Monthly Newsletter: July 2024 (No. 30)
Welcome to Our Technicolor Life Monthly Newsletter!
Welcome back to another exciting edition of Our Technicolor Life's monthly newsletter! We're thrilled to have you join us on our colorful journey through the many facets of our adventurous lives. As always, we're Jeff and Carrie Ketterman, a dynamic husband and wife duo who are passionate about embracing a vintage lifestyle in the most vibrant way possible.
A Glimpse into Our Lives
In case you're new here, let us introduce ourselves once again. Jeff spends his days immersed in the bustling world of rail transportation as the General Manager at Kasgro Rail Corporation Management Division. With a fleet of over 500 heavy-duty railcars, Jeff is at the forefront of providing innovative solutions for the ever-evolving rail industry.
Meanwhile, Carrie's days are filled with creativity and artistic expression. As a painter, illustrator, and author, she breathes life into murals and paintings that tell stories with every brushstroke. She is also owner and hostess with the mostest at her tea room, The Old Capitol Tea Room in historic downtown Corydon, IN. Being musically iclinded, Carrie and Jeff also have two vintage bands, The Tin Pan Alley Cats and Rosie & the Rockabillies. Follow along each channel of Our Technicolor Life: Tea, Travel, Entertainment, Art, & Lifestyle.
TEA
June saw the return of some summer time favorites at The Old Capitol Tea Room. We hosted our Great Gatsby 1920s Tea Party with live music by The Tin Pan Alley Cats, our very first ever Woody’s Round Up Tea Party hosted by Woody and Jessie complete with cowboy tunes, Gone With the Wind hosted by Rhett and Scarlett, the ever popular TCT Taking Care of Tea Elvis Sing Along, and our Summer of Love 1960s Flower Power Tea Party hosted by Sonny & Cher.
Great Gatsby Roaring 20s Tea Party
Woody’s Round Up Tea Party
Gone With the Wind Tea Party
Elvis TCT Taking Care of Tea
Summer of Love 1960s Flower Power Tea Party
📣 NEW EVENTS RELEASED JULY 31st on the website at 11am! Set yourself a reminder to grab tickets for our next round of events. Tickets for September, October, November, and December tea events will go on sale on the website July 31st! 📣
TRAVEL
Cole Porter Festival - Peru, Indiana
We recently found out that the life and legacy of Cole Porter was celebrated in his hometown of Peru, IN the first weekend of June every year!
Well, we arranged our schedule a bit and made it up to Peru this past weekend for a portion of the celebration!
If you are not familiar with this Hoosier music icon, you will no doubt recognize at each one or two of this timeless hits from the 1920s-1950s. Songs like: Let’s Misbehave, Don’t Fence Me In, Let’s Do It - Let’s Fall In Love, All Of You, Night And Day, I Get A Kick Out Of You, and countless others! He truly was a genius with lyrics. While his beginnings in Peru, IN weren’t humble by any means (his family was very wealthy), he pursued a life of music instead of the corporate and legal professions that had made the generations before him.
We love Cole Porter’s music and have performed many of his songs over the years in musicals and now with our duet, Tin Pan Alley Cats. (I’ll have to find and share a clip or two of my role as Reno in his great musical, Anything Goes, which I performed in several years ago.)
The Cole Porter Festival in Peru, IN pays tribute to the man and his music over parts of four days during the first week of June - Cole was born on June 9, 1891.
We had SO much fun and the people of Peru were absolutely the kindest! We made many new friends and truly hope to perform at the festival next year!
Thank you, Peru and your lovely community! We shall return!
Adventures in Savannah and Brunswick, GA
OK, it’s time to start rolling out the pics and talking about our recent trip to the Georgia coast - Savannah/Brunswick/Jekyll Island/St Simon Island.
Let me start off by saying that I am slowly becoming a Savannah local. 😜 I am beginning to get recognized at shops, restaurants and around town - which makes me SO happy. I love Brunswick as well, and honestly a relocate to either would be just fine with me! Brunswick is about 90 miles south of Savannah, and has wonderful beaches nearby on Jekyl and St Simon Islands! Of course, Savannah can boast some pretty nice beaches as well on Tybee Island. I am honestly thinking about doing a book about Savannah, extolling all the wonders, oddities, history (both famous and infamous), and grandeur that Georgia’s fifth largest city boasts!
My love for this city grows more with every visit - this was our eighth trip to Savannah. This trip was not a camping trip, as many in the past have been. This trip came as a result of Jeff’s work in rail transportation and his need to attend the annual rail conference that moves around the country each year. (Next year it is in Fort Worth, TX! - Yee Haw!!)
Savannah just speaks to me. The history, the charm, the warmth of the people - I have become enchanted. I have read every possible book about Savannah I can get my hands on. If you want suggestions, let me know! My favorite is easily Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1994), by John Berendt. I have read it multiple times! It not only explores the murder case of Savannah antiques dealer Jim Williams, and the multiple trials that resulted, but it also pulls back the cover on the city’s unique character and personality.
OK, with this post, let me talk about the food in this great city! I have my favorites, of course, but there are a few we have yet to try. Also, we noticed a few new ones on this visit that have just sprang up this year. On the top of my list of personal favorites is The Olde Pink House. THIS is on most people’s list of favorites when visiting Savannah. It is iconic. I love the ambiance, the food, the staff, the history - it checks all the boxes for us. Vic’s on River, River House, Chart House, Pirates House, The Collins Quarter, Mrs Wilkes, Dockside - are all notable as well for great dining experiences. Now, a personal favorite of mine that may not be everyone’s cup of tea, is Clary’s Cafe. It is certainly not fine dining, but for breakfast or lunch, you can’t go wrong. I am a serious “bruncher”, so when I find a place that fits the bill, I make sure I visit as often as possible when visiting. Clary’s has great food at a very reasonable price and the staff is SO nice and accommodating! It feels good to walk into a place that you frequent maybe once or twice a year and everyone knows you and seems truly delighted to see you. That is Clary’s for me. I feel like a regular at this quaint, but busy cafe just on the fringe of the historic district. It is also a bit of an iconic cafe in that it is a prominent piece of Savannah that is talked about in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
There are several other good food stops that can truly enhance your visit to this city; Leopold’s for ice cream is a must! For a quick coffee, tea or iced drink, I like Gallery Expresso; it is in the heart of the historic district and is an easy in and out. The Peregrin Bar that overlooks the city is very magical as well with great cocktails. J Christopher’s is a great brunch spot. Myrtle & Rose Rooftop Bar is a great late-night hangout. AND, if you enjoy fun, secretive speakeasy type places, look for Mata Hari - but you’ll need to really look as it is truly a hidden speakeasy.
Next up, “Walking Savannah - the only way to see this great city.”
Savannah Part 2: As mentioned before, we have visited Savannah on numerous occasions, exploring this great city by foot each time we visit. No matter how many times I return, I am always beguiled by the 22 beautiful squares that are the trademark on which the city was built. Savannah was founded in 1733 by General James Oglethorpe. He layed out the grid pattern for the city as a means for colonists to use for militia training. The original number of squares totaled 24, but with the time that number has been reduced to 22. Today, these squares are now used as beautiful park settings and each bear the name of a person/persons or historical event from the city’s past. One of my favorites is Chippawa Square. It features the statue of General Oglethorpe at the center of the square and is named in honor of the Battle of Chippawa from the War of 1812. I love the Spanish moss that totally drapes this square! At night, it just seems magical. As a bit of trivia, the opening scene from Forrest Gump in which Tom Hank’s character is sitting on the bench was filmed at Chippawa Square. The bench was a prop and never actually resided in the square.
Truly, the best advice I can give on visiting Savannah is to be prepared to do a lot of walking, because that is the best way to see this beautiful city. Park your car, or better yet, stay in the historic district at one of the many B&Bs, and just explore on foot. Our favorite B&B is The Eliza Thompson House. We are always treated do well during our stay and it is in the middle of the historic district on Jones Street. By the way, the phrase “keeping up with the Jones” is said to have originated in Savannah on Jones Street. Jones Street is pretty much millionaires row, and homeowners of the past on Jones were quite intent on outdoing each other when it came to their elaborate and massive homes.
Just a few blocks south of Jones sits Forsyth Park. This 30 acre park is named after former Georgia Governor John Forsyth (1780-1841). The focal point of the park is the massive fountain that was installed in 1858. It is, without a doubt, the most photographed piece in Savannah.
I have never been afraid to walk this city, by day OR night. It feels completely safe to me and the locals are SO friendly. They truly love their city. Nighttime walks through the square and then along the riverside are some of the most beautiful, and it is much cooler to walk after the sun sets. Daytime walks in the summer are a little warm, but I never go anywhere in the summer without two or three parasols. They are a must in Savannah and look perfect in this lovely southern cityscape.
Next Up? “A plethora of things to do and see in Savannah and the surrounding area!”
Savannah Part 3 (Things to do and see!)
This history of Savannah and the surrounding area leaves you with a plethora of places to visit and see and things to do! In the city alone there are SO many choices and then when you add in areas just outside the city, you have enough to keep you sightseeing for weeks! No matter how long we visit, it is never enough time for me. I am pulled in so many directions and trying to manage the list of where, what and when can get overwhelming. There are over 20 museums in the city itself!! Some of our favorites in which we have visited over the years include: Telfair Museums (Jepson, the Academy, Owens-Thomas House), SCAD (Savannah College of Art & Design) Museum of Art, Juliette Gordon Low House (founder of the Girl Scouts), American Prohibition Museum, Georgia State Railroad Museum, Mercer-Williams House, Flannery O’Connor House, and Savannah History Museum, just to name a few! Outside of the city there is: Old Fort Jackson, Wormsloe State Historic Site, Fort McAllister State Park and Tybee Island Light & Museum, again, just to name a few!
Tybee Island is Savannah’s nearest beach area and it can totally consume your time, if you let it. The beaches are beautiful and the area itself, along with the boardwalk, can keep your attention for days.
One of the restaurants I failed to mention in my previous post was The Crab Shack on Tybee! It is a favorite of our’s when we want local seafood and low country boil.
Back to the city, if you are wanting something to do at night, take one of the MANY ghosts tours! We have done several over the years. Some even transport you around for their tours! This recent trip we took the hearse ghost tour and it was a great time! Savannah is known as the most haunted city in America! The city was actually built on top of grave sites and cemeteries! Oh, speaking of which, you need to set aside a portion of a day to visit Bonaventure Cemetery. It is a beautiful old cemetery with moss-covered live oaks and beautiful markers. We love history, so visiting cemeteries is always on our list of things to see when we visit historic cities.
Another nearby park that has some beautiful trails is Skidaway Island State Park! We always take time to spend a little bit of time on the trails in this park when we visit. When we camp, we also camp in this park. The sites are big and spread out perfectly!
Next Up: Brunswick and the islands of Jekyll and St Simons!
Brunswick & Jekyll Island
First, you are going to see WAY too many photos of Jekyll Island’s Driftwwod Beach, because…well, it’s awesome and I love the aesthetic! We made four different visits to Driftwood Beach during our stay in Brunswick, each with a different outfit, of course. 😜 AND, one of those visits was with my mermaid tail!
You have been warned. 😁😊
Our stay in Brunswick was absolutely perfect! The weather was beautiful (hot, of course) and the Atlantic waters were so warm!
Driftwood Beach is one of the northern most public beaches on Jekyll. Of the two islands, Jekyll is my favorite over St Simon’s. It seems to hold more history and of course it has my favorite beach, plus the resort is fabulous. There is a $10 fee to enter the island, whereas St Simon has no entry fee, but it is well worth the $10!
As I had warned, I packed my mermaid tail for this trip. You never know when your tail may come in handy. 😜
This is my official Weeki Wachi mermaid tail that I bought in Florida last year after watching the mermaid show. After seeing the great photo opportunity that Driftwood Beach had to offer, I knew I had to bust it out!
I have never felt more like Ariel in my life!
Harrison County Fair
Did you know the Harrison County Fair is the oldest continuously running county fair in the state of Indiana? It’s pretty dang cool that the fair started in 1860 and it is still going strong today. We managed to catch a couple days of the harnessing racing in the brand new grandstand and also the big demolition derby on Saturday night. Why is that so entertaining?? We had a great time and I think I may go buy a lottery ticket soon because I played the goldfish ping pong game and didn’t just win one, I won three! So Larry, Moe, and Curly are new additions to the pet family.
ENTERTAINMENT
If you’re looking for something to do to stay cool on the 4th of July and are in the area, we’ll be performing our Music That Helped Win the War Tribute Show. This is our musical and history medley of all the hit songs in the 1940s with accompanying audio and visual history plus all of our vintage costume pieces that go with the show. We’ll be at French Lick Resorts for two shows on the 4th of July at 11am and 4pm in the gorgeous front lobby.
We also have some band gigs coming up later this summer so be sure to check the master calendar!
Master Calendar:
ART
Summer vibes are in full swing! I love summer time and all of the fairs and festivals that happen this time of year!
Here’s a set of my hand-cut and handpainted foam board signs. From classic ice cream cones to sweet cotton candy, let's make this summer the sweetest yet!
Next up I’m going to do a set of some vintage style roadside stand signs for the garage and fence. Stay tuned for a few of these pieces to be available for order including some seasonal vintage style decor.
This concludes our June as we move into July! Thank you for stopping by and exploring Our Technicolor Life! Please check out all the features of the website from our Tea, Travel, Entertainment, Art, and Podcast Channels. This is our one stop shop website for all events and information. Don't forget to subscribe so you stay in the loop and check out our upcoming events section right on the home page.
Yours truly,
Carrie & Jeff
Upcoming Events - At A Glance
Gazebo Concert Disney Sing Along - Wednesday June 3rd
SOLD OUT
The Music That Helped Win the War Tribute Show
Shows at 11am & 4pm
French Lick Resort
Mad Hatter’s Tea Party - Friday July 12th
SOLD OUT
Mad Hatter’s Tea Party - Sunday July 14th
SOLD OUT
Tuesday Afternoon Tea Party - Tuesday July 16th
SOLD OUT
Private Tea Party Booked - Friday July 26th
Not Open to the Public
PrivateTea Party Booked - Sunday July 28th
Not Open to the Public
Tickets for Fall & Winter Season Go On Sale - July 31st 11am on the website
Gazebo Concert Blast from the Past - Wednesday July 31st
SOLD OUT
コメント