Friday Five: Blast from the Past Edition

There was a very obvious theme running through my week, and it all kind of centered around one of my new favorite time periods in history: the 50s and 60s. Aside from learning a good deal about the Civil Rights Movement and the war in Vietnam, I hadn’t really been all that exposed to the culture of these decades. I thought it was all poodle skirts and chocolate malts at the diner. Whereas these are the stereotypical icons of the 50s, there is a whole lot more to learn and discover about this incredible time period. I can’t say I’d ever want to live in that time period, and certainly I wouldn’t want us to go back to the ways of old, but I can say that it is incredibly fascinating. And I’m a little less than obsessed right now. So here are this week’s Friday Five:

1. Edith Piaf

via

Along with things 50s, I’ve also become rather enamored with things French. Edith Piaf happens to be both. I could really include a whole number of artists here, all of those that I hear frequently on my French Café Pandora Station—Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong… Though I’ve heard all of these artists in movies and films, I had never really sat down and listened enough to gain a real appreciation. I’m happy to say that has changed. Edith kind of stood out for me, and I grabbed a copy of La Vie en Rose from the library and enjoyed it, as well as a biography of the woman, which I have yet to start. You may know her as the woman that sang the kick song from Inception... but she had a fascinating life, and is certainly not the classy, pretty face you would expect her to be.

2. Vintage Clothing

I wrote an entire post about vintage clothing this week, so I’m certainly not going to bore you all to tears beating the dead horse. I’m just loving 50s and 60s fashion in general, and I see a lot of it popping up in more updated ways all over the web right now. It’s got me hankering for more high waisted skirts and cardigans… bring on the fall wardrobe!!

3. Mad Men on Netflix

via

I watch very little TV. Truth be told, I haven’t had cable since I lived at my parents’ house… which hasn't been for the last 6 years or so. When a friend recommended Mad Men last year, though, it opened up a can of worms. I absolutely love the show. I love the social undertones. I love the scandal. I love the costuming, and I love the characters—even the ones I hate I love to hate. I also love that Netflix put up the entire four seasons on instant queue. I had a whole season to catch up on, and needless to say… the whole of season four was watched in a matter of two days. If you have not experienced the greatness, I would highly recommend it.

4. The Linda

When I told my best friend I was headed to the Linda last Sunday, I was baffled that she responded, “What’s that?” Apparently I’m in on one of Akron’s great little secrets. The Linda Theatre, which is located in Goodyear Heights, is an old movie theatre indeed. It only hosts one screen, with a huge auditorium to seat it. It opened in 1945, and it definitely shows. They only show one movie at any given time, but the tickets are only $5. I’m saddened that this is actually the cheap price these days. I was pretty enraged when I found out the Regal charges $9… Thankfully I’m patient enough to let most movies hit the ‘Flix.

5. Eegah!

via

I got my first taste of Mystery Science Theatre 3000 a couple of weeks ago… and my friend insisted that “Eegah!” be my introductory film. I really enjoyed it for a couple of reasons. Not only is the entire concept and commentary from the silly bots enough to make this film hysterical, the film itself was a true testament of how terrible and awesome B-Movies from this era could really be. The ridiculous Elvis-esque musical interludes (from a guy that couldn’t even touch The King’s shadow), the incessant fainting of the damsel, and the glory (creature? mop?) that was Arch Hall Jr.’s hairdo. The original movie was produced in 1962, and it certainly shows. “Sorry about the face!” will forever and always have a place in my heart.

Hope you all are enjoying your last bits of summer!

Vintage Clothing and Exploration in Lakewood

Since my move to Lakewood in May, I have tended to gravitate toward the same few establishments for my entertainment needs. Though I boast a great love for Mullens, the Beer Engine, and India Garden, I felt this weekend was a great time to broaden my horizons and check out some of the smaller shopping establishments in the area. I’ve so often passed lines of storefronts without the time or motivation to stop in. I’ve been feeling rather inspired to do some thrifting and refashioning as of late, however, so it was decided: Saturday was the day.

After a quick Google search, I quickly found out that there is not one Goodwill in Lakewood. I did find information for a vintage clothing store, and a consignment shop, however. I grabbed my purse, went out, and began my hunt. Along the way I visited a few others that I had heard of, and stopped to grab a quick snack. Here are my thoughts on the visited establishments.

Future No Future

I have a special place in my heart for vintage clothing. I love clothing and furniture that holds a whole history, and products tended to be much better quality back in the day. I’m admittedly something of a wuss when it comes to actually wearing it, though. That’s all going to change, however. For someone who reveres Mad Men as much as I do, Future No Future was like a dream. I could have sworn I saw some of the very sweaters hanging on the rack in Betty Draper’s wardrobe. I tried on upwards of a dozen dresses and skirts. I would be broke if I would have left with everything I wanted to. Instead, I decided on the two pieces I thought I would get the most use out of.

[Note the cat under my bench... lol]

[I wonder how many dresses in prints like these my grandma wore...]

The first was a dress that I absolutely adore. It didn’t look like much on the hanger, but once on I realized what great shape and movement it had. I’m going to take it in a bit in the bust, and add a belt to update it a little, but I really can’t get over it. The print is so very dated, but I love it just the same. I can’t wait to buy a few more dresses in this style… just fantastic. I tried on so many things, ranging from $10 to $30. This one happened to be $24, but it was worth every penny.

[Definitely a fun and flirty one]

[Something about these prints has me in love]

The second piece I purchased came from a $5 and under bin. It’s a skirt that sits up on the waist rather than the hips—a style that seems to be really popular right now. When I purchased it, the skirt ran below my knees, and I lopped off quite a few inches and hemmed it. The print is not usually something I would go for, and the polyester isn’t usually my thing, as it can be really hot. But it was also really lightweight, and the length was perfect for the heat I wore it out in on Saturday night. I added some pearls and a pair of heels to finish it off. I was really happy with it. Can’t beat a cute skirt for $5.

Designer Consigner

I am a serious lover of Consignment shops. I was, however, gravely disappointed by Designer Consignor. With the word “designer” in the title, I expected to find at least some decent name brand clothing in the store… but it left much to be desired. Used to Plato’s Closet and local consignment shops in Akron like Gerri’s Closet, I left empty-handed and unmotivated to ever return. The selection wasn’t terrible, but not horribly current either, or particularly quality.

The Lakewood Library

I know this isn’t a shopping destination or snacking establishment. But after deciding that $7/month was way too much to ask my cheap ass for the DVD service on Netflix, I cancelled it. As there was a movie I really wanted to see, I considered grabbing on Amazon… until I almost smacked myself in the head and looked to see if the library carried it. In fact, there were multiple copies of La Vie en Rose at the Lakewood library, and I meandered down there for the first time to grab my shiny new library card. Holy gorgeous building! I really loved the space, and foresee myself heading there for studying and reading and general relaxation. It really is quite spectacular.

Lion and Blue

As a fan of things hippy-esque, Lion and Blue was a pretty easy sell. A customer at the farmer’s market was wearing a pretty fabulous dress from this place, and recommended it. I was very impressed. Adorable clothes. Great jewelry. There was a beaded belt I was pretty much dying for, and plan to return for very shortly when I have the extra cash laying around. Their prices are reasonable, and their products are unique. I’ll certainly be back there often. I left with a couple of headbands for $10. I’m sure I’ll get plenty of use out of them.

The Root Café

Because I sell vegan baked goods at the farmer’s market, I get a great may recommendations to the Root Café—as they specialize in vegan goods also. I stopped in to grab a drink and a snack, and read for a few minutes. It was a hot day, so I opted for the freshly squeezed lemonade flavored with a little guava. It was absolutely perfect. The art festival was going on that day, and consequently they had a very limited menu—but they had a few different kinds of pizza by the slice. The kale, roasted red pepper, and garlic pizza was more than worth the $3 I spent on it. I absolutely enjoyed the atmosphere of the place, busy as it was, and I anticipate many return trips to the Root Café.

There are still tons of establishments still needing visited in the Lakewood area, but I feel I made some great progress this weekend. Nothing like a little relaxation, a couple of great projects, and gorgeous, unique new clothes to make your weekend.