What Winter Once Was: Winter X Games 1940 (Reshown)

Photo Credit: Library of Congress. Farm Credit Administration, Office of War Information Collection

Trailer Trad Living: My Funny Friend Ke

For the first time after 450 blog posts (believe or not), I would like to introduce you to a real person, not more antiques and vintage clothes. Everyone, meet my beautiful, funny friend Ke.

Trailer Trad Grooming: Al Dente!

Who are more known for craftsmanship and beauty in products than Italians? Need I mention Brioni suits, bridle-bit Gucci loafers, Salvatore Farragamo silk ties? They are also pretty good at stuff like painting chapels. And what organization produces more great, clean design than an air force? Ever heard of a little contraption called a Spitfire? So something designed and manufactured for the Italian Air Force must epitomize beautiful form and function.

Behold my new Italian Air Force toothbrushes. Manufactured by Ponzini (sounds so much better than 'Reach' or whatever, doesn't it) in the late 1990s, the generous heads are large and full of long bristles.
They have features that you can't find in modern toothbrushes. They are white. Just white. They don't have weird  contorted shapes to make them appear more technologically advanced than they are. Let's face it. Toothbrushes are not that different than when George Washington had dentures made of bone, leather and wood. Honest design is trad design and these white, utilitarian (with the just the right amount of marine blue) toothbrushes are nice little luxuries.

 

Trailer Trad Living: New Year, New Friends and New Food (Traditional, Old World Lasagna)

Over the Holidays, a friend taught me a great traditional recipe for lasagna. The family recipe is hundreds of years old and is often served at Christmas. She says that a touch of cinnamon is sprinkled for a seasonal touch-What's more trad than that! 

Here it goes according to my good friend from Boston. 

If tomatoes are not fresh or in season, use a decent large of can of crushed tomatoes. Either use twelve tomatoes lightly boiled in water to make them easy to skin. If tomatoes are out of season, use two large cans of crushed tomatoes.

In a large sauce pot, cook at least six Italian sausages. Lightly brown the sausage in a few teaspoons of butter. Add several bulbs of garlic and a whole chopped onion until translucent. Add crushed tomatoes and a half cup of water. Simmer for a minimum of five hours covered.

Most people boil their lasagna pasta beforehand. -Waste of time and energy. Dish sauce into a pan. Place lasagna (uncooked) and cover with Ricotta (16 oz). Add two eggs and one tablespoon of Parmesan.

Layer Ricotta, pasta and gravy until five layers. Bake at 350 for an hour.

Trailer Trad Tunes: Winter 2014 Playlist

Wintersleep "Echolocation"
The Depreciation Guild  "Through The Snow"
Matt Pond PA  "Snow Day"
Chairlift  "Met Before"
Frightened Rabbit  "The Woodpile"
Yuck "Rebirth"
Arctic Monkeys "505 Glastonbury 2013"

Wintersleep "Echolocation"

The Depreciation Guild "Through the Snow"

Matt Pond PA "Snow Day"

I couldn't decide to put the studio version or this awesome version with just backup singers in an old auditorium along with Patrick Wimberly playing and stomping on the old wooden stage floor. -Really good. However, I came upon the official video and had to show it. - So cute!

Frightened Rabbit "The Woodpile"

Yuck "Rebirth" (Rebirth = a new year. Alright, maybe I was grasping for the seasonal connection but I kind of like the song)

The Arctic Monkeys "505 Glastonbury 2013"
I love this live footage from Glastonbury. The flags in the crowd remind me of waving standards on a medieval field of battle. The explosion of light and noise at the three minute mark heighten this for me. One minor quibble. I like the mod style of their early days rather than the lounge lizard/greaser look that they've taken to now but that is a minor complaint because Alex Turner and the boys never disappoint.