Cheetah Velour

Bring me the head of Walt Disney!

I love ebay. I really, really do.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-WAX-MUSEUM-HEAD-WALT-DISNEY-Mannequin-SO-REAL_W0QQitemZ290206247698QQihZ019QQcategoryZ13878QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Mr. Grant!

This one is especially for eniksleestack over at Thrift Store Adventures. This blog after my own heart recently featured some cringe-worthy (and by cringe-worthy I mean totally covetable) thrift store kitchenware.

I always make sure to hit the kitchenware section at a thrift store. Sure, there are always way too many single wine glasses from some art 'n' wine festival you didn't actually attend & way too many oversized plastic soda cups from mini-marts. You have to look closer to find the really good stuff.

I can't recall where or when I acquired him (yes, it's a him) but I've had this little ceramic garlic container for years. He has such a sourpuss face that I immediately dubbed him ED ASNER and refuse to call him anything else.

I dunno, what do you think?

Elvis IS everywhere!

If you should ever find yourself near Sparks, Nevada you simply MUST stop in at Sierra Sid's Casino. It is also a truck stop so if you happen to be a gamblin', Elvis lovin' trucker in need of a tasty snack or a shower then this is the place for you.

Drum roll, please! I present to you THE GUNS AND JEWELS OF ELVIS!

I know, it sounds too fabulous to be true but I assure you it is not. I have seen it with my own eyes. Here's a picture of the display case right near the entrance to the Trucker's Grill and yes, those are booze bottles shaped like Elvis. Do you see the white bust of Elvis near the center of the picture? I am darned proud to tell you that I own one just like it. It used to hold bourbon but when I bought mine at the flea market for five bucks it was empty. Darn.

By the way, the cheeseburger and fries plate at the Trucker's Grill is especially tasty. We at Cheetah Velour highly recommend it. Elvis would have wanted it that way.

Now I told you there would be guns and jewels and I wasn't lying. Here is one of the guns. I heard a rumor that Sierra Sid's has one of the guns that Elvis used to shoot a TV, as he so often did when he didn't like what was on. I couldn't find anyone to confirm or deny this rumor so let's assume that it's true.

Here are the jewels. I've heard that money can't buy taste. Oh, I don't know about that. Nothing says 'good taste' like bling big enough to choke a horse.

I know it's not a great picture, but hopefully you get the idea. This is the result of a cheap disposable camera being used by an amateur (me). In case you aren't able to read the signs, most of this stuff looks like it was owned by Daddy Vernon. Among the jewels of Elvis we see 14K GOLD PEN VERNON USED 'TILL HIS DEATH, TIGER EYE ELVIS RING AFTER HIS DEATH VERNON HAD THE RING SIZED SMALLER, and my very favorite ELVIS HAD PET NAMES FOR HIS CLOSEST FRIENDS HIS PET NAME FOR DADDY WAS SLOT MACHINE. Yes, a gold ID bracelet engraved SLOT MACHINE.

(Sierra Sid's also has some of the guns of John Wayne if seeing the guns of Elvis isn't enough for you.)

You might be a ...oh, never mind.

I admit it, I love celebrity-endorsed products. I'm not talking about the good kind, like A-lister Nicole Kidman for Chanel. I'm talking about the other kind. The kind that makes you say, "What the heck were they thinking?" or "They must really need the money".

I spotted this in the local Safeway, right above the cheap beer. When you think of Jeff Foxworthy, do you think of teriyaki jerky? I know I will from now on!

Who can forget my other favorites- Tommy Lasorda's "It's not sorta good, it's Lasorda good!" Popcorn or George Jones Dog Food? Have you seen Dwight Yoakam's line of frozen food?

I know someone who actually met Smokey "The soul is in the bowl" Robinson when he was at a local Pak 'n' Save promoting his frozen gumbo.

Those are the kind of celebrity-endorsed products I really love. I'm not saying I would actually eat any of that stuff. How about you? Do you have a favorite?

ps- I also adore bad celebrities on informercials. Do not get me started.

Going back to Cali, Cali, Cali

Just moved back to California after 1 year and 11 days of living in Nevada.  It's good to be back since I lived in CA for almost 4 (!!!) decades, but I will miss good friends back in NV (you know who you are). Why, here is a picture of me stylin' and profilin' with two good Nevada friends right now! I'll bet you didn't know that Shrek and Donkey live out in Empire, NV. Movie stars don't just live in Hollywood, you know.

So I'm back to the bay. Today I saw fog and I almost passed out from the excitement.