Part III: 1963 DEC Issue of LOOK Magazine - The President and His Son

Front Cover

It was devastating to say the least the day John-John, his wife and sister-in-law died tragically in an airplane crash John-John was operating.  I remember I was in the middle of painting my daughter's bedroom wall to surprise her,  ironically the drawing was of the NYC landscape.....wasn't that near where his plane crashed?  Where were you?

----This ends the posts of the 1963 Issue of LOOK magazine----

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Time Travel Thursday

Doc's Diner

Doc's is one of our favorite places to eat in our town of Lynchburg, VA.  It's on the campus of Liberty University (LU) and it's open to the public.  Prices are very reasonable.  You're probably wondering what does this have to do with anything "retro". . . . . well, let me tell you.

You see Doc's Diner is a 50's style diner.

I tried to take pictures of the inside today but just realized that the booths are too high to try and I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of the other patrons by looking too obvious.  So, I decided to take pictures of the food, afterall, that's what we're there for, right??

These were the appetizers my hubby ordered.  "Rocco's Rockin' Quesadillas".  Named after the head football coach at LU.

Excellent and delicious.  These are big enough to make a meal.

  "Flaming Burger"

So hot that if you're able to eat the whole thing, without a drink, they will give it to you free, take your picture and post it on their wall.

Hubby loves his burgers.  He thought this one was going to be a cake walk. . . . . . ha!

Hubby was SOOOO impressed with this burger.  He said it was even better than any he's eaten at "RR-yummmm".  Anyway, he ended up taking out one of the two gigantic burger patties and ended up taking a lot of it home.  Hubby-0 | Flaming Burger-1

I had a hotdog with fries.

We shared dessert but can you believe Grandma had one of these too and she polished off the whole thing, all by herself!!

Seating area near the front.  They have a lot of these iron chairs.  They're really cool.  Note the glass blocks in the background.  Very retro :)

Hubby, his mom and I ate lunch at Doc's Diner today.  It was a soft run for the new staff and you could only get in today by reservation only.  They are only open during the school year so we were very excited about attending as we missed it dearly since they closed for the summer  back in May.

Doc's Diner looks very much like a 50's diner on the outside.  Once you step in though, it looks like a modern retro style diner.  Some retro decorations such as a fountain counter with stools and the classic diner booths along all the sides next to the windows.  A couple of years ago seems like they played 50's music only but for some reason have stopped (I'm hoping to drop plenty of hints so that they can start playing the 50's hits again).  The floors are custom designed with the Doc's logo and it seems to be a painted and lacquered(?) floor with a dark coffee tone.  It has a picturesque view of the newly renovated football stadium which is about 1/4 of a mile away and just beyond the stadium are the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The diner is dedicated and named after the former founder and Chancellor of LU, Rev. Jerry Falwell.  You'll find pictures on the walls from back in the day when he was a very, very young preacher back in the late 50's so a lot of the pictures are from that era and considered "retro".  A lot of the deco is also dedicated to LU sports of which Jerry was the #1 fan.

The atmosphere can vary between young couples with their children, a lot of college age kids to grandma and grandpa.  Hubby and I enjoy eating at Doc's, it's a great concept, they need to work on their service, sometimes it's good, sometimes it's so-so.  If you're ever in the area (460W or E and in Lynchburg, VA), please feel free to stop in.  I know you'll have a wonderful time!! p.s. If you leave any comments, please make sure to tell them to play hits from the 50's.  If they're already playing them, you can thank me later.  ;)

Here is the link to their website:  Doc's Diner

Part Two: DEC 1963 LOOK Issue: A Little Bit of Vintage NFL Football

In Honor of the start of the football season:

"nuff said

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The Brambleberry Cottage

Time Travel Thursday

Part One: DEC 1963 Issue of LOOK Magazine - Advertisements

 

WOW!  They had a mini-basket in the washer back then?

 

We were poor growing up, but somehow my single mom was able to muster up and buy a credenza stereo.  We thought it was the way coolest stereo ever.

I'm so impressed that they made portable tv's back then plus this even has a "personal listening jack"

Was this considered a "muscle car"?

I had no idea that Debbie Reynolds had written a book.  Guess I was so amazed about her writing a book that I didn't even notice the comic strip to the right!!?!!

I remember when this was the best dinner ever!!

Do they still make Ken-L Ration anymore?

My mother-in-law (MIL) is not a great saver of old magazines so this is the only one I found in her mounds of books and paperbacks.  Can you blame her for keeping this one?  In this particular issue as some of you may remember (some of you may not), it featured John-John Kennedy with his dad, President John F. Kennedy, in the office with his dad.  Memorable pictures that no one from that time will ever forget.

I will post three features from this magazine, starting with the advertisements.  The 2nd post will feature John-John and his dad and the third post will be about the Sunday Football Madness.

Obviously, with this magazine coming out in December, all the advertisements were geared towards Christmas shoppers.  I did notice that TV's/TV credenzas were the thing to buy for Christmas in December 1963, I was only 5 yrs. old.

Have You Heard?? New Crooner in the Town!!

He even has blue eyes and sounds just like the original!!  You decide.  Whaddya think, eh?

Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook

I'm a visual learner.  So when I pulled this cookbook out of my cookbook library that Grandma so graciously supplied us with, my eyes zeroed in on that word, "picture".  With the word, "picture" in the title, that means there's more pictures than normal!!  Yay, I'm so excited!!

So when I looked for the year this book was printed, unfortunately the page(s) was torn out.  I looked through to see if I could find it anywhere else but couldn't find it.  All I know is that it belongs to my mother-in-law (MIL) and she's 87 yrs. old.

This color is almost to the true color in real life so it makes it all the more beautiful and retro and vintagy :)

I will call her Betty and just look how quick and easy she whips everything out.  I tried to do the same but just ended up making a mess.  :\

This was not a drawing but a picture of real food.  Real dinner rolls.  M-m-m-m-m, don't they look scrumptious?

Wow!!  What time did Betty have to wake up to make that many rolls??  Don't really think Mr. Betty woke up early to help her.  He's too busy getting ready for work.  However does she stay so thin??

Yum, dessert potluck!!  That's my kind of party.  My only question is, what are those two ladies in the background thinking?

This is my favorite picture of all.  I just love the thought of being in the kitchen and cooking it up with the kids and girlfriends, with music in the background and having a great time.

Betty is amazing.  Whipping out a dessert for the whole family and always looking so graceful and elegant.

Camping and grilling go so well together, wish I were there right about now!

I don't usually dress up for dinner time like Betty, plus you'll never see my hubby all dressed up like Mr. Betty BUT, I do have a "Little Black Apron" that comes with it's own pearl necklace attached to it.  Never seen one?  Check out my other blog where I featured it - it's fantastic, my apron that is.

As you can see, this cookbook has been "loved".  What I would give to hear all the stories behind each recipe my MIL cooked from this cookbook!

This cookbook is full of many, many recipes, cooking tips and suggestions.

Has 463 pages.

 So that's only a very few pictures from this wonderful retro Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook.  If anyone out there has the same one, please let me know what year it was printed.

Maybe someday I'll feature some recipes in my food blog.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a trip down memory lane with me.

 

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Vintage Inspiration Friday

Jackie Gleason and His Orchestra Revisted

 JACKIE GLEASON

A few years ago, the movie, “Return to Me” came out in theatres.  Minnie Driver and David Duchovny (XFiles) were the main characters.   Bonnie Hunt (who also wrote the story and directed the movie) was in it, Carroll O’Connor and Jim Belushi as well as many others you might recognize.   If you’re in the mood for a sad, cute love story with a happy ending and “all is right with the world”, then please watch this one, you will not regret it.  Needless to say, this movie ranks right up there as one of my top favorite “chic flix”.  I don’t want to give the whole story line away but it’s about this young girl named Grace (Driver), who has a heart transplant and a young widower named Bob (Duchovny).  Grace lives with her beloved uncle, Marty O’Reilly (Carroll O’Connor), who raised her.  They live above an Irish/Italian pub he manages and all the hired help from the cook, Angelo (Robert Loggia) to the waitress are her pseudo uncles and an aunt who at times are very nosy but every bit fun, loving and crazy.  As you may have guessed, as fate would have it, Grace and Bob meet but not without sadness and heartbreak.  Anyways, this wonderful melodious retro music is being played throughout this movie along with a little bit of Frankie here and a little bit of Dean there and I am loving every minute of this movie, including the story line.

The familiar music sound is one I can’t seem to pinpoint.  I knew it wasn’t Benny Goodman or Glenn Miller but sensed that it was retro.    As soon as I got my hands on the CD soundtrack, I couldn’t believe it.  Lo and behold it was the Jackie Gleason Orchestra.   I was puzzled though because the only Jackie Gleason I knew was an overweight pompous grumpy bus driver who was always yelling at his wife and buddy in the TV show called, “The Honeymooners” and to be quite honest, I couldn’t stand that character nor the show – even if it is retro.   But all these years I never knew that he directed an orchestra much less wrote music?!?   I’m almost certain that some time in my young life though, someone had the radio or TV on while his music played.  I can’t pinpoint to when or where but it definitely takes me back and I. AM. LOVING. IT.  I personally do not listen to his music because of it's "romantic" themes.  To me it's just beautiful, soothing music that is very relaxing especially on a lazy day or lounging around the pool.

If you have the opportunity to get your hands on this movie, check out the “Special Features” these DVD’s sometimes have.  Watch the movie with the feature,  “comments” from Bonnie Hunt (director & screenplay writer) and Don Lake (screenplay writer).  It is sooo interesting.  Bonnie is the reason why you hear the Jackie Gleason Orchestra throughout the movie.  She said that as a young girl, her parents played his music on their old Victrola all the time and that’s when she fell in love with the music and knew it would be perfect for this movie.

There are a few movies that I personally believe are perfect, A+. 100%, Gold Medal status..  From the casting  to the music, from the characters to the script, from the screen scenes and do I dare say it again? to the music.  I give this movie my own “OSCAR”.  If you heart retro music, you will enjoy this movie.  If not for the story line, then for the music.  I will end with Jackie Gleason's famous goodbye, "How sweet it is!" 

Listen to:  Moonlight Becomes You

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