Readers know I’m a huge fan of the Botánica – the Spanish-Afro-Carribean beauty-health-spiritual wellness shops that are found in Latin and West Indian neighborhoods, where resources are scarce and superstition is about all you got. I grew up with these stores and I still believe they offer the only perfumes and soaps any girl could ever need. At the top of the list are Florida Water and Rose Cologne by Lanman & Kemp.
Lanman & Kemp was established in 1808 by Robert Murray at No. 313 Pearl Street in New York City (a couple of blocks from our apartment!) and was renamed Lanman & Kemp in 1861. They moved around a few times – from Pearl Street and to William Street to Water Street in 1900, finally ending up in Westwood, NJ.
Their marquee item – Florida Water – has been made famous around the globe for its host of personal and household uses. No doubt this is what made it so popular among the Cubans; we are notorious for using Windex and Vicks as absolute cure-alls. Florida Water is an astringent, a lotion, a deodorant, a shaving aid, an insect bite / headache / nervousness remedy, a salve for sore muscles, a room freshener, a conscience-clearer, and a hair tonic. It also looks quite chic on your dresser or in your medicine cabinet! Get the whole story »
Syrupy sixties chanteuse France Gall was the quintessential face of Sixties French pop. The Serge Gainsbourg and Michel Berger collaborator released over 65 singles and twenty albums during her singing career. Though many see Gall as a purveyor of fast-food audio fare, Gall was actually the innocent vehicle for Gainsbourg-written lyrical practical jokes, resulting in a string of hit singles with hidden meanings that tarnished her image. Songs like “Les Sucettes” (about a girl eating lollipops) and Bonsoir John John (written to a deceased JFK and tinged with hints of necrophelia) caught her unawares and hurt the success of subsequent releases.
I love her voice, her dress, and of course that hair only French chicks can pull.
My favorite song of hers was the Gainsbourg collaboration, “Laisse Tomber les Filles” (“Forget the girls”)… Get the whole story »
As I research illustrators for my own book, I remember how awesome those mid-century children’s book illustrations were – most of them could be found in the classic Golden Books series. Remember those? Here a few of my favorites…
One of my first pieces, titled Hot Wings, was on Braniff, the best airline ever to grace the skies. If you doubt it, check out this vintage commercials from the late 60′s.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScysMkhjvs4&hl=en&fs=1]
This is what my childhood looked and sounded like. I love this sound. So I looked into the history and cultural role of girls’ hand clapping games.
Apparently these girl-centric singalongs are an important part of oral culture. As I knew growing up, there are a variety of distinct families of games that were played in various versions, and were specific to different areas, classes, and ethnicities. The hand clapping games you grew up with are indicative of where you came from. The little Spanish girls I grew up with in Elmhurst and Jackson Heights all played Hello Operator, Aatchi Katchi, Miss Lucy, and a perverse version of “Oh Little Playmate.” I was the Hello Operator queen. I think the white girls must have played Pat-A-Cake and the clean “Oh Little Playmate” because I never even heard of either until I was about twelve and we moved to a nice neighborhood. Apparently there is no “correct” version of any game though everyone always fights over whose verses are “right” or “real”. That was half the fun.<br
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS55Lip7I-U&hl=en&fs=1]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2122M8WVN4o&hl=en&fs=1]
The Cocteau Twins were my super secret favorite white music band all through high school. I still love this song.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Audrey Hepburn and Jackie O as much as the next girl, but there’s wealth of oft overlooked super-cool female icons to draw creative inspiration from if you bother to dig a little deeper. As they come to mind I am going to post them here here. Get the whole story »
I am determined to figure out why these six scents have been selling out for over thirty years. I for one, am a lover of obscenely expensive fragrances that have a drugstore, old lady perfume quality. So I think I just might like these…
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I think this is the year my favorite concoction makes its comeback to my cocktail party repertoire…
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Best girl toy ever. My dad got me mine on my seventh birthday.
My aspiring male florist, designer, and decorator friends found their comfort in these…
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