And the Violins Played On

Before returning home from my annual Christmas visit to Small Hometown, USA, I (naturally) laid waste to the local thrift shops and ended up shepherding a whole flock of gorgeous vintage items back with me to Big City, USA. The rush that overcomes a thrifter in the midst of a fruitful search has since been replaced, however, by palpable panic, as I'm not sure how I'll ever find the time or energy to list this most recent booty. OH, to have such problems, right?!?

Pictured Above: Nine (2007) by Guerra de la Paz, currently on display at The Saatchi Gallery in London

Pictured Above: Vintage hats recently listed in ye old shoppe (as modeled by the ever lovely Kat Bowls)

Not Gifted

Scene at the post office today:

ME: Man! You guys are pretty busy for a Tuesday. Folks must be returning Christmas gifts, eh?

USPS CLERK (with seriousness befitting a funeral director): No, you cannot return gifts here. This is the post office.

ME: M'kay. Thanks.

Gifted

My apologies, Gentle Reader, for my egregious absence from das blogosphere over the holiday season. As I'm sure most of you can appreciate, I was fantastically busy cursing the muttonheaded drivers clogging America's failing highway system, arguing with my family about important topical issues like universal healthcare and the relative tastiness of Tofurkey, and hastily putting the shine on the one and only gift I gave: two original collages by Portland-based artist Vivienne Strauss, whose Etsy shop I've been sweet on for some time. I think The Boy quite liked his gifts, particularly since they came with the promise of unrestricted display...

Smart

Does This Make Me Look Fat?

As I am marginally confident that The Boy will not read this entry before his birthday in four days, I feel safe linking you to this, his gift, which is currently en route from Latvia. Viva la internetz!

A Very Avant Christmas

I found the perfect Christmas present for The Boy while searching through mixed media assemblages on etsy, but, alas, it is unavailable and by now presumably adorning the home of some other quasi-bourgeois 30-something intent on starting her art collection.

Ah, well. There's still this lovely piece that I've been eyeing for literally three months. Too bad The Boy does not share my enthusiasm for its clever surrealist treatment of life in a post-9/11 world. (I just made up that interpretation, by the way.):

A Sassy Moment

This post comes at the behest of Amanda of Rust Belt Threads, who yesterday tweeted, "more pics of your dog plz!". We, of course, are happy to oblige, and we are happy to report that since her last appearance on das blog, Ms. Mae has lost all of the unhealthy weight she managed to accumulate during the first two bacon and cheese-filled years of her life in mother Huzzah's care. Now she is "sassy" in a different way. A slender way.

The fawn-colored gentleman on the right is Sassy Mae's best friend and housemate, Ollie. Ollie is a classic dog who enjoys drinking out of the toilet, noshing on cat poop of mysterious origin and rolling around in dirt--all things which Ms. Mae, as a purebred, finds curious and somewhat unbecoming of her puppy friend. As we've never lived with a classic dog, we also find this behavior odd...but endearing, like an old sitcom!

(We sincerely regret that this video is as dull as it is.)

Shop Update

We here at Huzzah! bought a grip of vintage dresses over the weekend at the estate of a banker's wife/hoarder that we are figuratively frothing at mouth to soak and photograph for you. In the meantime, please browse the motley crew of goodies culled from the archives of mother Huzzah!, nanna Huzzah! and the mothers and nannas of giving strangers: 

(ps: Most of these items are still available in the shop, and those that are can be shipped NEXT DAY until Dec. 21 in case you're still looking for that perfect one-of-a-kind-you-clearly-spent-time-thinking-of-me-because-I'm-special-to-you gift ;0)

Clever, Yes...Crafty, No

Upon reading about DIY snowglobes over at Alex Keller's blaaag, and noting how incredibly simple the whole project seemed, I decided that I'd like to assemble my own magical winter wonderland in miniature.

Oh well, I tried:

Happy Festivus.

BEEP BEEP ~ It's Huzzah! Radio

Life at the Huzzah! compound has been far too quiet since we bid farewell to KRUI (and before that, KALX), so we've decided to test the brave new world of Internet podcasting by putting together a streaming playlist of some of our current favorite jams. Stripping our music of copyright protections so that it may be uploaded and streamed is a far more baroque process than we had anticipated, so we'll see how long this lasts. In the meantime, work. it. out. gentle reader.

Lookin Good From The Front

Last night we here at Huzzah! had the fine pleasure of meeting Sarah of LooksGood live and direct at Oakland's fantastic mall-ternative craft bazaar. Naturally, we wanted everything at her booth, but couldn't abscond with it all (if only because others were scooping things up right out from under our noses). We did manage to leave the event with a number of swell items, though, including an insanely twee LooksGood headband that satisfies our peculiar urge to appear even more elfin than we already are, some incense to help mask the massive amount of pot smoke that fills our flat whenever the hippies downstairs aren't sleeping, and the business card of a local confectionist that makes the most incredible dark chocolate and sea salt squares we've ever tasted. We also came upon a wonderfully ironic baby onesie with the Wu-Tang logo on it that might find its way to some special ankle-biters on the east coast (both of whom, incidentally, ain't nuttin' to f***k with).

PS: Don't forget to enter the LooksGood giveaway by Dec. 14 if you haven't already!

Dad's "Diamond" Birthday

Father Huzzah! turned 60 over the weekend, so The Boy and I zoomed down to the valley for the night to help celebrate. We had a lovely time delicately ribbing dad about his new vintage, and we were reminded of our own by my young niece and nephew, who seem to have limitless amounts of energy and verve. Ah, to be young and so pure of intent that when you ask grandma why she has so many 'scratches' on her face (!), you're merely patted on the head and given more cake. 

My sister-in-law made this incredible cake to celebrate my dad's love of classic Mustangs (and the fall of the American auto industry, I think). 

You're why mommy drinks, kids. (KIDDING, natch. maybe?)

A "new" one for the always funny "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks.

The Boy, as seen through two probably incredibly filthy retro condiment squirters.

The remains of my largely inedible "omelette."

My Bloated Bourgeois Christmas List

When we here at Huzzah! decided a little less than a decade ago that we'd like to live the life of the mind, we didn't realize at the time that we were effectively also resolving to live the life of the pauper. We have it much better than most, of course, but let's just say that folks who earn a living wage typically don't include shampoo and conditioner readily available at CVS on their "fantasy" Christmas wishlists. We're just sayin'...

Pictured Above (Top L - R):

Swedish Moped

J.Crew Crystal and Pearl Pastiche Bracelet

J.Crew Gold Coin Skirt

Pureology shampoo and conditioner

Jo Malone Nutmeg and Ginger Cologne

Miz Mooz Soho Pump

Miz Mooz Jonas Heel

iPhone

Funny Face

Pictured Above: The growing stable of cartoon characters to which I have been likened over the course of my adult life

The Boy and I were at dinner over the weekend when, upon returning from the ladies' room, I was abruptly stopped by a woman and her tweener daughter at a nearby table. It seems they were overcome by the urge to notify me of my uncanny resemblance to Velma of Scooby Doo fame.

"Ah, yes, the quintessential nerd girl," I replied with feigned empathy, "I suppose it's the bangs and glasses, right? Hey, how is that carne asada?"

Perhaps sensing the contempt dripping from my voice (though certainly not understanding its very primal origin in my distaste for anything that keeps me from my food), the mother-daughter brain trust started uncomfortably clucking about how "cool" and "hip" Velma really is.

"She's the best one!" the elder chowderhead clucked.

"She always solves the crime," added junior.

As my blood sugar dropped and my patience thinned, I replied en route to my seat, "Rokay! Well then who was that hippy, bespeckled girl opposite Daphne?"

END SCENE

(You may not be surprised to learn, Gentle Reader, that my cheese enchiladas tasted rather unfortunately like regret that night. When will I learn...?)

Holla Day Giveaway!!

The only way that we here at Huzzah! could be any more excited about this ace giveaway from Sarah of Looks Good is if we could enter it ourselves (particularly because we just made the once yearly mistake of blunt cutting our own bangs and could really use something pretty to 'redirect' the eye). Alas and of course, we are not eligible; this, Gentle Reader, is all about you. 

YOU deserve some hair candy, darn it, and Sarah is handcrafting some of the best girly smack around (and in Oakland, near the Huzzah! compound, no less!).

Because Sarah is so rad--and because we both agree that my readers could rock the HAIL out of any of her accessories--she's graciously offering up her fabulously dramatic yet gorgeously understated "Joan" Birdcage Veil (pictured below) to one insanely lucky reader. Keep calm and read on for entry details...

To enter for your chance to win, simply leave a comment on this post any time between now and Dec. 14, 2009 about your worst haircut ever. Be sure to include your email address so that we may contact you in the event that you are the winner!

For additional entries (and thus more chances to win):

• Tweet about this giveaway!: Each tweet entitles you to leave one additional comment for one additional chance to win. Tweet as many times as you like. Simply leave a comment for each tweet that you broadcast. Be sure to include a link to that tweet in your comment.

• Blog about this giveaway!: A blog entry entitles you to leave two additional comments for two additional chances to win. Be sure to include a link to the blog post in each of your two additional comments/entires.

• Purchase something from the LooksGood shop!: Any purchase between Monday, Dec. 7 and Monday, Dec. 14 nets you five additional comments for five additional chances to win. Be sure to include the transaction ID in each of your five comments/entries. (Convo Sarah of LooksGood if you can't find the transaction ID!)

No purchase necessary to win. Shipping will be provided by LooksGood. This giveaway is open to Huzzah! readers worldwide. Entries will be accepted up until Dec. 14, 2009 at 11:00 p.m. PST. The winner will be chosen at random by an online number picker and notified via email.

Shop Update: The Trappings of Femininity

We here at Huzzah! have vintage spilling out of every closet like ectoplasm from a penniless medium. We've got hats, purses, shoes, gloves, dresses and even slips (slips!!?!) giving us the side-eye every time we walk by the library/studio, so it's time that we get to posting and you get to buying. EVERYONE, MUSH!

The Hairpiece You Don't Hide

While sitting in front of the teevee, plucking all of the cashews from the mixed nuts and half-heartedly watching the Bill Murray abortion Stripes (1981) on AMC, it occurred to me that I'd like to have a nice 'statement' hairpiece. Since we don't wear feathers or fur, we've whittled the list down to these gorgeous specimens. (We're assuming the last may be custom ordered with faux feathers ~ ah, the beauty of small-batch handmade shops!)

Pictured Above (Top - Bottom):

1. via LooksGood

2. via Shira Keret Design (while it's not particularly practical to wear blown glass on one's head, I can't help but appreciate the cleverness!)

3. via LiveInStyle

4. via meganleone

5. via PinkTigersDen