11Apr 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Catchers Mitt For Spit Ball Gum

11Apr 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Catchers Mitt For Spit Ball Gum

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Poised to catch chewing materials when your mouth must be otherwise occupied these ceramic gum catchers had their heyday in the 1960’s and 70’s. I once knew a pug owned by a famous chef friend of mine who began every morning by racing around her restaurant eating gum stuck to the bottoms of all the tables by patrons who had no better place to dispose of their wads. Once the tables were clear, my friend would stretch out a 4′ long piece of dental floss and the pug would run her mouth back and forth over it until the spaces between her teeth were once again spotless. I’m glad there were no Spit Ball Gum Catchers around as this was such a spectacular trick! But unless proprietors own as gifted of a pet it seems like gum catchers should be on the inventory list of all self respecting food establishments.

08Apr 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Disco Fever Lunchbox ‘N Thermos

08Apr 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Disco Fever Lunchbox ‘N Thermos

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I love anything Disco. What I love even more is when popular crazes are borrowed from and replicated as close as they can possibly come without risking copyright infringement. Hence, Disco Fever instead of Saturday Night Fever. Made by Aladdin in 1980 and featuring roller skating couples on the back, this lunchbox appeared three years after John Travolta insured polyesther white suits a place in history. Fluffernutter sandwiches go best with the box, red Kool-Aid in the thermos.

07Apr 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Resin Grapes Good Enough To Eat

07Apr 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Resin Grapes Good Enough To Eat

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As common as ants at a picnic these resin grapes continue to infest coffee tables since their proliferation in the 1970’s. With rubber leaves, driftwood stems and a propensity to be turned into swag and table lamps, often regrouped as a pineapple, they’re a staple in any decent Kitsch collection. Transparent pink was the champagne of the resin cluster colors with blue, red, orange, yellow and green more common. Still made today, more recent grapes don’t have the same depth of color as the vintage ones as many of the original ingredients were taken off the market due to toxicity (safely sealed inside the vintage crop). Although clusters still abound on eBay, for instructions on how to grow your own go here.

05Apr 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Translator Has Field Day With Picnic Basket

05Apr 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Translator Has Field Day With Picnic Basket

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The translator for this field cargo (translation: picnic basket) over-exercised their flair for capturing the spirit of the American picnic-goer by naming the product Profit and selling that hot dog and potato salad feeling as “The blue sky makes me generous and the vast sea invites me to ‘love’. The breeze passing over my cheek make my mind gentle.” Cheese on that burger, anyone?

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29Mar 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Can O’ Ham

29Mar 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Can O’ Ham

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Nothing better for a Sunday chew-down than a can o’ ham, glistening pink deliciousness especially when printed on tin or whatever metal this is that allowed the contents to completely disintegrate inside. As you can see from the photo below, the sardine-like key on the back is still intact but upon shaking nary a shred of meatstuff can be heard. I found this in a junkyard at least 25 years ago (the ham was already gone) and almost everyone who’s walked through my kitchen since gives it a good shake thinking the ham might magically appear.

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26Mar 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Michael Jackson Candy Bar

26Mar 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Michael Jackson Candy Bar

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Not sure how long the kitsch factor will remain high on this now that MJ is back in the center of the Pop Culture eyeball with his upcoming tour but this candy bar is one of my favorite pieces of MJ memorabilia I own. I recently worked with one of Michael’s nephews, Taj, and he told me the family used to eat these.