Hilo who combined their efforts to restore The Palace Theater so that it can continue to be appreciated now and in the future. Too many old theaters in the United States have been destroyed or have been left to deteriorate. read more...

Happy 50th Birthday Barbie! Presenting the first ever Barbie commercial.

Submitted by Mary on Wed, 03/25/2009 - 7:26pm (174 reads)

Barbie may be 50, but today she looks just as young as ever. I love her 1959 - 1960's style best though.

I was first introduced to Barbie as a little girl in the 1970's. My favorite aisle in any toy store was the bright pink Barbie aisle.

Early Georgia Jazz

Submitted by Mary on Tue, 03/24/2009 - 7:32pm (178 reads)

From Wikipedia: The Georgia Melodians were an early jazz band that was active in the 1920s and recorded for Edison Records. They were from Savannah Georgia and the joint leaders were Ernie Intelhouse (cor) and Hill Hutchins (cl,ts, bsx). After being together for a few years, they worked their way up the east coast to New York, where they arrived in February of 1924. After some changes in personnel, they were playing opposite the Paul Van Loan Orchestra at the Cinderella Ballrom on 48th and Broadway. read more...

1951 Honeymoon Glamour in Miami

Submitted by Mary on Mon, 03/23/2009 - 11:42am (178 reads)

Florida has such a rich abundance of vintage glamour that it was hard to know where to begin when focusing on Florida. read more...

Who knew a water tower could be so beautiful? Wilmington Delaware. That's Who.

Submitted by Mary on Sun, 03/22/2009 - 3:14pm (172 reads)

Have you ever seen an Italian Renaissance Revival Style water tower? If only all water towers were made of natural field stone like this one, or at least if they could be a little bit more about form - not just function. Most water towers look like enormous white tanks or rusty UFOs towering high above houses. read more...

Cheering in Connecticut in the 1970's

Submitted by Mary on Sat, 03/21/2009 - 3:53pm (201 reads)

In Connecticut, we visit a cheerleading squad in the 70's. With their plaid skirts and blue sweaters over long sleeved crisp white blouses, they seem so much more sweet and innocent than cheerleaders of today. However, I did notice around the one minute mark of the video, that the second girl in line pushed the girl in front forward. Meow!

I can't help but wonder if these girls have pain in their knees today. I think every jump in this home movie either started or ended with them bending their knees to a low squat. Ouch!

Colorado - Home of the first Rainbow Gathering - 1972

Submitted by Mary on Fri, 03/20/2009 - 3:16pm (198 reads)

Most people have heard of Woodstock, but not as many have heard of a Rainbow Gathering. These have been going on since 1972; the first one was in Colorado. Although yesterday I expressed that it seems like all the hippies were gone by the time I started kindergarten, the fact is, they are still around. You just don't see them everywhere you go, as in the late 60's / early 70's. One place you can still find them is at a Rainbow Gathering - a gathering of peace and love. People share with each other or trade items there, rather than exchange currency. read more...