What A Book!: 'Mail-Order Mysteries' by Kirk Demarais

This colorfully eye-popping book exposes the "real stuff" kids got whenever they ordered something from old comic book ads back in the day. You know, stuff like the Secret Agent Spy Camera, X-ray Spex, Sea-Monkeys, etc. Sometimes they'd get pretty much what they expected, but MOST of the time "disappointment" was the name of the game. By documenting more than 150 of these "extraordinary, peculiar, and downright fraudulent collectibles", Demarais also reveals the secrets behind these too-good-to-be-true widgets and gizmos found only advertised within the comic books of yesteryear.

Here, take a look at some of the fun inside...

Horrifying!
Exciting!
Thrilling!
Disappointing.
(And it's all FREE... for only $1.00)

                                                                                                                                          Just add water!
Guaranteed to
grow disappointment!

                      Not X-actly what
kids X-pected...




I absolutely love this book! It's SO up my alley it's not even funny. Great layout/design, colorful, fantastic photos of everything, AND it's totally retro! I give it an A+!

So if you're at all intrigued by this mini-review, go get yourself a copy. Or, heck, you could mail-order one... At least now you'd REALLY know what you were getting BEFORE you got it!

Monsanto: From chemicals and plastics to amusement park wonder

Today, there seems to be a lot of controversy surrounding Monsanto and their practices. Perhaps there always has been, but I don't want to go into any of that here. I just want to focus on some of the company's more exciting achievements such as their creation of "NEW colors, NEW materials, and NEW designs for plastic housewares" as well as having sponsored two of the most beloved and sadly missed attractions at Disneyland.

Doesn't that ad up there make plastic look enticing? It's all just so COLORFUL and SHINY! By the look of it, I'd say marketing was certainly a Monsanto strong point. Check out what the text says in the ad. "LOOK... TOUCH... LIFT... and see what wonderful uses today's stylists and designers have found for plastic's lustrous lightness, fluid grace. Now plastic housewares are at home in every room of the house... reflecting the skill of craftsmen working with Lustrex, Monsanto's styrene plastic molding powder. Modern, exciting, durable, they are available in a wide range of colors, including crystal clear and the newest pastels. Look for these exciting new plastic housewares at your favorite store... you'll use them everywhere!" Well, wrap 'em up 'cause I'll take every last one of 'em! I'm a total sucker for slick talk and fancy presentations.

Speaking of presentations... Monsanto sponsored two classic Disneyland attractions. One was the big, plastic, walk-thru House of the Future which lasted from 1957-1967. And the other was everyone's favorite, the awesome Adventure Thru Inner Space ride. That one lasted considerably longer, existing from 1967-1985.



"Gee, but peeping in on the people

of tomorrow sure is romantic, Johnny!"



"Don't open the drapes, Delores.

I have a feeling we're being watched..."

Unfortunately, I was born a bit too late to have enjoyed the HotF first-hand. But, boy, did I enjoy me some Inner Space! I can remember being sooo fascinated with that ride, especially at the beginning where the HUGE microscope "shrinks" you down to atomic proportions. Of course, at a certain age it became obvious to me that it was all just an illusion, with tiny fake people. But up until then I was totally convinced. A little scared, even.



I'm probably in that line somewhere crying

because I'm afraid I'll soon be shrunken.






















Riding along in your atommobile, there just wasn't

ANYthing else like it. Period.























Say what you will about the Monsanto of today. And I DO understand that plenty of people have much to say... I, however, much prefer the Monsanto of yesteryear. And I'll take it in a crystal clear, Lustrex plastic container, please.

Retro Photo: Old, family album snapshots

By far, the most valuable material things in my world are photographs. Sure, I love my old toys and games a lot, too, but nothing is as priceless or irreplaceable as an old family photograph! That's why I'm so pleased to have borrowed a few of my family's old albums from my mom; I can scan and make copies for my own collection. Plus, now I can share some of my personal favorites with you. So if it sounds like fun, just grab a seat next to me and we'll get started...



This is my mom and dad on New Years Eve, 1969,
"sealing the deal" in a Las Vegas wedding chapel.
They made quite the handsome couple, if you ask me!





Here are the stylish newlyweds, again! Look how
very dashing my dad appears in his suit, smoking
a pipe. And check out my mom's HAIR! Wow!
Actually, it's interesting to note that my mom
was about 5 or 6 months pregnant with me in this
photo because if I didn't know better, I'd swear she
was carrying ME under that HELMET of hers!





Not sure WHAT I DID to deserve THIS... But at
least I look happy. And I should, just look at the
bottle of port they threw in there with me!
Here, I'm about 1-year-old and happy as a clam.
A drunken clam.




























Did I ever mention that my grandparents were robots?





















"Now, what??"
Here, I'm about 2 or 3 and quite
obviously less than impressed.


























Grandpa

























Sheesh! You'd think that riding HUGE turtles
and carousel horses would make all the little
boys smile, but NOOOO, not this kid...



Viva, Las Vegas!
I think my mom looks WAY cool, here. She's totally
rockin' that retro look and vibe... only it WASN'T
retro back THEN! It was the real deal.






















"Allo. Parlez-vous francais?"
This shot cracks me up every time I see it!
And it makes me think of Pepe Le Pew,
if he were a little boy and NOT a skunk.

























Well, I hope all of that didn't bore you too much, folks. In fact, thanks for indulging me! Until the next 'Retro Photo' session, remember... Today's snapshot could be tomorrow's priceless treasure.

~ All photos property of Anthony See ~

My BIG 40th BIRTHDAY circus celebration!

August 22nd, 2010 is a date that won't soon be forgotten (not by me, anyway). My dear mother-in-law, aunt-in-law (?), and husband all threw a fantastic circus-themed 40th birthday party for me that just about blew my socks off! They thought of everything, and they did it all perfectly. The food, the decorations, the cake, the music (circus band, natch)... It was all totally wonderful! Even the pinata (yes, I had a pinata for my adult 40th b-day party) was incredibly circus-y.

An intimate gathering of 15, everyone was either close family or friends. A good, fun time was had by all, and people kept saying how impressed they were by everything.





I was told this is the latest and greatest
pinata available on the market, today... Well,
of course. Would I rate anything less??







Here's a good shot of some fun party favors: Barnum's
Animal Crackers, various noisemakers, and peanuts
(masquerading as popcorn).







This was my wonderful birthday cake! It not only
looked festive, it was delicious, too!







"Smile, you're on Candid Camera!"
This is my good friend, Matt, amused by something, as
other party guests march into the kitchen to get their
fair share of lunch.







Being that I was the piggy, err, I mean guest of honor,
I was given the first spot in line for grub. And, boy, was
it good grub! Barbara and Wanda really know how
to prepare a tasty spread!







Okay... How cute is this??







Many colorful circus posters, like
this one, were hung up as decorations
throughout.







My bff, Lisa, and me.
F.Y.I. - In case you happen to be
familiar with the blog, Atomic Tea
Party, you might find it interesting
to know this is the same Lisa who
hosts that wonderfully kitsch soiree.







Me, my mom, and my husband... ready to eat!







Gift time!
I absolutely dug all of my gifts, but
some did stand out from the rest. Like
this one, for example. It's a vintage,
Fisher-Price cow named, "Bossy Bell",
and both her tail wags and bell rings
when you roll/pull her across the floor.







Meanwhile, back in the kitchen...
It looks like Wanda and Barbara are finally getting
to fill up a few plates of their own. Thank goodness!
I'd swear I didn't see either one of them sitting down
during the party, they were so busy being such
excellent hosts.







Pinata time!
Here, my mother-in-law, Barbara, is blindfolding me
so I can take the first few "whacks!"







"Alright... Now, what?"
I swear, I wasn't really that clueless.
But it sure looks like I was, huh?







Many tried before him, but only he knew the sweet
taste of victory! Yep, that's my husband bangin' the
bejesus (and all the goodies) out of my beautiful birthday
pinata... Oh, well. Someone had to do it!




The birthday photo gallery could go on, and on, and on... but I think I've tortured you long enough, now. Thanks, if you managed to stick it out this far! Also, "Thank you, again!" to Mom, Aunt Wanda, and Tommy for all of your hard work and dedication which made the difference between a regular old party and a fantastically fabulous 40th! I love you all!



~ Birthday Clown via Google Images. All photos property of Anthony See. ~

A Boy's Toy Joy: The Fisher-Price Little People Play Family Action Garage

This was yet another toy that fascinated me as a young'un. And yes, it was also made by Fisher-Price. Why such consistant brand-loyalty when it comes to my childhood toy memories? Well, I certainly wasn't a label whore! Not back then. It must have something to do with [1] My parents bought me a lot of Fisher-Price toys, and/or [2] All of those toys were super colorful and real fun to play with! So it's easy to see why they made such an impression, and why I remember them so fondly.

For sure, the Little People Play Family Action Garage was definitely one of the best! I loved rolling the cars up and down the ramp, a lot. It was especially satisfying to "drive" one of them into the elevator, crank it up to the top level and then let it roll back down the ramp super fast, all 'Dukes of Hazzard' style! Disregard the fact that I was too young to know what 'The Dukes of Hazzard' show was, and forget that it wouldn't even exist until 1979. All that mattered to 5-year-old Anthony was playing, and having lots o' fun with that toy!


~Photo by Laura McConnell of Dog Bone Art~

My very first art film, 'The Red Balloon'

I must begin by clarifying that my post title is not intended to infer any involvement on my part with the creation of this wonderful film. That credit goes to the Academy Award winning writer/director of 'The Red Balloon', Albert Lamorisse. Besides, I wasn't even around when it came out in 1956! But 21 years later, sitting in a darkened 2nd-grade classroom, I had my first experience viewing this memorable piece of foreign cinema and it made a real impression on me.

Even at the tender age of 7, I realized on some level that this film was special. Or, at least, it was special to me. It really struck a chord, deep within...

I received the newest, restored and digitally transferred edition of the film on DVD as a gift a while ago, but hadn't actually sat down to watch it until yesterday. Boy, I was so glad I finally did because it was even better than I had remembered it! I mean, I was grinning ear-to-ear from the very start. It certainly took me to my "happy place".

I found it interesting that the film was brighter and more colorful than I remembered. I guess that could be directly due to the restoration and high-definition transfer, but all these years I had thought of it as having much darker tones in both mood and color. Except for that BIG red balloon, of course! In fact, Tommy told me I'd have to watch the DVD without him because he hated watching the film back in elementary school. "It was too depressing", he said. And I was like, "Are you freakin' kidding me?! You're completely missing the entire point of the film, dude!" Well, I might be paraphrasing a bit, but that was the gist of our differing opinions on the matter.

I do feel passionate about this little french film. And I think that anyone who watches it can see the amount of passion that Albert Lamorisse must have felt for the project, as it plays like a cinematic love letter to the city of Paris. The shooting location couldn't have been better, either. It was in the Menilmontant section of Paris, a labyrinth of narrow alleys, cobblestones and steep streets. Since this was my first impression of Paris, I know that if I ever do travel there I will want and expect to see all of the key scenic backgrounds featured or I won't be satisfied... NOTE TO SELF: Prepare for disappointment.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the simple story of this precious gem, here's the brief synopsis right off of the DVD:

"Pascal, a young Parisian boy, retrieves a balloon tied to a lamppost, only to discover that it seems to have a mind and personality of its own. At times the balloon follows him around like a loyal dog, at others like a teasing best friend. The two form an almost inseparable bond, one that only an uncaring world would dare untether."

I couldn't help giggling as I typed that description because I kept hearing Mr. Deep-Voiced-Movie-Trailer-Announcer-Guy saying it! Then I had to actually try doing the voice! Good thing I'm alone, right now... By the way, does anyone know what that guy's name is? Oh, wait. I think I heard somewhere that he died. Oops, here I am making fun of him. Do you think that whoever gave the eulogy at his memorial service delivered it with a similar deep voice, like it was also a movie trailer? That would've actually been pretty damn cool, huh? Some might think it was in poor taste, but not really, if you think about it. Of course, it would sort of depend on whether the guy had a sense of humor...

Sorry, about that! It's getting late, and the A.D.D. is kicking into high gear. Where was I before all of that? Oh, yes. I was going to share a gallery of production stills.


So here's the gallery...





On his way to school, Pascal (played
by 5 1/2 y.o. Pascal Lamorisse, the
director's son) discovers something...







The temptation is just too great. Aaaand since no
one's around to stop him, he shimmies on up the
lamppost to take down that shiny, red floaty-thing.







Pascal and his new "friend", running late for school!







Street corner shenanigans...







"Now, don't go anywhere! I'll be right back."

While passing a boulangerie (bakery) shop window,
Pascal sees something he'd like to have. So he leaves
his balloon outside the shop for only a moment...
Just long enough for some bratty kid to sneak up
and take off with it!







I don't have a picture, but Pascal manages to get his
balloon back. Here, he's desperately running down a
narrow alley to escape the gang of mean bullies that
took it from him! Oh, what now? A fat, old woman
carrying groceries?! Come on, give the kid a break!







Sadly, they do catch up to Pascal. They completely
outnumber him (the gang of bullies is much larger
than pictured), too, which is totally unfair!
But, then... so is life.







After much bullying ensues, a real nasty boy pulls
out a slingshot! Then, as you can clearly see, he turns
'The Red Balloon' into... the dead balloon.







Do not despair! Yes, Pascal just lost his best
"friend", but somehow, magically, all of the
other balloons in Paris start floating right to
him! So many, they're overwhelming. Then...








It's up, up and away!



If you've never seen this award-winning film, you should check it out. Even if you have, but it's been many years since (like about 30, in my case), I highly recommend watching it again! Especially this latest restored, high-def print on DVD. I'm gonna try talking Tommy into watching it with me because I really don't think it's as depressing as he remembers it being, but that might be fruitless effort on my part. He'll probably just shoot me down like that poor balloon...


~All photos via Google Images~

My Baby Box: Yo-Yo Clown Doll

I'm digging through that old, dusty box again... The big cardboard one, with my baby toys in it. What did you think I meant?!

Anyway, today I'm sharing with you a doll that my grandmother (on my dad's side) made for me. It's what I believe is called a Yo-Yo Clown doll. See how the body is made of different pieces of fabric circles? Those are called yo-yos, and they're typically made out of unused fabric scraps.

I love this thing! And I also love picturing my grandmother Hazel creating this wonderful doll at home in her trailer park, in Hemet, California. For those who may not know, Hemet is largely like an old-folks community. At least, it used to be when I was a kid. Or did it only seem that way from my perspective? I can remember being fascinated with my grandparent's elderly neighbors, mainly because they were ALL elderly! And I enjoyed going for walks around the park with my grandma Hazel, especially so I could see all of the interesting little landscaping decorations people had out in front of their trailers. You know, like garden gnomes, squirrels, gazing balls or cactus gardens. Some even had all of that! We couldn't walk fast enough to get to those...

I can also remember being perplexed by the large Shuffleboard patio area that was right next to the swimming pool. I don't think that I ever saw anyone playing, so it remained a mystery. Speaking of the swimming pool, I always enjoyed getting to go in there during our Summer visits, but not just for the refreshing dip. I was also amused by the old bathing beauties in their skirted one-piece suits and rubber swim caps!

Boy, did I veer off course!
Let's get back to the clown doll, shall we?

Here are just a few "artsy" shots that I took, trying to create a certain mood:






Photo by Anthony at Pop Circus






Photo by Anthony at Pop Circus





That's it for this episode of 'My Baby Box'.
Stay tuned, I have more to share with you!



~All photos by Anthony at Pop Circus~

Happy Halloween!

I'm sure we all remember sitting in class, back in elementary school, working away on some arts 'n' crafts project that involved colored construction paper, glue (or rubber cement), tape and safety-scissors because of some forthcoming holiday, such as Halloween. That "Cat Boy" up there sure knew how to use the tape! And you can tell he's proud of his creation! I miss those simple times. Yes, I can still sit and work on an art project at home on a weekend afternoon, and I occasionally do, but it's not the same. As an adult you'll never again have that sense of total freedom to create, or the young mind that was virtually uninhibited by the types of thoughts we now have as adults, like paying for rent/mortgage, bills, groceries, etc. Being a kid certainly had its perks! It's too bad we didn't know how good we had it, back then. Seems like most of us just couldn't wait to grow up... and do grown-up things.

I know that's why I was sooo excited when I became old enough to start going Trick 'r Treating without my parents! Nothing personal against them, of course. It was just that new taste of freedom, if only for one night a year, that I found very exciting! And I think that it plays a big part in the development of children's independence. Yes, times are different now, and a lot of neighborhoods are not as safe as they once were. However, I do think that lots of modern day parents over-react by not allowing their kids to go out unchaperoned, even if they are technically old enough. And it's not like the kid is going to want to go out totally alone, anyway... He or she is more than likely going to want to join some of their other friends, and then see what sort of havoc they can wreak! Good-natured havoc, I'm sure.


Please enjoy my gallery of Halloween treats, below. They're just some of my favorites from a book of collected vintage holiday images put together by Editor/Art Director Jim Heimann, and published by Taschen.







"Sshh! I'm a very, very quiet little
mouse... Could I trouble you for, maybe,
one small piece of candied cheese?"







"Billy, you know that bitch Jane is
talking shit behind your back to that
new boy, right?! All the while, she's
sitting there "innocently" cutting out
her paper bats..."

"Well, Dick, I guess it just means
this pumpkin won't be the only
thing that I'll be carving today."







"Yes, that's right. I've been a baaad
skunk! Don't you want to spank
me? You do want to spank the baaad
little skunk, don't you? Sure you do!
Now, come lift my tail and I'll
give you a good reason to spank me..."







(Alright, they're in the kitchen, so we
know that the butcher knife
can't be too far away...)







"So long, everyone! Thanks for stopping
by! Have a safe and
spooky Halloween! And
remember to always inspect your kid's
candy before you eat it, parents!"




Gee, I think J.P. (Jaunty Punkin) pretty much wrapped everything up for me! So my job is done here. For now, anyway...
Bwa, ha, ha, ha, ha!


~All images taken from Jim Heimann's book, 'Halloween: Vintage Holiday Graphics', published by Taschen~