Gifts for the Sacramento Modernist

Looking around for a great gift for your mid-century/modern fan? Here's a list of things that you can get around town. Prefer to shop online? Follow the links below and you won't have to do much more than click your way through.

 via Dreyfuss & Blackford Architects

For the local architecture admirer: a book celebrating Dreyfuss & Blackford's 60 years of "notable works past, present and future." I love this. WANT!

via Archpaper

For the modern art lover: a membership to the Crocker Art Museum. This is a gift that will keep giving throughout the year. Great art, great programming. Yes.

via Lumens Facebook page

For the lighting and design aficionado, anything from Lumens. Check out their mid-century and retro lighting and their clocks and radios.

 

via Ginger Elizabeth's Facebook page

For the gourmand, delicious chocolates and more from Ginger Elizabeth. Beautiful, modern, and delectable chocolates! This gift is sure to win you brownie points.

via Brooks Novelty Antiques and Records

For the those who yearn for a blast from the past, Brooks Novelty Antiques and Records has old jukeboxes, pinball machines, and advertising memorabilia. Oh, and records. Lots of records.

via Fringe21 on Facebook

For the vintage fashionista, go to Fringe. This boutique that sells gifts, vintage jewelry, and clothing is constantly changing and evolving but always chic. Cool home accessories too!

For the mid-century modern bookworm, look no further than Richard L. Press Fine & Scholarly Books on the Arts. See my earlier post for more details.

via Roundtrip on Etsy

 via Chuka on Etsy

via kittygirlvintage on Etsy

For those who love handcrafted and vintage goodies, check out our local Etsy dealers from the SacEtsyTeam.

If you're making a list and checking it twice, it's easy to keep it local. See also my previous posts on vintage furniture and retro and vintage decorations. Happy holidays, everyone!

Tour featuring six cool MCM homes in Napa this weekend!

Special thanks for this intel to fellow blogger Kimberly of Mid-Century Living. Kimberly has an amazing mid-century modern home in Napa, a keen aesthetic, and a good eye for design.

On December 11, 2010 Napa County Landmarks/Napa County Historical Society, will host the 22nd Annual Holiday Candlelight Tour. This year the tour will showcase "impressive 'California Modern' homes in Monticello Park, a mid-century neighborhood on the outskirts of Napa. These large and lovingly maintained homes demonstrate the beautiful and innovative design features of post-war architecture and landscape design."

via Napa County Landmarks

For more information, read this great article from the Napa Valley Register.

via Napa Valley Register

via Napa Valley Register

I wish I could go to this!  If you go, please take pix and send me a link!

Mod Menorahs and Designer Dreidels

We almost burned down the house with my daughter's handmade menorah last night. May I suggest that wood is not a good material? Which brings me to a post I've had on my mind for weeks; you didn't think I was just going to talk about Christmas, did you?

Turns out many others have beaten me to it and have done a great job too -- here are a few:

 via Invisible Agent

The Invisible Agent did a spectacular post on Mid-Century Modern Menorahs. Go. Visit. Enjoy. (Thanks Amy!)

I looked around on Etsy and found this lovely spage-agey one. Love it! And it's sold, darn it:

via ourhousevintage on Etsy

Looking for something newer? DesignMilk has some beauties to share:

 via DesignMilk

And Whorange weighs in as well:

via Whorange

I also ran across some really nice dreidels. Here's one available by Nambé, designed by Marilyn Davidson:

 via Nambé

And here are some by a nice Jewish boy named Jonathan Adler:

This one's for you who fling your latkes in the air some time; saying Aaay-Oh; spin the dreidel (thanks Jason!):

Have Yourself a Merry Mid-Century Christmas

While running around town I've noticed some great vintage and retro Christmas items. Here are a few that caught my eye recently:

Jingle/East Sac Florist has a wonderful mid-20th century display in their store. They had several beautiful themed trees as well, including a Dia de Los Muertos tree!

If you are looking for vintage decorations I noticed that 57th Street Antique Mall has them flying in and out on a daily basis. Tomorrow is a good time to visit; they are having a winter sale. Thanks to Mimomito for the intel! Here's what I found at 57th Street the other day:

 

This post was inspired by a friend who is creating a 1950s-1960s Kitschmas this year. Anyone out there have an amazing mid-century Christmas display to share?

Santa baby, just slip a table under the tree!

Looking for some great vintage MCM gifts this holiday season? Buying vintage is good for the planet, you know: reduce, reuse and recycle! Even if you're like me and deck the halls with matzoh balls, Hanukkah is right around the corner -- so here are some great resources for you to consider:

Deco the Halls, December 4-5, 2010, in San Francisco. Reportedly the largest Deco and Modernism sale in the country. There will be 150 dealers, a vintage hat fashion show, an interesting lecture, and an exhibit of 20th Century purses. I've been to this show in the past and have enjoyed it. Bring your wallet!

 via Bows & Sparrows

Midway Antique Mall - the great folks at GoogieTime are using more space and have turned several areas into a mid-20th century haven. Be sure to stop by the Dean Martin room! And read this fantastic post by lovely and delightful Erin of Bows & Sparrows for more pix and intel.

Mimomito - Our pals at Mimomito have their fingers on the pulse of thrifty finds around town by vigilantly scouting out local shops, thrifts and scouring Craigslist -- so you don't have to! See their awesome post on Etsy finds under $100. Does it get any better than this? I think not.

Sacramento Antique Faire - coming up this December 12th. You can find a ton of interesting items under the Capitol City freeway every month. This last Spring, I found a couple of lunchboxes for our collection at the faire. Erin of Bows and Sparrows did a great write up on her website recently. Check it out.

Oh, and: Santa baby, a 54 convertible too, light blue.

Gobble gobble, circa 1948

More from the way-back machine: Sacramento, 1948.

If you made dinner at home, perhaps you would have picked up a turkey from American Poultry Company and some rolls from Muzio Bakery. If you forgot to pick up some candy or adult beverages, no worries -- Tower Drug is open *and* they deliver!

Perhaps you'll be heading over to Hughes Stadium for the City Championship Football Game between the C.K. McClatchy High Lions and the Sacramento High Dragons. (Spoiler alert -- the Lions won that year!)

Feeling like dining out? You have lots of choices around town. The menu at Rosemount Grill and Cocktail Lounge includes whole Pacific baby lobster. How about some roast domestic duckling at Hotel Sacramento? Baked Virginia Ham at the Hotel El Rancho as you enjoy music for dancing by Ernie Hecksher and His Orchestra? Not interested in the usual Thanksgiving fare? Boitano's has the usual stuff plus spaghetti raviolis. Don't know what time to bring your brood over for Thanksgiving Dinner? Bring 'em any time between 12 noon and 12:30 A.M. to Frasinetti's!

And -- don't forget to head to Downtown Sacramento to do your shopping the day after Thanksgiving.

Which reminds me -- be at the corner of 10th & K at noon tomorrow for the unveiling of a window display just like they used to do at Breuner's. Here's an old ad from 1948:

Thanksgiving in Sacramento, 1949

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so I bid all of you a Happy Thanksgiving and leave you with a little piece of Thanksgiving in Sacramento, 1949. Let's take a trip in the way-back machine! "Places to take the family for Thanksgiving dinner":

From my microfilm research: Sacramento Bee, November 23, 1949, page 18

Many familiar players here: The Chuck Wagon, Robert's Fish Grotto, Frank Fat's (the original location near the Capitol -- still in biz -- respect! Redo by Sacramento MCM architect Sooky Lee, I must add).

But sadly, no Zombie Hut :( Bummer! 'Cause that menu looks mighty tasty.

However you choose to celebrate the holiday, have a wonderful one! Aloha!

Historic Holiday Window Display in a MCM building on K Street!

Sacramento County Historical Society is working to construct a full-sized animated circa 1910 holiday display. The display will be at the Roos-Atkins building, 1001 K Street, in downtown Sacramento (next door to the Crest Theatre). This building was designed by noted Sacramento architect Harry J. Devine, Sr. in 1946.

1946 picture of Roos-Atkins during construction

 Completed building

The premiere for the display is November 26 at noon. The display will remain operational until January 8, 2011. Detailed information can be found here.

The display will use the Gaffney Display Company animated figures used in the windows of Breuner's department stores for decades -- in a new display created by local artists. Here are some vintage scenes of the Bruener's displays via my Flickr pals (and real-life friends):

Breuner's 12th old-fashioned, musical, moving Christmas display

Breuner's 16th old-fashioned, musical, moving Christmas display

1946 display

1955 display

1956 display

K Street was once the epicenter of shopping and nightlife in Sacramento. Here are some scenes from its heyday from my postcard collection:

10th and K Streets - Roos-Atkins can be seen in the far left of this picture

K Street

K Street

K Street, near 10th Street

K Street

K Street, Night View

Be there to support local historians and people who love Sacramento! You can also help out by donating here.

MCM architect's home for sale

Another home that was on the first-ever Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour on June 26, 2010 is currently for sale.

This outstanding home in South Land Park Estates was designed by Sacramento architect George Muraki around 1956 for his family. After being unjustly fired from the California State Department of Employment and interned with other Japanese Americans during WWII, Muraki became a prominent Sacramento region architect and Sacramento City Planning Commissioner.

This home features a central enclosed atrium that provides wonderful natural light. The current owners have updated this mid-century modern home into a comfortable family home that they share with their three children.

See more information and pictures about this home here.