Ultra Swank

Come fly with me… to fabulous and fantastic Las Vegas! Established in 1905, it was nowhere near the oasis of fun, sin and lost weekends as it is known for today. But when major developments and projectes surfaced in the 1940s, the city starting growing larger and larger. Shady organized crime personalties saw opportunities to be made in this new desert haven. Big hotel casinos started sprouting up and many of the largest ones were in fact managed by the mob. I guess you have all heard about Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel.

The most famous part of Las Vegas is the strip – a 4-mile boulevard sized stretch of road that houses some of the biggest hotels and casinos in the U.S. Huge casinos such as The Golden Nugget and Fremont are considered landmarks today. Any fancy a game of Blackjack or trying your luck on the numerous slot machines? For more information, visit gamblingplanet.

The first, but perhaps little known casino of Las Vegas was the El Rancho Vegas, built in 1941 but sadly destroyed in a fire in 1960. However, its success pawed way for many other similar ventures such as the Last Frontier and the spectacular Flamingo. But this was just the beginning.

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The Monte Carlo Rally is a historical rally event that has been around since its inception in 1911. The Rally takes place in January at a designated route along the French Riviera. It is known for having one of the most famous special stages in the world from La Bollène-Vésubie to Sospel which consists moving over a steep, tight and usually icy mountain road. This section is also driven at night, adding to the already difficult and demanding conditions. Winning the rally gave the car a great deal of credibility and publicity and made the Mini Cooper famous over night by winning the rally in 1964.

The video above shows a summary of the 1965 rally with over 200 participants and yet again we see the classic Mini Cooper as the winning car. The Cooper was also made the hero of the movie “The Italian Job” from 1969, starring Sir Michael Caine.

Ultra Swank takes you back in time into the kitsch, chic and swank living of the 50s, 60s and the 70s. We mainly focus on the design, architecture and the lifestyle of the happy-go-lucky and space-age-living mentality of that era – but also on the music and movies that takes you back to happier times. Ultra Swank is run by Chris, a Swede born in the wrong decade that currently resides in Barcelona. Read more

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A trip to yesteryear London in 1957, about a decade before the height of “Swinging London” with its youth oriented fashion, music, art and culture scenes. Places depicted are among others Cambridge Circus, Palace Pier and Trafalgar Square. What do you prefer, London in 1957 or 2011? Photos by Kai Krog Halse (Via)

Time for some more nostalgia, this time from Stockholm, Sweden. I always find it amazing how quickly things can change, usually it’s for the better – but anyone who reads this blog knows that’s not true at all. Depicted are a bunch of street scenes from the capital of Sweden, taken between 1945 and 1978. Even though some of them were shot in the middle of the winter I still find them warmer and more pleasant then their modern counterpart. A sign that times gone by really were that much better? What do you think? (Image source)

Various photos, scans and stills from London in the mid 1960s, when the term “Swingin’ London” was in full effect. Love how even the rainiest, gloomy day in London can look beautiful back then. Photos via SwingingLondon on Flickr.

Join Ella Morton from Rocketboom as she takes us on a tour of the 1960s version of New York City portrayed in television series Mad Men. Check out where the Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce office is located, where to buy the perfect hat and the best place to zip Martinis among many other things. (Via)

London, England late 1960s. The height of the flower-power-free-love-lifestyle. Groovy colors, fashion, cars and women. For those of us who were born a few decades too early or anyone who wants to take a stroll down memory lane here’s a sample of very neat color photographs of Swinging London from that period. Depicted are among others Oxford Street, Piccadilly Circus, Carnaby Street, Paddington Street, various cars and Routemaster Buses. Photos found on the lovely Sixties London photogroup on Flickr.