Let's start out today by wishing our friend Grant McCormick a very Happy Birthday! Sue B. is the head of the Birthday Squad, and she kindly provided the following vintage birthday scan, featuring a fabulous party in a fabulous basement. It's super fun to look at each kid, like the little cutie in her red dress, or the girl in pink with her hands together, or the boy with glasses and the New Wave haircut. Two girls are already displaying maternal tendencies. Check out that turquoise cake! What flavor could it be??
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are two fun pix featuring a pretty lady and her kooky hat. You've seen them both, at Universal Studios, at a MYSTERY LOCATION, and at the Dutch Mill Inn Motor Hotel in Ontario, Canada. She's practically family.
There she is, looking very stylish as she peruses the tropical wares in Adventureland. A whole bin full of flowered leis! Why don't they sell those today? I'll bet they'd sell a zillion of 'em. Put blinking LEDs on them too, for extra annoyance! I wonder if the lady was at the souvenir stand seen in this picture? It's fun to get a glimpse of the tchotchkes made from seashells, woven (and possibly beaded) items, everything a girl with a hat could need.
Yes, yes, you look fabulous, we all get it!
Major-
ReplyDeleteOh dear - that birthday party-! What would we do without cinder blocks-?? Every hair care professional is cringing at Mom having taken over the 'bangs-cutting duties' for [at least] three of the youngsters. YEESH. Wait til my hair care professional gets a gander at these - especially 'new wave' guy-!
Bonus points to the first person who correctly ID's all of God's creatures on that 'questionable' birthday cake...
That kooky hat belongs in an episode of the original Perry Mason series. Too funny.
Happy birthday, Grant. May your birthday cake steer clear of any turquoise frosting-!
Thanks, Major and Sue for some hearty laughs today.
First of all....HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRANT!!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, someone only baked a single-layer cake for nine children.....and how many others who aren't even in the photo?
I hate to be a party-pooper, but I don't think those other pics were taken at Disneyland. There is a stone wall in the background, and part of a boat that looks like it might be a large canoe or part of a Chinese junk. Could these have been taken at Universal Studios and that stone wall is a part of the War Lord Tower?
I just found this Universal Studios postcard. It appears that the area the lady is standing in is that walkway on the far left of this image. Either the souvenir stand hadn't been built yet, or it had already been removed. Or maybe it's that Asian-style building and the merchandise area was eventually expanded out to those posts on the edge of the water. In today's photos, we can see part of that low stone wall, and the stone tower wall (The War Lord Tower), as well as part of that boat that is docked next to them:
ReplyDeletehttps://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/MPcAAOSw3thgDcch/s-l1200.webp
Happy, happy day, Grant! I hope your birthday surroundings are more cheerful than this stark cinder block basement! It looks like these kids are having a party in a mausoleum. But they seem happy enough.
ReplyDeleteMajor mentioned the little girl with her hands together, she looks tickled pink; must be the dress. I think she's my favorite kid in this photo.
What are they gonna do with all those fine china teacups? It looks like the Mad Hatter's Tea Party ride. There are two cakes here; the turquoise one that Major mentioned, and the white frosted one behind the watermark. It's pink inside, so maybe it's cherry flavored. An odd assortment of things are on the table: paper plates next to the fine china, glazed ham, stuffed green olives, liverwurst sandwiches (or maybe they're cow's tongue), and whatever is in those silver bowls covered with lids. I can't tell what that dish of brown gloppy things is.
Sue has managed to find another 'winner' for us to scratch our heads over.
Now for today's pics: What wonderful and moody lighting! The golden hour. Our stylish lady would look a lot more stylish if she wasn't wearing that particular hat. It reminds me of the Cat In The Hat's hat, minus the stripes. And you're right, Major, her pose is a little too fabulous to take seriously. That was probably her intention, to not be taken seriously.
Tokyo!, Hmmm, the rock wall does seem unlikely to be in Disneyland. And she was at Universal Studios in the other photos. So perhaps you're right.
Happy birthday again to Grant. And thanks again to Sue. And thanks, as always, to Major P.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANT!!!!
ReplyDeleteI was set to concur with TOKYO that those pictures were not Disneyland. I even wondered if they voted have been part of the first 1964-1968 version of the Japanese Pearl Village at SEA WORLD .. since you can see many Japanese items … but TOKO has identified it as Universal Studios. That lady’s bucket hat was a very very popular style in the early to mid 60’s. I wonder if any are still made today?
Happy birthday to Grant,
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to Grant,
I'd bake you a cupcake,
But my Mom says I can't.
I love how all the matching teacups are in front, with the mismates lurking behind, hoping to go unnoticed. And I can't tell if the girl at far right is hugging that toddler or giving them a good slap upside the head. The cinderblock basement is giving me more "morgue" than "mausoleum."
"Check out that turquoise cake! What flavor could it be??"
It is a cellular peptide cake, with mint frosting.
Nanook, there’s nothing more fun than a basement birthday party. Spills? Kid throws up? No problem. I did noticed that crazy kid with the angled bangs, he went on to be in Kraftwerk, so he made lots of money. Maybe big sis did the haircutting? Why does the hat belong on Perry Mason? It doesn’t really seem to be Perry’s style.
ReplyDeleteTokyoMagic!, I can’t believe you pooped my party! POOPED IT! (I just wanted to say “poop” again because it makes me giggle). Well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle, I think you’re right, that is not Disneyland. I will never be able to show my face in school again. I also was supposed to delete the “GRANTS BIRTHDAY” (no apostrophe in “GRANTS”) before the thing published but I’ve had stuff going on.
TokyoMagic!, I can’t get that image to load, but I’m using my mom’s ancient computer, so that’s probably the issue.
JB, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again - basements are a good idea. All that extra room for whatever. A rumpus room. A laundry room. A ping-pong table. Bookshelves. A craft area. And… a place to have kid’s birthday parties. I have to say that “new wave kid” is my favorite, and it’s all because of the hair. Good question about the china teacups, seems awfully fancy for kids. Why not paper cups? I also wonder why both of those cakes are single-layer. A box of cake mix must have been 25 cents back then, splurge a little! I do have at least one or two photos of that woman at Disneyland, but now I better double-check at least one of them. The one with the Monorail behind her is definitely not Universal Studios!
Mike Cozart, I feel like I’ve let everyone down since I know that I am a hero to all GDB readers (note: stop sending me bags of money). But I’m just a regular Joe!
Melissa, my grandmother would have died at the thought of letting her “good china” get used at a kid’s birthday party. In fact, most of her best dishes sat unused for years, unless she had a dinner party. It was all too good for just the family.
Happy Birthday, Grant! May you enjoy your special day.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for the kind birthday wishes. I may be one of the quietest Jr. Gorillas (comment-wise) but I'm here every day and love being part of the coolest blog-family around.
ReplyDeleteA BIG thanks to Sue for remembering the day and to Major for mentioning it!
The kid's party pic is great. I wonder if the crooked-bangs cuts were on purpose? Hard to imagine seeing them and not fixing them.
I'm loving the pics of Hat Lady. My mom had a hat just like it in the 60s. Only her's was yellow. I'm sure she had a matching yellow dress too.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRANT! We hope your day is filled with everything that makes you happy!
ReplyDeleteSome kids have clown-themed birthday parties, some have super-hero-themed birthday parties...but we decided to throw you a Mysterious-Locations-With-Gray-Background-Walls-themed Party! Only the best for our Grant!
Maj, we also had a set of fancy china that only got used at Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving. Just talking about it, I can smell the inside of the china closet - wood, furniture polish, and dust. It had little tiny plates for individual butter pats instead of a butter dish, but we just repurposed one of the extra saucers. It broke piece by piece in various moves over the years until all we had left was the tureen we used for mashed potatoes, and that gave up the ghost when I was in college. I've spent years looking for the pattern online, but I suspect it was some off-brand piker model one of my relatives found at the dump or something, like the Corningware casserole the dog brought home or the Lufthansa fork nobody would admit to stealing off an airplane.
ReplyDeleteMajor-
ReplyDelete"Why does the hat belong on Perry Mason? It doesn’t really seem to be Perry’s style".
Oh, Major... someone in wardrobe had a grand time during the show's nine season run featuring 'unique' ladies hats. Just LOOK HERE, and HERE-! (That second hat was seen in more than one episode).
Happy Birthday Grant!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sue & Major for the photos today.
The birthday boy's bangs are also cut at an angle (although not as severe)- maybe the same person is responsible (?).
-DW
And a hearty Happy Birthday from me to you Grant! Virgos stick together.
ReplyDeleteI keep looking for Sue to be in one of these birthday pictures since she is the unofficial GDB 'Party Girl'.
Humm...china and a birthday party with children. What could go possibly wrong here?
The last two pictures of this lovely lady...she reminds me of a stewardess with that hat. Stylin'. KS
Ok kids!!! Down to the basement for a little cake and ALL THE 100% COLUMBIAN COFFEE you can drink!!
ReplyDeleteK. Martinez, hear hear!
ReplyDeleteGrant, I’m glad you checked in today! Yes, Sue found a real winner. I have the feeling that hats like the one on that lady (taller rather than wider) were in fashion for a while, into the late 1960s at least.
Lou and Sue, I thankfully never had a clown-themed birthday, and super heroes weren’t really a big deal back then. I just had plain old regular birthdays!
Melissa, after my grandma died, we emptied her cupboards, and there were entire sets of china patterns that I had never seen. Including some that my mom claimed were “rare and valuable”. NOBODY wants them these days, we have literally resorted to giving them away for free. So much for “rare and valuable”! One set had so many odd little dishes that we literally did not know what they were for. One was a “relish dish”, according to my mom. HUH?
Nanook, whoa, those really are some crazy hats!
DW, of course the girls have bangs as level as can be! Is it possible that some magazine proclaimed angled bangs as the “latest thing”??
KS, my sister bought whole sets of melamine plates and tumblers just for her kid’s parties. And they took plenty of abuse! But she still has all of them, it was a good plan. YES, a stewardess is a good call, in fact the headgear almost reminds me of what the “space stewardesses” wore in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Mike Cozart, ha ha, those kids would be bouncing off the walls!
Happy birthday Grant! With each day, we know you will just be looking ahead to the bathroom of tomorrow! I'll show myself out...
ReplyDeleteI feel like mom really tried here, nice party. Fancy chafing dishes, cake menagerie, and all. Guests look charmed. Hope it was a good day for you too Grant.
ReplyDeleteUniversal STUDIOS explains a lot. First of all I’m not smelling rubber snakes. Then our glamorous model is acting her heart out, as if she having a marvelous time… proto “Instagram” poses. ‘We didn’t need dialogue, we had Faces!’…well served and ideally lit, with nail polish perfectly matching the dress. Where would those shoulder bows be without the hat buckle? Nowhere! Now get SFX in here and erase those bra straps. Those demure pearls aren’t fooling anyone. Growl.
MS
Happy birthday Grant!
ReplyDeleteWarm regards of the day, sorry I’m late!
JG
Happy Birthday Grant! I aways enjoy your posts here at GDB.
ReplyDeleteMelissa, I think you're right; "morgue" seems more descriptive than "mausoleum".
ReplyDeleteMajor, I agree that basements are great for active, messy occasions. But they could have at least put a few decorations on the walls and some hanging from the ceiling. Given that Melissa and me think the place looks like a morgue, they could have strung some toe tags together to make festive garlands!
About angled bangs: up until the late '60s, boys often were given angled bangs, both, at the barbershop, and at home. The theory was that when the hair was parted and combed over to the side (with a tube of Brylcreem or two), the angle would make the hair lay properly. Of course, most boys never bothered to comb their hair to the side (with or without Brylcreem), so the result is funny angled bangs. Now you know.
Happy birthday, Grant!
ReplyDeleteI feel for those kids with the angled bangs. When I was ten, my family made our first pilgrimage to Florida and the Vacation Kingdom of the World. It was a two-week trip, and when it was over, my Air Force officer dad needed a haircut before returning to duty. On the last day of the trip back to the St. Louis area, we stopped at a little barber shop in downtown Paducah, Kentucky. We were the only customers for the only barber, an elderly, congenial man who reminded me a lot of Orville Redenbacher.
Since my dad was getting a haircut, we figured I might as well get one, too. When it came to my turn, the barber had the chair turned towards the mirror, and I kept raising and lowering my eyebrows and watching how it looked in the mirror, totally oblivious to the impact it was having on my bangs. When it was done, it looked like they had been finished with pinking shears.