A Glimpse in History: The Bicycle

One of Leonardo Da Vinci's students in the 1490's made rough drafts of a bicycle. They were found among Da Vinci's writings for the Italian government in 1966 by a group of monks. What is realized with these findings is that in the 1490's all the parts of a bicycle were available to inventors and the public. Inventors were thinking about how to use the parts as well, but didn't think about putting them together. Interesting, is it not? The term bicycle was coined in France in the 1860s.

In 1870 James Starley made a bicycle with a large front wheel and a small back wheel. It was called the "penny-farthing" bicycle. The gear made the wheel turn two times per each revolution of the pedals. The front wheel was as high as the rider's leg length.

The problem with the penny-farthing (high bicycle) was that it was very dangerous because if the rider were to stop the rider could fall backwards. Also it was dangerous going down a hill. There was a lever that was operated by a spoon brake which could cause a fall and a special gear that made the wheel turn twice for each revolution. Oops!

The Penny-Farthing

The first bicycle with a chain was made in 1874 by H.J. Lawson. The bicycle was made up of two wheels the same size driven by a chain on the back wheel. It was called the safety bicycle.

In 1893 the Wright Brothers decided to open up a bicycle shop. They sold bicycles and fixed old ones. When they decided to make the airplane, they used most of their knowledge from their bicycle career.
From 1900 through the 1950's there wasn't much enhancement on the bicycle because of the invention of the car. Bikes looked the same for almost 50 years with thick rubber tires, one gear, and metal frames.

10 Reasons to Ride a Bike:

1-Environmentally Friendly

2-Saves Gas

3-Saves Money

4-Good for Physical, Mental and Emotional Health

5-Convenient and Practical

6-Less Congested Roads

7-Quieter City

8-Opportunity to Enjoy the Environment

9-Greater Human interaction

10-Fun and Exhilarating

Bike Safe!




Photos: Indiegogo.com and Gallery.nen.gov.uk
Information:library.thinkquest.org

Victorian & Edwardian Hairstyle Video Tutorials

Bonjour ladies! Are you having trouble styling your hair for an upcoming event? Well it's time to be schooled in the art of hair! These lovely Victorian & Edwardian hairstyle video tutorials by Natalie from Vintagious are super easy to follow. The beauty of these kind of hairstyles is that they didn't have to be precise. Letting some strands of hair down was actually part of the romantic look that the ladies back then wanted to achieve, and so could you!

Enjoy!

Victorian Pharmacy Series Documentary

Victorian Pharmacy is a historical recreation documentary of a 19th Century pharmacy dating back to the beginning reign of Queen Victoria. The film follows historian Ruth Goodman, Professor Nick Barber and PhD student Tom Quick as they uncover interesting techniques and not so conventional ingredients to making of old fashioned treatments, cures, and potions for common ailments.

Back in the Victorian times many chemist were just learning how some ingredients affected the health of the people. Since some of the ingredients of Victorian remedies are now either illegal or known to be dangerous, like for instance arsenic and opium (good grief!), the team had to come out with safer alternatives.

Will Victorian remedies be as good as modern medicine? Don't worry you don't have to be the guinea pig. Nice willing and I must say brave souls volunteered to trying these remedies out. Watch and see.

Oh I must warn you, some information and portions in this documentary are not suitable for children.

Enjoy the film!


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Episode One

Episode Two

Episode Three

Episode Four

By the way Victorian Pharmacy was filmed at Blists Hill Victorian Town which is an opened air museum that attempts to recreate Victorian Shropshire town in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Research provided by Youtube, Wikipedia, Top Documentary Films.

The Archives: My Paris Room

My dream is to one day go to Paris, but unfortunately at this moment I can't go. So what is a girl to do if she can't go to Paris? Well she brings Paris over. And that is what I did. I created my own Parisian retreat in my own home and I wanted to share it with you all!

Your Hostess,

Carmen Johnson

I welcome you to my Paris Room!

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Retro Times Show Index Guide
Style, Shopping, and Entertainment Information

Carmen's Wardrobe and Accessories:

* Jones Wear Belted Sheath Brown Dress with Lace Top: Jcpenney

* Joann Flapper Black Wig: Wildcat Wigs

* Leopard Fur Shawl: Thrifted


Paris Room Items:

* Crosley Musician Entertainment Center: Jcpenney

* Sound of Music 1965 Soundtrack: Amazon

* Vintage Ramleigh Pill Box Hat: The Antique Market, St. Augustine, Florida.

* Vintage Edwardian Black Boots: Time Zones Antiques and Collectibles , St. Augustine, Florida.


Radio Station: 89.9 Wucf Jazz and More


Thanks for tuning in!



Copyright © 2008-2012. Time Warp Wives. A Retrotimes Productions Website. All Rights Reserved.


The Archives:  Post's from my old blog Retro Times Show. Original Post Date: 02/04/12

The Archives: Art Deco Festival Bloopers

In January, I had the privilege of attending this year's Miami Beach Art Deco Festival 2009! I met artist, designers and singers. And while filming our first video, I met with Mr. Blooper! Here is a small preview of my Film at the Art Deco Festival. And don't forget to "accentuate the positive"! Enjoy!





Behind The Scenes:




The first day of the Art Deco Festival was pretty dreary and cold. So being inside the Miami Beach City Hall historic building was nice and cozy. My director couldn't travel with me that day, so I had to ask a dear friend of mine to be our director for the first day of the festival. I haven't seen my friend in years! That day was special for us both.






Historic Building:


The Miami Beach City Hall building was constructed back in 1927. This historic landmark is a Mediterranean Revival design. Recently the building went through a multi-million dollar renovation, which restored the building to its original beauty. Here you can appreciate the embossed print over the golden brown wooden floors.





Photo Fashion Shoot:


The night before the festival, I had my hair done in pin curls and used a non-fragrant hair spray. The next morning, I wore my art deco style dark faux fur hat. I wore a dark gray wool jacket and I added a black thin shiny belt to accentuate my waist. Then I added my black faux fur scarf. For shoes, I wore my beige Mary Janes pumps, which by the way are very comfortable.




Special thanks to the Miami Design Preservation League, for giving us the privilege for filming inside the City Hall Historic building! To be a member of the MDPL or to find out the upcoming events visit: MDPL.ORG


Copyright © 2009-2012 RetroTimes Productions.



The Archives: Post's from my old blog The RetroChic Corner. Original Post Date: 02/04/09

The Archives: A Date In Celebration

The first time that I visited the Town of Celebration Florida, I absolutely fell in love with it. I have always been interested in the old fashion homes and architecture of the mid 1900's. So there it was, this quaint and stylish town had everything that I had dream of. Come join me as I show you the best things of Celebration!






Behind the Scenes:

We arrived at Celebration around noon. The temperature was a perfect 75 degrees! Mind you it was still winter season here in Florida. Then after several hours later it started getting warmer and warmer. The weather by 2:00 pm was around 83 degrees. And we still haven't finished half of our filming. Trust me it wasn't a good makeup and hair day after that. So that's when we decided to take a break at Starbucks.


Anecdote:

On the Starbucks scene you might have heard a girl that said: "Oh my goodness!", several times. Well she was excited when she saw this small dog. Not only was he so cute. But while his owner was inside the shop, he was outside patiently waiting for him. What a smart doggie!




Photo Fashion Shoot:

My outfit consisted of a silk purple retro style top, a velvet fitted black skirt, red sandals & silky black gloves. To complete my outfit, I added a lovely silk green and purple scarf and a purple flower to my hair. The only vintage item that I had was my black purse, which I purchased in one of my favorite thrift stores in town.



Crew favorite pick:

Bill's favorite car is a 1965 Mustang. So when he saw this fire red 1965 Mustang, which by the way was in mint condition, he got pretty excited. Rule number six: "Don't be staring at other people's cars."








Copyright © 2009-2012 RetroTimes Productions.


The Archives: Post's from my old blog The RetroChic Corner. Original Post Date: 02/14/09