Chicago World’s Fair
“Big-shot town, small-shot town, jet-propelled old-fashioned town, by old-world hands with new-world tools built into a place whose heartbeat carries farther than its shout, whose whispering in the night sounds less hollow than its roistering noontime laugh: they have built a heavy-shouldered laughter here who went to work too young.” Nelson Algren, Chicago: City on the Make If you read our earlier missive on Chicago you learned about a town that began as a desolate fur trading outpost in the 1800’s which grew to become a city of industry, the nation’s railroad hub, and cradle of...
Read MoreChicago
Oh Chicago, where to begin? Trying to describe the city is akin to eating an elephant in one bite – overwhelming and impossible. Chicago has been called audacious, gritty, tenacious, and rugged, as well as heroic, epic, splendid, and irresistible. Poet Carl Sandburg captured her synergy best in his poem Chicago, when he claimed the ‘City of Big Shoulders’ is “a chant of defiance…defiance of New York, Boston, Philadelphia, London, Paris, Berlin and Rome. The poem sort of says “Maybe we ain’t got culture, but we’re eatin’ regular.” Hmmmm. I take umbrage...
Read MoreA New Year’s Greeting
I am the New Year. I am an unspoiled page in your book of time. I’m your next chance at the art of living. For many of us the thought of a new year contains the elements of both sunshine and shadow. Most of us hope for new beginnings, but no one wants to encounter the disappointment of unmet resolutions. Certainly it’s wise to take stock, but must we dwell on improving and perfecting yet again? For the moment, let’s just be grateful that we’re here to turn the page, and welcome with open arms whatever adventure lies ahead. Let’s celebrate the gift of twelve months of wonder, surprises,...
Read MoreWinter Wonderland Wedding
“Moonlight, white satin, roses. A bride.” Angela Carter, The Magic Toyshop Although May and June have always been popular choices for weddings, December isn’t far behind. There’s nothing more inspiring than coming in from the cold to a glorious candlelight wedding, then later exiting into a starlit night to wish the couple on their way. I recall witnessing a wedding years ago where a couple glided away in a horse drawn sleigh. As the cheering died down, you could hear sleigh bells jingling far into the distance. At 22” square, this antique wedding handkerchief is, to me, spectacular. ...
Read MoreDon’t Cry Rudolph
Even if a lady rarely received a handkerchief for a gift, come Christmastime, every mother, sister, daughter, aunt, mother-in-law, teacher, tutor, and favorite friend could count on Santa gracing her stocking with a beautiful embroidered hankie, or if she were really lucky, a boxed set of hankies under the tree. A full page ad in The Saturday Evening Post, December 5, 1953, features a wreath of Irish Linen handkerchiefs – embroidered, monogrammed, and more. They made the recipient feel like a lady, feminine and cherished. (An ad on the reverse for the “Magnificent Magnavox high...
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