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So as usual I find myself (Harpie, this time) compelled to wander the lavish Duke Estate on the hottest and most isolated day of this week. Thankfully, I was in good company. Despite starting the day out without a tram service (which is fine, not many people were there, admittedly, but still…) This particular day was the first time either of us had been to visit the cemetary that Miss Duke kept for her beloved animals, which included her camels, Princess and Baby. There was a common theme that emerged on this crispy September day: it appeared rather clearly to both of us that the stonework incorporated into the landscape has become broadly neglected… or at least profoundly disregarded either on purpose or otherwise.
Since our first stop was the Fox Hollow hill where the pets were laid to rest, it was a shady and cool walk. I noticed right away as we rounded the curve that these stones were mostly made of slim black stones with names stenciled into them in weatherproof white ink. What struck me in this area of the property was the sadness of each stone left in pieces in the grass, some with portions of the headstone still standing and the broken fragments sitting at their base. Perhaps with too much empathy, I thought of my own parakeet’s little marker and how devastated my family would be if something happened. Needless to say, it would be rapidly replaced or fixed. I’m not seeing the same sense of immediacy here, which is troubling since this is the illustration of Miss Duke’s love for animals- it was only the greatest devotion she had at Duke Farms besides plant life.
In walking back from the cemetary, I wondered if our old friend, Mr. stone balluster was ever fixed. Then, I realized, most likely not if this is a pattern of behaviors. I could argue all my life that this is a maneuvered landscape and that these stones that Mr. Duke himself laid are respectfully integrated into any environmental concepts to be applied, I’m still falling on deaf ears and cold feet.
Time to go home already? Sadly, yes. Today was a shorter-than-normal visit. We cut through the stairs to the old foundation and here is where I may have gotten most frustrated. Not only were the stones previously mentioned in need of serious love and attention, but the edges of the old foundation’s series of stairs were separating from one another at the seams. This one really tugged on both our heartstrings because of just how much this old foundation was used for in its lifetimes. It has the mark of James B Duke, Doris, the staff, James Cromwell, and a bunch of stories attached to each of them. It feels like the very essence of the Dukes is crumbling, literally away in the very property it was meant to be heralded at. This wasn’t just one instance: these fractures in the stone work were evident on each set of stairs we walked down.
Now really, I get it. It’s an expense. Everything in the world costs something if it’s worth doing. Trust me, we are young people who cringe at the word ‘afford’. But let’s change the perspective and the lens for a moment and put that cognitive therapy education to good use: What if you were alive during the estate’s most magnificent years when Miss Duke was in residence? How would you feel after years of natural decay occuring to a place you once called home? It hurts! People feel for this place and there are dozens of instances where historical integration into the landscape is an environmentally appropriate approach (consistent with the status quo at the farms today). Take fiscal challenge on and take a little extra to keep the property from falling apart… gradually. Last I remember, this is called neglect.
Stay curious and stand against wrongful erasure of out history. #RetroLife #VintageLife
From the Antiquated Antics summer series at RRBlog, we met and quickly befriended our retro colleague, Katherine: the culinary genius behind https://inthevintagekitchen.com/ (click for link). Her work spreads through the pages of dozens of cookbooks from kitchens past. In hopes of bringing us closer to the eclectic nature of the midcentury mold of jello, Miss Katherine has joined forces with RetroRevival Blog and other friends to bring 3 jello recipes back into the spotlight this summer. It is up to the bloggers to decide which of the three are our favorites, how we would change the recipe to fit into revivalist-modern, and of course, to share the challenge with our readers.
Jello, or gelatin molds, were the immensely popularized mealtime favorites of the iconic 1950s housewives. While we will be having a series about their feminism later on, let’s focus on the jiggly wonders that are served for dinner, lunch, and then dessert. Knox brand gelatin is the star of this show! The unique sculptures of food became a star in the dining room for two major reasons: gelatin molds didn’t require the use of the oven in the heat of the summer, meaning that the savvy housewife saved money and energy. The other simple reason these dishes flourished was because of aesthetic appeal. Although today they are looked upon as a culinary oddity, they were once considered a sign of luxury and tasteful articulation in the home. Another big score of points for the wife who could create these eyefuls.
In preparing these retro dishes, we bloggers learned two things about an authentic vintage kitchen. First, don’t be afraid of trying new things. While it seems weird, foreign, and sometimes downright gross, the truth is that different can be delicious! Finally,
So today, we decided to team up with Katherine to see whose gelatin recipes (all derived from 1955 recipe books) came out good, what we would change, and more! These are our results: https://inthevintagekitchen.com/2017/08/25/three-recipes-three-kitchens-six-cooks-its-the-wiggly-jiggly-vintage-gelatin-cooking-challenge/
Check us both out on Facebook:
When I started gardening, it was for the simple fact that I love flowers. The family appreciates the view during peak seasons, too. Winter in the Harpie house was filled with reading up on herbs and spices and all sorts of interesting notions after a fellow gardener and camera extraordinaire, JMCS, gifted me the book of The Medicine Wheel Garden. This became my impetus for finding the intersection between perennial and herbal gardening.
How can this tie into retro culture? Hoowee what a story! It wasn’t until the economic boom of the 1950s that major antibiotics were established and distributed for all the common ailments of the population. Prior to these big-name pharmaceuticals, many people relied on ancient medicines to care for themselves and their families. Much of what we know about herbal healers comes from ancient Chinese and Native American derivations. For instance, cardinal flower has been heralded for its qualities similar to nicotine, and is used to this day in substances like Nicorette gum to help wean smokers of their habits. I figure if these practices were commonplace before the pharma-takeover, there’s definitely a place for it in today’s culture. Let’s help simplify the way we care for ourselves from the roots: literally!
The first step in herb growing and use is educating yourself. As a general precaution, it is very important to know your own allergies as well as those who you plan on sharing your concoctions with. Read up on the possible side effects of plants, how to use them effectively and safely, and establish your plan from there. The obvious next step is to plant and take care of whatever you want to grow. Sometimes it takes buying extra bags of soil or learning the preferences of the plants, but they’ll sprout. For quicker results from seeds, consider residential greenhouse accommodations- there are whole buildings to tabletop structures to fit your preferences. Drying and recipes are probably the most vintage concept out of the whole lot of herb growing. It’s also rather challenging for me- but easy to catch on. Use a cotton cloth to lay plants on to dry. Go for the crispy but not disintegrating consistency. Some people opt for drying racks like the one pictured above, which is probably easier for flowering plants. They often don’t dry cleanly otherwise.
While it is not usual for us to feature something that is this antiquated, we wanted to make an effort to give all facets of yesteryears- even the antiques (over 50 years old) and ancient traditions- a chance to find rightful spotlight in today’s world.
Some of our favorites are yarrow- which was used by Native Americans for all skin ailments from eczema to repelling mosquitos; Echinacea- which has been heralded for generations as a remedy for colds, flus, and strep throats; and
The bottom line? A vintage life can free you from big pharmaceuticals in exchange for natural remedies and home-grown goodness. Cheers to a healthy life, darlings!
This week in the Trials of Doris, we learned of a ‘leak’ in local documents that led the DORIS group to discuss a curious case from April. This April, the Hillsborough Historic Preservation Commission held its status quo meeting on the 27th, but with some oddities. Duke Farms was present and recieved unanimous votes from the commission to pass pre-application approvals for a series of ‘minor’ projects at Duke Farms. While this is acknowledged as a private property, the accessibility is public; therefore the public should and/or could have had better notice of their requests and the date of this HPC meeting. We have elected to videodocument this case because of the lengthiness and details regarding these three projects as well as the unusual, if not outright sneaky, conduct of the HPC that month. Readers can view our clip below.
While the RRBlog is not currently placing accusations on the Farms or the township’s historic preservation commission, we are considerably concerned for the methods that were used… and how long it took for anyone to notice. That doesn’t scream ‘transparency’ to us. Stay curious!
The RRBlog team was in Plainfield last month to observe how a historic preservation commission handles administration of awards to its community members. Instead, we got much, much more.
In addition to the awards being given out to Nancy Piwowar and M&M Investors that lovely Tuesday night, we got to observe how the commission handled a couple whose house was historically designated but wanted modifications. This is what we found:
The reason that I bring all this to the attention of our readers is that it was a surprisingly heart-wrenching experience. Sometimes it is easy to take advantage of these kindnesses; not every town has a cordial interactions with their HPC. Sadly, not everyone has an approachable commission. Some towns are crippling themselves with stasis in their commissions and gridlock themselves from real community engagement while others do this intentionally for a sense of control over their residents. Plainfield, if you are reading this, you are a model for excellence in our books for what a preservation commission should look like. We hope you are CONTAGIOUS!!!
This week in the Trials of Doris series, we are thrilled to announce that the latest piece of literature covering the Duke Estate’s story, The Duchess of South Somerville, has been nominated three times for the IPPY Awards 2018!
In the midst of all things retro, out antiquated antics summer series, and our 100th post; this comes as a humbling and exciting piece of news for the grassroots. While the mansion at the iconic Duke Estate was lost to the bulldozers hired by Duke Farms Foundation (it’s owner) and the parent charity, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation in 2016, the story of the fight lives on as a testament to the original intent of Doris Duke. While it may seem like a lost battle, the IPPY-nominated book serves to chronicle the lesser-known chapters of history at the estate; memoirs of those whose lives were touched by the Dukes, former employees’ stories, and the efforts of the DORIS group have all been chronicled for the first and only time in this unique read.
For more information on The Duchess of South Somerville, or to obtain your own copy, please visit the Duchess Bookstore website: https://sites.google.com/site/theduchessbookstore/home
Through December 31st of 2017, the book will be discounted to $19.95 to celebrate the amazing nominations!
What a celebration to be had for the staff and readers of Retro Revival Blog! This post is our 100th! In just two short years, we have come so far in our writing styles and content, experiences, and dedication to the retro community– Which is ever expanding!
We are so humbled and excited to say thank you to our readers as we take a moment to reflect on all the amazing things that RRBlog has given us over the last two years. You’re all so amazing!
We started with an apron, collected a best friend, ideas, adventures, and a box camera, and then embarked on the following of the trials of Doris- one of our most popular sections. Since then, we’ve made some amazing blogger friends, historian friends, and met some of the retro culture’s greatest advocates. Now that we’ve made it all this way, let’s talk about what’s coming up and what’s continuing to stay swell and dapper!
The Trials of Doris, as well as all our regularly scheduled columns, will continue as expected. Clicks Pics has been scaled down to a yearly review because of the rising costs of developing manual film. Some new things to look forward to is our collaborations with remarkably retro sites like https://inthevintagekitchen.com/ and https://www.retronaut.com/ as well as sponsorship from some generous darlings in the business!
If you have something you’d like RRBlog to look into, write about, or bring to the internet for a good talk over tea and biscuits, let us know in the comments section or on our facebook page at Facebook.com/RetroRevivalist or on Twitter @RetroRevivalist
From our hearts to you, THANK YOU!
It is summer 2017 and this one is a summer to remember! Just before July 4th, two major political actions took place that changed the way we celebrate. The first pleasant bit of legislation passsed that allowed non-aerial fireworks to be bought and used across the state. (For confirmation of this change, please reference This Article). However, this was coupled with a total government shutdown that followed on Saturday the first of July- leaving state-run beaches and parks abandoned for the holiday weekend. My guess is that in order to avoid total disappointment, the already-spiking number of purchased fireworks in the state is going to double because thousands of families’ plans for this weekend are trashed. Thanks, government.
In the retro spirit of summer celebrations, there is much fun to be had at home; by the pool; or with friends, neighbors, and family. The resurgence of legal fireworks only makes this experience more unique. The last time that non-aerial fireworks were legal here was 1967. So let’s talk Fourth of July; the first round of official antics.
Harpie Lyn here. I had no reason to learn about the fireworks market or what types existed. So going in blind, I went over to Pennsylvania to gather some of the tiniest sparklers I could find that didn’t look menacing. Of course, when I arrive home, my mom has already found a grandiose assortment of fancy, dancing fireworks that dazzled and crackled. She 1-upped me at a local grocery store while I went out to another state to collect what I thought were rare treasures. She was so excited to share this tradition with her own kids and family that my mother almost forgot the groceries she had paid for. For the baby-boomer generation, this is a big deal and a serious wave of nostalgia. Fast forward:
Fireworks themselves aren’t very patriotic. Patriotism is experienced more in respecting veterans and helping thy fellow American… In fact, fireworks are rather unpredictable, smelly, but overall pretty for the few seconds they last. Oh, and some will stain your driveway. For decades prior to the year 1967, sparklers were a staple of how Americans young and old participated in the festivities playfully. In reviewing other celebration methods, I found that fireworks are best coupled with smiling faces, coconut-crusted marshmallows, BBQ food, gingham tablecloths, and fireflies at night.
So are fireworks really worth the hype for your Americana celebration? Yes. If you’re reading this from New Jersey, there’s still time to collect a few NON-AERIAL only fireworks- only those that crackle on the ground- if you want to include them in your festivities. Remember safety precautions and stay curious! Happy fourth from us at RRBlog!
This season was the first of its kind that I found myself without papers to stress over or exams to press for. My dearest colleague and right-hand man, Manny, suggested that I use my new leisure experience to find fun stuff to pass the time. My inner blogger beckons, however… I had mission to find what activities people used to participate in during the solstice season, and these are my findings and what makes them classics.
In this series, Manny and I will report on antiquated funzies ranging from hobbyist herbal gardening, trying homemade recipes for ice cream and oddly-shaped jello desserts with the help of our friends at InTheVintageKitchen, picnicking (of course), attempting a game of croquet (did I even spell that right?), go boating, test out an arcade, try recently-legalized fireworks, and even work with Clicks, the RRBlog’s Kodak box camera. Whatever vintage pastime we can find will end up on our list.
With each new experience, we will do our best to document and discuss for you darlings. If you have a favorite memory from wayback that you’d like us to try out, post it on our facebook page at Facebook.com/retrorevivalist or in the comments section below! Be sure to tell your friends all about us!
Retro Curious Rebellious: The Revival 