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From Flame to Flicker: Inside a Working Neon Shop

You walk into a neon shop expecting nostalgia. You leave thinking about chemistry, electricity, municipal zoning codes, and 1940s craftsmanship. That’s what happened when I toured Morry’s Neon, a family business opened in 1985 by Morry and his son Glen, a business built on a neon legacy that began in 1946 when Morry first started bending glass. Established the same year America decided diners, drive-ins, and optimism were perfectly reasonable things to mass-produce, Morry’s has

Route 66 at 100: Why the Centennial Is Igniting a New Era of Retro Road Trips

As the Route 66 Centennial approaches, something interesting is happening. This isn’t just an anniversary tour or a nostalgia lap. It’s a full-scale reawakening of interest in the American road trip—one rooted in history, preservation, and the lived experience of the road itself. The centennial is acting like a spotlight, illuminating not just the highway, but the stories, architecture, roadside culture, and communities that grew up along it. And people are paying attention. Travelers want

Los Angeles Potteries: A Whimsical Walk Through Mid-Century Ceramic Dreams

From our retro coffee table to yours comes a great book – an awesome gift or something to pour over in our own home! Suppose you’ve ever spotted a cookie jar shaped like a hamburger or a canister set with tropical fruit motifs and thought, “I remember that design!” or “I have to have that design!”. In that case, you’ll want to get your hands on Los Angeles Potteries: A Collector’s Journey through Artistry, Craft,

El Cortez Hotel: Where Vintage Vegas Still Lives

Opened in 1941, the El Cortez Hotel & Casino is one of Las Vegas’s oldest operating casinos — and one of its most authentic. In a city obsessed with reinvention, the El Cortez is a rare survivor, maintaining its vintage spirit while still feeling alive and relevant. Preservation That Matters In 2013, the El Cortez earned its place on the National Register of Historic Places, and it’s easy to see why. The building’s Spanish Colonial

Feng-Shui for Mid Century Modern designers

I’ve had my Mid-Century interior design books out a lot the past month. We purchased a new flat screen TV and despite the design possibilities it adds, it also creates a ton of design dilemmas. 1950’s home designers never pictured a room designed around a TV much less a flat screen that hung on the wall. According to the Ladies Home Journal Book of Interior Decorating, “Television need never dominate a room but it must

Stylish Windows

Window dressing was huge in the 1950’s, but we don’t seem to have resurrected the love of pinch pleats:Interesting suggestions – would you use these in your home? And we couldn’t resist – the wall of curtains! Taken from the “Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Book” Copyright 1956, we thought we’d turn Mid-Century Photo Friday into a learning experience. As usual you can leave a link to your Mid-Century Photo Friday in the comments.

Drivelapse Route 66

Totally awesome and worth the watch – makes me want to hop in the car for our next trip! This Timelapse / Drivelapse video shows the Defrees Productions road trip down the entire length of Route 66 (The Mother Road) from Chicago to Los Angeles in August 2012. USA Route 66 Cross Country Road Trip Map, Data, Summary, Photos, Equipment Used: Uncut full length version and the DeFrees Productions Website

Modernism Week in Palm Springs: A Celebration of Design and Style

Every February, Palm Springs comes alive with a vibrant celebration of mid-century modern design, art, architecture, and culture during Modernism Week. This highly anticipated event draws design enthusiasts, history buffs, and curious visitors from around the globe to experience the city’s unique architectural heritage and embrace the glamour of a bygone era. With its dazzling lineup of home tours, exhibitions, lectures, and parties, Modernism Week showcases the best of Palm Springs’ retro-chic allure. At the