The following post contains descriptions of violent crime against a child and adult themes. Discretion is advised. On Wednesday, May 21, 1924, in the wealthy South Chicago neighborhood of Kenwood, 14-year-old Bobby Franks disappeared while walking home from school. That evening, his worried parents, Jacob and Flora Franks, got a call from a man who … Continue reading Leopold and Loeb: The not-so-perfect crime
In the late 19th century, it first became possible to buy products from catalogs to be delivered, as the age of mass production began. One of the most popular catalogs was Sears Roebuck; by the turn of the 20th century, you could buy pretty much anything from Sears -- clothes, furniture, tools, you name it. … Continue reading Sears Roebuck kit houses
As I got into the music of the 1920s and 1930s several years ago, one performer's name always stood out to me: Al Bowlly. I remembered him mainly because I loved his songs, and because of the unusual last name. But I didn't actually know anything about him or his interesting life until very recently. … Continue reading Al Bowlly, the “Big Swoon”
So I'm probably some kind of cousin to Ricardo Cortez, whose movie career spanned from the 1920s through the 1950s. I want to highlight his life, and then get into how we're likely related. A postcard of Ricardo Cortez that I bought on eBay. He was sooooo handsome!. Ricardo Cortez was born Jacob Krantz in … Continue reading Cousin Ricardo Cortez?
I've been exploring historical cookbooks, recipes, and menus for a few years now, and it's very interesting to see how cuisine has changed over the centuries. Some things, like having sweet and savory flavors together in a dish like medieval recipes often did, is something we should try to bring back, in my opinion, while … Continue reading The Everywoman’s Cookbook, 1922
In 1926, Norman Hume Anthony, editor of Judge magazine and later of Life, chose to write a recipe book of mixed drinks. And because alcoholic beverages were illegal in the United States at this time, he wisely chose to pen this under "Judge Jr." Anthony seems to have been a very witty dude. In the … Continue reading Here’s How! A 1927 Up-Yours to Prohibition
One hundred years ago this month, March 4, 1922 to be exact, a German-made movie based upon Bram Stoker's Dracula was released in Germany. It stars Max Schrek as Count Orlok, a vampire who moves to the German town of Wisborg, where he begins preying on the wife of his estate agent, Thomas Hutter (Gustav … Continue reading Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922)
Growing up, I wanted to be like my mother, much like many other girls. I would go through her makeup drawer, experiment with her lipsticks, and I remember her ivory hairbrush. And while Mom never wore perfume to my recollection, she did wear Chanel No 5 body lotion on "stepping-out" occasions. Chanel No 5 has … Continue reading 1920s products you can still buy: Chanel No. 5
Found this video on YouTube about what a kitchen for rural, agrarian folks would have been in the 1920s. Some things might surprise you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpn8zRcIkXY We typically think of people having electricity in their homes by the 1920s, but the reality was that most Americans in rural areas throughout the decade did not have it. … Continue reading A 1920s farmhouse kitchen
Quite a few posts here are going to be about food, featuring menus or recipes from the 1920s and early 1930s. Menus will usually be taken from the New York Public Library collection. It's a really fun site to look at old menus from as far back as the 1850s. I used to feature these … Continue reading What’s on the menu: United Airlines, September 2, 1928
The Road Backward 