Ultra Swank - Retro Adventures

Roadtrip • travel • stores

Seven-oh-seven – The Jet Age Begins

Flying, as we know it, began with the Boeing 707. This was the airplane that leaped us into the ‘Jet-Age‘. Today’s millions of air-travelers can hardly imagine what a jump in performance, comfort and safety the 707 provided. At twice the speed of previous propeller driven airliners, the 707 also flew at almost twice the height. Far above the annoyances and hazards of the ‘weather‘...

Nostalgic Postcards of American Roadside Attractions – Part 2

Nostalgic, classic, vintage and timeless yet again. So vivid, futuristic and warm but also gloomy and grey at the same time. Postwar suburban America was certainly a time of change – a time when the automobile was the spotlight of modern living. You could go anywhere in your Oldsmobile, Chrysler, Chevrolet or Cadillac. How about a trip to S.S. Kresge to pick up new sofa?...

Video

Home video shot in 1962 that depicts some quite amazing piece of silent film history. We start with a early departure at Boston Airport and then take to the skies and land at New York City and Idlewild airport (now JFK) where we first take a look at a legendary Pan Am Boeing 707 and then tour the Googie designed Eero Saarinen TWA flight center...

Nostalgic Postcards of American Roadside Attractions

Nostalgic, classic, vintage and timeless. These are words that comes to mind when I look at postcards depicting roadside American attractions such as motels, diners, drive-in theaters, bowling alleys and outdoor shopping centers. It is definitely an era gone-by now and I am sad never to never really have experienced it. I am sure many of you have fond (or maybe not so fond) memories...

Scandinavian Stewardesses Takes Us Into the Jet Age

Scandinavian Airlines (or simply SAS), was founded in 1946, when three Scandinavian transatlantic airlines merged. In the late 1950s, SAS was the first airline to offer round the world service over the North Pole via the North Pole shortcut Copenhagen – Anchorage – Tokyo. This “polar express” became popular with Hollywood celebrities and production people travelling to Europe. SAS entered the jet age in 1959 when its...

Postcards from a vibrant Retro Boston

There are numerous times in my role as the self- appointed retro cultural historian for Boston that I feel just like Gloria Swanson in 1960 standing in that classic photo taken amidst the destruction of the once splendid crown jewel of cinemas, The Roxy Theater in New York City. Boston, like so many other American cities, has been pillaged… truly stripped bare of what made...

Scandinavian Airlines Boeing 747 – The Viking of the 1970s

The Boeing 747 was introduced in 1970 as a answer to handle the demanding mass tourism boom of the late 1960s. Built by the Boeing Corporation and guided by legendary Juan Trippe of Pan American airways – it allowed almost 500 people in its biggest configuration to be elegantly whisked around the world in style at 30,000 feet – without having to be a person...

Get all the goods straight to your inbox