Kitsch Stuff
« Previous EntriesWho opened their lunchbox?
By rocky | July 8, 2008
There are museums for just about everything and here’s another unusual one- the Lunchbox Museum in Columbus USA. Allen Woodall who started the museum started collecting lunchboxes late 1980’s and today has over a thousand of all shapes and sizes. There’s some fascinating boxes on display including hundreds of rare metal cases dating back to the 50’s and beyond. Many of them feature American pop culture of the time with musicians of the day like Elvis, the Osmonds or TV stars like Flipper and Bonanza. Now lunchboxes are made of plastic or cardboard and don’t have the same nostalgia as the old metal cases but there are some great ones on display including a huge Star Wars collection. The collection is so unique it is even recognised by the Smithsonian.
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Topics: Kitsch Stuff, Museums, USA | No Comments »
Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman & a giant mango
By rocky | June 25, 2008
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You have probably noticed here at Tripandom love big things and on a recent road trip to central Queensland we have found another, this time a giant mango. The Big Mango is located at the Bowen Visitor’s Information Centre about 4 km south of Bowen. Built around 2002, the Big Mango celebrates Bowen as the home of – well what else the Bowen Mango. The upside down fiberglass fruit isn’t the only thing Bowen has to brag about, it is also the home of much of the filming of Baz Luhrmann’s $130 million dollar outback epic called Australia, which features Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. This 1940’s romantic period piece looks like becoming one of the biggest films ever to come out of Australia, if the hype and the big name stars are anything to gauge it by. It is expected the film will be released around November this year. We just wonder if Nicole and Hugh had their photo taken beside the Big Mango..our guess is they wouldn’t have been able to resist it. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Australia, Kitsch Stuff | No Comments »
Tijuana Donkey - Zebra - Zonkey?
By rocky | May 9, 2008
Going back to the thirties some bright entrepreneur in Tijuana Mexico decided to paint their donkey with black and white stripes to look like a Zebra, the idea was to make the animal look better on black and white photographs. Most of the donkey’s were white or fairly light and photographed badly in the bright Mexican sun. Like any good idea, others followed and decades later the tradition continues. The zonkeys or painted donkey are there for the tourist, it’s amazing how many people will spend the $10 or so to have themselves photographed wearing silly Mexican hats and ponchos with these dopey striped animals. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Americas, Animals, Kitsch Stuff | No Comments »
The legendary Rex Hotel
By rocky | May 8, 2008
Starting out as a two story garage complex for the French in the late 1950’s and later being renovated into a trading centre with cinemas, cafeterias and dance halls what is now Ho Chi Minh City’s Rex hotel has seen a lot of changes in this vibrant city. During the Vietnam War the building located in District 1 the hotel’s rooftop bar was a favorite place for the American troops to relax within a magnificent view of the city. It is also beloved the hotel was used by the CIA during the 60’s. Today the hotel is pretty interesting and fairly kitschy although it has had a serious makeover, bamboo detailing and huge crown shape lampshades and plenty of bud lighting to make it feel like Christmas. The location, atmosphere and history its of this hotel makes it worth cent. Even if you are not planning to stay there make sure you visit the upstairs bar, its open around the clock and serves great food and refreshing drinks. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Asia, Hotels, Kitsch Stuff, Uncategorized | No Comments »
The Liberace experience
By rocky | April 28, 2008
Liberace was one of the pioneers of entertainment in Las Vegas, he brought a new type of glitz and glamour to the strip with the most over the top and lavish stage shows ever seen. He arrived on stage in jewel encrusted vehicles and had rhinestone covered pianos and his costumes were the most amazing and outrageous with sequins, jewels and diamonds. Stripped away from all the flamboyance Liberace was one of the world’s greatest performers and his classical piano playing was second to none, but it was the glitz and glamour for what this mega celebrity will be remembered for. Today Liberace is no longer with us but his legend lives on in Vegas with a huge collection of his pianos and vehicles including a mirror tiled Rolls Royce and rhinestone laden roadster are on display with many of his costumes, the amazing jewelry and the entire story of his performing life. The museum itself is larger than life just like the superstar with huge neon piano on the roof. There’s a great gift shop and the trust which runs the museum puts the money into the Liberace Foundation which invests in performing arts scholarships for the young, a cause Liberace was so deeply involved in. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Kitsch Stuff, Museums, Must see, USA | 1 Comment »
El dorado fins, whitewalls and skirts
By rocky | April 16, 2008
Cadillacs are one of the motoring icons of America and in Amarillo Texas they are a tourist icon. Cadillac Ranch is a project by a San Francisco art collective called Ant Farm who have buried 10 Cadillacs halfway into the ground back in 1974. The Cadillacs are buried nose first and are some of the more classical models from 1949 to 1963 and look like a metal Stone Henge or something. Cadillac Ranch has been embedded into American culture, you might remember seeing them in the Pixar Disney classic Cars and even features in one of American rocker Bruce Springsteen’s 1980’s hits and plenty of other places in the US are jumping on the band wagon and making their own version. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Kitsch Stuff, USA | No Comments »
Cardiff’s Dr Who exhibition
By rocky | March 29, 2008
The classic BBC program Dr Who has made a bit of a comeback and is attracting a huge cult following, with huge names like Kylie Minogue appearing on the new series. Cardiff in Wales is getting in on the act, Cardiff is actually one of the main filming locations for the Touchwood series. They are home to the Doctor Who Exhibition which is a multimedia extravaganza at the Red Dragon Centre at Atlantic Wharf on the lovely Cardiff Bay. The exhibition is very popular and celebrates the 40 year linage of the series, with video, photography, costumes sets and of course those scary robot daleks. You don’t need to be a Dr Who fan to enjoy this attraction, there are some great displays for anyone interested in film and television with exhibits on scripts, writing, acting, and design and its all a bit of fun. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Europe, Kitsch Stuff, Museums | No Comments »
Four floors of chocolate paradise
By rocky | March 25, 2008
Las Vegas is known for excesses and things larger than life, well this fantastic free attraction is no exception. M&M World on the famous Las Vegas Boulevard offers four floors of chocolate mayhem with all the cute brightly colored characters from one of the world’s most popular chocolate snacks. M&M World is a great escape from the casino’s and buffets (and probably better on your waist line) and the kids will love it. The first floor is basically the gift shop with heaps of M&M merchandised goods to buy. Second floor guess what more things to buy, and the third floor has all the collector stuff. There’s even a M&M guitar or some European M&M crystal to purchase. On the top level there’s guess what, another shop where you can buy M&M house hold furniture and a really cool replica of the Kyle Busch race car. For some added choclatey fun make sure you catch the great 3D &M film- it’s full of colour and plenty of funny M&M guys it’s interestingly titled “I lost my M in vegas”. The M&M World is easy to find, it’s right next door to the massive MGM Grand Hotel Casino at the corner of Tropicana Avenue.  Just as an added treat a new M&M world has just opened in Orlando, so if your off to Disneyworld drop in . Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Americas, Kitsch Stuff | No Comments »
Huge Elvis Museum
By rocky | March 22, 2008
You might remember we did a story on Dolly Parton’s Dollywood themepark at Pigeon Forge a few days ago, well we found another great attraction at Pigeon Forge- The world’s largest private collection of Elvis memorabilia. Founder Mike Moon has been collecting Elvis stuff since the king himself gave him a belt. The museum is jam packed full of great Elvis memories, theres cars, clothing, jewellery even Elvis’s guns and a orange toilet seat cover which Elvis once owned. The guy has everything, he even has his swim trunks and a set of Elvis’ bibles and encyclopedias and even some bottles of his aftershave and cologne plus his final set of sunglasses and even his last tube of toothpaste. There’s hours of kitsch fun here and guess what the exhibition has a great gift shop where you can buy your very own Elvis memorabilia. The Elvis Museum is at 2638 Parkway, Pigeon Forge in Tennessee.
Topics: Kitsch Stuff, Museums, Must see, USA | No Comments »
Fatso the Fat Arsed Wombat
By rocky | February 26, 2008
During the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games Fatso the Fat Arsed Wombat became the unofficial Olympic mascot and was caused quiet a stir doing it. The official mascots were Syd, Ollie and Mille they were a Platypus, an echidna and Kookaburra but they got overshaddowed by Fatso. Fatso was the creation of a Sydney cartoonist and featured on Sport’s comedians Roy & HG’s nightly show The Dream he overshaddowed the real mascots to the point the Australian Olympic Committe tried to ban him or stop their athletes getting seen with him.. Fatso survived and won the day he even ended up standing on the dias during a medal presentation. Fatso eventually got auctioned for charty reaching over $80,000, now living in a glass box in a TV executives office. But Fatso lives on and has been imortalised right outside the Sydney Olympic Stadium where a lifesize model of the fat arsed wombat appears on a pole showing all his glory. A must for anyone visiting the home of the best Olympics Games ever.
Topics: Animals, Australia, Kitsch Stuff | No Comments »