Ultra Swank - Playful lifestyle, music and design adventures: June 2007

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Retro Shopping Volume 2 - Shopping Spree

It is summer and hot again. Why not return to the nice temperature controlled environment inside the malls one more time? Browse all the exotic goods from all over the world, walking up and down the isles in a dreamy waltz while the soft music echoes through the muzak system and then grab a bite to eat at one of the convenient placed coffee shops. This compilation is the continuation of my 'Retro Shopping' series. The first one was released in July last year and became very popular among the Ultra Swank visitors. The second one features the same kind of happy, cheerful, instrumental easy going music that was played in malls during the 50s and 60s. As a bonus I have included a special montage with shopping related jingles and commercials, just to help you get in the mood. Grab it while supplies last! Feedback is as always appreciated.

(Thank you Keith from Malls of America for use of the postcards)

01. K. Palmer - Shopping Spree
02. Laurie Johnson - Happy-Go-Lucky
03. The Metro Strings - Party Time
04. Walter Stott - Rotten Row
05. J. Beaver - Workaday World
06. Anthony Mawer - Countrywide
07. Billy May - Brassmen's Holiday
08. John Seeley & William Loose - Light Movement #1
09. Roger Roger - En Carriole
10. The World's Fair 1964 - Background Music #1
11. The Metro Strings - Travel
12. Bob Cobert - To Tell The Truth
13. K. Palmer - Holiday Playtime
14. Ivor Slaney - Highlight
15. Walter Scharf - Rita
16. K. Palmer - Hackney Carriage
17. Unknown Artist - Music For Children's Activities
18. Peter Yorke - Micrometer
19. Ivor Slaney - Dresden Blue
20. Robert Farnon - Sophistication Waltz
21. Anthony Mawer - Painted Carousels
22. Robert Farnon - Mr. Punch
23. Roger Roger - Pleasure Drive
24. Philip Green - Miami Beach
25. Bonus Track - Attention All Shoppers

Download via WW Download

Labels: compilations, music

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Retro Stockholm

Since it is summer and very warm outside I am feeling kind of lazy. But I thought I would post two summer inspired photos depicting how Stockholm looked back in the late 1960s / early 1970s. It looks pretty much the same today, except the color of the train station which has been replaced. Enjoy!

Stockholm, Skärholmen (suburb)

Stockholm, The main train station

Labels: photos, stockholm

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Eero Saarinen

This is a continuation of my posts about my favourite architects from the golden days of architecture (this one is for you janepeepshow). Second up is Eero Saarinen, originally born in Finland in 1910. Relocated to the United States when his family emigrated there in 1923, where he began to study sculpture and furniture design. Saarinen however pursued his ambition to become an architect, his resume contains over 20 buildings.

My favorite Saarinen buildings are the TWA Flight Center at JFK Kennedy Airport in New York and the Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C. The Trans World Airlines terminal at JFK is out of this world. The building was built for TWA in 1962 and is totally ultra futuristic and cool. "It was the first airline terminal to have closed circuit television, a central p/a system, baggage carousels, an electronic schedule board..." (source). It has become a landmark which has been featured in many movies, like 'Catch Me if You Can' and 'Death Wish'. The interior looks so swank and futuristic, it is really the essence of what modern jet travel was about in the 1960s. Too bad that they do not build airports like this any longer.

When TWA was bought by American Airlines in 2001 the building fell into decline and was decommissioned. It has then been used as a exhibition center for various events until 2005 when Jet Blue started constructing its new terminal next to it which will incorporate Saarinen's ultra cool building as a front.

Related links
More photos of the TWA Terminal 5 building