Inauguration Day!

A big day in our crazy "timeline"!
Ike and Mamie Eisenhower have packed and are headed for the farm, and John and Jackie are taking measurements to redecorate the White House.

 
Happy Inauguration Day!

-Mick-

"The Way You Look Tonight..."

Well Readers, I am pleased to announce that we have picked our theme for the 1961 Spring Break Formal at the Casablanca!


The Dance Committee still isn't sure that we will go with "The Lettermens" version, or maybe opt out for a smoother Frank Sinatra recording...

Lots of planning ahead, and lots of fun coming soon.

Hope you will join us!

-Mick-

Don't Go Breakin' My Bowl...

CARNIVAL GLASS?!
I must say it was rather disheartening to hear the tinkle of glass when I went to pull this out temporary storage.  It is a beautiful bowl that we keep postcards in, on the coffee table at the Casablanca. It came from Great Grandmother Trimm's estate. It had been lost in a barn that my dad tore down a few years ago, and once found we used it to hold the cards that members sent us on their summer travels.

Luckily these beautiful bowls pop up every now and then, (I have only seen one other in person, and it was a staggering $35.00) Missouri Michael spotted this one while we were thrifting together in Kansas City MO over Christmas break. Hahaha we had to search the store twice to locate it, but for $18.00 and a good soapy wash later, we remedied the shattered problem!

Does anyone know what style of Carnival glass this is?

I'm glad we replaced it quickly!

-Mick-

Celebrating Five Years of the Casablanca Club!

First post of the new year, and it is my pleasure to announce we at the Casablanca, and all of you "here at Mick's" Are celebrating five years of blogging, and the five year anniversary of the Casablanca Club! 

Another reason to celebrate, is that 2015-1961 marks my 10 year ownership of the house that has become the Casablanca!

My goodness, so much has changed these past years... it is the stuff that dreams are made of!
The house and club have grown from something that I used to only dreamed about, to a marvelous technicolor reality. There has been an unmeasurable amount of good and joy in this place, and with it some rough and dark moments too.

I truly wish that I could say that "Everyone that goes to Mick's, stays..." but we call it a the "Casablanca Hotel" for a reason. Some people are live in guests, some only there for a while, and tragically a few that left us earlier than we could have ever expected.  But for those few, who dare to stick their head in the door for a look around, I hope you'll stay a while and add something to the club.
However all, good, bad, ugly, and in between they, we are all part of the fabulous story that is the Casablanca.
The most wonderful thing to have happened is the tremendous sense of togetherness that has flourished among us. I often times take to much credit for "Mickey Jordan and his fabulous parties" when the truth of the matter is, it takes so many people and every single person to make each party what it is. For that, I cannot express my thanks enough.

I hope all of you loyal readers, (as well as new ones who have joined along the way)
will stay tuned in to the blog here, for what we hope will be an unparalleled year of fabulous celebrations and merriment!

At the end of the day, I am still in awe that we've gone from shorts and t-shirts, to a standard party-to-party dress code.

It astounds me!

-Mick-

Music! Music! Music!

Happy New Years Eve all!
Just wanted to share an A-MAZING find with you. Was at my favorite thrift store in Topeka KS, and stumbled across a stack of old 78 RPM records and found quite a bit of Glenn Miller. The good stuff! I limited myself to eight, as I already have a TON of records... but just a few more wont hurt right?

(Ta-da!)

I picked out quite a few fox-trots for the upcoming Spring Break Gala Dance! I was THRILLED to find these songs! All seem to have come out around 1942.

"In The Mood"

"Moonlight Serenade"

"That Old Black Magic"

"Night and Day"

"My Blue Heaven"

"At Last"

"A String of Pearls"

and

"When Johnnie Comes Marching Home"

After checking out, I thought I'd just look and see what the going rates for 78's are online.

(HOLY SH*T!)

Now THAT is something to dance about!

I would feel bad about it, (me only paying $1.00 and it being worth quite a bit more...) but these aren't for resale or profit. They are for long term enjoyment by the member's of the Casablanca Club.

So let us Fox Trot New Years Eve away while we wait for the ball to drop...

-Mick-

The Casablanca Christmas Party!

One last hurrah in our Casablanca Social Season before we break until next Spring!  Friends motored out by the car load (I think we had 58 people in all!) for a fun Sunday evening of treats, carols, and world class entertainment. This is yuletide get together usually leaves standing room only, and this year was no different!

Friend Russ was kind enough to lend us his Bose sound system for the evenings entertainments. (Thank You!) And Thanks to Friend Teresa for all the pictures!
So without further adieu, we invite you to an intimate evening at the Casablanca...

(Mary-Grace with "I'll be home for Christmas.)

 

Isn't she just wonderful?! What a voice! Next up we had a special duo presentation just before the White Elephant gift exchange.

(Lynn aka Jean Shepherd and Emily.)

Then it was time for the gift exchange, let the games begin!

(Jennifer, Spencer, Lara, & Claire)

(Kitty)

(Emily, and the "onesie" everyone tried to steal!)

("And out of nowhere, this DEER jumps in the road!")

After all the fun in unwrapping presents, stealing, and swapping, Friend Jennifer played us an all together fitting song on her ukelele!

(Plucky as always, thanks for the tune!)

 

 (Friend Jennifer also gave us this cool vintage Christmas Card holder!)

Next up is my most favorite part of the evening! Every year Friend Joy helms our piano to lead us in singing Christmas Carols. She is always happy to do it, and we all think she is just wonderful!

(Joy & James at the piano!)

(Hark the Herald Angel Sing.)

(We Three Kings.)

(Jingle Bells!)

Caroling is hands down my favorite part of the Christmas season at the Casablanca, I look forward to it all year round. So many people in the house, music ringing from the rafters, it just fills you with a loving feeling!

After we had sang the carol book through, it was time to start departing another Casablanca Year come and gone by. New friends, old friends, and some friends we wont see again, all left that evening with a little Christmas spirit.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

-Mick-

#ChristmasMovieMonday4

Number four in our "off beat Christmas movie series" (And quite possibly my most favorite!) Irving Berlin's "Holiday Inn". Made/set in 1942 this is not only a Christmas movie, but also a movie with a song for each of the seasonal holidays!


So many wonderful Berlin songs in the movie! When it originally premiered, the song "Be Careful, It's My Heart." was the "big song" in the film. But as we all know, Bing Crosby and his lovely female costar Marjorie Reynolds sang a little number that changed all of that!

"White Christmas" became to popular that it would eventually have its own movie by the same title a decade later. With Bing in the lead once again!

This is one of my personal favorite Movie Musicals, and I have viewed it both in black and white, and in its splendid colorized version. I must say, colorization does wonders for this movie!

With a song for each season, it is sure to have something for everyone!

-Mick-