Norbert in Nyack

This Sunday we decided to celebrate Norbert's good health news and upcoming 12th birthday, we know he was born sometimes in July of 2002 as he was about 2 months old when adopted  him from the CACC in September of 2002, with an outing to Nyack, New York.  We have been to nearby Piermont, New York, several times, but never to Nyack.     We left early Sunday morning and it took us about an hour to reach  our destination.  Nyack is a very pretty little town along the Hudson, River and it reminded a lot of Saratoga Springs, New York where I grew up.  First stopped at dog friendly Gypsy Donut which has an adorable boxer as their logo.

 

 

I had a delicious coconut curry donut,

 my husband had a biscuit, egg, and bacon sandwich, and Norbert had a plain donut, which he enjoyed very much.

After our breakfast we tried to walk down by the Hudson River. 

Unfortunately we couldn't find the path and it quickly got very hot so we just walked around the town.   We wanted to stop by Urban Wolf 

 

but it wasn't open yet, which gives us a good reason to return. 

12 is an impressive age and a big birthday for any dog, particularly a big guy like Norbert, he weights 97 lbs, so we plan to spend the entire month of July celebrating our wonderful boy. 

 

 

Good News Update and a Film Strip Friday!

Proof that internet juju and well wishes work, Norbert will be ok!  On Friday we took Norbert to Ridgewood Vet hospital.

For a specialist consult.  The vet we saw, Dr. Travis Cerf, is an expert in canine bladder issues.  He told us there were two possible outcomes, infection or cancer.  Infection is very rare in male dogs so given Norbert's age and gender he was concerned.  He performed the ultrasound quickly and within 25 minutes was able to tell us Norbert does not have cancer!  He has an e coli infection that  that came from his outer male parts and climbed up his urethra to his bladder an caused his bladder to become very inflamed.   He may have had the infection for months or years with it going undetected, despite regular vet care and urinalysis, because until it reached the bladder and flared up it was likely very low grade.   Dr. Cerf has almost never see this before in male dogs and he is an expert.   The only issue now is what antibiotics to use to treat it.  He has been on clavamox for so long the infection may be resistant.  We did a culture and will know in a few days, Norbert will need to be on high doses of antibiotics for 6 to 8 weeks, but after that he will be fine.  I was so happy I nearly hugged the doctor...and of course I can't stop hugging Nobert who really is not too happy about that.

Who can blame me, I love my big guy and I love the Ridgewood hospital. We are going back July 5th for an acupuncture consult for Norbert's arthritis.  Now we just have to get through Tubby and Ping's Saturday exams for their old age issues and we will be home free.

Now in honor of the end of the school year, though I will be working summer school, an educational film clip from Coronet films 1950, about a teen with a crippling fear of the water, good campy fun!

Wordless Wednesday Deck Time

If you don't mind sending over some internet juju we would appreciate it.   We have been dealing with some medical issues over here at Retro Rover.  Norbert, who will be 12, in a the beginning of July has been having recurrent bladder infections, which he has never had before.  He just finished his second course of antibiotics and  we are very much hoping the infections don't return.  If they do we will have to go in for an ultrasound to see if something scary is causing the infections.  Ping has also had some issues.  She was unsteady on her feet yesterday and had a head tilt, this passed very quickly and she was alert through out. Since Bob had just bumped into her at a run we thing it was just a little pull and not something neurological.   Tubby has also had some slight worsening of his collapsing trachea, which Ping has too, he has been making the old pug goose honk sound more often after being picked up.   Tubby and Ping are going to the vet on Saturday to get their 6 month senior wellness exams where we will discuss all of these issues.

Vintage Outfit Post-Beach Pajamas

In yesterdays post I wrote about beach pajamas and how I think they are do for a style revival as comfortable and stylish casual wear.   I have two sets of beach pajamas that I absolutely love, they are the most comfortable clothes I own.  I just got my most recent set from my favorite vintage repro seller, Time Machine Vintage, on Etsy, and I really do love them.  As I don't have a fancy 1930s resort to visit:

I wore my beach pajamas for a Saturday at home.  Kim from Time Machine vintage did another amazing job with these.  The fabric is a deco floral with a sort of 1960s feel to it.  I decided to take some pictures on our deck:

 

The pajamas even have a white cape jacket:

and the cape is lined with the same deco fabric:

The dogs seemed to like the pajamas too:

 

After the deck pictures I decided to take a walk down by the Jersey City waterfront the pajamas could at least get near the water.

While we were down there we had some delicious donuts at Sam AM:

(Another benefit of beach pajamas, they are forgivingly loose and comfy like sweats, so you have room for donuts!)

Beach pajamas, at least if you ask me, definitely deserve a comeback!


Outfit Details:

Beach Pajamas and Cape Time Machine Vintage on Etsy
Sun Hat, Anthropoligie
Coconut Purse, Etsy
Sunglasses, Target
Bakelite Bangle, Thrifted
Shoes, which you can't really see, Payless

Beach Pajama Inspiration

In the past 70 years it seems that what we call leisure wear has changed a bit:

1930s leisure fashion, Image source

Leisure Fashion Today

 

Now I have no problem with casual clothes, my favorite pop culture icon James T. Kirk appears to have prophesied not just the cell phone but the velour track suit:

and I've walked my dogs in pajama pants and old t shirts plenty of times.  Still I feel my best, my most me, when I'm wearing my vintage style clothes.  Thankfully, embracing vintage style, particularly the looks of the 1930s, doesn't mean saying good bye to comfort.  1930s ladies had a brilliant summer solution to the stylish comfort dilemma, the beach pajama.

Image Souce

These loose fitting, breezy sets are every bit as comfortable as a pair of sweats, yet boast the glamour of an evening gown.  Finding an authentic set of 1930s beach pajamas would most likely be a difficult and pricey endeavor, but thankfully their are other options. 

For the home seamstress there are a number of patterns available on the internet, such as this pattern from Wearing History.

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Or if your like me and you can barely sew on a button you can turn to a maker of repro clothing. 

 

                                         
If you are going to make or order your beach pajamas you'll need some style inspiration first, and you wont find it at all the mall or in any current magazines.  However, you will find it on the BBC's Poirot.  A veritable gold mine of 1930s style in the area of gorgeous beach pajamas Poirot does not disappoint. 

 

 

A mint green polka dot pair

 

Wide legged

Satiny Image Source 

 

Shorts version (not strictly beach pajamas but still cute)

The navy outfit on the left is a very tailored example of the beach pajama style, Image Source

 

 

 

 

 

Last year I got my first pair of beach pajamas from Time Machine Vintage, and they are probably the most comfortable clothes item I own:

The minute I  put them on I knew I would be ordering a second pair the following summer.  Another etsy shop with a thirties bend, Nudee Dudee, makes jump suits, sailor pants and striped shirts, that while not strictly beach pajamas, will make you think  you are on a cruise ship with the little Belgium.

Revamp vintage is another source for very authentic looking pajamas.

 

If you are interested in 1930s fashion and love comfortable clothes to wear outside the home in, then beach pajamas and their like are for you!





Fridays with Fred-Fred's First Film 1933's Dancing Lady

 Fred Astaire made over forty films during his lifetime, but he actually came to movies relatively late in life, at the age of 34, after an extremely successful Vaudeville and Broadway career.  In fact film executives were so convinced that movie audiences wouldn't accept Fred as anything other then a Broadway star, that in his first film, 1933's Dancing Lady, they had Fred played himself.

Dancing Lady stars Joan Crawford as Janie Barlow, a dancer desperate for success, who due to the tough times of the early 1930s is reduced to performing in a Burlesque show.



Image Source

In the opening scenes of the film Janie, along with the other dancers, is arrested for participating in an indecent performance.  While Janie is arguing with the judge a millionaire admirer, named Todd Newton, convenient comes along to  bail her out.  

Newton takes Jeanie out for dinner over which she confesses her burning desire to dance. 


A smitten Newton decides to pull some strings and gets her an addition for a Broadway show.

Image source

Janie tries out for tough egg director Patch Gallagher, played by Clark Gable, (and yes that is one of the three stooges on the piano), who despite his initial misgivings is impressed.  Janie gets the job and pretty soon she is spending days rehearsing with Gallagher and evenings being romanced by Newton.  Despite the fact that Newton is a millionaire with a fabulous deco pool:

Image Source

Janie has no interest in settling down as a society wife and her attraction to the equally stage obsessed Patch Gallagher is growing:

Somewhere amidst all this  Fred Astaire finally makes his first film appearance, introduced by Clark Gable with the line "Freddie show Miss. Barlow that opening number":

As Janie becomes more committed to the show, and to Patch Gallagher, Newton becomes jealous and secretly pulls his funding leading to the show being shut down.  With nothing to do Janie agrees to go on vacation with Gallagher, but she is miserable, spending the entire time pining for the stage and for Patch. 

A dejected Patch decides to fund the show himself.  Eventually he discovers that Newton pulled the funding for the show and he confronts Janie with the truth, Newton confesses, and Janie returns to  her star part in the show.  Then somehow, despite lack of rehearsals and limited funds, Janie and Fred are able to dance through the air in a technical marvel of a Broadway show, and of course pull they pull of an enormous success.

The film ends with Janie and Gallagher declaring their commitment to the stage and each other:

In all Dancing Lady is a somewhat forgettable film, but it does have some fabulous 1930s fashions.  I particularly love the tartan trims on some of Joan's dresses:

and some amazing stars.  It is definitely worth a viewing for any fan of classic films, particularly fans of Fred Astaire, Clark Gable and Joan Crawford. 

Fun with Hats.....

If you have been reading this blog you will that our mom is very fond of wearing hats.   This week Bob and Weasley decided to join in the hat wearing fun:

Our hats are from Dog in a Fez on Etsy.   Don't we look cute?