The biggest weasel in the world and his poor wife buy a 2 BR apartment with a terrace on 82nd Street for $3,500:
Thank you TV gods for putting one good show on this summer. Man Men started this past Sunday and looks like it will be even better than last season. We’ve jumped from the Nixon/Kennedy election to 14 months later, with Jackie decorating the White House and giving televised tours. While I’m grateful I don’t live in a time when sexism, racism, and anti-Semitism are rampant, I feel jealous of the era when I see the sets and costumes. Every last detail is perfect. I’m so glad AMC.com has added an extensive photo gallery, but I still couldn’t find all of the amazing restaurant sets from last season. There’s a shot where you can sort of see the fabulous zebra wallpaper, but I can’t find one of the one with the round leather booths and mini-knight statues that was pure Ian Schrager from last season. The sets incorporate so many styles - from coming out of a countrified plaid 50’s kitchen into a more modern regency look, from mid-century modern offices to Mr. Cooper’s office that he has set up as some sort of Japanese tea room where shoe removal is required.
A time when every office had a built-in bar and you could start getting smashed on scotch at 9:30 a.m. Perhaps this is how they came up with “Jesus over Rio”:
(I think I spy some Eva Zeisel china on the bar)
A time when you could smoke anytime, anywhere, including while babysitting or pregnant. Check out the crazy tree sculpture and lamp. This is at the neighborhood divorcee’s house:
It was a time when your traitor shrink called your husband to give him progress reports after every session, but at least you could smoke the whole time you talked to him and he said nothing to you. Why does every TV or movie shrink’s office look the same? This is supposed to be 1960 and it’s so similar to Dr. Melfi’s office on The Sopranos (especially the dancing statue) or any other shrinks office set. I love the Mies daybed, the mini-tulip table, and that crazy lamp in the back. All of those pieces look great with that rug; I feel like all I ever see them with lately is white shag or worse, cowhide:
I am nuts for this headboard in Betty and Don’s room, where the magic never really happens…
…I also love this desk lamp. (P.S. That actor will ALWAYS be the guy who wanted to pee on Carrie Bradshaw to me, no matter what else he does!)
Here’s a better shot of Don’s entire office. Check out that awesome wastebasket on legs. I wonder if the set designer shopped at Victory Vintage:
Here are the random commie pinko* Bohemians that “get high and listen to Miles,” paint, perform beat poetry, and live in Greenwich Village:
Here’s that zebra wallpaper place I keep thinking about. Mmm, Pina Coloda? Mai Tai? What an elaborate drink!
Hopefully the sets alone convinced you to figure out which channel AMC is on your remote. God knows I had no idea before Mad Men. Hurry up! You can catch up On Demand right now. I really need to find another person who watches it to chat about it with!
all photos from amc.com
*had to throw in “commie pinko” to make my dad laugh. He still loves to say it, especially when describing certain East Coast newspapers and he’s allowed, because he was in ‘Nam.
