Archive for December, 2008
Wednesday, December 31st, 2008
Barflies
Helen and Joan Dittrich and friends, Europe 1970
In either Germany or Switzerland our hotel rooms had actual bars in them, with stools, counters, liquor, and a fridge. Since Joan was underage I hope she has a soda and not a bottled martini. It’s hard to believe skirts were ever that short or hairdos so [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Dittrich by Tracy
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008
Space Giants/Ambassador Magma
More giant robot madness from 1966. I had Japanese friends who had very fond memories of Ambassador Magma, as it was called. In the US it was repackaged as The Space Giants and had a more clock-and-dagger orientation than the mythic heroism of the original; the opening credits always gave me the heebie-jeebies as a [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Amusing timewaster by Tracy
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008
Lopsided
Jane Karpinski in her student days, NJ State Teachers’ College, 1950s
The first thing I thought when I saw this photo of Aunt Jane was “What a lopsided hairdo” and then how cool and geisha-like she looks. With white face powder, she could be the epitome of femininity and discretion, serving sake or lighting cigarettes in [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Karpinski by Tracy
Monday, December 29th, 2008
Poopkie
Hans (John) Dittrich during his WWII service in China
I read that this style of Russian fur hat was called a “Poopkie” cap — Papa John of the Mamas and Papas was fond of wearing one during the hippy days of the 1960s — but a search on ‘Poopkie’ did not bring up the information [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Dittrich by Tracy
Sunday, December 28th, 2008
Walter Karpinski, Baker
It looks like Grandpop Karpinski attended the 1939 Worlds’ Fair in New York, but the truth is the Trenton bakery where he worked at the time only needed a photogenic face for the company brochure. I would guess they were proud of supplying bread for the fair, or had a display there perhaps. He looks [...]
11 Comments » - Posted in Historical Trenton, Karpinski, Recipes and food by Tracy
Saturday, December 27th, 2008
Tropical Christmas
Violet and me in front of Honolulu Hale (city hall) at the annual Honolulu City Lights display. We are wearing short sleeve shirts the week before Christmas. Tracy! Send those hummingbirds here!
3 Comments » - Posted in Dittrich, Family news by Barb
Saturday, December 27th, 2008
Psychedelia in the Bomb Shelter
In the early 1960s the Dittrichs built a bomb shelter in their cellar in Lalor Tract. It was the height of the Cold War and thought a necessity. The shelter had barrels of water, canned food, bunk beds, a radio tower, an air intake, and Russian language records in case the US lost. The Warners [...]
7 Comments » - Posted in Art, Dittrich, Warner by Tracy
Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008
Snowbound
We had the worst snow in Seattle in over a decade. It started snowing over a week ago in bits and spurts and then turned into a real winter wonderland. There was about 9 inches, but some of it melted around the cars. This is the front of the house. Hey, you gotta admit the [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Family news by Tracy
Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008
Mele Kalikimaka!
Keeping in the Christmas vein…Here is a picture of me and a couple co-workers and our supervisor, Carole. With bells. Get it? Carole of the bells?
I’m still not sure why they made me wear the blond wig…
1 Comment » - Posted in Dittrich by Barb
Monday, December 22nd, 2008
Christmas Ornaments That Should Not Be
Because it’s so close to Christmas I rounded up a collection of things you would not want to decorate your Christmas Tree with.
Junk Food Glass Ornaments
I am tempted by the taco, but ultimately I am not so sure they belong on a tree. Certainly the pizza slice looks very festive. But I get heartburn looking [...]
