California Family Retro

This is one of my favorite photos. Right now it's my shop banner, because to me it is quintissentially Califorina vintage. This is not some random photo either. This is my mother, left and my aunt sunning on the back of the family boat, circa 1950s. Grandma is surely stearing while grandpa--always with a camera--shot this photo. They were both avid water skiers. Love aunt G's scarf and glasses. So fabulous.

I scoured the cabin searching for these water skis, but I'm afraid they are long gone. I wanted to hang one above this photo in my living room. :-) Family history makes great art. 

dahlila xxoo 

Vintage In the City

A few weeks ago I walked with my camera through Sacramento and really looked at its past. The signs--literally--are fewer, so I wanted to catch them before they are gone. These are some favorites I found. Rodney's Cigars is the only one still in business.
When people regularly sewed there was a repair store to fix your machine. Remember those? Fix-it shops. There was a time when home items were repaired, instead of tossed. I'm hoping this recession will bring that back.

I love this sign: Rodney's Cigars & Liquors. Look at the graphics! Classic!
Since Dahlila, Found sells vintage luggage, this sign grabbed my attention. Specialty stores, fabulous.
And that's my mini tour update. Now go out into your city, town, neighborhood and take a look around. I bet there are some fabulous hidden treasures from the past. Save them.

dahlila xxoo

Walking Through the Past

I took a long walk with my camera in Sacramento today, something I never, ever do. I've lived here for years and today I walked around all wide eyed, looking up, staring down and snapping photos like an anthropologist. This city doesn't think too much of it's past. Old is out. New is in. The suburban landscape spreads and spreads, but I stay close to the center, the city, the grid. It just has more life.
I thought it would be fun to share some vintage shots before it all gets torn down, and it will. This is the old Tower Records on K Street Mall. It was the smallest of the 4 local Tower stores-- Broadway being the original, where I worked as the graphic, in-house artist many years ago.

I don't know who painted this elaborate, psychedelic ceiling, but I remember 1975 painted on it. It closed years ago, long before Russ Solomon closed all the Tower doors--an incredibly sad occasion for most cool local kids worked at Tower sometime in their life.

Now, this building sits empty, ceiling chipping away, drunks in the alcove, but I took a minute to look up and remember some great vintage memories. At least--as one rumor went--it won't become a Starbucks.