I Remember JFK: A Baby Boomer's Pleasant Reminiscing Spot

We're all in this together. That was the message of Falstaff commercials I used to hear on the radio in the 70's. Well, we may all continue to be in this together, but it's sadly without Falstaff.

Falstaff beer had its start way back in 1840. That's when German immigrant Adam Lemp established the Western Brewing Company in St. Louis. Lemp created a beer he called Falstaff. Eventually, Lemp's brewery went out of business. In 1920, during Prohibition, a brewer by the name of Papa Joe Griesedieck stepped in and purchased the Falstaff brand name.

Papa Joe, possessing one of the most instantly recognizable names ever pronounced, was struggling, as were most other brewery and distillery owners. His brewery (which was officially renamed the Falstaff Corporation in 1920) produced de-spiked beer, soft drinks, and smoked hams. The mob was giving the public all of the hootch and beer that they wanted, so near-bear was a pretty sad performer in the marketplace (even though I now buy a case of Busch NA every couple of weeks ;-).

In 1933, the government finally repealed Prohibition, and the Falstaff brewery began a period of success that would peak in the mid 60's, my beloved era of childhood memories.

"Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away" sang Paul Simon in what is clearly the greatest song ever written that paid homage to slide film. Unfortunately, mama, i.e. Kodak, didn't listen.

Earlier in this year of 2009, Kodak announced that Kodachrome was going away. They had actually been making it disappear gradually for some time. For instance, Kodachrome 25 passed form the scene in 2002. Super 8 Kodachrome went away in 2005. Kodachrome 200 sailed off into the sunset in 2006. And the last holdout, 35mm Kodachrome 64, was discontinued this last June.

I spent ten years as an avid photographer. My specialty was 120 and 35mm B&W, developed in my own darkroom, and 35 mm Kodachrome slides. I preferred 64, although I picked up a couple of dozen rolls of 25 that were about to expire for half price and kept them in the freezer until I finally shot them all up.

First of all, let me state that the names have been changed to protect the innocent.

A good e-friend of mine turned me on to Awkward Family Photos, and I'm hooked. I've been looking for a suitable substitute to Mirsky's Worst of the Web since he decided to hang it up back in the mid 90's, and I think I may have found it. This week's installment of I Remember JFK is dedicated to Awkward Family Photos, and I hope you enjoy this rather offbeat presentation.

This is a picture of me, Shirley, and Madonna. These cute girls (and you should have seen them circa 1972! RRROWF!) are pictured with me, my trusty spring horse, and a doll which, unfortunately, didn't interest me, to the girls' chagrin. Note the free standing ashtray, an essential part of any 1960's home.

For the record, Shirley and Madonna had a brother, Rudy, who was an "artist", if you know what I mean. The parents didn't bring him up in conversation much. Oh, and FWIW, Shirley and Madonna turned out to be sisters of Sappho themselves. Those poor parents... ;-)

As long as there has been human society, there have been eating establishments. Let's face it, some nights, cavewomen just didn't feel like cooking.

We Boomers grew up with a lot of familiar names on billboards which have sadly slipped from the scene. The good news is that some of these chains have living examples still around. The chain may be gone, but the last survivors stubbornly hang on, to the delight of local residents who appreciate the treasures that they have.

Such is the happy case with a number of Griff's Burger Bars. Griff's was a familiar sight in the midwest in the 60's. Founded early in the decade in Kansas City, at one time they must have had hundreds of locations, I wasn't able to find an exact number. They spread south to Texas and Louisiana, and at least as far west as Denver. The earliest buildings were amazing A-frame models which a hungry kid in the back seat of the Plymouth instantly recognized. The clown mascot logo was also a familiar sight. And the 15 cent burgers were fat-laden heaven.

Griff's (the franchise) bit the dust sometime in the 80's, I believe. But at least thirteen restaurants are still open today, with Griffy the clown sitting atop the sign outside, beckoning you to enter. In 2004, he even coaxed Zippy into stopping by.

Among the culinary delights that we loved when we were kids was a treat that our parents craved when they were our age, and possibly that our grandparents did also. They are commonly known as animal crackers, although cookies is a much more accurate moniker. And despite the ravages of new-age political correctness, they are still around for our own grandchildren to beg for at the grocery store.

It all began back in the late 19th century. Animal-shaped cookies were a hit over in Britain, and they began to be imported to the US. They were a hit over here, too, and US bakeries took note. Stauffer's Biscuit Company began producing them on this side of the pond in 1871 in York, Pennsylvania. Several other bakeries jumped on the bandwagon as well, and some of these later merged to become the National Biscuit Company, aka Nabisco.

In 1902, Nabisco gave the diminutive cookies the name "Barnum's Animals," and began marketing them in a wagon-shaped box with a string attached. The boxes I remember had perforations on the bottom, which allowed the wheels to be extruded from the package, allowing the whole thing to sit up like a real wagon. Some kid probably got a paper cut, and the likely ensuing lawsuit likely made them vanish. (sigh)