Time Line

Birthdays

January: 10th – Ruth Skacil Valois; 11th – Janice Guthrie; 14th – Chuck Thagard; 27th – Marilyn Johnson Hale; 28th – Marion Barrie Schmidt, Marilyn Barrie McGinnis

February: 2nd – Annette Crofton Cowart, Ted Webb; 20th – Glenn McNew

March: 5th – Andrea Alu Martin; 7th – Sigrid Bogards Wharham; 16th – Joan McNamara Phillips; 27th – Anne Graham Dukes, Susan Knight Kelly; 29th – Sue Hays Campbell

Anniversaries

January: None that we have on file.

February: Feb 3rd – Kathy O'Brien and Jerry Henderson (1958); Feb 4th – Joan McNamara and Chuck Phillips (1961); Feb 24th – Susan Knight and Jack Kelly (1962).

March: Mar 9th – Anne Graham and Vance Dukes; March 28th –John "Dennis" and Kristi Dickey (1980).

If your birthday and/or wedding day aren’t here, it’s because we don’t have them!

1956 - the year we graduated...How Times Have Changed!

Chuck & Andy Williams

Last night I had the pleasure of attending a lecture and book signing here in Atlanta by my "huckleberry friend" Andy Williams. His autobiography "Moon River And Me" has just been released this week.

He spoke for about an hour about his career and sang a few songs accompanied by a pianist...ending with a perfect choice, "This Is All I Ask". The voice is a little weaker...c'mon, the man is 81 years old... but still as smooth as ever. His conversation was interesting and, at times, very funny. The place was packed and the audience loved it. He looks fit and appears to be in great shape. He has now been performing in the theatre he built in Branson Mo. for 18 years.

We didn't have much time to talk because he had a line a mile long of fans waiting to get their books signed. I was flattered that he instantly recognized me and took the time to take this attached photo. The woman who took the picture said "you two obviously know each other". I said, "we go way back", and Andy said "yes...way back". I've never been to Branson, but he said if I ever made it to look him up...and if I ever do, I will.

He was the first artist I was ever assigned to accompany on a major concert tour, and at that time the biggest selling artist on Columbia Records. Needless to say I was pretty nervous, but he immediately made me feel at ease and it was a great experience. He was always a pro and a gentleman through the many years I got to work with him, and he still is. What a treat!





Submission by our roving reporter, Chuck Thagard. Date was October 15, 2009.

AFI 100 Greatest Movie Quotes

This is a link to a film of all of the 100 greatest movie quotes from the American
Film Institute. This was put together in 2005 celebrating 100 years of the movies.
This is almost 11 minutes long but I bet that you will watch and listen at least once.
You will love these. It will bring back some great movie memories.

Click here: YouTube - AFI's 100 Movie Quotes (Musical Montage)

MIAMI AREA RESTAURANTS

DO YOU REMEMBER THESE?

You can see pictures by clicking on the above link.

CAR COMMERCIALS 1949-1955

click here for classic car TV commercials.

Thanks to Frank Hilson for submitting this link.

Coral Gables Perspective - Part Two

Historic Coral Gables A Self-Guided Tour

In 1986 the Junior League of Miami published a booklet which was a guide to historic sites in Coral Gables. There were two self-guided walking tours which included maps. They also included the entrances, plazas and fountains, the 7 villages, and other points of interest. The following is part two from that booklet.

A Downtown Walking Tour
This self-guided tour of downtown Coral Gables begins at City Hall, where on-street parking is available. Seventeen buildings are highlighted on this one and one-half hour walk which guides you through the city's most historic commercial area. (We cover the first three.)


CORAL GABLES CITY HALL
405 Biltmore Way – Phineas Paist & Denman Fink – 1927-1928

Coral Gables City Hall, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is an outstanding example of Spanish Renaissance architecture. City Hall was erected during one of Coral Gables bleakest periods. South Florida had been hit by the devastating 1926 hurricane which threw an already troubled real estate market into total collapse. Coral Gables was able to finance this $200,000 structure through bond issues.

Phineas Paist, the Supervising Architect of Coral Gables, and Denman Fink, the Art Director of Coral Gables, designed City Hall. The cornerstone was laid on November 10, 1927, and the building was formally opened on February 28, 1928 by the first mayor of Coral Gables, Edward E. "Doc" Dammers.

City Hall is constructed of Miami oolite, a native limestone, commonly referred to as "coral rock." The building's most notable architectural feature is the semicircular wing which overlooks Miracle Mile. Twelve columns support a stone balustrade and a large ornate panel with the coat of arms of Coral Gables. The coat of arms, designed by Denman Fink, is a shield with Spanish emblems (a lion, a crocodile and a fish). On either side of the shield are figures representing labor and art, and the Venetian Pool Casino is depicted behind the shield.

The City Hall building is crowned by a three-tiered tower. At the top of this tower is a clock and a 500-pound bell.
An interesting exterior feature is the "Mannerist," grotesque facial medallions used as ornaments. These same faces can be found on the DeSoto Plaza fountain. Inside, the multicolored mural in the bell tower can be seen from the second floor landing. Painted by Fink and restored in 1957, the mural depicts the four seasons in brilliant blue and gold. Spring, Summer and Autumn are represented by the faces of young women while Winter is recreated as an old man.


JOHN M. STABILE BUILDING
296 Aragon Avenue – 1924

The John M. Stabile Building represents one of the earliest commercial structures in Coral Gables. The charm and warmth of the building are characteristic of the Mediterranean Revival style, seen in the elaborately framed entrance and delightful balcony overlooking Salzedo Street. Two wooden doors, framed by decorated pilasters and supported by an intricately carved entablature and pediment, comprise the main entrance to what was originally an ornamental block shop. The balcony's shed roof, an extension of the Spanish-tiled main roof, is supported by two turned and carved columns whose design is repeated in the balustrade. Four cypress brackets support the balcony. Because of the nature of the building's original business, interior decoration was sparse, with only an earthen flooring existing in some areas.

Through the years this building has had a vaiety of uses, becoming Books & Books in 1982. Although this is a very simple structure, it illustrates the painstaking detail and workmanship that were characteristic of George Merrick's architecture.


CORAL GABLES FIRE HOUSE AND POLICE STATION
285 Aragon Avenue Phineas Paist – 1939

The old Police and Fire Building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is an excellent example of "coral rock" architecture. It was built by the Works Project Administration to provide a new public safety headquarters as well as jobs for local construction workers and artisans during the lean years of the depression. Architect Phineas Paist blended the simplicity of line and mass of Depression architecture with Mediterranean Revival details, as seen in the classical use of limestone, the arched second floor windows and the flat red tile roof. The three-story tower on the north-western corner held the water tank and was use by the firemen for training. The top of the tower was originally intended for hose drying and the first floor of the tower was the fireman's recreation room. The three arched bays on the west side originally housed the fire trucks. Above these bays are sculptures depicting two Coral Gables firemen and a typical family they protect. At the base of the arches are empty firemen's boots sculpted of iron.

The entrance to the Police Station was on the south side of the building. Carved stone pelicans perch above the first floor.

In 1954 the City built an addition to the original structure to provide a courtroom and more office space. This building was used by the police and fire stations until 1975 when they moved to larger quarters.

Since 1981, the Junior League of Miami, Inc. has occupied the first floor of the 1939 building.

(Building descriptions and tour to be continued in newsletter #15)

Your Staff Recommends
For Your Listening & Reading Pleasure

Recommended Listening:

CHRIS BOTTI "TO LOVE AGAIN" The popular jazz trumpet player enlists the help of several vocalists (Gladys Knight, Sting, Michael Buble) on classic standard songs, including "Smile", sung by (believe it or not) Steven Tyler of Aerosmith! Produced by former Blood, Sweat & Tears drummer Bobby Colomby.









MICHAEL BUBLE "CRAZY LOVE" The young Canadian vocalist who (along with Harry Connick Jr.) is the Sinatra of this era, performs standards from several generations, including "Cry Me A River", "Georgia On My Mind" and "Stardust".










BARBRA STREISAND "LOVE IS THE ANSWER" This collection by the ageless diva shot to #1 on the sales charts the first week of its release. It consists of familiar standards and show tunes ("Here's That Rainy Day", "Make Someone Happy", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", etc.). It is available in two versions: One with full orchestral backing, and a unique double CD (for double the price) with those orchestral versions, as well as the same songs done more intimantly with just a small quartet.







All of these releases are available at retailers where CDs are sold like Barnes & Noble and Borders, but the best prices seem to be from Amazon.com where, for those of you so inclined, you can also download these releases direct to MP3.

Comments Made in the Year 1955

*I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it's going to be impossible to buy a week's worth of groceries for $10.00!

*Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won't be long before $1000.00 will only buy a used one!

*If cigarettes keep going up in price, I'm going to quit. 20 cents a pack is ridiculous!

*Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging 7 cents just to mail a letter?

*If they raise the minimum wage to $1.00, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store!

*When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 25 cents a gallon!

*I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying "damn" in GONE WITH THE WIND! It seems every new movie has either "hell" or "damn" in it.

*I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas!

*Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $50,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn't surprise me if someday they'll be making more than the president!

*I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now!

*It's too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to go to work to make ends meet! It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work!

*I'm afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business!

*Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the government takes half of our income in taxes.

I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to government. *Drive-in restaurants are convenient in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on.

*There is no sense going on short trips anymore for a weekend. It costs nearly $2.00 a night to stay in a hotel!

*No one can afford to be sick anymore. $15.00 a day in the hospital is too rich for my blood!

*If they think I'm going to pay 30 cents for a hair cut, forget it!

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