When it comes to Sewing Machines: Retro is the way to go!

From time to time, I run across old sewing machines at thrift shops.  They remind me of the sewing machines that my mom and grandmother used to have.  My grandma had a room filled with clothing patterns and bolts and bolts of material.  Today, sewing seems to be a bit of a lost art as I don't hear of many people who are into sewing. 

It seems like a really difficult to get started sewing without a human instructor.  But, the internet has changed all of that.  There are plenty of instructions on how to sew on the internet.  This instructables article is a good start.  One take away is that heavy duty machines like this Singer with basic features and metal frames are probably your best bet.



If you are looking for a sewing machines, there are plenty of sewing machines on Amazon. Sewing is one of those hobbies that can be very useful. You can repair clothing and make your own.

Retro Lighting - The Banker's Lamp

A thrift store is the best place to pick up retro lamps and shades.  They are inexpensive, usually work well, and have real character.  It's also awesome to be able to spend $10 or $15 on a lamp.  However, sometimes you need a specific kind of lamp.  For example, we once had a green banker's desk lamp that worked well with a vintage desk at our house.  It looked much like this one:



The banker's lamp was cool because it fit in a confined space and it could shed light directly on documents.  Nothing was better for shedding light on a work surface.   While it didn't make our last move, it was also cool for creating a vintage look.

A Banker's Lamp - photo by Sándor Iskender (https://www.flickr.com/photos/iskender/126062252) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

You can just imagine this kind of lamp on a private eye's desk.  Here is a faux antique banker's lamp from Amazon and a compilation of Dashiell Hammett novels that I highly recommend.

Retro Transportation - Alfa Romeo Giulia 1300

Driving a vintage car is a serious commitment.  When little things break, it can be a costly or simply impossible task to find a replacement part.  But, old cars are simple, much easier to work on, and full of character.

I recently ran across this Alfa Romeo Giulia 1300 in a suburban Atlanta parking lot.  It was a nice clean car, but it had an aged patina that probably reflects many years on the road.  The 1300 wasn't a widely exported model so it probably has an interesting history.

The Giulia 1300 was made from 1964 to 1970 as an "austerity model" and it was powered by a 1290 cc engine.  With 77 horsepower on tap and a 4-speed transmission, it's not a sports car.  But, perhaps, that is why it is still running and in decent shape?

It was neat to see an old car like this still in service and still being driven.  It definitely caught my eye from across the parking lot.  While Alfa Romeo is returning to the U.S. market, I hope the owner has the best of luck with this vintage Alfa and can keep it on the road for many years to come.

If you are an Alfa Romeo enthusiast, this die-cast Alfa Romeo Giulia might be right up your alley!

1950s Chevy at a Suburban Atlanta Gas Station

Welcome to 2016!  As we catapult into the future, it's always a treat to see vintage vehicles--especially when they are in a natural setting!  This 1950s Chevy pickup truck was nestled up against the side of a local gas station.  It fit in well with the vintage look of the building.  It was also somehow re-assuring to see in a world filled with BMWs and other yuppie-mobiles.  It reminds us all of a slower time.

Retro Transportation - The Vespa Motor Scooter

When it comes to transportation, one of the most recognizable retro vehicles is the Vespa motor scooter.  It's also one of the most efficient, according to VespaUSA.com, the 155 cc Vespa Primavera gets 117 miles per gallon and has a top speed of 59 miles per hour.  More powerful Vespa scooters can go up to 80 miles per hour, but sacrifice some fuel economy.

A Vespa Motor Scooter

Vespa means wasp in Italian.  The scooters are made by the Piagio company which was once one of Italy's largest aircraft manufacturers.

A Piagio Vespa PX200 Tampere in Finland (By Khaosaming (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons)

Vespa motor scooters are economical, but they aren't cheap.  Even a 50cc Vespa Primavera starts at $3599.   Local dealers have various used Vespa scooters starting at around $2800.  While knock-off Chinese scooters seem to be everywhere, a genuine Vespa really gives a rider a bona fide piece of Italy.

Requiem for a Palm IIIe

Sometimes it's hard to get nostalgic about electronics.  I've been going through my old gear and I found a refurbished Palm IIIe.  It has feeble capabilities compared to modern smartphones.  I'd look like a geek if I ever used it.  It doesn't even appear to have any value on ebay.

Palm III Personal Data Assistant (PDA).  Photo by Nzeemin at ru.wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons

This was a neat little find, but it ended up being donated to Goodwill.  A neat find, but I just didn't have a practical use for it.  Use Palm III devices are available used for about $10 on Amazon.com.  I wouldn't buy this overpriced model.

Retro Gaming Systems - Atari Flashback and Sega Genesis

If you grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, you probably spent plenty of time playing video games on the early video game console systems.  The games were simple, classic, and dare I say timeless.

The games were addictive and rewarding. Amazingly many of the games are still available today. They have been distilled down to console games that have most of the popular video games for a given game system.  These new consoles are much more convenient than finding and reviving the original consoles and finding working game cartridges.  The games I played in my younger days were primarily the Atari games and then Sega Genesis games.  Today, I can easily get these games from Amazon.

Atari Flashback.  The retro gaming revolution was kicked off by Atari Flashback consoles.  Several versions have been created over the years and I've enjoyed a couple of them.  The latest version is the Atari Flashback 6.  The deluxe edition shown below has two extra controllers and reviewers say that it is well worth the investment to get the extras.


Sega Genesis.  Somewhere in a closet, I have an original Sega Genesis from a thrift store.  But, I could just go get the Sega Genesis Deluxe console and have 85 built in games including Sonic the Hedgehog I & II and the Mortal Combat series.