That Vintage Girl

The Hollywood Heritage Museum had a special exhibit called "Out with the Stars: Hollywood's Famous and Forgotten Haunts".  The exhibit was on display for only a few weeks and included memorabilia from legendary Hollywood venues like the Brown Derby, Hollywood Knickerbocker, Garden of Allah, Ciro's, Hollywood Palladium, and Trader Vic's. The memorabilia displayed included menus, brochures, restaurant accoutrement, dinnerware, and matchboxes. It was a wonderful time capsule from Hollywood's Golden Years.  Some places featured, like the Hollywood Palladium, still exist but most are long gone.  Either the businesses have closed and the buildings have been repurposed for other uses or demolished.  Thankfully, bits and pieces of these special places have been collected and shared in this exhibit. I spent a few hours on a Saturday afternoon perusing the fascinating collection and got a glimpse of a bygone era.    A menu from the Brown Derby restaurant at 4500 Los Fel

  Pumpkin season is here!  Sweeten autumn with these pumpkin biscotti sweet treats. They have the autumn essence of pumpkin and spices that are perfect with a cup of milk or coffee. Ingredients 4 tablespoons vegetable oil 3/4 cups sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 egg 1/2 cup pumpkin puree 3 cups flour Cinnamon sugar for sprinkling (optional) Baking Steps Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit.  Combine the vegetable oil, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, baking power, and salt. Add the egg and pumpkin puree and mix until combined. Add the flour.  Mix in the bowl until a dough is formed.  Then need the dough on a floured surface to form a ball.  Cut the ball of dough in half. Take one dough ball and roll it on the floured surface until it forms about a 12 inch roll that is about 2 inches in diameter.  Place it on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and press the roll to form a flat 12 inch rec

The month of September conjures fond memories of going back-to-school after a long and adventurous summer.  Shopping for new school clothes and school supplies was an annual tradition.  And when the first day of school arrived, it was filled with delightful anticipation to see old friends and meet new teachers and classmates.  I enjoyed my schools years and maybe that is why I feel sentimental about chalkboards.  While many schools have transitioned to white boards with erasable markers, I attended an old elementary school that had chalkboards in every classroom.  There is a nostalgic charm about chalkboards that is endearing to vintage lovers.  So this September post is devoted to chalkboard crafting.   I have made chalkboards for writing grocery lists, writing fun daily greetings, or just doodling. Chalkboards can be purchased, but they are so fun to make.  Chalkboard paint can be applied to many types of hard surfaces including wood, metal, drywall, concrete, or tile,.  But you must