retroist

retroist@mastodon.social

I host the Retroist Podcast and write the Retroist, which focuses on nostalgia. I like slightly old stuff. I typo a loot. <a href="http://patreon.com/retroist" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no">http://patreon.com/retroist</a>

Posts

Post #3142556
For Patreon I wrote about a 1976 insert made for the 20th anniversary of an LA McDonald’s, full of McDonaldland art, vendor praise, history, and a look at the restaurant’s unusual renovation, including its indoor carousel. https://www.patreon.com/posts/158465882
Post #3142555
The Orange Whip was a fountain style non-alcoholic beverage that was served all around the United States. Now it is mostly remembered as a humorous reference in The Blues Brothers. I decided to try to recreate the original drink from memory. https://www.retroist.com/p/remaking-the-famous-non-alcoholic-orange-whip
Post #3142554
My early attempts at self-promotion weren&#39;t very successful.
Post #3142553
I wish the Nerds Tile Magnets had been an ongoing series. I want more of them.
Post #3142552
In the 1980s, Dog Police released a strange new wave novelty song that found fans through its unforgettable MTV video. On the Retroist, I look back at this oddball canine cop anthem. Woof. Woof. Woof. https://www.retroist.com/p/dog-police
Post #3142551
Do you have what it takes to get into the 1979 NBC Saturday Morning Cartoons Peacock Club? How many of these questions can you answer?
Post #3142550
Bring back the Skateboardin&#39; Burger King!
Post #3142549
Every parent’s worst nightmare.
Post #3142548
To promote the ongoing Planet of the Apes franchise, 20th Century Fox started “Go Ape for a Day,” a mega movie marathon that caught on and would be repeated in theaters and on TV for years. It was a fun piece of Apes history worth revisiting. https://www.retroist.com/p/go-ape-for-a-day
Post #3142547
I made a fake Family Ties ad in the style of The Day My Kid Went Punk. Same worried parents, different kind of rebellion.
Post #3142546
If you ask me, we have too few shows on TV about kids turning into sports cars nowadays.
Post #3142545
As summer approaches I have thinking about my times at the most exciting and dangerous amusement park in New Jersey, Action Park. Never got hurt there, but it&#39;s easy to see how other people did.
Post #3142544
On a new Retroist Podcast I talk about Perfect Strangers. It is easy to remember it as Balki saying things wrong and Larry getting worked up, but the show is much more than that. It is part buddy comedy, part old school vaudeville act, and part eighties sitcom machine running at full speed. https://www.retroist.com/p/retroist-perfect-strangers-podcast
Post #3142543
I was already sold on the Zenith System 3, but then they added this gold remote control and, on some models, built a phone into the TV. This is what high luxury looked like to me as a kid.
Post #3142542
16 chips per cookie??? Madness!!
Post #3142541
I wrote about Atmosfear, the VHS board game that started as Nightmare in Australia before becoming a 1990s hit. The game changed over time, but the part people still remember is the Gatekeeper yelling at them from the television. https://www.retroist.com/p/atmosfear
Post #3142540
I did open the Memorex tapes I posted a few days ago. The package was getting thin. They have these fun side-hinged cases.
Post #3142539
On the newest Retroist Podcast bonus episode, I am talking all about Turbo Teen. From it&#39;s creation, through production, and a good amount about its modern reputation. Which I have difficulty connecting with. https://www.patreon.com/posts/retroist-turbo-159886518
Post #3142538
Oxford Valley Mall in the 1970s. Its not just a compelling photo, malls used to be warm inviting places with lots of visual interest.
Post #3142537
The first time I went to Disney/MGM Studios, I was excited to see so many things, high on the list was the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater.
Post #2210872
Atari Desk from 1983. The Return of the Jedi Collector Glasses are my favorite detail.
Post #2087348
I was watching 90s Colombo last night and spotted this tombstone. The character who was killed in the episode was named Freddy and this is his apartment, but those look like Freddy Krueger style claw marks.
Post #2036835
Advertising the Hitachi VCR as an alibi machine in 1980. Get one and, according to Hitachi, you can get away with anything.
Post #2036730
Its easy to get the weather forecast on your phone, but I have missed the WeatherStar experience I used to get on cable TV. Luckily some hardworking people have made solutions that mimic the original experience. I run it all the time. https://www.retroist.com/p/weatherstar-4000-then-and-now
Post #1928273
Twiki (Felix Silla) from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and his Toyota Celica GT.
Post #1889490
Making Lincoln removable just strikes me as a poor design decision.
Post #1782858
It&#39;s a strange world.
Post #1666915
DeLorean - Live the Dream https://www.retroist.com/p/retroist-delorean-podcast
Post #1664683
In 1985, Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus premiered the Living Unicorn, a surgically modified goat that drew crowds and controversy wherever it appeared. I saw it. Today I am taking a look at how a creature of myth was made and marketed to the public. https://www.retroist.com/p/the-living-unicorn-at-the-circus
Post #1179401
McDonald&#39;s gave pizza a real shot with the McPizza and McDonald&#39;s Pizza. In some places it lasted longer than you might expect, and one location still serves it today. Today I am digging into the history of the Golden Arches and their attempt to put pizza on the menu. https://www.retroist.com/p/history-mcpizza-and-mcdonalds-pizza