Part III

Edith Head Design Sketches

Edith Head's favorite actress to dress was Grace Kelly.

To Catch a Thief

Circa 1955

Hedy Lamarr

Samson and Delilah

Circa 1949

Olivia de Havilland

The Heiress

Circa 1949

A stunning Edith Head creation

Audrey Hepburn

Sabrina

Circa 1954

Lucille Ball

The Facts of Life

Circa 1960

Kim Novak

Vertigo

Circa 1958

"I don't usually get into battles, but dressing Kim Novak for her role in Vertigo put to the test all my training in psychology."

Edith Head

Tippi Hedren

The Birds

Circa 1963

Bette Davis

All About Eve

Circa 1950

 

Part II

Audrey Hepburn

Roman Holiday

Circa 1953

Audrey Hepburn

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Circa 1961

Elizabeth Taylor

A Place in the Sun

Circa 1951

Elizabeth Taylor

A Place in the Sun

Circa 1951

Grace Kelly

Rear Window

Circa 1954

"I've dressed thousands of actors and actresses, but whenever I a asked which star is my personal favorite, I answer, 'Grace Kelly'.  She is a charming lady, a most gifted actress and, to me, a valued friend."

Edith Head

Jane Wyman

Lucy Gallant

Circa 1955

 

(1897-1981)

Part I

The U.S. Postal service issued a series of stamps in Feburary 2003 titled "American filmmaking Behind the Scenes", honoring the behind-the-scenes personnel who make movies.  Edith Head received posthumous recognition on a stamp honoring costume design.  

By 1938, Edith Head had become the first woman to be named chief costume designer at a major production company and it was clear that she was an original in her craft.  A decade later, in 1949, she received an Oscar, awarded for the burgundy silk velvet and taffeta two-piece tiered gown designed for Olivia de Havilland to wear as Catherine Sloper in The Heiress for which Olivia de Haviland won for Best Actress.

"Fashion is a language.  Some know it, some learn it, some never will .. like an instinct."

When asked about the most influential men in her life, Head would always reply ..

"There were eight of them, and they were all named Oscar."

Edith Head won eight Academy Awards for Best Costume Design out of 35 nominations during her legendary career.  The eight movies she won her Oscars for were The Heiress (1949), Samson and Delilah (1949), All About Eve (1950), A Place in the Sun (1951), Roman Holiday (1953), Sabrina (1954), The Facts of Life (1960) and The Sting (1973).  

 

Today marks the solemn 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001.

The human purpose of commemorating the 25th anniversary of 9/11 is mourning.  It's to keep in our hearts those who were killed because of forces they did not control.  It's to provide comfort to the families and neighborhoods who couldn't ever be the same.  For those of us who lived through it, it's to process the trauma.

Nearly 3,000 people were killed after four commercial airplanes were hijacked and crashed in three United States locations.  Countless more were injured and suffered deadly health consequences in the years following.  

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is a deeply moving cultural site in New York City that preserves the history and honors the victims.

On September 11, 2001, 343 firefighters from the New York City Fire Department and one New York Fire Patrol member made the ultimate sacrifice. Communities and fire departments nationwide hold memorial stair climbs matching the 110 stories of the World Trade Center.

We all remember where we were and what we were doing when America was attacked.

September 11, 2001. 

 

Dolly Parton's New Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Dolly received a brand-new star in September 2026 replacing her original 1984 marker at 6712 Hollywood Boulevard.

The original 42-year-old star was heavily worn by foot traffic.  

Fans have decorated the restored site with flowers and a turquoise butterfly placed over the center medallion as a nod to her connection with nature.  The non-profit Hollywood Historic Trust funded and managed the restoration and replacement work.  The same company has made all of them, more than 2,800 stars, since the Walk of Fame was dedicated in 1960.

"After grinding, sanding and polishing, the new star for the country music icon is back in its place with a fresh new look." 

Dolly chose the butterfly as her personal symbol because she felt a deep personal connection to their gentle, harmless and beautiful nature.  Growing up in the Great Smoky Mountains, young Dolly frequently wandered off chasing butterflies.

Oasis Diner

405 W. Main Street

Plainfield, Indiana 

"Great Food with a Side of History"

The Oasis Diner is a fully restored, authentic 1954 Mountain View Diner located on the Historic National Road.  Manufactured by Mountain View Diners in Signac, New Jersey it was shipped by railroad to Indiana in 1954. After closing in 2008 due to the owner's declining health it landed on Indiana Landmarks' 10 Most endangered list before being saved, restored and reopened. The retro landmark even made a cameo in a music video.

The Oasis features classic mid-century road trip charm with shiny stainless steel exteriors and cozy retro interior seating.  The diner provides a nostalgic family-friendly environment reminiscent of classic American roadside culture.  The staff features hand-crafted sodas like butterscotch root beer, thick milkshakes and hand-dipped ice cream and an on-site bakery.

Their menu includes classic comfort foods such as the Atlantic City Stuffed French Toast. The hand-breaded Indiana Tenderloin uses a recipe trusted for over 50 years and their Indianpolis Country Fried Breakfast is popular among all their customers. 

Pick a Stool!

The Mountain View Diner Company was a famous manufacturer of prefabricated diners founded by Les Daniel and Henry Strys in the Singac section of Little Falls, New Jersey.  Strys was an experienced local builder and contractor while Daniel had previously worked as a construction foreman for othre established diner-manufacuring operations.  Combing daniel's technical expertise in specialized dining car engineering with Strys's construction acumen they named the venture after the Mountain View section of Wayne, New Jersey which was Stry's hometown.  The founders separated themselves from local competitors by adopting a rigid, "scientific" manufacturing strategy.  They focused heavily on precision structural durability.

The company operated from 1938/1939 to 1957, selling diners that were shipped nationwide with the famous motto "A Mountain View Diner will last a lifetime".  Over 400 diners were constructed and shipped across the United States.  Pre-WWII models featured late Art Deco styling while post-war models embraced the popular Streamline Moderne look.  Following the war, Mountain View exploded in popularity.  They shifted entirely toward the Streamline Moderne style, embracing shiny stainless steel, prominent neon lighting and expansive glass facades.  By the 1950s, their aggressive sales techniques allowed them to outsell almost all other regional modular builders. 

In 1956, the company attempted to go public to raise capital for expansion.  However, the push failed and amidst shifting consumer preferences toward fast-food franchises, the company went out of business and officially ceased all production in 1957.  

Today, while many have been demolished, several surviving Mountain View Diners are highly sought after by preservationists and remain active landmarks.

The Oasis Diner is one of those active landmarks.  

Model #151

The footprint of a standard Mountain View model was long and thin, directly mimicking the silhouette of a railroad dining car.  The main section was built as one piece, while the secondary kitchen/support models were built separately and bolted together on-site. 

Mountain View models became instant landmarks on American highways due to a distinct visual language designed to catch the eyes of fast-moving motorists. 

Post-war blueprints swapped out heavy porcelain enamel for reflective steel and aluminum skin.  The company was famous for its ornamental metal detailing which included ribbed corner trims, raised geometric wall panels and articulated diamond patterns stamped into the metal surfaces. Their blueprints featured a continuous horizontal "ribbon" of large fixed plate-glass windows framed in aluminum.  This was anchored by a protruding central entry vestibule that naturally channeled foot traffic into the middle of the restaurant. To prevent the steel from looking too industrial, they integrated horizontal accent bands made of brightly colored laminates or ceramic tiles often utilizing shades like mint green, red or teal.

Stepping into a class Mountain View diner meant encountering a highly standardized,  layout designed for fast, high-volume food service. Parallel to the front windows ran a long service counter made of sleek Formica.  Bolted directly into the floor were heavy, stainless steel swivel stools. 

Directly behind the short-order cooking line stood a signature "quilted" metal wall.  This wall was not just aesthetic, it was highly reflective, fire-resistant and incredibly easy to wipe down.

Other Mountain View Diners made by the Mountain View Dining Car Company are Sally's Diner in Erie, PA, the Lake Effect Diner in Buffalo, New York, Crazy Otto's Empire Diner in Herkimer, New York and the Colonial Diner in Lyndhurst, New Jersey. 

Sally's Diner

25 Peninsula Drive

Erie, Pennsylvania

Manufactured in 1957 (Model #522).

This diner serves as an incredible example of structural preservation through relocation.  It served under several names across Pennsylvania before being moved to the entrance of Presque Isle State Park in 2003.

Lake Effect Diner

3165 Main Street

Buffalo, New York

Manufactured in 1955 (Model #446)

Originally operating in  Pennsylvania as teh Wayne Diner it was saved, relocated to Western New York in 2002 and meticulously restored.  It features a classic stainless steel exterior and was famously featured on the Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

Crazy Otto's Empire Diner

100 West Albany Street

Herkimer, New York

Manufactured in 1952 (Model #330)

A massive favorite among roadside preservationists it was voted a Reader's Choice best Upstate New York Diner.  It operates daily and still proudly showcases stunning neon illumination on its Streamline Modern metal skin at night.

Colonial Diner

27 Orient Way

Lyndhurst, New Jersey

Manufactured around 1948 or 1950 (Model #267)

While it has undergone modern modifications over the decades, this is one of the few prominent Mountain View models still operating commercially in the company's home state of New Jersey,

 

The Carousel Bar

Hotel Monteleone

214 Royal Street

New Orleans

Louisiana 

The Carousel Bar & Lounge is an historic 25-seat rotating bar located inside the Hotel Monteleone in the French Quarter.  Opened in 1949, it is New Orleans' first and only revolving bar.  The circular, 360-degree bar is housed inside an illuminated circus-themed merry-go-round that turns once every 15 minutes.  It features an old-school, swanky hotel lobby bar with a vintage fairground ride.  Legendary literary figures like Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams famously frequented the lounge.

Known for classic New Orleans staples like the Sazerac* cocktail alongside elevated craft drink menus.  The Vieux Carre, a classic New Orleans cocktail invented at the hotel in the 1930s is a classic, spirit forward (high alcohol content) alcoholic cocktail with a balanced, velvety texture. It features a blend of warm spice, herbal depth and rich fruit notes. The cocktail invented in 1938 by Walter Bergeron (the head bartender at the Monteleone's Swan Room) prior to the bar's carousel revamp, this classic drink remains the signature order.  It features a potent blend of rye whiskey, cognac, sweet vermouth, Benedictine and bitters.  

The name translates from French as "old square" which is the historic name for the city's French Quarter.  It is often described as a richer, more complex cousin of the traditional Manhattan. 

*The Sazerac is a classic, bold New Orleans cocktail made with rye whiskey or cognac, sugar, Peychaud's bitters and an absinthe glass rinse. It is served without ice and was officially recognized as the signature cocktail of New Orleans in 2008. The drink traces its roots back to the 1830s and 1840s in New Orleans credited to Creole apothecary Antoine Peychaud.  The Sazerac is similar to an Old Fashioned though it relies specifically on Peyshcaud's bitters rather than the standard Angostura bitters in an Old Fashioned. 

The Carousel Bar is most famous for the Vieux Carre cocktail. 

Under the Floor

A single motor still turns the two thousand rollers beneath the floor, moving the barstools on a track around a central stationary bar. In the hotels early days the adjoining lounge space hosted legendary performers like Liberace and Louis Prima.

When speaking of New Orleans one cannot go without mentioning the most famous "doughnut" in the city .. the beignet.  Specifically, it is the iconic French-style square pastry piled high with powdered sugar from Cafe Du Monde. One must order a beignet with coffee and chicory.* Folks in the Big Easy have been enjoying these sweet delights since 1862.

*New Orleans-style coffee and chicory is a dark, nutty brew made by mixing roasted coffee beans with the dried, roasted root of the chicory plant.  Chicory is used in coffee by roasting and grinding the root which is then brewed alone or blended with coffee grounds to add a wood, nutty and caramel-like flavor while reducing caffenine.  It is commonly used in New Orleans-style coffee typically mixed in a ratio of 1 part chicory to 2 parts coffee. The traditional preparation is often served as a "cafe au lait" mixed with steamed milk.  Because chicory is more water-soluble than coffee, a little goes a long way offering a richer, less acidic brew.  

The original Cafe Du Monde is located at 800 Decatur Street directly across the street from Jackson Square in the historic French Market.