Charles’ 
Slide of the Week: September 21st, 2006
The Kitchen, Florida 1960
The somewhat larger than life cutout oranges say Florida. He looks happier than she does and hold what might, just very well be, an empty milk glass cold cream jar.
I wonder if she knitted his sensible sweater vest. Whoever knitted it made it too short. It’s the thought that counts.
Whoever did the interior designer work here is clearly gifted. Various utensils hang harmoniously up and down like the musical notes of a song. The white wooden cabinet doors double as a craft gallery. Among the centered fish decals are four crocheted pieces include a blonde doll being hung and a useful and decorative rose (like the half-breed wine) grape hot pad made by crocheting over bottle caps.
Corporate Americana would be proud of the product placement here. On a make-shift, hang-on shelf a box of Brillo pads is haphazardly placed on top of the upside-down glasses, including a purple anodized aluminum tumbler missing from its multi-colored mates. That optimistic Brillo font is instantly recognizable. Just below “Mr. Short-Vest’s” left arm is the neck and cap of a Heinz Ketchup bottle. The Heinz’s first served their salted, sweetened and color enhanced tomato-based goop in 1876. Sitting ready to be used on the countertop is Americana’s favorite deep frying agent, Crisco. The fine folks at Proctor and Gamble proudly introduced those handle-less paint cans of grease in 1911.
I’m sure that we all have the urge to deep fry more often but fear what it will do to the walls surrounding our cook top. This slide is indeed a fine example of what happens when you fry too much. The evidence goes way beyond the Crisco spatter and fume-saturated wax paper tacked to the walls. The walls themselves seem to have been deep fried.
Here’s to the too-short vest, Brillo, Heinz and everything deep-fried in Crisco,
Charles Phoenix
Los Angeles
September 2006
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17 Comments on “The Kitchen, Florida 1960”
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September 21st, 2006 at 11:47 pm
Oh, this is by far the best slide yet! I love each and every one of them, but this is my absolute favorite of all! Thanks, and keep up the fabulous work!!
September 22nd, 2006 at 12:20 am
It looks like Doc and Lola Delaney finally gave up looking for little Sheba and retired to Boynton Beach.
September 22nd, 2006 at 5:35 am
That discoloration on the walls looks familiar. In my childhood home, my Mom cooked with Crisco and she smoked alot. I bet you that the walls are covered with nicotine. Mrs. Interior Designer is probably scowling because the photographer interupted her smoking time.
September 22nd, 2006 at 6:27 am
Besides fryin’, looks like choppin’ was another pastime in her kitchen. The pull-out cutting board under the counter looks to have been chopped narrower than originally made.
September 22nd, 2006 at 8:22 am
Aloha good friend. ! Welcome back to L.A.-ana. WOW so Aunt Myrtle here looks upset! And what is up with the Cold Cream? As usual Charles, you seem to find the shots that are worth a thousand and one words. And you have them ! Crisco ! I remember that specifc smell from the oven. I wonder if these Floridians ever went to that famous Tiki joint? I think Aunt Myrtle needs a drink. But Uncle Short Sweater looks like he ready to party and get his facial. See you soon Charles.
September 22nd, 2006 at 9:10 am
This one calls for a SUPERSIZE enlargement to see all that wonderful detail. My husband accuses me of being inspired by Eutruscans (having fear of unused space) while decorating my kitchen, but at least it’s not deep fried.
September 22nd, 2006 at 9:27 am
They look like my parents, who are now in their 80’s, whose marriage was based on intense sexual chemistry.
September 22nd, 2006 at 9:53 am
Why no comments about Mother’s, aka The Knitter,
thoughtful choice of dress to complement Mr. Short Vest’s plaid shirt?
September 22nd, 2006 at 1:48 pm
Top-Shelf Decorator Charles!
How I love that tiny vest! Mr. Short Vest is a delight — his facial expression really speaks about his personality: fun, frivolous, and a bit silly. Adorable! I regret to say that Grim Granny perhaps doesn’t impart such cheer and happiness with her visage, but she has been tethered to a marriage that has clearly defined itself along the lines of “deep fry everything, dear” so I’ll forgive her. I would also like to think the jaunty spatula display is her doing. Grandpa Tiny Sweater isn’t the only joker in the house!
When I see such an inspirational couple taking risks with their design choices, I am reminded to visit again the _Ladies’ Home Journal Book of Interior Decoration_ (1957). What finery awaits the reader on its glossy pages! And what fine advice! This book is a rigorous trip through the history of decoration and design yet it is also a guide for the everyday homemaker, like Grandma Happy Housedress, who wants to elevate her interiors to emulate the frippery of the country’s wealthiest citizens!
Looking at the opening paragraphs, in fact, I’m convinced that Crisco Lover, And What’s It To Ya? most definitely has this particular design guide in her home library. Let’s take a look:
“Today, we are all kings and noblemen, patrons of the arts, educated and cultured personages. Anything that happens anywhere in the world is known to us in a matter of minutes. We learn the history and traditions of other peoples, ancient and modern, as well as our own, in our childhood. Magazines, books, manufacturers, advertisers, the radio, television, and movies bring new ideas, inventions, materials, and conveniences to our attention every day. The problem becomes one of making a choice among this wealth of possibilities.”
I might interject here that I believe the wealth of possibilities (and the inability to choose between them!) are reflected in Spatulas and Doodads’ “Cabinet of Hanging Knickknacks”. Why pick one crocheted pot holder when you can have two? One fish? How about four? It’s an understandable problem given the goods we’re speaking of!
“Suddenly we realize that we have no more excuse for drab, uninteresting houses that just grew. We want to make our homes attractive, inviting, and pleasant. What to do? Our common sense, which is the most important ingredient of interior decorating, tells us to find out everything we can about how to improve our homes and then get to work.”
We certainly don’t have a drab or uninteresting house here! Plus, I bet you Granny Stern and Firm is probably an excellent cook (given the evidence just in this slide!) and thus she fills the house with two kinds of good taste. And an abundance of it!
Oh am I inspired to do some decorating myself this weekend. Where in the devil is my crocheted toaster cozy? And where are my slotted spoons? Whither my kitchen doll?
xoxo!
Miss Sharon
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:12 pm
Say it isn’t so! So there is another Aunt Gertrude and Uncle Arlon! At least this is who these two remind me of. Ironically, Uncle Arlon worked at an orange growing ranch his entire life;Gertrude was the young love of his life. They are long gone but the picture reminds me of their simple life and surroundings. Maybe we don’t really want to know what the Crisco was used for. TMI… TMI!!!
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:28 pm
Maybe Pa’s missing finger was the result of eating from Ma’s plate once too often. Really. Blow up the photo and you’ll see that’s industrial Crisco in the gallon size with a handle!
September 22nd, 2006 at 9:34 pm
Oooops! I neglected to mention what looks to be a sticky fly catcher strip hanging as the centerpiece of the room. Hanging from the light fixture its so well lit!
September 26th, 2006 at 4:18 pm
It’s Ma and Pa Kettle! Hey Charles, read your new book. It’s great. I’m going to be asking for some of your books for Christmas. Keep up the good work.
September 28th, 2006 at 12:43 pm
Oh those wonderful memories of 50’s kitchens. Also note the black electrical cord (for deep fryer) thats draped on the wall and surely plus into the one or two outlets that were supplied on elctric stove tops. One electrical wall outlet was the standard in the 50’s…….I am sure they didn’t have a Princess phone either….
September 29th, 2006 at 2:19 pm
Hey Charles, I love your slides and have passed your site on to my mom. But hon, you mispelled *kitchen* on the slide itself
LVX,
Abbey
January 20th, 2007 at 5:25 am
Mid-century “American Gothic”
November 4th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
And, let’s not leave out the 8″ Revere Ware frying pan - de rigeur for 1960, certainly. Those utensils would have wobbly, painted wood handles. Eventually, the whole outfit dries out so much that the lead paint chips off into the scrambled eggs. Ahh…don’t you yearn for days when not a thought was given to what was “safe” or “good for you?”