Wednesday, August 4, 2021

A Birthday Bar Book (for Robb)

My childhood friend, Robb, turned 50 recently, reminding me of the good times we shared as kids growing up together in Oakville, MO in the 70's and early 80's. Seems like only yesterday (*queue the song) we were out riding bikes, skateboarding, swimming, playing Activision games, shooting hoops in his driveway, endlessly talking about KISS, not to mention the countless hours throwing around the old waterlogged Nerf football-- and don't get me started on the extended hours of Free Free Bumblebee we played long after the sun had gone down (while our parents got bombed in the backyard.) These are some of my most cherished memories from the old neighborhood, and though it's been a few years since I've seen Robb, we still keep in touch via email, because we clearly miss each other like good friends should. Okay, I'm not sure if Robb even drinks alcohol, but his half century of life milestone reminded me of this great 60's greeting card I picked up a few weeks ago, combining fun illustrations with colorful photography for a birthday card / recipe guide, like no other. So hey Robb, if you do drink, raise a glass-- and here's to you reaching the big 5-0! And if you don't drink, I hope you find some Bub's Daddy Chewing Gum instead, as well as a couple rolls of prism sticker tape to decorate your skateboard with :) HAPPY BIRTHDAY, chum!




8 comments:

Mr. Karswell said...

FYI The bottom photo is me and Robb in '79 when our families took us all on a trip to St. Petersburg FL... we're swimming in the Don Cesar Hotel pool, it's my all time favorite photo of me and him (Robb's on the ladder and that's me diving in, haha)

Mr. Cavin said...

Ha! I love the fact that you are looking at the camera mid-dive.

I dig the hand with the manhattan on the back page best of all the art--though that grasshopper illustration is also right up there. Some of these strike me as being pretty small drinks (so you can have a lot of them!). Even if they are measuring a jigger as two full ounces (one and half is more often the case), some of these cocktails don't meet the usual target volume of three or three and a half ounces. A two-ounce grasshopper or sidecar would get lost in a standard cocktail glass. The two and a half ounce manhattan wouldn't fare much better.

Happy birthday, Robb!

Guy Callaway said...

Being a functioning alcoholic, I didn't find this funny in the least..but I do get how others might dig it.

JMR777 said...

A great find Karswell, and a late Happy Birthday to your buddy Robb.

Fifty ain't so bad, now he can join the Mighty Red Brigade!
-also known as AARP.

As someone who has celebrated the big Five Oh-where-the-heck-did-the-time-go myself, Fifty is just a milestone on the road of life. As they say, you're only young once but you can be immature forever, so don't let a number spoil your fun.

Wendy said...

Excuse me, my birthday was on Tuesday, so where is MY cute card and complimentary drink, Mr. Karswell???? O_o (I'll take a Daiquiri, please)

Happy Birthday, Robb!

Craftypants Carol said...

Awesome pic!!!

I bet that jug swilling hillbilly is your fave

Brian Barnes said...

That is one pink hotel. I miss the 70s motels, with their day glow edgings and trimmings. I remember everything was ... brighter ... in the 70s. Sure, it was all shag, but it was brighter!

Happy Birthday Robb!

Mr. Karswell said...

>Ha! I love the fact that you are looking at the camera mid-dive.

My mom took this pic, likely after me yelling "Mom! Hey mom, Look! Look at me dive!" a million times, haha

>Being a functioning alcoholic, I didn't find this funny in the least

Sorry!

>you're only young once but you can be immature forever

That's pretty much been my motto since the day I was born, lol

>so where is MY cute card and complimentary drink, Mr. Karswell?

Oh goodness me, I didn't know! Happy Birthday, Wendy :)

>I bet that jug swilling hillbilly is your fave

That would be correct, CPC... see also the executioner *CLINK!

>That is one pink hotel.

A massive monstrosity with a fascinating history, if you're interested:
https://www.doncesar.com/our-history

Thanks for the comments! :)