One of the many things I’m juggling is being on the planning committee for the soon to be announced Mid Mod Madness weekend in Las Vegas.

Most of the details have been finalized for the weekend of October 22 – 24. The formal announcement and ticket sales will be next week. In the mean while, we have a facebook page. If you like it, can you help us spread the word?

Friends of Classic Las Vegas and the Architectural and Decorative Arts Society of Las Vegas invite you to a weekend of all things mid century modern, including parties, panels, a film screening, and another installment of last year’s popular bus tour of local architectural gems.

Kicking off Friday, October 22nd with a Mid Mod party at downtown Las Vegas’ Morelli House, the weekend will include panel discussions and a film screening of “William Krisel, Architect” on Saturday at the Las Vegas National Golf Course, and a half-day bus tour on Sunday that will include stops at several mid century modern homes.

More details (including ticket info) to follow. Mark your calendar–this is one weekend you won’t want to miss!

Not coincidentally…

It’s also the weekend of the “MONDO LOUNGE 3” at the Palms hotel.

Sophisticated, classy, fun, high-brow, vintage vendors and top notch talent circa
1957-1963. Think of Playboy’s Penthouse or or a Blake Edwards movie ala The Party or the early Pink Panthers or an awesome party scene from Mad Men.

WHAT MONDO LOUNGE IS: Mid Century Modernism, Classic Las Vegas, Hollywood glamour, lounge culture, Rat Pack shennanigans, Martinis, cocktails, vintage fashion, space age, atomic age, exotica (ala Les Ba…xter, Esquivel), the fox trot, Eames era style, 1950s, 1960s style, Bachelor Pad, minks and black tie, Sean Connery era James Bond, sterophonic sound, nightclub acts ala the Hot Box Girls. And also… Tiki, Disneyland, masons, fezzes, Betty Crocker cookery, Pristine restored or original condition Classic Car culture, mai tais, Mods and Scooters, classic pinups, swing dancing, 1940s style, Elvis, gogo girls.

WHAT MONDO LOUNGE IS NOT: Surf, rockabilly, tatoos, low brow, 1930s style, 1970s style, burlesque, hot rods and rock n’roll. (Not that there’s anything wrong with those genres, but there are plenty o’events that cover those communities.) This event is something else…

SAVE THE DATES!!! This is the event you’ve been waiting for… Produced by M Modern Gallery and LottaLiving.com

And that Sunday Afternoon (not by coincidence, either) is the fall open house at The Morelli House. The Morelli House is the crown jewel (to date) of Mid Century Modern preservation in Las Vegas.

Public Invited to Annual Fall Open House at the Morelli House: October 24
Las Vegas Mid-Century Celebration Weekend

The Junior League of Las Vegas will once again open its historic mid-century Morelli House located at 821 East Bridger Avenue for guided tours at its annual Fall Public Open House on Sunday, Oct 24, 1:00-3:00 PM    The open house event, which is free and open to the general public, will feature a special photo exhibit entitled “Remains of the Day” from the architectural photo collection of the Nevada State Museum Las Vegas and the Junior League’s “Morelli Models” wearing fashions from its mid-century vintage clothing collection.  Phone or email reservations are requested, 822-6536, or visit jrleagueoflv@aol.com. The Morelli Open House is one of several community events the weekend of Oct 22-24 celebrating the abundant mid-century cultural and architectural heritage found in Las Vegas.

“Remains of the Day” is an exhibit featuring photographs of mid-century modern buildings in Las Vegas that have escaped the wrecking ball and still exist as a reminder of our city’s rich mid-century architectural heritage. The Nevada State Museum Las Vegas has loaned Junior League selected images from its archives, most of which come from the collection of renowned photographer Jay Florian Mitchell. Mitchell moved to Las Vegas from New York in the mid-1950s, and for the following 25 years carefully documented the growth and development of his adopted home. The Nevada State Museum Las Vegas, located in Lorenzi Park, is currently showcasing a special exhibit on Mid-Century Modern Las Vegas which includes several dozen of Mitchell’s most distinguished images, as well as period domestic and aesthetic artifacts.
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The public open house at the Morelli House is one of several Las Vegas mid-century events being held during the weekend of Oct 22-24.  A “Mid-Mod Marvels Weekend” convention is being co-sponsored by The Architectural and Decorative Arts Society (ADAS) and the Friends of Classic Las Vegas.  It will include presentations by architectural historians, Alan Hess and William Krisel, along with a bus tour of notable mid-century structures and other activities.  For more information about the “Mid-Mod Marvels” weekend call 236-9483 or email adaslv.com. Information can also be found on each organization’s Facebook page.   Another mid-century event, Mondo Lounge III, is being held at the Palms Hotel that will create an immersive environment of mid-century American culture featuring Rat Pack music, Mid Century displays and guest appearances by mid-century celebrities and entertainers.  SHAG is the official host and will be there in person. For more information about Mondo Lounge III contact info@mondolounge.com or call 818-789-5321.

Here’s a great example of the kind of email I get all the time from all around the country….

Mr. LeVine,

My name is Robin.  I am construction purchasing agent for a Paramount Pictures production filming in Atlanta, GA.  Our production designer has focused on a decorative concrete block design found on your website.  It is the decorative block “Pattern #50 at last”.  Do you know of any manufacturer currently making this block design?  It is the designer’s choice for use in a movie set we are building for a remake of the movie “Footloose”.

If you can provide any information which would help us locate a quantity (250 more or less) of these block it would be greatly appreciated.

Enjoyed your website very much.

Thank you,

Robin *****,

Paramount Pictures, Purchasing

The BIGGEST question of course, has to be “Why are they remaking Footloose”?

Back in Las Vegas…..

we were very happy last year that all the block form the Travel Inn Motel (just south of city hall) got rescued by my clients – Nick and Jamie. They built a new sunscreen wall from them for their new home in Glen Heather.

What I didn’t know, is that they have a whole lot of them left over, and are hoping we can help them find a good home for the blocks. They’d really like to see them enhance a great home in Vintage  Vegas.

They’ve put them on Craig’s List – for a mere $3.00 each. There’s about 150 of them.

And – client Bob sent me this picture he found at TikiRoom.com

I’d love to get my hands on all of them for my collection.