Southend Quasi-Hidden fabulousness

I've been a fan of this Sputnik-type thing for years now, but I have no idea why it survived the recent remodeling of this building, since the new parts have pretty much obscured it from the street (I had to take this pic from the parking lot behind the restaurant).

It's original use predates my knowledge of the history of the neighborhood. Maybe someone out there can enlighten me?

DROP EVERYTHING!!! IT'S A SHOW CHOIR!!!!

Oh My God. These still exist? I thought surely they would have died off with the Reagan administration. And they sing uber-faggy disco songs?

Madison Housewife, your thoughts please: I trust you still have your custom-made Gunny Sack-esque dress (nothing like the sluttish outfits these girls are wearing) and medium heels....

South of the Border

Darlings, It’s been a while. As I understand it, danlangdon.com was down for a few days (I don’t know how anyone survived) and I went to Portland for the weekend.

It was a stately trip: I cashed in some Amtrak frequent flier miles, and went down on Friday night. On Saturday, I rented a car and went to my usual haunts on Hawthorne, and then drove out to Multnomah Falls and The Dalles, where I observed a dam. (You know how I love a good dam)

On Sunday, I woke up late (as intended – no needy little dogs) and visited the repurposed Meier & Frank store before heading home.

As much as I hate to give Macy’s credit for anything, they did a nice job with Meier & Frank. True, the store is only five stories, as opposed to the previous eight, and they got rid of the restaurant, but that’s to be expected. The rest of the building, including the previous restaurant space, will soon be a hotel, so perhaps there’s hope for the restaurant yet. Also, it looks cleaner and brighter than Meier & Frank, and the merchandise seems a tad better.

But probably the nicest thing is how they paid homage to the previous store by the name: They are calling this store, and only this store, “Macy’s at Meier & Frank”. I grudgingly get how standardization helps them (although their choice of “brand” - Macys –is hopelessly New York-centric to me. It seems to me that a better brand in their portfolio – namely Marshall Fields – would have been much better) but I think if they had paid similar respect to other flagship stores in other flagship cities, their renaming might have gone down easier.

Department stores have so little to offer these days: Nothing that can’t be gotten for less at other places. Everything Macy’s can do to make themselves unique, and pay at least a modicum of respect to local history, can only help.

In other news, stay tuned for some more southend fun! I found a great little gem the other day!


And I'm including this picture, apropos of nothing. Only because I love the hairdos. Especially the one on the right. I'm thinking that that's what Catalina looked like in the late 60's.

danlangdon.com is down!!!

I just noticed it this morning, and I don't know why or for how long. The line to the website provider is busy everytime I try.

How the world is coping without danlangdon.com and frigidaireflair.net is beyond me.

Today's Southend Delight: The disenfranchised Safeway

This is most assuredly not the only Safeway in this style left in the world, but it's probably one of the last ten. It's that late 60's - early 70's Mansard roof design they used to have, and that they still have in neighborhoods like Holly Park: A former housing project turned into "mixed use" housing on the very tattered edge of south Seattle.

What's surprising to me is not that it is still there so much as it was ever there at all. Although it should be noted that in the parking lot of this Safeway is an even older Safeway, which is now a Bank of America branch, so Safeway has had a presence here for quite a while.

With the impending light rail opening, all sorts of cutesy housing is being built around here with names like "Othello Station". Time will tell if this will bring the neighborhood one of the new Desparate Housewive's sort of Safeway (like in nearby Rainier Beach)

Southeast Seattle Pizzazz: Some Catholic Church

My old district was charming, but sort of bland: The real estate developers have been steadily draining north Seattle of interesting places and things over the last ten years or so. If you are into condos, coffee shops and wine bars, it's wonderful. But not a whole lot of there is left there, if you know what I mean.

The same cannot be said of southeast Seattle. For one thing, it's the home of Chez Vel-Duray, but it is also has some interesting stalwarts from Seattle's more working-class, space-age era.

Like this church:



I freely admit that I am a sucker for a mosaic, but you have to admit it's pretty cool. I love the steeple as well, and the movie theatre doors (The school is equally mod, but I didn't want to look like I was stalking the children, so no pictures. You will have to take my word for it)

And just because I can, I'm going to include this close-up of the mosaic. It relates to some sort of Bible story. I don't remember which one right now.



Coming soon: An old-school Safeway!

Chez Vel-DuRay enters the Space Age!

Over the weekend, The Colonel and I invested in a new console stereo for the Sala Grande. It cost us a cool $10, but I think it was worth it. The new model is an Emerson Solid State. That's an important distinction, as I am tired of dealing with tempramental tube amplifiers.

Another important difference is that this console has both a tape input (for the I-Pod and Satelite radio) and external speaker jacks, so that we may be able to enjoy music on the deck of Chez Vel-DuRay during the warmer months (which my calendar keeps assuring me are just around the corner).

With the addition of this fine solid state unit, the Grundig moves to the lodge, to replace the Motorola, which is having something of a nervous breakdown. Also, with some anticipated construction projects at Chez Vel-DuRay this spring, the Motorola is just too large to have lurking about.

If anyone wants a big brute of a console (with cabinet by Drexel!) just give a holler, as they say on the farm. For reference sake, you can see it below.

The Mountain comes to Mohammed.......

Darlings, I need your advice.

The upstairs commode at Chez Vel-DuRay needs replacing. It's all leaky and water-wastey, and it has ab-so-lute-ly no pizzaz whatsoever, anyway (your basic white toilet. Damn those cheap builders!)

There's something I've been considering, but I'm just not sure. This is why I need your advice. This is your opportunity to show that my years of teaching have paid off.

I was at the recycled building materials store today, and saw a cunning mint green toilet. And a stunning aqua sink.

What if we were to replace all the boring white fixtures (except for the tub, of course - I'm not THAT crazy) with this festive little kalidescope? Would it be clever and original, or would it look like a sad rental?

I humbly wait to soak up your advice. Like a sponge. Or something.

Housekeeping Hints for the New Millenium: Add some avocado to your day!

As an international trendsetter and style guru, I think I should warn all of you that I have started to warm up to avocado.




It all started when I met and fell in love with this little tabletop broiler (although it should be noted that it is blatantly lying to me every time I see the word "smokeless" on its front, and that's never a good sign for a relationship).

While I don't think I would go so fas as to advocate for the return of kitchens with all avocado appliances, orange countertops, dark brown cabinets and indoor/outdoor carpeting (which one saw with alarming regularity in my youth) I think an argument can be made for touches of Avocado here and there in any tasteful kitchen.

But if any of you go out and buy a set of cannisters that look like owls or mushrooms, I'm sending my thugs out to your place.

Oh, so now I'm a marriage counselor????

As a travelling electrical hostess in Our Better Neighborhoods, I oftentimes deal with couples as they perform work on their home. But this one takes the cake.

A gentleman called me a few weeks ago about some service advice (It was tragic, I tell you: What was previously a perfectly nice Mid-Century was being transformed into a horrid little slice of Tuscanny by way of Issaquah)

At that time, I not only spoke with the gentleman, I visited the site of the desecration and left one of my distinctive door hangers.

This morning he called again, and again I visited the home, and spoke with him on the phone again, at which time we finalized the permanent power for his dreadful new "home".

So imagine my surprise when, upon returning back to The Major Concern, I found I had a vitriolic message from Mrs. Issaquah-Tuscanny. She accused me of never returning her husband's phone calls, and somehow got it into her undoubtedly hairspray-addled mind that we were suppposed to have hooked up her power last Friday (They haven't even paid the bill yet! Nothing happens at The Major Concern until the bill is paid)

Obviously, this couple is on the rocks. Divorve court is just around the corner. And I suspect I know why. And I further suspect that I know who is behind that dreadful, dreadful "makeover".

My kind of Republican!

...and no, not because he's dead.

I always sort of liked President Eisenhower. He was fairly progressive, he got along with people. Then there's that whole winning World War II thing. He's the sort of Republican I could vote for. And this is my kind of political ad.

(although Adlai Stevenson really would have been better)

Hairdo on a stick

I have no idea who this woman is, but I remember this look. When I worked in the Dining Room at Mutual of Omaha, there were some executive secretaries that looked just like this. They all smoked, and when they left the table, the ashtray would have at least two lipstick-y butts apiece in them. Even my mom had this sort of thing going on for a while, only with higher hair, and hers was black.

And check out those glasses!

Do I remember those stewardess outfits: Eye-popping 60's pop-art cartoony dresses, with the hemline as short as they dared make them. Plus a fabulous hat. Nothing like today's polyester or khaki-with-polo-shirt look.