My Look Back: 1953

My grandparents have been married for 58 years this month, and in honor of the year they were married, I'm doing a look back to 1953.

• The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place on June 2nd, even though her grandmother, Queen Mary, passed away in March of that year (the picture above is of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip after their wedding on November 20, 1947).
• On January 19th over 70% of all of the television sets in the United States were tuned into I Love Lucy to watch Lucy Ricardo give birth (The real Lucille Ball gave birth to Desi Arnaz Jr. that same day).
• Peter Pan (Walt Disney Productions, 1953) premiered.
• Pat Benatar, Chaka Khan, Michael Bolton, Cyndi Lauper, Alfred Molina, Pierce Brosnan, and Tim Gunn were born.
• The Crucible made its premiere on Broadway.
• Playboy Magazine was published for the first time in December, with Marilyn Monroe on the cover.
• TV Guide also made it's debut in April.
• The Greatest Show on Earth (Paramount Pictures, 1952), starring Charlton Heston, Betty Hutton and James Stewart, won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
• A gallon of gas cost about $0.20 cents and the average home cost $9,550.00.
• The first color television sets started selling in the United States for $1,175.00!!
• Popular songs of the year included That's Amore by Dean Martin, Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes by Perry Como, and I've Got the World on a String by Frank Sinatra.
• The movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (Twentieth Century Fox, 1953) was released (one of my favorites).

RCA's first color television set, Model CT-100

Photo from Cedmagic.com

Follow Friday: Too Cool for School

Being that I'm pretty new on the blogging scene, I'm very happy to participate in Follow Friday hosted by Parajunkee so that I can make new friends in the blogosphere.

This week's question is:

What is/was your favorite subject in school?

Well, I've always loved history.  Music was also a favorite of mine, but history has a little bit of everything.  I know some find it boring, but I'm fascinated by it, especially stories of intrigue and life stories of celebrities, musicians, and other public figures.  You can always learn something from the past, and inevitably, it will repeat itself.  So what is/was your favorite subject?

Let's Eat!

Ok, so here is a bucket list of sorts for very vintage and nostalgic restaurants right here in Los Angeles that I have yet to try.  Each one is steeped with history, famous clientele, fabulous menus, and in some cases infamous happenings.  I am going to try my darndest to get to each one, hopefully in this new year (and I will post Yelp reviews, so they will appear on the blog's sidebar once I do).

Musso and Frank Grill (opened in 1919)

6667 Hollywood Blvd.

Hollywood, CA

Photo from latimemachines.com

Touted as the oldest restaurant in Hollywood, Musso and Frank Grill has been catering to celebrities and celebrity spotters for over ninety years.  Some of the famous faces that ate at the restaurant include Rudolph Valentino, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Charlie Chaplin, to name a few.  Classic (and I do mean classic) menu items include prime rib, pork chops, pommes lyonnaise, and corned beef and cabbage.  The eatery was named after original owners Joseph Musso and Frank Toulet.

Cole's Pacific Electric Buffet (opened in 1908)

aka: Cole's

118 E. 6th St.

Los Angeles, CA

Photo from latimemachines.com

Another eatery that has a claim to fame, and in this case it is "originator of the french dip" (don't tell Phillipe's) and the oldest restaurant and bar in the city of Los Angeles.  Now, I have actually stepped foot in Cole's, but only because I was on my way to The Varnish (the not-so-secret secret bar inside Cole's), but I have heard that they also have some mean drinks and of course some great sandwiches.  I'll have to be the judge of that one of these days.  The restaurant was founded by Henry Cole and it is located on the ground floor level of the Pacific Electric Building (hence the name).

Clifton's Cafeteria (this location opened in 1935)

648 S. Broadway

Los Angeles, CA

Photo from latimemachines.com

This cafeteria was the second location opened by Clifford Clinton in 1935.  Like many of his other restaurants and cafeterias, the location on Broadway had a theme, which was a lodge, complete with waterfalls, faux redwood trees, and a mural depicting a life-size forest.  Every day Clifton's offers up hundreds of choices in food, beverage and dessert, including navy bean soup, Texas toast, brisket, baked halibut, lemon rice, macaroni and cheese, their famous apple pie and a special "Treasure Tray" for kids which is a cafeteria version of a happy meal.  I honestly can't wait to try Clifton's, if only to see the kitschy decor and stand in the cafeteria line.

Formosa Café (opened in 1934)

7156 Santa Monica Blvd.

West Hollywood, CA

Photo from latimemachines.com

The Formosa Café used to be a trolley car, and that alone is enough to entice me.  However, it is also the place where Frank Sinatra allegedly spent many a night pining over Ava Gardner.  Other famous folks that dined at the Formosa include James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis Presley and Judy Garland.  Besides cocktails (they do have a bar), you can also venture to try some of their menu items (although many Yelp reviewers warn against it).  Some of these include lobster mac and cheese, calamari, kung pao chicken, and pad thai (it seems their menu is a bit of Asian and a bit of American food).

Happy Giveaway 2011!!

And the winner is.... YA Reader from A Book a Day. Stay tuned for another giveaway later this month.
Wow my first giveaway! I'm so excited.  I'm giving away the three books pictured above: Her and Me and You by Lauren Strasnick (Simon Pulse, 2010), It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han (Simon and Schuster, 2010), and Elixir by Hilary Duff and Elise Allen (Simon and Schuster, 2010).  This is what you have to do to win: (Winners will be picked at random)

• Comment to this blog post with your name and valid e-mail address
• +1 Show some blog love and follow me
• +1 Like The Nostalgic Librarian Facebook page
• +1 Tweet the following: "RT @msbibliotecaria is giving away YA books on nostalgiclibrarian.blogspot.com Please RT!"
• +1 Share this on your Facebook, Twitter or Blog
• +5 Place The Nostalgic Librarian Widget on your Blog or website (find it on the front page of my blog)
  (Each point is worth an extra entry)

The deadline for this giveaway is January 30th, 2011 at 12:59pm (PST).  Winner will be announced on February 4th.  Good luck!! :) 

Stylish Blogger Award

I am thrilled to announce that I have received my 1st blogger award (twice)! I got the Stylish Blogger Award from Chloe Booklover at YA Booklover and from Liz at That's What Liz Read.  Thank you very much ladies!!

Stylish Blogger Award

Now on to the award.

These are the rules if you get the award:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.

2. Tell us 7 things about yourself.

3. Award 15 super stylish bloggers this award.

4. Contact those bloggers and let them know they have won.

I will start with 7 things about myself:

1. Even though they just changed the Horoscope signs and I'm now supposed to be a Virgo, I will always and forever be a Libra.
2. My favorite movie is Breakfast at Tiffany's and I can watch it over and over and over again.
3. I secretly like the smell of skunk (OK, so it's not a secret anymore).
4. It really annoys me when Giada on the Food Network says "parmegghano".  You aren't speaking Italian, so drop the Italian pronunciation on all of the "Italian" words. Por favoré.
5. I have two dogs named Frida and Che (named after Frida Kahlo and Ché Guevara).
6. My goal this year is to read 100 books, I've already read 4.
7. I am addicted to the Smurfs' Village game on my iPhone.

Here are the 15 bloggers I am awarding the Stylish Blogger Award to:

Good Golly Miss Holly

Livin' Vintage

The Lilli Pad 

My Words My Way

Piper's Pages
The Clock Monkey
Lip Gloss and Literature
The Happy Honey Bee
Polish or Perish
Home Girl's Book Blog
Books by Their Cover
The Bookshelf Sophisticate
Cupcakes Take the Cake
Young Adult Books Central
Books in the Spotlight

Congratulations to all of these stylish bloggers, and Happy Friday!!

Read a Book, Sip a Cocktail No. 1

Photo from Goodreads.com

I have an idea for a book that marries my love for reading to my love for cocktails.  So starting with the New Year I'm introducing one book paired with one cocktail recipe the first Friday of every month.  I'm hoping that I can come up with 25 pairings total.  Now, I'm not a mixologist, a bartender or anything like that, but I can mix a pretty good cocktail, and this will give me a chance to experiment (and have fun while I'm at it!).  As far as the books, I'm choosing books that I enjoy.  I know they will tend to go on the "chick lit" side, and I know there is much debate as to this label, but all in all I'm just going with what I know, what I've read, and what I've enjoyed.  As for the drinks I'm going to focus on using ingredients that are accessible to most everyone and can be found in most grocery stores.  Also ingredients that you can make yourself, like infused simple syrups, waters, and teas.  I'm going to be using all of the standard liquors, but I'm warning you now, I tend to gravitate towards vodka.  My first pairing is White Oleander by Janet Fitch and my cocktail The White Astrid.  For this cocktail I wanted the overall result to be white, so I had to think of ingredients that would produce that white milkiness, without using milk (I didn't want a heavy drink tasting of milk).  The end result was a martini made with vanilla vodka, coconut milk, simple syrup and anise extract.  I chose anise because it reminded me of the darkness, turmoils, and betrayals found in the story of Astrid and her enigmatic mom Ingrid.  Overall the drink does have that enigmatic quality because of the hint of licorice, but it is also sweet, creamy but not heavy, and a bit exotic.

The White Astrid
1 oz. Vodka
2 oz. Coconut milk (I used Polar brand coconut milk)
1 oz. Simple syrup (make your own* or use Starbucks Classic Syrup)
1 drop of Pure anise extract
How to: In a cocktail shaker mix ice, vodka, coconut milk, simple syrup and anise.  Shake for at least 30 seconds.  Serve in a chilled martini glass. *To make the simple syrup, take 1/2 a cup of sugar to 1 cup of water and cook over medium heat (watching it and stirring every so often).  When the sugar has dissolved, take the syrup off the heat and let it cool.  Store in a glass jar and refrigerate. 

All Right, Mr. DeMille, I'm Ready for My Close-Up

As this year comes to a close I wanted to watch another classic movie, and although I am not planning a New Year's Eve for two, I did want to watch the crazy shenanigans of Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd. (Paramount Pictures, 1950).  The film stars Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, a washed up silent film star, and William Holden as unsuccessful writer, Joe Gillis.  At first Joe is only helping Norma with her crazy, lofty, and nonsensical script - a script that Norma believes will mark her return to the pictures.  But it soon becomes apparent that Norma has fallen in love with Joe and she lavishes him with jewelery, fine clothes, and that infamous New Year's Eve party for two.  As Joe gets wrapped up in Norma's illusions of re-gaining her fame, he also realizes that she is crazier than anyone thinks, and he has also fallen in love with his friend Betty Schaefer, who is an aspiring writer who reads scripts at Paramount.  Norma gets wind of this and an argument ensues.  I won't give the whole movie away, but I will say that the film deserves all of the accolades it has garnered over the years.  From the casting to the costumes, writing, and cinematography, Sunset Blvd. is a must-see film.  Gloria Swanson's performance is riveting, and the whole picture is just really creepy and foreboding, but also kind of seductive and fascinating.  A great way to spend an evening in.

Photo by toestubber from Flickr Creative Commons

Here is some trivia on the film and I hope that the new year is filled with bright stars, big pictures, and not too many close-ups.

• In 2007 Sunset Blvd. was listed on their 10th anniversary list as the 16th best American film of the 20th century by the American Film Institute.
• Right before William Holden came on board to play Joe Gillis, Montgomery Clift was signed to do the role for $5,000 dollars a week.
• The shot of Gillis dead in the pool was achieved using mirrors at the bottom of the pool and shooting from above.
• There are several cameos in the film, including Hedda Hopper, Cecil B. DeMille, and Buster Keaton.
• Norma Talmadge may have been the inspiration for the character of Norma Desmond, and for the character of Lina Lamont in Singin' in the Rain (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1952)
• The swan bed that Norma Desmond sleeps in for the film was first used in the film The Phantom of the Opera (Universal Studios, 1925)
• Norma Desmond's home in the movie was an actual house belonging to the former wife of J. Paul Getty.  It was used five years later in the film Rebel Without a Cause (Warner Bros., 1955).  Unfortunately it was torn down just 2 years later in 1957.
• The line "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up" was ranked the no. 7 movie quote out of 100 by the American Film Institute.
• William Holden celebrated his 31st birthday during filming, and Gloria Swanson celebrated her 50th.
• The film got 11 Oscar nominations, it won 3, but it did not get Best Picture.  All About Eve (Twentieth Century Fox, 1950) won for Best Picture that year.
• While the movie was in production it was code-named "A can of beans" because of how Hollywood was being portrayed and the fear of a bad reaction.

Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond
Photo by cirne from Flickr Creative Commons