Retro Summer Fun

Kids Cooped-Up? Games Ahoy!

Let’s face it–some summer days are just too hot to run around outdoors. In fact, I’ve heard weather men in several states recommend people stay in air conditioning more than a few times this season.

So how do you keep kids entertained during the long summer months without resorting to hours of TV or video games?

Enter Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots! When I dug this old pal out of The Attic, I thought for sure my hip kids would roll their eyes–but they didn’t! They grabbed those buttons and went to town, knocking each others’ blocks off. Little did they know they were enjoying a vintage toy from the 60s!

It was such a success that I tried Gnip Gnop (I was in my 30s before I realized that was “Ping Pong” spelled backwards). Back in the 70s, my cousin and I played this one a lot. It was another big hit with the kids! The family room rang out with ball-flying, button-smashing action!

Jumping decades, we broke out the Betty’s Attic tabletop version of Space Invaders. In the 80s, my friends and I rode our bikes to the video arcade every day after school to wield joysticks and obliterate aliens. It was awesome, dude! Totally awesome!

Finally, the kids took a break with some ice-cold drinks I served in our brand-new Kool-Aid Drink Set. I couldn’t help it–when I saw the familiar face of Kool-Aid Man (who got his name back in 1975), I screamed “Oh Yeahhh!” just like the commercials I grew up with.

And that’s when my kids decided “playtime with Mom” was over.

Start Your Engines!

Summer Sun & Racing Fun

Americans love cars. From the drag races of the 1950s to the full-on phenomenon of NASCAR, it’s a hobby for some and an obsession for many.

With the gas crisis, however, many of us are opting for less sporty cars these days. While it feels great to save money and help the environment, I have to admit I miss the days when Mr. Betty’s Attic and I rode around in his souped-up 1967 Shelby GT 350 Mustang. I loved that car. The smell of the exhaust. The power of all those ponies under the hood. He had to sell it years ago, but I bought him this sweet die cast to remind him he can have another one when he retires!

In college I actually drove a classic 1968 Chevy Camaro Z28 for a few years! It had been my older brother’s, but when he went into the Army, he reluctantly let me “take care of it for him.” Oh, I took care of it, alright! I was careful never to rev it too high, but let me tell you–it felt very cool to pull up parties in that baby. As payback for his Mustang, my husband bought me a die cast of my Camaro.

We’re not tearing up the local drag strip anymore or flying down the highway with the wind in our hair (unless you count the breeze from the air conditioner), but that doesn’t stop us car folks from daydreaming about the good old days.

When summertime sizzles, my husband throws on one of his camp shirts (the Surf Woody shirt is his favorite), we corral the kids in the car, and head to a retro-style burger joint in town to sip milkshakes while car collectors parade their vintage machines for all to adore. The gleam of the chrome and smooth, pristine paint jobs are truly beautiful. And historic.

But we may have created a monster–my son now wants a 1957 Ford Skyliner (he loves the retractable roof)! Good thing we have this die cast in The Attic!

Super Heroes Walk Among Us!

Childhood Favorites On The Big Screen & Beyond


As hot balmy breezes start to blow in, everybody’s gearing up for the biggest summer movie season in history! Iron Man, Speed Racer, Indiana Jones (check out our awesome Indy Fedora), The Incredible Hulk and The Dark Knight (action figures coming soon...check back!) all await us in a darkened theater...and in the corners of our imaginations!



The males in our household are crackling with anticipation, and you know what? The women are, too! My teenage daughter is a big Batman fan (although I suspect this has something to do with Christian Bale) and she’s priming herself for The Dark Knight with her Batman: The Complete History Book. Chock full of classic illustrations, photos and trivia, it explores the fascinating evolution of The Caped Crusader from comics to campy TV show to neo noir icon!



Our 16 year-old son, the budding video game designer, is already an ace at sketching characters, but he still refers to his Superman Book and Spider-Man pop-up book for inspiration. He’s told us “everything you need to know about figure drawing you can learn from Marvel comics.” When I was his age, all I knew how to draw was Hello Kitty!



And who gave him his first comic book? His dad, of course! As I type this blog, Mr. Betty’s Attic is wearing his favorite Marvel Comics Characters T-Shirt as he rummages in the kitchen for some of last night’s lasagna.



Imagine if you could go back in time and tell the 9 year-old version of you about the super hero movies of today: Spidey stopping a train with his bare hands and Bruce Wayne’s futuristic tank-inspired Batmobile (remember the wild 60s version?)


The 9 year-old “you” would freak out!


That’s because no matter how much we “grow up” and trade in capes and masks for dishwashers and dry cleaning, there’s a 9 year-old inside all of us. Tugging at our shirt, saying “let’s play! ”

Old Toys Are New Again!

Sharing Memories With Our Kids

When I watch my kids play video games full of speeding cars and blaring guitars, one thought races through my head:

My childhood toys were so much friendlier!

Luckily, I live and work in a gigantic retro toy chest here at The Attic, so I decided to try a little experiment: I pulled out a few gems from my not-so-distant past and passed them on to my kids to see their reactions.

First, I hoisted over a soft cuddly Teddy Ruxpin. You remember him. He was the first doll to cause mass hysteria during the holidays, as well-adjusted lawyers, HR managers and housewives duked it out over limited supplies. And who could blame them? He TALKED! And READ YOU STORIES! His eyes moved. His mouth moved. In short, he was the coolest stuffed animal in the universe. And he still is!

Next, I challenged them to the Rubik’s Cube. In 7th grade, I once impressed a very cute 9th grader (who wore checkered Jeff Spicoli VANS) with my stealth at “The Cube” as we rode the bus home one afternoon. Unfortunately, my giant orthodontic head gear spoke louder than my mathematical skills. Kids today are lucky. Dental procedures are much easier now. They have no idea what we went through!

And finally, I presented the kids with our Pinball Money Puzzle. Although a mini version of the greatest game ever invented, it still requires dexterity, patience, and perseverance–this time, to get the tiny metal balls in the right holes to unlock money placed inside.

Heck, back in the day we played pinball for glory! As usual, in my case I was trying to win the affection of a gallant lad. His name was Scott Hoffman and he had hair just like Andy Gibb’s.

I don’t mind telling you, I was something of a pinball shark in 1981! I could keep that ball in play for hours! Okay, 1 minute max, but I was pretty good. Alas, my head gear again reared its hideous head and Scott Hoffman never got to know the sophisticated 11 year old underneath that tangled mouth of metal.

As I passed around these blasts from the past, telling my kids pitiful teen angst tales, something incredible happened–their video games sat idle as they pushed Teddy Ruxpin’s buttons and rattled around the Rubik’s Cube! My daughter tried her hand at the mini pinball and showed she has Mom’s flair for the flippers! Then they asked what it was like before electricity, and if it hurt our feet to pedal our Stone Age cars to work.

I felt the glorious bond of motherhood.
They get that sarcasm from me, you know!

Grease Is The Word!

The Pink Ladies Are Back & Better Than Ever!

I feel I can admit to you guys that when Grease first came out 30 (really?) years ago, I became so obsessed with Olivia Newton-John, that I made my mom buy me a flannel nightgown just like the one Sandy wears in the sleepover scene so that I could practice singing “Hopelessly Devoted To You’ into my hairbrush night after night. I honestly don’t know how many times I made my mother take me to see Danny and Kenickie hold court with the coolest girls in the universe–The Pink Ladies!

Sure, the Frankie Valli song was great. The duets between Olivia and Vinnie Barbarino were magical. And the whole “boy meets Australian girl at the beach/disses her/wins her back at carnival where girl is painted into shiny Lycra pants” theme was mesmerizing.

But to a 9 year-old girl just entering the awkward Ugly Duckling phase of adolescence, The Pink Ladies were the girls I desperately wanted to be friends with. They were cool, tough, and funny. I knew, even at nine, that I was supposed to identify with sweet Sandy and aspire to ever-lasting love in a pleated poodle skirt.

But, honestly? It was Rizzo I empathized with the most. She tried so hard to keep her guard up when, deep down, she was a mess just like me! Besides, she was played by Stockard Channing and I thought “Stockard” was the coolest name ever besides Cher and Daphne from Scooby-Doo.

Frenchy’s hot pink helmet hair and Marty Maraschino (another great name) with her wallet-full of boyfriends were the perfect comic foils. Ask any girl between the ages of 30 and 60 to hum a few bars of “Look At Me I’m Sandra Dee,” and I’ll bet you get the whole song, complete with props!

We love those Ladies because they connect us to the fun of the 1950’s–and to our own childhoods. We don’t get to sing songs in our PJs with girlfriends much these days, but we can play with these new Mattel Barbie dolls based on our favorite Grease trio!

Sandy, Frenchy and Rizzo are more fun than ever in our set of 3 collectible Grease dolls. From Sandy’s pom poms to Rizzo’s pencil skirt, they bring back wonderful memories. My daughter had to pry them out of my hands and now she won’t give them back! She loves Grease, too! I guess it’s her turn. She just turned eight and I’m not positive, but I’m pretty sure I caught her singing into her hairbrush the other night...

We go together like ramma lamma lamma–ka dinga da dinga dong!

Gotta Have Game Night!

New MONOPOLY Games Take You From Oz To The Caribbean!

Call me nostalgic, but I miss Family Game Night.

Every now and then, my parents would reach into the hall closet and slide out our slightly-dented Monopoly box. I can still smell the folded press board and crisp paper money. My brother and I always fought over the top hat token–why, I now have no idea.

Oh, it started out innocently enough: somebody bought Marvin Gardens; somebody plunked down their first hotel. But eventually, it turned competitive and before we knew it, we were fleecing each other for all we could! Afterwards, we finished off with ice cream and, if it was a chilly night, hot cocoa (with those mini marshmallows)!

I miss those nights and therefore, I’m hereby bringing Monopoly back! And there couldn’t be a better time!

With our treasure chest of specialized versions, fame and fortune await in all sorts of far off exotic lands...if you dare to roll the dice!

‘80s kids can buy, sell, and trade their favorite Nintendo characters: from everyone's favorite red-capped plumber, Mario, to barrel-tossing Donkey Kong in Nintendo Monopoly!

Or duke it out with Megatron for Anti-Matter and Energon Cubes in Transformers Monopoly!

M&M’s lovers can wade through a veritable sea of chocolate, trading adorable M&M’s ads along the way. But don’t “Lose our M!” You could lose your cash!

Other collectible versions include the metal and chrome Harley-Davidson Monopoly, A Christmas Story Monopoly (don’t lick the pole, Ralphie!) and...coming soon...The Wizard Of Oz Monopoly allowing you and your siblings to fight over tokens of the Ruby Slippers, Tin Man, Dorothy and Toto, Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion–even a Tornado token and no, I have no idea how they made that one!

Want more? Hop on over to our sister site, The Lighter Side, for Cat Monopoly, Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy Monopoly, and more!

Settle in for a cozy night, the fun old-fashioned way. Before you know it, you’ll be tearing around the board waving wads of cash in your kids’ faces. Just don’t forget the ice cream, Hot Shot!

VIP Valentines

Aunt Betty Plays Cupid!



The worst Valentine’s gift your Aunt Betty ever received was the pine-scented car freshener (purchased 10 minutes prior at the local quick mart), given to her by a fella who threw in a bag of chips to sweeten the deal.

Here’s a tip, guys: sour cream and onion are not the way to a girl’s heart.

What do women want? It’s not diamonds or pearls–it’s that unexpected find we never would’ve guessed. Something that says you really really know who we are—and yet, you love us anyway!

Some women never outgrow their love of stuffed animals. After all, they remind us of tea parties with bears in pink-painted bedrooms. They comfort us and take us back to a simpler time (before carpools).

My favorite fuzzies are the M&M’s® Valentine Duo featuring a lovestruck candy making goo-goo eyes at a Boyds Bear buddy; and the Chantilly Lane Love U Cheerleader Bears who move their mouths and sing the party favorite, “Shout!” A personal cheering squad is quite the ego boost!

While we’re talking childhood, remember the “Love Is” cuties? So innocent. So adorable. So...in their birthday suits! Rekindle the romance with their Comic Strip Book collection, filled with love notes for you and your sweetie (birthday suit optional).

And, finally, for the incurable romantic, Mattel has created the Barbie Titanic Doll in the image of red-haired Rose. Dressed in a breathtaking recreation of the character's crimson gown, she's a vision and must-have for fans of the film! You’re never too old to play with Barbie!

Thankfully, Quick Mart Guy was decades ago. My current better half is much smarter, so I’m pretty sure there won’t be any cheese doodles this year.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Deals Of The Week!

Fabulous Finds For My Faithful Friends!

What do a secret spy, storybook sweeties, sexy starlet, swingin’ singer, and super-small soldier have in common? They’re all waiting for you in our Deals Of The Week!

I’ve collected 5 of my favorite winter pick-me-ups and given them special sale prices just in time for some well-needed “post-holiday retail therapy!”

The Lost Files Of Nancy Drew brings back fond memories of hiding under the covers past bedtime with a book and a flashlight, enchanted by Nancy’s moxy as she foiled the bad guys while looking like a prom queen. This interactive book is packed with neat pull-out/fold-up pieces celebrating the world’s spunkiest teenage detective!

Be careful! The Raggedy Ann and Andy Nesting Dolls look innocent on the outside, but once you start playing with them, it’s impossible to stop! I keep mine on my desk at work and I kid you not, every day somebody tries to sneak off with them!What happened to starlets like Marilyn who actually looked like women? All of these itty-bitty stick figure celebutants are a tad freakish. Bring back true Hollywood glamour with the cozy Marilyn Classic Pose Throw, and celebrate the beauty of real women!Did someone order a hunka hunka burnin’ love? Of all the phases of his colorful career, The King’s reign in Vegas held some of his most exciting moments. Keep a little piece of his magic close to you with the limited edition Elvis Las Vegas Figurine.

Encourage your inner child to play! Our movie collectible Munchkin Soldier Doll is an adorable recreation of the 1939 Wizard Of Oz character who so-warmly welcomed Dorothy and Toto to Munchkinland (after that mishap where her house fell on the lady with the red shoes).

All of these familiar faces are the perfect antidote to grey winter days stuck inside the house. After all, what’s more fun than Elvis stuck inside a too-tight crazy jumpsuit?

The Christmas Countdown Begins!

On Your Mark...Get Set...Go!

Shopping online and clicking one’s way through the holidays can eliminate 99% of yuletide stress and keep you from accidentally-on-purpose tripping the perfume-spray lady with your umbrella as you innocently glide through the Estee Lauder section.

That said, there’s a corny part of me that misses shopping at Christmas, at least the way it used to be. Not entirely unlike Ralphie and Randy from A Christmas Story, I was often bundled-up so heavily during winter months by my well-meaning mother that my arms struck straight out at my sides at a 90-degree angle. In the chilly evenings, our family would pile into the station wagon and putter on down to Main Street (yes, there really was a Main Street), where we’d walk with cups of hot chocolate, peering into shop windows. We were mesmerized by Kewpie dolls, teddy bears, baseball gloves, and model trains all framed with candy canes and rows of glittery garland.

Nowadays I send most of my gifts through the mail and my family’s celebration lasts two days instead of two months because we all have jobs to fly home to—but, no matter how much e-shopping, text messaging, or video chatting we do, there’s one place we meet up that takes us right back to those fairy tale storefronts.

We end up back in The Attic because year after year, as trendy “must-have” toys come and go, we always find the truly magical gifts right here. So, as my tribute to the spirit of Christmas Past, from now until December 24th, I'm going to offer a few of my personal favorite gifts each and every week. All available right here on our web site. No snotty cashiers. No sore feet. And no need to assault the perfume lady.

Just you, your mouse and the peace on earth that comes from shopping in your sweat pants. Click on them to read more and remember: it really was better when you were a kid!

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

Some Of My Favorite Holiday Goodies

As I stated in an earlier post, it can be a little hard whipping up holiday spirit way down here in sweltering Florida. Pumpkin pie and apple cider just don't taste the same when you're wearing bermuda shorts. Nonetheless, I’ve learned several tricks of the trade to kickstart my seasonal silliness so join me on this little tour I like to call Christmas With The Stars!

All of you who read this blog know I love the PEANUTS®—and I simply must watch A Charlie Brown Christmas every year (and then, listen to the soundtrack ad nauseum until SuperBowl® time). So, imagine my glee when we got this shipment of Animated Peanuts Sleigh toys! Charlie! Linus! Snoopy and Woodstock, all in soft plush form, wobble and bob in time to “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” atop a cute little sleigh perched upon fluffy fabric snow. It’s enough to make me book a flight to New York City just to ice skate in Rockefeller Center!

More of a Mickey and Minnie type? They’re the next stop on our tour! The Singing Mickey And Minnie Holiday Car is the same idea as the sleigh, only this time it’s the mice with the most at the helm, swaying side to side as they chirp out an adorable rendition of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” I ask you, how much more retro chic can you get? And imagine the look on the little ones’ faces when they see these toys!

Need a little kitsch factor around your tree? The gloriously-goofy M&M’s®Tree Skirt may seem just an innocent piece of decor—but look closer. It’s a rich velour swatch of goofy goodness that’s guaranteed to make you smile every time you glance at peanutty Yellow and his lovable mug.

Then of course, there’s The Grinch. What holiday could be complete without the Master Of Mt. Crumpet and his beady little eyes? Dressed in Santa motif, he’s here to remind you of the first time you watched the cartoon classic and wondered what, exactly, roast beast would taste like.

Finally, we end our journey today with the pièce de résistance: The Giant Inflatable Leg Lamp! Worried your yard isn’t drawing enough attention? Perhaps the plastic reindeer just isn’t cutting it anymore? Feast your eyes on this baby! Inspired by the (in)famous scene from A Christmas StoryTM, it comes with the fan, adapter, stakes and everything you need to inflate it outdoors (or, if you have a ginormous living room, indoors), bestowing the ugliest lamp in history upon the entire neighborhood!

Let’s see if Bob next door can top that with his 5000 lights! Don't think so!

Sweet Strawberry Shortcake

Over 25 Years Later, She’s Still Our Gal!

When I heard that Strawberry Shortcake was returning to Saturday Morning cartoons, I ran straight for my Scented Plush Doll and took a long yummy whiff of her strawberry-scented hair!

Originally created for American Greetings back in 1977, the ’80s belonged to Strawberry and her pals! With over 21 additional characters added between 1980–1984, every little girl from Causality to Syracuse pulled on her mother’s hem, begging for these plush cuddly dolls with soft yarn hair scented to match their names! And with names like Raspberry TartTM, Apple Dumplin’TM and Huckleberry PieTM, who could resist a sniff or two? Even the villains had names to make you drool: The Peculiar Purple Pie ManTM, Raisin CaneTM, Licorice WhipTM(2005)...Hello! Where was Brussels Sprouts Man or The Green Bean Goblin? THEY would've been scary!

Slated for debut Saturday, September 15th as part of CBS’s new KEWLopolisTM block of animated kids’ fare, Strawberry Shortcake makes yet another comeback, introducing herself to a whole new generation of girls. You can be sure your Aunt Betty will be up extra-early this Saturday with her coffee and English Muffin (not a Strawberry Shortcake character, btw) to see what imaginative adventures our sweet-scented heroine gets into this time!

While we wait for Saturday, treat yourself to the warm fuzzies of nostalgia! In addition to the aforementioned Scented Plush Strawberry Shortcake, we also have two unbelievably adorable dolls from Marie Osmond’s highly-collectible Tiny Tot series: Strawberry Shortcake Tiny Tot and Blueberry Muffin Tiny Tot!

And check back in October because rumor has it we’ll be adding the Lemon Meringue Tiny Tot to that scrumptious collection!Until then, I'll be here, fantasizing about a big giant bowl of Count Chocula®...

A Bond Girl Is Born

Barbara Bach Born August 27, 1947

Most girls aspire to be a Bond Girl or the wife of a giant rock star. Deciding to do both is, in your Aunt Betty’s humble opinion, just showing off. But that’s exactly what über-gorgeous Supermodel Barbara Bach did during the seventies. She graced the silver screen with her lithe and tanned presence as Anya Amasova in 1977’s Bond extravaganza, The Spy Who Loved Me and then, three years later, met and married Ringo Starr.

Do you have a favorite Bond film? Do you get shivers when you think of Richard “Jaws” Kiel with those metal teeth? Do you watch the stunts and think “I could do that”? Or pretend your TV remote can control secret underwater shark tanks?

Then you, my friend, are ready to play James Bond Monopoly! It comes with six collectible pewter playing pieces so you can play as Oddjob’s Bowler’s Hat, the Q Boat, the Little Nelly Helicopter, the “007” logo, the Aston Martin, or Rosa Klebb’s bladed shoe!

So crack open an ice cold Tab®, put some ELO on the 8-track and party like it’s 1977 with The Spy Who Loved Me and the Bond Girl who gets more and more fabulous every year!

Happy Anniversary To Sally From The Peanuts!

Charlie Brown’s Little Sister First Appeared August 23, 1959

One day here in The Attic®, one of your Aunt Betty’s retro-fabulous co-workers asked her if she had any rituals to “get into the holiday spirit?” Seeing as our emporium of fun is located in a tropical locale, it can be tough to feel festive in flip-flops, she reckoned.

“But of course,” I replied, and proceeded to tell her that for the past two decades I’ve found that nothing brings on the warm Christmas fuzzies like a viewing of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and that pitiful little tree. When it gets to the part where Linus narrates the nativity story I start to get sniffly...and once the entire round-headed cast launches into “Hark, The Herald Angel Sings” I completely lose it every time.

I watch A Charlie Brown Christmas when I wrap presents every single year. Call me crazy, but I know it inspires me to add extra swirls and curls to the ribbon and darnit if I don’t whip up a batch of sugar cookies in the process!

Bouncy blonde-haired Sally Brown was introduced to the world on August 23rd, 1959. She was previously mentioned on May, 1959 when big brother Charlie Brown received a phone call from the hospital telling him he had a new baby sister, but she didn’t actually appear until 3 months later.

The quintessential little sister, Sally grew up quickly and soon developed a lifelong crush on neighbor, Linus Van Pelt, whom she adoringly referred to as her “sweet babboo,” apparently because that’s what creator Charles Schultz’s wife used to call him! Sally was a girl I could relate to: boy crazy, bad at math and worse at sports, she was content sticking her nose into everyone’s business and following Linus around.

She had a knack for getting words wrong, such as when she did school reports on “Santa And His Rain Gear,” and “The Bronchitis,” a dinosaur who became extinct from too much coughing. But despite her lack of academic aptitude, Sally always seemed to bounce back with a smile. For many of you, the dog days of summer will soon start to wane, bringing rustling leaves, the smell of burning wood and the delicious chill that ushers in The Holiday Season. As exciting as it is, rushing around, cooking, and shopping can be exhausting, so do yourself a favor and spend some holiday time with Sally and The Peanuts.

Browse our collection here in The Attic! You can light up your home with this bubble nightlight that’s an homage to Linus and his Great Pumpkin; relive some childhood memories with our set of 4 hardcover Peanuts books including the classic Happiness Is A Warm Puppy; thrill little ones with our world-famous Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine (I had one growing up!) and so much more!

In our ever-changing world, it’s comforting to know that A Charlie Brown Christmas will always be there for us. So stock up on your bows and ribbon, and enjoy! I’ll save you a sugar cookie!