Life – Page 3 – Just a Modern Guy

December 10, 2008

Getting Back on Track

What a crazy couple of weeks it has been. Since my last post seems like the train jumped the tracks and I’m now working to get back on schedule.

I could blame it on turning 50 last week, or on the horrible infection I got that required massive amounts of antibiotics, or more simply on the fact it is the Holiday season and my routine has been broken. I am a creature of habit and getting out of my normal routine generally puts me behind.

Beginning today and over the next two weeks watch for the annual Just A Modern Guy’s Holiday Gift Guide here – each day at least one great gift idea for the person on your list who loves vintage modern design, art or just really cool and unique things. I’ve also run across some really great vintage mid-century modern furniture lately and will be posting some about those as well.

Mainly, I’ll be just getting back on track.

November 27, 2008November 27, 2008

Black Friday @ The Purple Moon

If you are among the people who believe the Friday after Thanksgiving is the time to do your Holiday shopping then I hope you’ll pay a visit to The Purple Moon at 906 Quarrier Street tomorrow. Opening at 8 a.m. for those early-bird shoppers or after a quick breakfast at First Watch we will be open through 8 p.m. for the monthly ArtWalk.

Specials galore and the most relaxed shopping environment you will find this season await you at The Purple Moon.

In these economic times, the modern lady and I urge you to shop locally, if not at our place then at one of the many “home grown” establishments available in Charleston. You will find great, unique gifts while supporting our locally economy which will make for a wonderful holiday season all around our community.

We wish you a very happy Thanksgiving!

November 24, 2008

Downtown Charleston ArtWalk Friday November 28th

The ArtWalk is the showcase of Downtown Charleston’s thriving art scene. Join us for an evening of art, wine and fun on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

A great event to brinig your Holiday out-of-town guests and family to show off Charleston!

ArtWalk venues for November are:

Art Emporium
Callen McJunkin Gallery
Chet Lowther Studio
Clay Center
Gallery Eleven
Good News Mountaineer Garage
Stray Dog Antiques
Taylor Books – Annex Gallery
The Purple Moon

For more information visit the ArtWalk website.

November 20, 2008November 20, 2008

Lushpad – New Online Marketplace for Modern Collectors

Lushpad – New online marketplace for modern collectors

Looking for top-of-the-line modern furnishings, art and accessories online then go to Lushpad. This newly launched marketplace will make you salivate for all of the mid-century modern and contemporary goodies on sale there.

Just launched last August Lushpad already has a devoted group of higher-end sellers including The Purple Moon. You can see my listings here.

Simple, elegant and easy to navigate and use a stop by Lushpad should be in your future if you are as crazy about modern design as I am.

November 20, 2008November 20, 2008

Bonanzle – Everything but the Ordinary

The new online marketplace Bonanzle is part social network, part buying and selling venue and all around a great new place to visit online. Bonanzle is the only website I have found which appears to have what Ebay had years ago but is lacking now – and more!

The site allows sellers to set up booths to place their wares and buyers, while visiting booths will often find the sellers there and have the ability to chat live with them. As items are not sold in an auction format, but for flat (and often negotiable!) prices, this allows for questions about particular items or even haggling to occur. At times sellers schedule a “Bonanza” where items are marked down and usually great deals can be had – there is almost always a Bonanza of some sort going on. The fees charged to sellers are simple and much lower than other sites and listing items is so simple anyone can do it.

I could go on and on but instead I’ll show you some of the great items you can find on Bonanzle:

Howard Pierce Giraffe Figurines in Treasurehunt730’s booth

Blenko #877 Candle Holder Set in Leslinka9’s booth

And, of course, I’m trying it out and have opened a booth and have, among other things, this listed:

Hollywood Ceramics Gazelle Television Lamp in amodernguy’s booth.

I hope you’ll pay a visit to Bonazle and check it. After all, Ebay is just so 1999!

November 4, 2008

I’m Just a Modern Guy and I Endorse This Message

Change – Bask – 2008

Yes we can! Please vote.

October 30, 2008October 30, 2008

Trick or Treat – Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein

Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein – One Sheet – 1974

This cult classic from writer/director Paul Morrissey and producer Andy Warhol follows the ill-fated attempts of Dr. Frankenstein (Udo Kier) to create a racially pure master race of zombies by mating a perfect woman (Dalila Di Lazzaro) to a perfect man. Unfortunately, in choosing a head for his male subject, the misinformed doctor makes a rather unfortunate selection.

Much hilarity ensues…

Not really, but a fair amount of sex and gore. This film is not for your basic red-state viewer.

Titled Flesh for Frankenstein in non-US releases and on the more recent DVD release this film was done back-to-back with Blood for Dracula which also was a Morrissey film done in “collaboration” with Warhol.

Warhol actually had limited involvement in the production of these films unlike many of the earlier Factory movies.

I watched this movie last night on FLIXe and must say it is one the better films of Mary Shelley’s story of reanimation, although with a considerable amount of sex and bizarre behavior thrown in. Morrissey captures the essence of the tale while at the same time both honoring and parodying Italian film making in the genre of Fellini.

I’ve had this one sheet from the 1974 film for quite some time and it now is decorating the front window of The Purple Moon for Halloween.

October 30, 2008October 30, 2008

Just a Modern Guy at One Year

A Modern Guy’s First First Birthday – December 1, 1959

Today marks the first birthday of the Just a Modern Guy blog. I began this, as I do many things, just to see how it works. What I have learned after a year is that it works only if I work on it and, most importantly, only if people visit here and find some value in what they find.

While obviously an extension of The Purple Moon, the little vintage gallery the modern lady and I own and operate, I have tried to utilize this site as a place to expand on, rather than sell, our vintage products. I’ve also learned to just have some fun, be a bit creative, and sometimes this has led this site a little beyond it’s original mission. I offer no apologies for posts which may have seemed “off topic”. Frankly, after reviewing all of the posts from this past year, in my opinion they all seem to fit in one way or another under the broad heading of Vintage Style for Modern Living.

Some obvious thanks are in order. First, thank you to my loving wife and partner who has suffered through my pecking on the computer in the wee hours. I also want to thank the other bloggers out there who have shared their experiences, suggestions and space on their blogrolls. My friends at 304blogs deserve special mention for their outstanding work making not only this site but many others more accessible and manageable.

Finally, I want to thank everyone who has passed through this little corner of the web. I’ve been surprised not by the number who have come but by the friendships we have built and the stories you have shared with me. It’s been enough to keep me going – at least for another year!

October 22, 2008October 22, 2008

Somewhere in Time Antique Mall – Nitro, WV

Somewhere in Time Antique Mall – Nitro WV

When the modern lady and I first began our venture into the selling of vintage items we opened a booth at Somewhere in Time Antique Mall in Nitro, West Virginia. First and foremost though we have been loyal customers of this fine establishment which is, in my opinion, one of the finest places for locating vintage collectibles in the area.

With nearly 100 booths there is always a treasure or two to discover. Owner Wayne Fleshman has a great understanding of the antiques business and mall staff Sherry and the camera-shy Kay are two of the most pleasant people we have ever had the pleasure of dealing with.

In fact, after we moved The Purple Moon last spring to our new gallery space we discovered a vast amount of inventory which was much better suited for an antique mall setting and began stocking a booth at Somewhere in Time again. It has been a real pleasure to be back there as dealers and gives an outlet for the items we have which do not fit our very specialized mid-century modern downtown shop.

We heartily recommend to a trip to Somewhere in Time at 307-21st Street in Nitro for anyone looking to add to their collections or simply to take a stroll down memory lane. It’s a trip you won’t be sorry you made.

Tell them A Modern Guy sent you!

A plethora of antiques, collectibles and artifacts