Mid-Century Dinner Party

Addie and Leon, Beverly Hills, 1956 (click to embiggen)

I recently saw my long-time pal, Robbie last weekend.  I wanted to show him two photos I'd found of his parents taken in 1956.  These photos were taken at a dinner party at my parents' duplex on South Bedford Drive in Beverly Hills.  

I know my Dad took the photo, because his chair, at the head of the table, is empty.  At the end of the dining room is a wallpaper mural of a Chinese cherry tree on silver paper.  I thought it was so beautiful when I was a kid.  I recognize the painting on the dining room wall as one that came from my grandparent's house in Hollywood.  I also recognize the silver pitcher on the buffet.  My Mother uses this pitcher today!  There was a gold and cream marbelized formica top placed on my Dad's desk to act as a buffet server.  Once dinner was over, the top was stored away and the desk moved back into the den.  

I do love how Addie and Leon are so dressed up!  Entertaining in 1956 was special!

Leon, Addie, Roz and Helene, Beverly Hills, 1956 (click to embiggen)

After dinner, drinks and smokes.  I showed the photo to my Mom last weekend and she couldn't believe I had a picture of her smoking a cigarette!  Everyone smoked in the '50's, Mom!  I remember the outfit my Mom was wearing, it was a deep brown velvet pants ensemble, perfect for the hostess.   

It was the custom in the 1950's to drape an entire wall, whether there were windows on that wall or not!  This was a Spanish-Revival style duplex with an arched window...way too old-fashioned for my parents' modern aesthetic, so they draped the walls to disguise the old house.  The drapes were off-white with a sparkly gold thread running through them. The couches were forest green boucle'.  See those black and white polka-dot glasses on the table?  Well, they were a set that contained high-ball glasses, old-fashioned tumblers and liqueur glasses made from black enamel with see-through dots.  I still have a few of them.  We had those end-tables and lamps for years, switching out the lampshades as the styles changed.  The wall-to-wall carpeting was brown.  Out of the picture were the side chairs, upholstered in a cream and forest green leaf print.  The accent pillows on the sofa were mustard and orange.  Ahhhh...I remember it like it was yesterday...the house of my youth!

Have a wonderful weekend!  Maybe there is a dinner party in store for you?