A Rare Vintage Whine

Happy National Wine Day, just in time for the three-day weekend down in the US (we have a plain old Monday up here in Canada, which means that I will try to think of some really funny stuff tomorrow to try and cheer us up as we go back to the Monday grindstone). This means that you may either have some wine, or you could just whine. Since I can no longer drink a lot of wines (food sensitivities or allergies, it’s something like that, all I know is I can’t drink ‘em) – I will take a small glass of Harvey’s Bristol Cream sherry this evening – and perhaps whine.

The best illustration of whining I know would come from the Dodd’s Almanacs (from the purveyors of Dodd’s Kidney Pills, and other fine medicines), of which I have several. Mine date from the 1940s and 1950s, and are crammed with comic-strip ads and testimonials (with headshots of agonized people).  I love them dearly, as you will know if you read my other blog. Actually if you do read my other blog, you are probably saying to yourself, oh NO, not Dodd’s Almanacs again!

(Shameless promotion of other blog now over, back to our regular programming).

But what more perfect spokesperson for National Wine/Whine Day than Dora, a lady who has been doing plenty of whining (and crabbing) and clearly needs – well, maybe not wine, though that might help. Maybe some of those Dodd’s Kidney Pills. John brings home a boatload of Dodd’s and it’s “home sweet home at last” – no more interpersonal problems! No more family dysfunction!

You know, maybe she just needs a spa day. That’s what we need, not all these food holidays – we need to establish a National Spa Day! Everyone go and get a hot stone massage, pronto.

The Week In Retro: May 18th-25th

There’s a new book on retro knitting out, called Retro Knits, appropriately enough.

Gigglesugar has a lovely retro ad where a lady pretends not to be able to cope with opening a ketchup bottle. I reckon that she probably could though.

Did you know that James Dean did a Pepsi commercial in 1950? Well, he did, and it’s on YouTube! (I can’t seem to embed clips here on WordPress, so I’m going to send you over there).

Steampunk combines Victorian/Edwardian style with modern technological – stuff. It is weird and cool, and this week the Toronto Star turns a fashion-conscious eye towards it.

And did you know that retro gas pumps are just like us – they can’t actually fathom the price of gas these days.  Frank H. Jump has very cool photos of vintage gas pumps here and here.

Mary has an amazing collection of crocheted (or rather crochet-covered) clothes hangers, over at The Gingham Girl.

Bill wrote a fascinating post about a previously unknown chapter in his mother’s life, at Life on Planet Bill.

And finally, at Retro to Go, you can buy one of those old-fashioned bells hotels used to have at the front desks. I would love one of these for using in my more demanding, hostel/hostile moods.

Image from NYPL Digital Gallery.