The Fun Times Guide > Home Building/Remodeling > hip and historical

Vern Yip’s Dining Room Design at The Willcox

I've written a couple of articles about The Willcox hotel lobby and Roosevelt Suite located in Aiken, SC recently. As I stated in the first post on The Willcox, there is much history surrounding it, old and new. This post will cover something a little more recent, yet still spectacular. A Vern Yip designed Grand Dining Hall. photo credit via VernYip.com If you've watched any amount of HGTV  (think back to the highly successful Trading Spaces), then you know who Vern Yip is and how … [Read more...]

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The Lobby of The Willcox Sets The Mood

I was invited by a friend for a private tour of The Willcox hotel while visiting my family in Aiken, SC for the holidays. Upon my arrival, with camera in hand, I entered this historic old hostelry not really knowing what to expect inside. I've driven by the regal, white-columned building hundreds of times (it was my old hometown) sometimes pondering the interior architectural detail, et cetera. One of the very first things I noticed when I stepped into the well-appointed lobby was the … [Read more...]

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The Willcox Roosevelt Suite – The Lap of Luxury

My hometown of Aiken, South Carolina is a beautiful place to visit, a great place to live and, apparently, a great place to retire, as well. There is so much history to absorb in Aiken, yet I was totally oblivious to it all when I lived there as a kid. Although, there is one historic building in particular that I've been in awe of even when I was a teen. It wasn't until I was thirty-something before I realized what a gem-of-a-town Aiken truly is. There are so many activities going on throughout … [Read more...]

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The i-House Is Breaking New Ground

Recently, I posted an article about what it takes for a home to be ENERGY STAR-rated. One of the latest green prefab homes in the works and being made available for purchase in the near future is the i-House. It is designed and built by one of the nation's largest makers of manufactured (mobile) homes and prefabricated houses,  Clayton Homes of Marysville, TN. It's an ENERGY STAR rated home, so there's nothing ordinary about it. You may not believe your … [Read more...]

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Restored Drive-In Movie Speakers Are A Blast From The Past

If you're lucky enough to live near a drive in movie theater, then you know that in order to hear the movie you have to turn on your car radio. It didn't used to be that way. At one point in time (decades ago) you'd pull up next to a metal post with 2 speakers on it, turn off the ignition, and prop one of the speakers on your window "sill" and enjoy the flick. These days drive-in movie speakers are somewhat collectible. Here's how my aunt and uncle found and restored a pair of … [Read more...]

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A Rare 1940′s Vintage Solotone Entertainer Jukebox Speaker

Solotone-Entertainer-coin-operated-jukebox-speaker

Have you ever heard of a Solotone Entertainer coin operated jukebox speaker? I hadn't until just a couple of months ago while visiting some relatives in Ohio. It's an interesting little piece of 1940's vintage equipment with a bit of character. Put your nickel or dime in the slot and enjoy the music coming from the centralized jukebox system. Nostalgia and good ol' American capitalism combined to give good vibes to diner patrons. It was an interesting concept in diners at the … [Read more...]

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Eating Out While Eating In Made Fun via Retro Style

Let's turn back the hands of time. Say... 40 to 50 years or so, back to a time when an occasional visit to Frisch's Big Boy Restaurant was a treat for the entire family or possibly the place to go to grab a bite to eat on a date with your sweetheart. My aunt and uncle have re-created that uber retro style in their retro room with all manner of 50's-60's era furniture and items, including an authentic booth from a closed Frisch's restaurant and a reproduction of a Frisch's counter top that … [Read more...]

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A Classic Seeburg Jukebox Adds Nostalgia To Rec Rooms

Not long ago I posted an article about my Uncle Bob's neon-lit glass block wall in his 50s-60s era retro room. That was only the beginning of all of the cool retro toys he and his wife have in this time machine of theirs. Probably the most impressive item (to me) that they've got in this room is the 1955 Seeburg Model 100 J jukebox that they've painstakingly, although lovingly, restored back to its original glorious condition. Seeburgs have been a big part of pop culture by fostering … [Read more...]

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Christmas At The Historic Tate House

I've been waiting for months for the opportunity to re-visit the historic Tate House, a.k.a. The Pink Palace, in Tate, Georgia. After I received an invitation back in May for a private tour from owner Marsha Mann, all of the stars were finally aligned in my favor, as it were, and I was able to make the one hour trip to The Tate House with my trusty little camera in hand (after a lengthy stay in the shop). : ( I purposely waited a few weeks after getting my camera out of the shop to make the … [Read more...]

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Conclusion Of Our Walking Tour Of The Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour

This is part 2 of our experience attending the Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour from 2007. Here is the first part of our visit to the Marietta Pilgrimage: A Christmas Home Tour if you want to begin there first and then come back here afterwards. … [Read more...]

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