Monday, November 17, 2008
Les Paul, The Original “Guitar Hero”
When I was watching my kids having a ball jumping up and down playing an electronic guitar game, I reminded myself to give a shout out to Les Paul, known as the "Father of the Electric Guitar." 
You have to admire Les Paul. He was inspired to build his first solid-body electric guitar in 1941, because he felt that the audience couldn’t really hear him play his own acoustic model up on stage! It took him 10 years to sell his concept of an amplified guitar, but in 1952, Gibson introduced the first Les Paul model. If you’ve rocked out to 
Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Jimmy Page, Duane Allman, Frank Zappa, Stephen Stills, Ace Frehley, Sheryl Crow, or Richie Sambora, to name just a few, then you’ve rocked out to a Les Paul guitar.
Les Paul was the brains behind several innovations on the recording side of the business as well, changing music in ways we didn’t even realize when we were cranking up those tunes. As a performer, he did quite well recording his own music with wife Mary Ford. Amazingly, at age 93, he shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, those of us who are half his age would have trouble keeping up with him. He is currently designing more amplifiers and guitars for Gibson, and also performs weekly at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City! 
When Les Paul was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, he thanked his fans in his humble way. "I'm very grateful to the generation that came after me and picked up the instrument and carried on with it," he said. "If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be where I am."
No, Les Paul—if it wasn’t for you, rock ‘n roll wouldn’t be where it is today!
posted by Betty at
8:51 AM
Monday, November 10, 2008
Long Live Little Golden Books!
Sitting in the waiting room of my daughter’s pediatrician, I noticed a Little Golden Book on the table. Flipping through the pages of We Help Mommy, I felt transported back to the waiting room of my own pediatrician decades earlier, when I sat next to my mother, listening intently as she quietly read this book to me. If this story is still around after all these years, I mused, how many other Little Golden Books have stood the test of time?
The little books with the gold-patterned spine first appeared in 1942, selling for only 25 cents. The Poky Little Puppy and the other 11 titles became hugely popular, in part because they were much less expensive than most children’s books at the time. In just 5 months, sales reached 1.5 million!
In the 1950s, Little Golden Books was at the forefront of commercial cross-marketing. Dr. Dan the Bandage Man was published in cooperation with Johnson & Johnson®, and came with a packet of six Band-Aids®. I remember my copy of Little Lulu and Her Magic Tricks, which had a small package of Kleenex® attached to its cover, and directions for making toys from the tissues.
By the 60th anniversary, over 2 billion Little Golden Books had been printed--enough to reach the moon! A permanent Little Golden Books exhibit is on view at the Smithsonian Institution. If you don’t get a chance to see it, watch for the traveling exhibit through the end of this year, organized by the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature.
Seriously, who didn’t love The Saggy Baggy Elephant, The Tawny Scrawny Lion, and my favorite, The Shy Little Kitten? These and hundreds more titles are still in print, with topics and characters ranging from cartoons, nursery rhymes and fairy tales, Disney®, Sesame Street®, Barbie®, Bozo®, Captain Kangaroo®, poetry, ABCs and counting—the list is practically endless! Four of the original 12 titles top the list of the 10 all-time best-selling kids’ books. There’s really no secret to their staying power—their simple heart-warming appeal transcends generations.
Here’s your “golden” opportunity to pass along these enduring stories to yet another generation. Start your collection or add to an existing one with our set of 8 much-loved titles.
posted by Betty at
8:54 AM
Monday, November 3, 2008
A Salute To America’s Veterans
When I was a young girl, standing on the curb waving my little flag as the Veterans Day parade passed by, I didn’t really understand then why the mood was so somber; I certainly do now. With that in mind, I’d like to share a few of my favorite items which I think best represent the patriotic feel of November.
If you like your war stories in the form of action films, you’re going to need a LOT of popcorn because “American Stories of War” will have you glued to the screen with 100 hours of documentary footage, plus a 50-movie pack of combat films!
Speaking of movies, Hollywood has always done its part to support the war effort. Remember when Marilyn Monroe interrupted her honeymoon with Joe DiMaggio to perform for troops in Korea? The Marilyn Entertains The Troops 
lithograph captures one of the most important performances of her lifetime. And what a great patriot Bob Hope was; I think we all will forever appreciate the way he brought our troops laughter and song when they needed it most. Bob Hope The Vietnam Years DVD compiles the best moments from his tours from 1964 to 1972.
Here’s a beautiful way to pay tribute to our military. The Military Uniforms Wall Art traces the styles of uniforms of all 4 branches (choose your favorite) from Revolutionary War days to the present. Another beautiful piece, the Vietnam Wall Memorial Art, I know will stir poignant memories of the turbulent 60s and 70s for you, just as it does for me.
If you are one of those people who likes to let your apparel reflect your patriotism, you’ll be proud to wear the “Some Gave All” cap. I’m choosing to honor those who are still POW/MIA with the Not Forgotten T-shirt.
In keeping with our theme, I’d like to salute our loyal customers and say, it is an honor to serve you! Happy November!
posted by Betty at
9:34 AM
Monday, October 27, 2008
Back To Mayberry
A friend of mine is a dyed-in-the wool "Andy Griffith Show" fan. So much so that she's a member of an Internet club dedicated to watching and discussing re-runs of the classic sit-com. I'm not as devoted as she is, but I loved watching it, too. We certainly weren't alone! With 249 episodes to its credit, the show ran for eight full seasons between 1960-1968.
Some of my favorite moments were those quiet Southern evenings when Andy would play his guitar while a gently smiling Aunt Bee knitted in her rocking chair and Opie sat on the porch steps singing along with his dad. I love this calendar because, even though they're not on the porch, this picture reminds me of those moments. My friend brought over her newest piece of Mayberry memorabilia the other night: the Mayberry-Opoly game. We had a lot of fun revisiting Mayberry landmarks like the Taylor house and Emmett's Fix-It Shop. I chose the cell key as my token, but it didn't help me when I got cited for jaywalking! The game has all kinds of fun Mayberry twists. You might become a temporary Deputy Sherrif or win a blue ribbon for your homemade pickles. Or you might end up in the dreaded Cell #2...
posted by Betty at
5:00 AM
Monday, October 20, 2008
Happy Birthday Mickey Mantle
Tampa Bay Ray fever is in full swing here in Florida. I remember going to baseball games with my family and listening to my dad talk about all the great players he admired over the years. He was a dyed-in-the wool baseball fan, so he had a lot of heroes, but the name that came up most often was Mickey Mantle. Today is Mickey's birthday, so I thought we'd take a moment to celebrate the life of one of baseball's true shining stars.
Mickey Charles Mantle was born on October 20, 1931 in Spavinaw, Oklahoma. His father, Mutt, named him after Hall of Fame catcher Mickey Cochrane because he wanted his son to grow up to be a professional baseball player. By the time he was five years old, he was already impressing people with his natural ability. Few people know it, but Mickey was an all-around athlete, playing basketball, football and baseball in high school.
In 1948, Mickey was playing for the Baxter Springs Whiz Kids when he was discovered by a Yankee scout. That day, "The Mick" hit two tape measure home runs that sailed past the fence and rolled into the river. That was enough for the scout. On the day he graduated, Mickey was signed to the Yankees and he spent his entire career with the team.
Less than ten years later, Mantle would have the greatest year of his career when he won baseball's triple crown: Male Athlete of the Year, the American League Most Valuable Player and Player of the Year. He was also voted MVP in 1957 and 1962. Mickey played in twelve World Series and led the Yankees to seven World Championships. His record for most World Series home runs (18) and several other World Series records still stand.
He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974 and to this day, he is still considered as the greatest switch hitter of all time. Mickey once said, "It was all I lived for, to play baseball." We're sure glad you did!
Happy Birthday, Mickey!
posted by Betty at
5:00 AM
Monday, October 13, 2008
Home Cooking
Remember when families used to sit down and eat a home-cooked meal together every night? Life is so hectic these days, sometimes it's hard to get the entire family in one room at the same time. But I try to make sure my family eats well, even when we're all busy.
Betty Crocker's Cookbook shaped the dinner tables of generations of families. My mom gave me her copy when I moved out of the house. It had been well-used then, but now it's just falling apart. The pages are yellowed and stained with 50 years of spills and smudges. That's why I was glad when I found this reprint. Betty Crocker's recipe for roast turkey is the best I've ever found and I still use it every year during the holiday cooking season. Of course, I'll never get rid of the copy my Mom passed down to me, but it's nice to have a nice, clean cookbook to spill things on.
If you like to cook from scratch, this Endangered Recipes Cookbook will take you back to a time when tomato soup came from the stove and not a can and the cheese in macaroni & cheese wasn't a mysteriously orange powder. It has recipes for some of my favortie comfort foods like banana pudding, gingerbread and even Welsh rarebit. 
Remember the salad dressing that was invented at Palace Hotel in San Francisco in the 20s in honor of William Archer's hit play? That's right! This book even has a recipe for Green Goddess Dressing! Speaking of going back in time, the Food Of The 50s Cookbook can help you create events from retro luaus to patio BBQs. Make lemon bars, chicken fricasse, Swedish meatballs, and my favorite, red velvet cake!
Going even farther back in time, Our Founding Foods Cookbook answers questions like "What did George Washington serve for dessert at Mount Vernon?" and "What was Thomas Jefferson's favorite ice cream?" These first American recipes have been updated to suit your modern kitchen. With contributions from Martha Washington, Mary Randolph--a cousin of Jefferson--and the original Fannie Farmer, it's not just a cookbook, it's a piece of history. So far, I've learned to make Virginian Gumbo and Carrot Tart, plus I've studied up on the art of cooking over a campfire.All this talk about food is making me hungry. I think I'll go whip up a nice big batch of macaroni & cheese for dinner. With real cheese!
posted by Betty at
5:00 AM
Monday, October 6, 2008
Remembering John Lennon
I have a friend who is known to, at least partially, judge someone's character based on the answer to a single question: "Who's your favorite Beatle?" When she asked me that some decades ago, I replied, "John Lennon." She says there is no right or wrong answer, that a person's answer simply gives her an insight into their character. What did my answer tell her about me? I'm not sure, but we've been close friends for more years than I want to admit I have behind me.
John Lennon would have been 68 on October 9, 2008. From his career with the Fab Four, to his almost comeback shortly before his death, he remains forever my favorite Beatle. To honor Lennon's birthday and his contribution to musical and political culture, I went digging through the Attic and found a few choice items to commemorate his life.
These gold records celebrate Lennon's signature song, "Imagine," which has become a worldwide peace anthem. The song was recorded in 1971 in Lennon's home studio at Tittenhurst Park. The first is a plaque of a 24-kt. gold-plated LP that is etched with an image of Lennon and the song lyrics. It also includes an actual piece of the doors of Tittenhurst. The second is a mounted gold record with a photo of Lennon from that defining era.
I also found this T-shirt featuring a photo of John in his famous New York City shirt. On the back is the famous verse, "You may say I'm a dreamer / But I'm not the only one / I hope someday you'll join us / And the world will live as one."
Last, but definitely not least, here's my favorite piece of John Lennon memorabilia: The John Lennon Interactive Book.
It tells the story of his creative genius from his music to his artwork. The illustrations alone are enough to keep you busy for a full day, including the reproductions of his report cards, tickets to the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, a Rolling Stone article, handwritten song lyrics and some of Lennon's drawings. On the CD, "In His Own Words," Lennon talks about his life and art. There's also a live recording of "Imagine." It's a wonderful way to celebrate the life of a visionary, an artist and a cultural icon.Happy Birthday, John. You're still my favorite Beatle!
posted by Betty at
5:00 AM
