It's a Small World!

How about a little mid-century mod to light up your life?

When passing by the Villa Vosilla, the Italian resort hotel in Hunter, one can't help but notice the distinctively retro lamps that dot the landscape. According to their website, owner John Vosilla was so enchanted after attending the 1964 World's Fair in New York City, that he wanted that magical moment to last forever. And so, he purchased a trio of original World's Fair street lamps, known as luminaires, to light the way in welcoming his guests.

Here they are in their original setting:

Imagine riding that Royal Tires ferris wheel…wheeeee!

Here's one more, because I dig that boy in his khakis and Keds. Pay no attention to the man in the hat.

There were 76 different cube and color combinations used in the 1,842 luminaires that lit up the walkways of the fair at Flushing Meadow Park in Queens. The triangular bases contained state-of-the-art high fidelity speakers that were tied into the public address system. This allowed the fair to broadcast background music and announcements.

Here's one more photo that I took in the summer while passing by the Villa Vosilla.

I was thrilled to find out about the World's Fair connection regarding these lovely luminaires and I chose the title for this post - It's a Small World! - for two reasons, the first being the surprise at finding a remnant of a major cultural event from the past seemingly plopped into the present (and many miles away!). The second is a bit more personal. When I was 11 months old, my parents took me and my older brother to the 1964 World's Fair (My dad had been to the 1939 World's Fair when he was a boy). To this day, my mother tells me how much I smiled and giggled while riding on the Disney attraction, It's a Small World. If only I had been a few years older, I would have remembered it myself! Luckily, there are so many publications, websites, and personal family anecdotes to keep the memories of this marvelous World's Fair alive.

A Made Man

When life gives you an old washing machine drum...

...make a Washing Machine Drum Man!

This chipper chap was found standing sentry in front of a shed. Just look at that funny face...Ooooooo!

I really dig found-object art. It's green and doesn't take the mastery of a Michelangelo to make. All you need is an eye for seeing the creative possibilities in the prosaic; to imagine an object beyond its utility and infuse it with new life. Whimsical found-object sculptures dot the landscape of the Catskills, bringing a bit of humor to a yard or gaiety to a gallery. Who hasn't seen a smile in the grille of a car or a nose in a doorknob?

Take Mighty Joe Young here:

He was found in a funky Phoenician art gallery. Who would think that a couple of wrenches, horseshoes and a faucet handle could pack so much personality? It just took an inspired shift in perception. So before you take those old tools to the dump or leave those spare parts to languish in a shed, why not turn those figurative lemons into a cool glass of artistic lemonade?

Leaving One's Mark

On this chilly midwinter morning, I'd like to revisit a place I discovered on a sultry summer afternoon. I can't resist the charm of a covered bridge, so when I saw a sign for one up ahead I had to stop, stretch and seek some shade, and once there, I got a double treat - an historical marker! I love these ubiquitous bits of Americana! They are chock full of trivia, usually marking the spot of a revolutionary conflict or letting us know that Washington kicked back with a Sam Adams in the local tavern. (He would have loved that beer!) But I prefer the more obscure memorials, like this one, which marks the spot of a 19th century angler's favorite fishing hole. No big whoop, right? On the contrary. This guy was major! I know because I googled him and found a wealth of information.

Theodore Gordon was deemed the father of the American school of dry-fly fishing. The Quill Gordon dry fly came about after he imported English fly-fishing tackle and flies and began to alter the English flies to precisely match the insects hatching in the Beaverkill and surrounding Catskill rivers. Gordon was also a consumptive hermit who sometimes wrote under the pseudonym Badger Hackle. I love a mustachioed man who can rock a striped seersucker suit and enjoys the company of a dog friend. So kudos, sir! I shan't forget you or your insanely jolly pseudonym.

But not everyone can aspire to Theodore Gordon levels of greatness and the historical markers such achievements bring. Just the same, we ordinary folk like to leave our own marks. We all want to say I was here at this time and at this place. Just look at the Paleolithic cave paintings at Lascaux...or on the beams of a covered bridge. Let's go in, shall we?

What narrative do these markings
suggest? They are found on opposite sides of the bridge, directly across from one another.

Jenna G. had been visiting this bridge every year for a span of seven years from 2004 until 2010. Joshua G. had been visiting every year from 2006 until 2010. Who are they and why did they not return in 2011? I felt stymied by this and tried to weave a sensible narrative for both. Perhaps they are brother and sister, born two years apart and their parents have been carving in their dates of visit since the birth of both. Mr. G, after witnessing a botched mob hit in early 2011, had to bring his family into a witness protection program and they are now living in San Jose under assumed identities. Perhaps the G was for Gordon? Hmm, the plot thickens! Or were Jenna and Joshua lovers who happened to share the same last initial? Jenna had been visiting the bridge for two years, until suddenly, in 2006, she met the fly-fisherman of her dreams! But it was a whirlwind, tempestuous romance that ended bitterly in 2011 with Jenna destroying all of Josh's prized fishing rods. Who knows…they're gone now, but like Theodore Gordon, they were there and have left their marks for generations (and curious bloggers) to ponder.

Onward and Upward!

Wherever this year takes you, may it be on a path of renewal and replenishment, compassion and camaraderie…with way more ups than downs.

Happy 2013!

In my travels I've seen two of these striking sculptures. This one is on Route 28. Where is the other?  The first person to send the answer with a photo wins a brand new car mention on this blog!

FYI - You may wonder why that white van occasionally photo-bombs my posts. My partner in crime is behind the wheel, ready to whisk me away if I have to beat a hasty retreat!

One pill makes you larger...

'Tis the season to be madly dashing towards the holidaze - a time when logic and proportion are falling all over themselves in apoplectic panic. May this colossal capsule remind us all to chill out, have a cup of cocoa, and take a deep cleansing breath. If all else fails, go ask that chick Alice. I think she'll know.

Props to my pal "Doctor" Jon for prescribing this pill oddity!

Fun House

One of the best reasons for taking a road less travelled is the possible and sudden explosion of art when one least expects it. Tucked away in the landscape, a bit of whimsy catches the eye at 40 miles an hour....Quick, hit the brakes!!

Let's stop and investigate! What's this? A flaming beach ball sent to earth...

and a rocket in a pocket of dirt.

An iron garden...

reaches for the sun.

And further afield...

a capital "F" for FUN!

Shall we go upstairs?

There's a cozy sitting area to take in the view.

Well, hello there...who are you?

This reminds me of a film set in another state...isolated area, big guy with a chainsaw... perhaps we should explore the lower floor. C'mon! Right down the stairs...

It's a different world down there!  A crystal chandelier...

a charcoal nude...

and an assortment of gourds to set the mood.

But alas, not a soul in sight to shed any light. Just another lonesome oddity to puzzle and delight.

Sign of the Times

I love historical landmarks. Whether they mark the spot of a delightfully obscure battle or claim to be a founding father's rest stop, I find these factoids fascinating. What tasty morsels of history they contain!

 Oh look! There's one now! Quick, pull over!

Well isn't that interesti...HUH?!

Had to do a double take, didn't you? This sign comes from the brilliantly subversive and socially conscious mind of artist Norm Magnusson as part of his I-75 Project. This inspired installation places historical markers with social and political content throughout the country. Magnusson's goal is "not to incite, but inspire thought."

I remember seeing his signs when they made the media rounds a few years ago. You can imagine my glee at stumbling upon one for real - it was like finding the holy grail! Pull over and take a look at the rest of his historical landmarks...here!

What's cookin'?

I've always been amazed by imaginative uses for obsolete objects. Like this marvelous melding of a vintage fridge with a classic car seat. Surely this is coolest couch you'd ever want to plant your tush on, is it not? (source)

Or how about grandpa's suitcases put to use as a bedroom bureau?
Old-timey chicness!  (source)

Since I'm forever stumbling across dusty old discards in these even older mountains, I can't help but imagine a second life for them. This sweet stove must have roasted tons of turkey in days gone by...

...and most certainly the last of its pie-baking days are over. But why consign it to the garage of misfit appliances? Its sad little face is just begging for another shot at being loved - I say repurpose it!

What would you cook up and create?

Happy Thanksgiving to you all...and thank you for popping in at Upstate Oddities!

School's open...

...so drive carefully and steer clear of any mutant children.

Upstate Oddities wishes all the students out there (mutant and otherwise) a happy & healthy school year!

All aboard!

Train travel has always fascinated me. There is something both sinister and sensuous about it - the steam and whistles, the changing landscape whizzing by your window, the strangers on a train. Railroads bring to mind hobos and industry, romance and mystery. And while this is not exactly the Orient Express...

..."The Curious Case of the Caboose in the Copse" is a mystery, nonetheless, and one worthy of Hercule Poirot's sleuthing skills.

An examination of clues reveal the tracks to extend only as far as the length of the car, so we can deduce it's not a runaway train or a loose caboose.

It's been sitting here for some time, as indicated by this rusty wheel, ladder and connecting hitch.

A few yards away, the rather suspicious and alarmed-looking cooktop of a wood-burning stove was found. He remained silent during my interrogation.

The only accessible windows for viewing the interior have been boarded up and the door has been padlocked. What secrets lie beyond? A table for two is the only indication of recent use...

...as well as a two-wheeled means of transport hidden beneath. Someone's been coming here. Do they own this old caboose? I would love to know who....and how they came about it.

The Oil Creek & Titusville line harkens back to 1862. In 1859, when oil was successfully drilled (for the first time in the world!) near Titusville, Pennsylvania, the closest railroad was 27 miles away. The OC&T line was completed to fill that transportation need. Under a series of mergers, it became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad by 1900, then eaten up by Conrail in the late 1960s. In 1986, The Oil Creek Railway Society formed and acquired the remaining original cars in order to preserve the line. 

Today, the 17 mile long Oil Creek & Titusville line operates as a seasonal tourist venue, complete with scenic train trips through the historic Oil Creek Valley, murder/mystery dinner excursions and overnight lodging in refitted stationary cabooses. But that still doesn't answer the question of how one of those cabooses ended up in the Catskills! Hercule? Miss Marple? Anyone?

Head Case

The Catskills have long been a haven for artists - from the majestic Hudson River School of Thomas Cole and Frederic Church to the artisans of Byrdcliffe, the oldest continuing arts colony in America. Surrounded by mountains, we are also surrounded by the visionary works of eccentric, eclectic and hugely talented artists. This thought-provoking sculpture sits in an open field across the road from Wambli World.

The flip side:

The artist, Pierre Riche, states that his "inspiration for creating art is to evoke awe and wonder in hope of awakening the divine within." Yes, I would say that's a possibility.

I'm glad I stopped to take a closer look at Possibility, because I may not have seen this impressive piece. I'm not sure if it's a work of Riche's - I found no signature.

Like all art, it's open to interpretation. My first impression was of Libra, the goddess of balance and truth. And what do you suppose the "caged" objects represent? The shiny silver shape is a star, but the other reminds me of a Seussian fish.

I don't know if I was trespassing - there were no signs - but all the same, I always get paranoid when I stroll off the path...I get the sense that someone is watching me from the shadows. This time it was true!

What I found just beyond these penetrating peepers took my breath away....but I'll save that for another post ;-)