Since I've Been Gone...

So sorry to not blog for 3 days!

But with Finals at school coming up iv been studying like crazy, Today I was in Dallas on some business but I was also there for the "Pate Swap Meet" at Texas Motor Speed way. I'll have a post about it soon, it will be one filled with mainly pictures of classic cars that I saw. But here's the important stuff!

My Name is Mickey Jordan.... and I have a Junk Problem...

It started with the Drive-In speaker... it was $10 (and they haven't been that cheap since I was 11) and that's rare since now they go for $16- $25. Trust me you can never have to many Drive-In Speakers!  It was funny because as I was paying for it the guy standing next to the person I was paying said "Your Gonna pay for that?" I said "...yeah..." Guy "We used to STEAL THOSE! Hahahah!"  Next I found the plastic blue bed lamp, I think it might be 1950's or older ? I bashed my current fiber glass all to pieces  (bad dream) so I will be putting a new light kit on this one! And last I found the out door lights. To Be honest I bought them more for Retro Keith than I did myself. I remember a post he did a while back he was looking for period outdoor lighting, I wasn't sure if he was looking for motion sensory lights or just lights period.. and for $5 I can use them somewhere if its not what he's looking for. BUT the find of the day,( fueling my lawn furniture addiction)  was this...

He wanted $50 and I talked it down to $30! I know it doesn't look like much but it completes a set that I have been getting. I have 2 orange chairs that match this bench.

(one of them pictured here)

However the Orange color fades SUPER fast in the Texas sun... so the bench may end up being (white is what I have in mind) or maybe a dark green?

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I am also excited about tomorrow night!

THAT'S RIGHT! Its Rocky Horror Picture Show night at the Flamingo Drive-In! It looks like were gonna have a pretty good crowd, iv been working on stuff for it all last week and will be doing a post about how it goes down Friday night on Saturday! So I will leave you with this....Dusk at the Flamingo Drive-In...

-Mick-

Coke, Pop, Soda, Soda Pop, Fountian Drinks.... Tea?

In the excitement of yesterdays birthday post,  *Please note, It was the Casablanca's Birthday, (mines in June) I didn't get to post the 'update' on As Time Goes By. Iv found more paper lanterns, and am buying them 5 at a time... My mother found this GREAT Super long 50's table cloth to put on the serving table for the food.

My Grand mother has deiced to make a carrot cake, iv ordered the hamburgers, hot dogs and windthorst sausage...  Iv started to get everyone travel plans lined out arriving/ leaving and so on. NOW Im focased on the decorations and drinks.

This is my 1948 Coke box, I picked it up at a swap meet 3 years ago for $75 however when  found  it looked NOTHING like this! It had been spray primered red, and was out in someones back yard... So when I saw it at the swap meet for $75 OF COURSE I was all over it! (It also has the original top, iv just been lazy on getting it fixed, yet another problem id like to throw money at but my father INSIST I do myself...) Personally I like it without the top. (its also been in countless pictures)

that brings me to my next "to-do" item. Getting Drinks! 
To make the make the setting look even more authentic my Grandmother and I have been buying 2 packs of soda in old glass bottles every time we go shopping. Thus far we have Orange Crush, Root Beer, and Coca cola... However this week I think were gonna get 2 packs of Grape Crush , I also think iv tracked down Dr Pepper in bottles here in town.  The day of the party I will fill the 'coke box' with Ice and throw this assortment of drinks in, there will also be ample amounts of  Iced tea and Sweet Tea. IF YOU WANT LIQUOR, ITS STRICTLY  B.Y.O.B.!

I'm starting to get really excited, all this goes down in just a few months!


-Mick-

Happy Birthday Casablanca!

Today, Sunday the 25th of April marks exactly 67 years since the house that would later become The Casablanca was built! How do I know this you ask? After Mr. Martin put down his saw and hammer, he took a pencil and wrote this on the door frame in the kitchen.

Some one later went  over it with Pen, and then I went over it with sharpie to ensure it would not get painted over.  I honestly wish this house could talk, id like to see what its seen over the last 67 years. (I have this one scene in mind  Mr. Martins Wife standing in my kitchen holding a pitcher of water listening to the radio when suddenly a bulletin brings the news The war is finally over!  I see her in such a state of shock the pitcher falls from her hands and smashes on the floor.) This is one of several fantasy's I like to think this house has seen.

*  *  *  

I would however like to tell you of a few things I'v wondered about the previous owners of the house...  (The last doing the most damage and making me constantly want to 'round house kick them in the face' (Please pardon my Chuck Norris...)  BUT SERIOUSLY....

Pretty nice set up isnt it?  Well behind all that hidden in the wall was this....

I realize times changes, and furniture can only fit a certain way but who in the HELL walls up over a window??! With out these 2 windows the bedroom was so dark and small... FREAKING AMAZING....

 Net on the list  of  "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!" windows part 2...

I love the wood frame windows on my house, so 40's so great! What I don't love... is the fact the last owners who painted the house slopped paint ALL OVER the glass and just left it... this means long periods of time with a razor and me scraping. There's was one window on the wall with the air conditioner that they COMPLETELY PAINTED OVER window was still there, with screens in it just painted over... took me 3 good hours to get the paint off... Really guys? Its called CURTAINS!  The 3rd owners just went crazy with the paint... 2 tones of white to be exact...  Everything in the kitchen had been painted white. 1 side of the room was a different color white! They painted over the glass on the cabinets...

Iv gotten all but one of them scraped off.

 Another bone I have to pick with the former owners, when they "reno-RUINED" the 1956 add on bedroom, they put all the electrical outlets about 4 inches from the ceiling, I could understand waist high (even though my house isn't in a flood zone)  but to the ceiling really?!  Oh well Who knows...
One thign I can thank them for, is even thought they gutted what was provably the original EVERYTHING in this cabin, they kept all the hardware in a box under the sink, and now after a 15 year absence both the windows & hard ware are now back where they should be. : )

*  *  *  

Now as Promised here are some updates at the good 67 year old C.H.&R.!

I took 1950's Atomic Ranch Houses idea, instead of using the shelf for dvd's it will just hang there and look cool! I am now on the hunt for a drama faces tv lamp! and then this corner will be done ...(crosses fingers)  I realize that I have made the Casablanca more oh a house/ home/ icon than it was evernt ment to be. Another thing I wish is that If only Mr. Martin and his family could see it now!

what do you think!? The art work goes nice with the turquoise walls! The bed will eventually be up on frames and im looking for a different bedside table.

Saturday my mom hosted a curtain sewing party for the Turquoise room! (see I know better than to paint over a windows.)

And last but not least....

If you'd like to join us send me an email at JahJah_Jordan@hotmail.com , If you'd like to join us but cannot all you have to do is take a vintage looking picture of your self print, sign it, and send it to the Casablanca to join us in spirit! (send me an email for our mailing address!)

-Mick-

"Pardon me, is that decimal in the right place?!"

Today were going to talk about art!

 I really admire the "Drip" style of Jackson Pollock's work. He's a pretty iconic artist from the 50's.  The Turquoise room had been posing a problem for me... and that's 'what to put on the walls'  I like what iv got going on right now. Its border line Mod, but still Mid-century Modest (as Pam Kruber calls is)

It all started with the new and coveted Sunburst clock. Its so big it had to go on that wall and if you put anything up near it it looks but this side of the room is fine! Its the "bed" side of the room that's causing trouble...

Iv needed some 'long skinny' art to hang above the beds. Thus far i'v had NO luck until I was down town Thursday. I stopped in this new "Indie vibe" (now remember the bookends story) Art gallery  and i saw these 2 skinny "drip" like paintings with black and gold splattered in them.  I go over, look at the price tag and see $3.00 for the pair... or I thought I did... when this guy appeared form the smoke filled back room I said i'll take these and he said "wow the $300.00 dollar set is finally going to be sold."  and I was in shock... and sure enough my $3.00 was $300.00 I apologized and left feeling "Meh"  and then it dawned on me... I CAN MAKE THOSE!
I rushed home, To show you my costs I have made the "Indie Materials List"  in blue and price list in red... I got some cardboard (from the new dishwasher box) (free) and masking tape and made 2 canvases 11" x 27" and spray painted the 'reclaimed courgette packing' as the Indies would call it ($100) With flat white spray paint...

 I then took some black patio paint and mixed it in a cup with a 1/4" brush then used my "Artistic Muse" ($100) loaded the brush and "slung/ dripped" paint over the canvas until I got my desired resultnd completed my "creative vision"  ($100) a...

If one of you out there in blog land would like a "Mickey Jordan original"  ($300), send $300 dollars in a self addressed envelope to....

Haha I 'think I'm going to drip gold on mine. I think they are good as is! I'll have pictures of them hung up later this weekend but for now, I am off the the Casablanca! Have a great weekend everyone! $300 my foot....

-Mick-

"Listen To Your Elders..."

Mainly because they can find you REALLY cool stuff!

 Goodwill $1.99 grandma made me stop and go in and I found it!

As you know, Wednesday is Beauty shop day for my Grandmother. This week iv deiced im going to write a best selling book titled "Confessions from the chair"  and the cover art will be some little old lady underneath a hair dryer.  I'm telling you some of the Gossip and Confessions are OUT OF THIS WORLD! haha. There's one lady  I particularity  like, shes a character! She seems like a harsh little lady but shes got a heart of gold... she just says what ever pops into her mind though. Example :  When I had my beard grown out  for Jesus Christ Superstar she says  "young man you could stand to lose some weight... or you could bleach that (beard) and Play Santa Clause..."  to which I reply  "Oh Ruth, you PEACH!" haha
I must admit Fanny Flagg got it right when she wrote...

"Texas Is big, DANG BIG....

We got BIG cars,

BIG bugs,

and BIG, BIG, Hair...."

 Some of those blue haired belles can bat their hair up so high it almost doubles their height! If the ladies didn't fuss about me taking pictures while they were in curlers I could have gotten some artsy ones! This Beauty Shop is very much in the style of "Steel Magnolias". A whole line of Cokes with lipstick stained straws. Every now and then I'll take my record player and the "good" 45's up there and play them while my grandma get her hair and nails "done".  I love seeing how they react to different songs,  some they haven't heard in years.  I also enjoy the stories they share, both nostalgic and scandalous!

-Mick-

Now It Seems, We Have Ourselfs A Winner!

And lucky winner is...

Zootsuitmama! 

You'll have to get your trailer 'rig' (as Lucy, Ricky and Michael call them) ready for your trip to the Casablanca!  If you beat Nick there you can hook into the house! :)

-Mick-

EXTRA EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT!

So my dear readers,

 What you didn't know about me, is that this weekend I was awake form 6:30 Saturday morning - 7:40 Sunday night...  Now most of you will say "Your a teen, isn't that normal from a weekend?" and I will tell you "Nay."  Why did I stay up you ask?  Well I was on my way to bed around 10:40 on saturday (Saturday Night Live wasn't making the cut) and the phone rings.... and here's what took place.

"Hey Mickey?"

Mick: "Yes Amanda?"

Amanda: "What are you doing tomorrow?"

Mick: "I have a staged reading of a show at 1pm, why do you ask?"

Amanda: "Darn it... I guess you cant its usually better if you have nothing to do the rest of the day."

Mick:" What are you talking about?"

Amanda;"My paper route, my partner is flooded in her house, and I cant do the route alone...."

Mick: "*Sigh* I can help you... how long will it take?"

Amanda" we start at 2:30 am and Should be done no later than 7:30"

.... Yeah you read that right. So Amanda comes over and picks me up and we go to her house to wait for 2:30 am. Amanda keeps telling me 'you can take a cat nap'  but let me just say If i go to sleep and get woken up... its NOT pretty.. so stay up I did. At 2:10 we drove into down town Wichita to pick up the news papers. It is at this point Amanda informs me we have to fold the papers and put them in bags.  So we get to work.

(This is Amanda, one of my best friends)

The place where we were folding papers seemed to be an old warehouse.  Although there was a ton of papers to fold, the Retro Gods smiled down on my for helping my friend. Painted on the brick wall of the building was this...

(sorry its so dark, but I didn't think these people would enjoy the flash of my camera at 2 am)

Spanning a fourth of the wall was this old Royal Crown Cola  add! Im guessing it was painted on the neighboring building before the warehouse was built. It doesn't take much to make me happy.  The old advertisement, paired with the warehouse atmosphere, along with everyone busily working on folding papers made me think of the movie "The Pajama Game"  with Doris day and I started humming "Can't Waist Time" under my breath. So by 3:20 Amanda and I were off delivering papers, It was pouring down rain  so I had to roll up my jeans, and with my gray socks and converse shoes I looked like your regular 50's paper boy.

(sorry for the blurry picture, but we WERE working and didn't have time to stop)

Amanda and I were doing fine, and I found out I have a pretty fair throwing arm.  The rain was just drizzle then Amanda encountered a front porch blocked by a hedge... she threw the paper high so it would clear the bush...

And clear the bush she did! mainly because it landed on the roof! After a few a few choice words we just left another paper and finished the route.  It was a good work out, and I didn't mind helping but BOY was I tired. But I couldn't sleep, so I wrote Sundays post, and a term paper then it was 12:30 and I had to head down to the theater for the reading and didn't get out until 6:30  and then I came home and slept! Thus ending my 'Paper Boy' career.

*  *  *  

On a different note, Roxanna (over at Cheetavalour) and my self have come up with a FABULOUS idea for those of you who simply cannot join us this summer for "As Time Goes By".  Here's What you do!

1) Dress up in your very best Summer vintage/ retro clothes. (or just dress nice!)

2) Take a picture of your self (keep it clean).

3) Print said picture, and sign it with a sharpie (think Hollywood Autograph)

4) Mail it ! Send me a message at JahJah_Jordan@hotmail.com for my adress.

5) Mail it!

Then Once it arrives via snail mail, I will add it to the collection and will display them with the party decorations! That way you can be with us in spirit!

What do you people think? Wanna be apart?! Send us your picture! 

-Mick-

Your Presence Is Requested...

Once again we at the Casablanca bring you this thrilling Public Announcement...

 Betty and  Veronica have been burning up the phone lines, taking reservations and spreading the word about "As Time Goes By" at the illustrious Casablanca Hotel & Resort. Its going to be quite an event!
 For those of you joining this program, "As Time Goes By" is going to be a part celebrating 5 great years at the Casablanca. Everyone is welcome, if you'd like to attend please send us an Email at JahJah_Jordan@hotmail.com  , and I will get you all the information you need!

*  *  *  

I was thinking this week what else could I do to make this party really authentic, and then I had a BRILLIANT idea. Since my blogger pals who have decided to join us, and we're all pretty much about Vintage, I thought to myself "Why not dress up for the occasion?!"  Now I'm not talking 'White Tie and Tails', (And by no means are you required to dress up) But here are a few ideas we've had for possible party clothes!

For the Ladies...

These are just a few ideas. I realize you might not be willing to drive allll the way to Texas and throw on a Party dress to attend a cook out (but think how fabulous it will look in pictures!) I'm all for pedal pushers or what ever your Vintage Gal's may want to do Think Doris Day in 'The Pajama Game'! EXCEPT FOR....

NO POODLE SKIRTS PLEASE!!!! As hard as this may be to believe they actually did wear more than poodle skirts in the 50's I cannot tell you how many times iv had to explain that! haha. Besides do you really wanna wear a felt skirt in this HEAT?! lol

Now for the Gents...

For the Guys. Anything really goes, since its summer maybe jeans with tennis shoes and a Hawaiian shirt? Or bowling shirt perhaps?! (That's what I'll be wearing! Along with a fedora)  Like I said it would be cool if the little blogger group coming all dressed up vintage for a group picture, BUT by no means do you have to!  much like the poodle skirt rule, I'm putting a ban on 'Greaser' leather jackets to!  Mainly because this is NOT a soc hop! :)

Hope to hear your thoughts about this soon! Good Idea? Bad Idea?! 

What do you think?...

-Mick-

Dubarry Was A lady, No Matter What They Say!

Oh Dear Readers,

Something terrible is going to happen in the coming days I can feel it... and all because of my fantastic luck!
I had no idea my friends and nebulous from Lake Diversion read my blog! So you can imagine how surprised I was when my friend and part time neighbor Paula showed up with some AMAZING goodies! I had posted on my facebook "Just got cake, cookie, and brownie mix for the C.H.&R. If I know your coming we'll bake a cake!"  and she left a comment saying "I have some things for you i'll be over around 6:30"  Apparently I have quite the place, where people are willing to donate their mothers/ gandmothers things to the Casablanca because they know they will be used, loved, and glorified :)

She first pulled out these "Watkins" kitchen flavorings ( I have a Watkins cook book I use at the Casablanca!) I had to smile, in the small print of the Orange Extract is says 57% grain alcohol (make me think of Lucy and Vitavitavegimine!")  The next thing she pulls out left me speechless, You vintage Gal's better pull up a chair, i dont want you to hurt yourself when you faint.

  Her mother had enrolled in "Du Barry's School for Success"  in the Fall of 1946 and spring/summer of 1947.
Paula explains it was a week by week course via the mail. and that her mother kept everything in the envelopes and its all here.

Part 1. Whats wrong with you?

Lessons for each type of woman, and lot of promotion for Du Barry Beauty Products. Had a baby? See lesson 4, Trying to catch Mr right? Lesson 6! Waist line a bit to far gone? Lesson 3!  BUT WAIT, THERES MORE!

Part 2. Cant wait for Success? Try Our 6 week crash course!

week 1, getting started.

Week 2, The Beauty angle

Week 3, Think it over, the way you live?

Week 4, daily exercise

Week 5, on your toes.

Week 6 Body basics (just in case your 27 and mama didn't tell you...)

"A Du Barry Girl Make each step the MOST important one on her road to success!" Follow these lessons to the Letter and you to can be an charming young lady or attractive house wife."

The final touches on your way to success.

(this last one about his is my FAVORITE it fold out and has "all the modern styles of 1946" with how to steps on the back side!

A pretty AMAZING donation to the Casablanca! That last piece is invaluable because now all the girls can follow the steps and it will look fabulous in pictures! I cannot thank Paula enough.  

*  *  *  

My joy was furthered by the fact Leah's dishes came! I think I might be abstractly hanging these babies up on the wall I was wanting to re-do in the kitchen. The Nurse and sailor will be moved to the Turquoise room and the other pictures that i spent so much $$$ on form NY will either be distributed around the kitchen, goin the bedroom, or I will bring them to the house in town and put them in my room.

I will now spend the next few days/ weeks dodging lightning bolts and accident! 

All because of my luck ;)

-Mick-