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!

KISS® Inducted Into Hollywood Walk Of Fame August 11, 1999

For KISS, Every Day Is A Walk Of Fame!

"Man, if there’s one thing KISS will never do, it’s a...disco song!"—Lex, Detroit Rock City .

That line is hilarious for the same reason "...if you think Mick Jagger will still be out there trying to be a rock star at age fifty, you’re sadly sadly mistaken" from Almost Famous is hilarious.

Both of those movies take place before we knew it was possible for KISS to go disco or Jagger to belt out "Brown Sugar" well past 50. Ahh...the sweet ignorance of youth.

One year after Detroit Rock City took place (1978), Gene, Paul, Peter and Ace released “I Was Made For Loving You” to the dismay and horror of many a KISS Army soldier. The smash hit ushered in the Dynasty-era KISS, and not long after, founding members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley jumped ship.

But many rock fans who came of age in the ‘70s forgave them for that disco misstep because KISS were an unstoppable force, a keystone in every record collection, and cohorts for many-a-crazy teenage memory.

To this day, I get goosebumps when I listen to Ace Frehley’s solo during “Shock Me” from KISS Alive II. This morning I heard “Hard Luck Woman” on the radio as I drove to work—seven hours later, I’m still humming it in my head. And I will always, no matter what, list KISS Meets The Phantom Of The Park as one of my favorite films, right in-between Serpico and Ordinary People, because as cheesy as that 1978 made-for-TV movie was, it took the fantastic magic of KISS and condensed it...kind of like Jell-O.

And I, for one, am glad KISS received their very own Hollywood Walk of Fame Star on August 11th, 1999. It summed-up what the rest of us had known for decades—that throughout the various incarnations, musical experimentation (Music From The Elder, anyone?) make-up removal and reunion tours—they were always fun. Larger than life, in your face, “these go to eleven,” flying fireworks-fun. And these days, fun is pretty hard to find.

Who’s your favorite member of KISS? What’s your favorite album? Check out our Kiss-a-licious Kollection of memorabilia including the set of 4 Pint Glasses with album cover artwork, the Love Gun Long-Sleeved T-Shirt, the Gene Simmons T-Shirt and lots more!

And break out those KISS CDs, crank up the stereo and remember what good times are all about!

The One... The Only... Lucy!

Celebrating Lucille Ball’s Legacy On Her Birthday, August 6th

As I sat down to write a retrospective blog about Lucy commemorating her birthday, I found myself struggling with what to say. And as you know, your Aunt Betty is not usually one lost for words.

But trying to encapsulate the woman and her incredible persona is a little overwhelming. After all, she’s The Queen of Comedy, the first woman to ever run a television studio, and is considered to this day to be an inspiration of everyone from Penny Marshall to John Ritter to even John Belushi who was reportedly a huge fan.

She started out as a painfully thin (blonde) model, landing a gig hocking fur coats for designer Hattie Carnegie and later became The Chesterfield Girl for the then-popular cigarettes. She was mentored by Buster Keaton and honed her chops alongside the likes of Red Skelton, Bob Hope, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers and Katherine Hepburn.

After viewing her performance in the 1936 film, Follow the Fleet, a test-audience member scribbled the following comment for the producers: "You might give the tall gum chewing blonde more parts and see if she can't make the grade - a good gamble." (Internet Movie Data Base)

But it was her brilliance in the radio show My Favorite Husband that rocketed her towards her destiny. When CBS decided to develop it for TV, Lucy insisted her real-life husband, Desi Arnaz, play the role of her husband on television. Eventually, the studio execs gave in and the rest, as they say, is history.

So what is it that makes Lucy so special to us? Why do we laugh out loud every time we watch her squash candy down her shirt or light her putty nose on fire? After much thought, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s because Lucy Ricardo never gave up. She never lost faith in herself no matter what havoc she wrought. And we all wish we could be more like that...the little-kid version of ourselves who believed they could be a movie star, an astronaut or the funniest woman on TV.

So take a moment to thank Lucy on her birthday. Not just for the laughs she gave us personally, but also for all of the great comics and writers and actors she inspired. And for all you Lucy fanatics out there, stop by The Attic and stroll through our collection of I Love Lucy® memorabilia. From the leather varsity jacket to the Vitameatavegamin clock to holiday tree ornaments, there’s something tucked away up there that will unlock your favorite memories of the wacky redhead who once summed herself up by saying, “I'm not funny. What I am is brave.” (imdb)

Frank Stallone, We Salute You!

July 30th, Birthday Of The Italian Stallion’s Fratellino (Little Brother)

Being the baby brother of the world’s most famous fictional boxer cannot be an easy cross to bear.

Many in this star-crossed position would cower—or simply milk the free press for all it was worth. But not Frank Stallone. Oh sure...be a snob and laugh! The poor man has been the punchline of late-night comedy for decades but I ask you, have YOU been in movies with Bruce Willis, John Travolta, Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Mickey Roarke, or Faye Dunaway? Have you ever written a song for a movie that was nominated for a Grammy® or Golden Globe®?

Did you know that he once played in a band with John Oates from Hall & Oates? It’s true! One incarnation of his ‘70s rock band Valentine briefly featured the future “Rich Girl” strummer. Valentine also played clubs with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Ten Years After and Blood, Sweat & Tears!

Raised in Philly, Frank eventually left for New York to pursue his dreams of music. Like so many struggling artists in The Big Apple, he earned cash as a street musician. As he says on his website: “It was so cold some nights, singing on the street, that my fingers would stick to the strings. All I owned then was my guitar, a collapsible suitcase, and a train ticket to the next town.”

I ask you—is that not the stuff of Oscar®-winning drama?

These days, Frank tours behind his catalog of American Songbook standards and his singing has brought kudos from The Chairman himself, along with Tony Bennett .

Pretty impressive for Rocky’s baby brother! Speaking of The Other Stallone, be sure to check out Rocky Balboa because Frank has a song in it. And once you’re in the mood to sprint up and down 5000 or so stairs in your sweat pants, check out our collection of Rocky attire up in The Attic! You can cinch yourself into our Rocky Robe, add the matching boxer shorts or just go casual in the Italian Stallion T-shirt.

Somehow we know that Adrian would want it that way.

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream!

Let's Celebrate: The Ice Cream Cone Was Invented 103 Years Ago Today!

In junior high, my friend Cheryl and I rode our bikes everywhere. It seemed like the suburbs were smaller back then, so pedaling to the corner store for a Slushee® or to the local mall was a safe, practical endeavor.

And in the summertime, there was only one place to be­–The East India Ice Cream Parlor!

It was home to the best ice cream I have ever had! The waffle cones melted in your mouth and the ice cream was thick with home-made ingredients like milk, butter, cocoa, vanilla bean, fresh strawberries and chunky peanut butter! Sprinkle on some crushed pecans, colored candy dots, white chocolate or drizzles of hot fudge, and you were looking at the mother of all sugar highs!

With all the cones I devoured and dribbled down my shirt (from that pesky hole in the bottom you never notice until it's too late), you'd think I knew where these scoops of heaven came from.
Turns out, the origin of the ice cream cone we know today goes all the way back to The St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904!

Accounts vary as to who, exactly, concocted it, but its genesis came about when ice cream vendors sold so much ice cream on that hot July afternoon that they ran out of dishes. Coming to their rescue was a pastry vendor named Ernest Hamwi, who sold a wafer-thin delight called a “zalabia,” which the ice cream merchants hurriedly rolled into cones, filled with their cold creamy treats, and served to parched patrons who fell in love with the crunchy-creamy combo!

The East India Ice Cream Parlor is long gone now, but my love of the ice cream cone lives on. Whenever the mood strikes us, my family fires up our Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker which does all the work for us while we fill lots of bowls with nuts, sprinkles and other decadent delights. We unwrap some store-bought cones, fill ‘em with freshly-made ice cream and spoon on the extras! There’s always a moment of collective silence as we take that first delectable crunch...followed by all four of us saying,“Ahhhhhhhh!”

A Place For Us Baby Boomers

I try to keep up with my daughter’s boy band crushes and my son’s video games, but I have to admit...I find myself yearning for MY bands and MY games. Give me The Beatles and a good game of Gnip-Gnop! I miss "my generation!"

I think we all cherish the stars, characters--even the commercials--we grew up with. And we all get to a certain point in life when we decide our decade was the best ever.

Welcome to my little Betty’s Attic® world! Here in my blog I list a number of vintage items that we hold in our store. Browse movie and music collectibles that seem like old friends, reminding you of all your favorite eras. Remember TV shows you watched as a child dressed in footie pj’s. Elvis®, Marilyn, Lucy, Pepsi®, John Deere®, Disney®, Coca-Cola®, James Dean, John Lennon, sports legends, history buff stuff and so much more! You could fashion every room of your home in a different glorious decade! Join us and reach inside our “way-back-when” machine. See what memories you pull out!

Welcome and enjoy! I‘m off to play with my Scooby-Doo coin bank. I so wanted to be Daphne!