Contributed by Klara on October 30th, 2009 | Comments
Contributor Klara have been busy time traveling into the golden age of science fiction, on a mission to find three classics that will please and catch the imagination of the readers of Ultra Swank. So, head out to the launchpad and strap your self in, our rocket's first stop is the moon!
Halloween is just a few days away and to kick things off in a ghoulish way, this old piece of 1973 wax will most likely do the trick (...or treat). This record is sure to scare and entertain everyone in the family, especially if used with one speaker hidden in the ceiling for the proper stereo spirit effect. Heck, even I am a bit freaked out by this old time piece which revolves around a haunted seance hosted by our Doctor Druid. The good doctor first plays a couple of mind tricks on the participators around the table and then tries to contact a spirit from beyond the grave, the result? Pure groovyness! Happy Halloween from Ultra Swank.
Contributed by Heidi on October 27th, 2009 | Comments
And you thought baked beans and sausage weren't the least bit French? Betty & I have paired up to prove you wrong. Behold Betty Crocker's Baked Bean & Sausage Casserole aka Middle Income French Cooking! This casserole is, per Betty, an "...appetizing adaptation of the French cassoulet." Put that in your Pyrex, Julie & Julia! I did. It was savory and satisfying. And looked pretty haute and hearty in my fave dish.
From the movie It's Always Fair Weather made in 1955 starring the always brilliant and talented Gene Kelly, this time singing with roller skates around Broadway in New York City. What do you daydream about today? [Thanks Cam]
Contributed by Cam on October 21st, 2009 | Comments
Halloween is coming up and to give you some ideas for your costume, contributor Cam presents a couple of retro themed suggestions. All you need is to pick your favorite classic movie character and you are almost set to go! Some possibilities for the ladies could be the eternal style icon Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the sensual Jane Fonda in Barbarella or the fun and wishful Barbara Eden in I Dream Of Jeannie. For the gents, why not put on your best suit and dress up as classy Sean Connery as James Bond, the frightful Boris Karloff as Frankenstein or the original jungle man Johnny Weissmüller as Tarzan.
Don’t forget the ravishing Halloween cocktails as well, like Witch's Brew, Vampiro or Italian Fruit Punch. To top it all off add some spooky "Monster Melodies" courtesy of Frankie Stein and his Ghouls. Who will you dress up as?
Head on over to the Ultra Swank Flickr group for more tasty designs from the past. Why not join our group and contribute with your own retro related images? It's free and very easy. Which is your favorite record to play on late Friday nights?
This documentary about the life of famed photographer Julius Schulman looks very appealing to me. If you have been reading my earlier architecture posts you will immediately know who I am referring to. [Thanks Cam]
Following up on my earlier post on how to get a date if you lived in 1950s America, here is a new film which show and tell how you can have a few close friends but be popular among a large group of people too. The entertainment value and kitsch-meter is going through the roof with this film. Hmm, why were all guys called Wally back then? (Via)
Ultra Swank takes you back in time into the kitsch, chic and swank living of the 50s to the 70s. We mainly focus on the design, architecture and the lifestyle of the happy-go-lucky and space-age-living mentality from that era - but also on the mood music that takes you back to happier times. Ultra Swank is run by Chris who resides in Sweden. More | Contact
What you are looking at right now represents many months of late night work sessions. Ultra Swank has been around for a little more than four years now and I thought it was due for a real change, to give it its own style and persona that represents more elegant and fun times. This new [...]
I’ve always had a keen interest in architecture, but nowadays it seams bigger than ever. Probably because I have been lucky enough to find some interesting books at my college library about the modernism and functionalism in Sweden. The modernism architecture was introduced in Sweden during the Stockholm International Fair in 1930 and really set [...]
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