Ultra Swank - Playful lifestyle, music and design adventures

We are moving

2009-03-27T13:56:00.004+01:00

If you are wondering why the number of posts have reduced somewhat lately it is because I am making some major changes to Ultra Swank and instead of bringing you new posts I am focusing my time on developing the new version and getting it ready for take off. I am hoping to have the new version of Ultra Swank up and running within a week or two and to keep you all entertained until then why don't you listen to some swank music? Bare with me, all good things are worth waiting for. See you on the other side of the moon!

Image via plan59.com

Chic Today article - Fly me friendly

2009-02-28T14:23:00.002+01:00

The luscious collaboration with British lifestyle magazine Chic Today proceeds. Here is the fourth article by me, it is lovingly called Fly me friendly and continues my fascination of air travel and stewardesses in its golden age. The article can be found in their magazine available in a interactive form or as downloadable PDF-file (links below). But as of this issue all of the editorials will also be presented as posts through their website. Chic Today is totally free and features interesting articles about fashion, design and lifestyle elements for all of you who enjoy the more chic things in life.

Chic Today Issue 23 - Flights of Fancy (Magazine version)
Chic Today Issue 23 - Flights of Fancy (PDF version)

The Desert House

2009-02-09T15:29:00.005+01:00

Here is another very swank and swizzle cool house for sale in California for those of you who are immune to the recession. Located in Desert Hot Springs and nick named The Desert House by architectural firm Marmol-Radziner & Associates. Built in 2005 with the use of prefabricated modules and environmentally concioussness using solar powered energy, high effiency glass and recycled steel framing. In total it consists of a nearly 7.5 acre site on which the main house, guest house, studio and nearly 2,400 square feet of outdoor decks reside. The price? $1,195,000. For more information and images visit Crosby Doe Associates. Thank you again Royalton for the tip.

Lost in my own fantasy world

2009-01-18T21:00:00.006+01:00

I am sure that most people who read this blog have their own secret crush about times gone by, whether it be kitchen appliances, cocktail bars, design or cars that purr. Some of you might even have stories to tell but what about the rest of us who can only fantasize about. Meet Joanne Massey, a 35-year old housewife from Stafford, England who have made her fantasy become reailty.

I love nothing better than fastening my pinny round my waist and baking a cake for Kevin in my 1950s kitchen. I put on some lovely Frank Sinatra music and am completely lost in my own little fantasy world...

I admit I am in retreat from the 21st century. When I look at the reality of the world today, with all the violence, greed and materialism, I shudder. I don't want to live in that world.

Read the full story at The Daily Mail and meet two other women who has embraced the idea of living in the 1930s and 1940s.

Twin Palms for sale

2009-01-07T14:09:00.005+01:00

Frank Sinatra's old desert hideaway, Twin Palms in Palm Springs, California is up for sale. In the late 1940s Frank had just made his first million and he wanted to celebrate in style, so he commissioned architect E. Stewart Williams to design a lush weekend getaway house for throwing parties and lounging by the pool to be ready before New Years eve 1948. Now you too have the chance to get your hands on this oasis in the desert, the price tag is a modest $3,250,000 but can also be leased at $14,000/month (cocktails not included). The house is perfect for glamorous photoshoots and filming location, so anyone wanting to make some money off their purchase will most likely find Twin Palms a solid investment. Here's an idea, let's all put in $1000 each and buy it collectivly. I will even volonteer to host the first cocktail party!

More information about the residence and placing bids can be found at architectureforsale.com. Thank you Royalton for the heads up.

Images via architectureforsale.com

Happy New Year

2008-12-31T18:53:00.002+01:00

Wishing you all a fabulous 2009, may it be productive and full of surprises! Good luck and good night!

Image via plan59.com

Cocktail Hour

2008-12-13T11:42:00.003+01:00

This photo by famed photographer Julius Shulman looks absolutely lovely. I wish I had a cocktail lounge like that in my penthouse apartment. The Mid-Century Modernist has a bunch of more photos and information.

Photo via Shorpy.com

James Bond’s Weird World of Inventions

2008-12-12T17:27:00.020+01:00

Check out this scanned article from Popular Science back in 1966 featuring the zany gadgets that was used in the 007 movie Thunderball. Thank you Royalton for the tip!

Some of the gadgets actually are buckled onto Connery’s famous back. One is the Bell jet-pack flying belt Bond uses in the beginning of the film to escape from a French chateau. Connery has to wear a special Dacron suit whose color won’t bleach out when touched by the belt’s highly concentrated peroxide fuel. The belt provides about 20 seconds of flight, but only 10 seconds is used for the upward flight. It would be disastrous to run out of power a couple of hundred feet up in the air.

24 days and counting

2008-11-30T14:39:00.004+01:00

Christmas is around the corner, and although there are no snow to be seen anywhere around me there are other ways to enhance the Christmas spirit - like listening to great vintage holiday songs. For those of you who have missed out on my praised Retro Christmas compilation, you should stop what you are doing right now and download it right away. It goes well with any beverage, but is especially snug to the traditional Swedish holiday beverage Glögg (mulled wine), which I am sure can be obtained from any major IKEA store around the world.

Photo via HGTV

More photos from Vala Centrum

2008-11-26T16:25:00.003+01:00

I found some more photos of my favorite shopping mall in southern Sweden - Väla Centrum. It was built in 1974 outside of Helsingborg and took its inspiration from American shopping malls at the time - meaning that it didn't look very Scandinavian or traditional, which I really love. It even had a birdcage with live canaries up until the mid 1980s. For more information and photos of the shopping center, see my earlier post about it.

Gamine

2008-11-25T15:13:00.009+01:00

Although based in London, pianist and composer Ian Williams and singer Claudia Barton outputs music that instantly transports you to a smoky, noir jazz club in 1960's Paris. One of those clubs with a sole spotlight focusing on the elegant and voluptuous female singer. Gamine's music is not something you would listen to on a sunny and warm day - if you would, everything that is Gamine would be out of context. The music rather craves for a moody, rainy day with a cocktail or two, starch contrasts and film noir shadows to be fully appreciated. Ian's floating dramatic piano chords and arpeggios with Claudia's incredibly sensual voice makes even the most hard heartened and unromantic person to melt into a mixed puddle of french perfume and wine. I feel like I am in a movie where I have just met the femme fatale. I am in love.

External links
Official website
Gamine at Myspace

Skyline New York

2008-11-10T13:49:00.006+01:00

Join Trans World Airlines and Ultra Swank for a flight to the city that never sleeps, New York city! We will depart from Los Angeles and set down at New York, Idlewild airport (soon to be known as JFK airport). Our flying time is estimated at around 8 hours. Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the scenery. If you have any questions, our delightful stewardess will take care of all your needs.

Footage taken in 1954 and made available through the lovely people at The Travel Film Archive.

Chic Today article - Rendevouz in Paris

2008-10-22T11:37:00.003+02:00

Yet again the fabulous collaboration with British lifestyle magazine Chic Today continues. Yesterday the third article from me was published in their magazine. It is called Rendevouz in Paris and highlights two chic and design worthy hotels in Paris. I suggest that you head on over to the Chic Today website straight away and read on (links attached at the bottom). The magazine is free and features over 70 pages of interesting articles about fashion, design and lifestyle elements. Comments are as always much appreciated.

Chic Today Issue 20 - Lost in Translation (Online version)
Chic Today Issue 20 - Lost in Translation (PDF version)

Welcome to the world of TWA

2008-10-19T14:58:00.003+02:00

Here's a glimpse into the wonderful world of now defunct Trans World Airlines (TWA). I love the catchy and somewhat cheesy 1960s theme song! The video could use some color correction obviously seeing it has degraded quite a lot over the years, but who cares. Following that video is a promotion of Boeing's new 747 airliner with what looks like Trans World's livery. I can't help thinking of the movie The Out of Towners when I watch it. Maybe that was the idea though, anyone who knows?

Update: The livery of the 747 is not the one of TWA but of Boeing and the aircraft that is shown is in fact the very first 747 (RA001) in production. It is on display at the Seattle Museum of flight. Hat off to Hans for pointing this out!

A wonderful new world of Fords

2008-10-16T12:55:00.005+02:00

Enjoy this fun and swanky Ford commercial from 1960 linking new compact cars to futurism and the space frontier. They don't make commercials like this anymore, do they? If you like this, there is a ton of more of old commericals and archive footage to be found in the Prelinger Archives at the ever so great archive.org website.

Chic Today article - A New Skyline

2008-09-18T13:18:00.004+02:00

Ultra Swank continues to collaborate with British lifestyle magazine Chic Today and today the second article from me was published in their magazine. It is called A New Skyline and focuses its attention on the architectural changes in the western harbour in Malmö, Sweden. Not more than 20 years ago it was a rural and industrial area. Today it is a upscale and chic residential area with a 54 story designers dream skyscraper as its crown jewel. Comments are as always much appreicated.

Oh and by way, Ultra Swank celebrated its 3 year anniversary on September 1st!

Chic Today Issue 19 - Vanishing Worlds (Online version)
Chic Today Issue 19 - Vanishing Worlds (PDF version)

Blue Demon contra cerebros infernales

2008-09-08T01:16:00.002+02:00

This Mexican movie from 1968 is I am sure as cheesy as it is a lovely treat for kitsch loving people like all of us. I have not seen it but the basic premise of it is as follows. "A wrestling hero helps the police in their battle against a mad doctor and his army of female zombies." Sounds like great evening to me! This clip from YouTube shows a exotic dance being performed by a temptress to a lush vibes and percussion based song in the style of Arthur Lyman and Martin Denny.

Swedish street scenes in the 60s

2008-08-26T22:12:00.003+02:00

Here are a bunch of old postcards depicting normal everyday life street scenes in Sweden in the 1960s. Progress has taken its toll on all of these places and I very much doubt they look like this today. Altough, I do love the colors and how everything looked so casually organized and clean back then.

Boden, Sweden, early 1960s

Örebro watertower Svampen, Sweden, early 1960s

Näsbypark, Sweden, early 1960s

Metro grocery store, Stockholm, Sweden, early 1960s

Forgotten places

2008-08-23T00:02:00.006+02:00

A selection of excellent photos from the series "No lifeguard on duty" by photographer J. Bennett Fitts. Imagine sipping a cocktail by one of those pools in their heydays, groovy.

If you would like to dig deeper into the history of the Salton Sea, feel free to visit fellow blogger Lee Prewitt's blog The Salton Sea Chronicles.

Salton Sea, California, USA. From jbennettfitts.com

Panama City Beach, Florida, USA. From jbennettfitts.com

Victorville, California, USA. From jbennettfitts.com

Return to the Century 21

2008-08-19T00:24:00.005+02:00

Sorry for the absence, been keeping my self busy with different things. Nevertheless, today we are returning to the World's fair held in Seattle in 1962. Going under the title Century 21, this is one of my favorite expositions next to the one that was held in New York two years later. Here are a couple of photos from it to better illustrate my point.

Related posts
1964 New York World's Fair

Century 21 exposition, Seattle, 1962

Martini Madness

2008-08-02T20:51:00.005+02:00

"Martinis, helping people lower their standards since 1927."

Chic Today article - Mid-century Desert Hidaways

2008-07-29T20:48:00.006+02:00

The article I wrote for British lifestyle magazine Chic Today has finally been published! It's called Mid Century Desert Hideaways and highlights two very impressive and stylish mid century hotels located in Palm Springs, California. You can read the full article and the rest of the magazine through the links below. Since this is the first time my work has been published in a magazine - I would very much like to hear your comments and thoughts!

Chic Today Issue 18 - Tropical Blaze (Online version)
Chic Today Issue 18 - Tropical Blaze (PDF version)

Just a reminder

2008-07-24T17:45:00.003+02:00

For those of you who have tried to contact me through the contact page over the last couple of weeks have been getting errors when trying to send your message. The problem has been fixed as of today and I do apologize for any inconveniences this might have caused. Keep them messages coming, I read every single one.

Disneyland Hotel in California

2008-07-22T14:05:00.003+02:00

Seeing its summer and many people are on vacation, here are some lovely photos and brochures from the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, California for you to peruse - maybe you and your family are due for another road trip in ye old station wagon?

The Hotel was built along the park in 1955 but not operated by Disney until 1988 because the park proved to be to costly to build at the time. For more Disneyland adventures visit our friends at Stuff from the Park and Gorillas Don't Blog.

Disneyland Hotel, California, 1960s

Disneyland Hotel brochure, California, late 1950s