Welcome to My Vintage Living Blog!
New? Start here! Thank you for visiting my Vintage Living Blog, inspired by my upcoming novel, “The Girl In The Jitterbug Dress”and my “Vintage Romantic Tales of Fright” short story compilation. I try...
View ArticleDance Until You Drop
~ Dance Until You Drop ~ I tied a scarf around my wet-setted, perfect 1930’s coiffure. David in a fedora, vintage slacks and Ike jacket, stepped onto the deck of the ferry to Catalina Island. It was...
View ArticleA Vintage Visit Home
~ A Vintage Visit Home ~ My navy 30’s lace-ups clicked on the sidewalk as I walked myself to the dance. The school auditorium perched between two rows of classes, creating a U-shaped courtyard. A...
View ArticleBrightness: Swinging Blind
~ Brightness: Swinging Blind ~ Mom had been blind for several years. The darkness came upon her in stages as the brain was dying from necrosis. The radiation that killed the tumor killed her sight. She...
View ArticleHow I Threw a Surprise Birthday Swing Party
~ How I Threw a Surprise B-day Swing Party ~ Driving over the Coronado bridge rain streamed down my window, Big Band belted from my radio, my hands smelled of smashed garlic, fresh basil and mint. I...
View ArticleMeet Django Reinhardt: The Gypsy Jazz Man
~ Meet Django Reinhardt: The Gypsy Jazz Man ~ by the late Jacob Faust edited by Tam Francis Django Reinhardt, an in-depth biography on the late jazz guitarist virtuoso, written by his good friend and...
View ArticleWhat’s Your Swing Dance I.Q.?
What’s your Swing Dance I.Q. Test your history and Lindy Hop Knowledge here. Are you advanced, Intermediate, Beginner or Total Newbie? Which Dance Group was Frankie Manning NOT in? Congaroos Whitey’s...
View ArticleRemembering the First Camp Hollywood
Remembering the First Camp Hollywood By Tam Francis In honor of this year’s Camp Hollywood, I go back in time, into the archives of Swivel: Vintage Living Magazine and tell you what is was...
View ArticleMake it Hurt So Good: Moments in Dance
~ Make it Hurt So Good ~ by Tam Francis Up to Shenanigans I wasn’t sure what to expect as we drive by the tiny bar called Shenanigans. We’d heard Rip Carson was playing and there wasn’t a single other...
View ArticleSwinging with the Chickens: Moments in Dance
Swinging with the Chickens: Moments in Dance by Tam Francis Welcome to Callahan’s A life-size horse—tawny with black tipped ears and legs—greets us at the entrance to Callahan’s General Store. The...
View ArticleSwing Dancing and Drinking in Dublin
Swing Dancing and Drinking in Dublin by Tam Francis The Lesson The night was cool, but the bar was hot. The windows steamed . Droplet rivers created spidery patterns on our side of the windows. We’d...
View ArticleHot Summer Swing Heatwave: Moments in Dance
As I work on my new collection of short stories: Swing Shorts (look for release in late 2017 or early 2018), I came across this short story I’d written. Since temperature across the country are hitting...
View ArticleFun and Spooky Swing Dance Music
Halloween is my favorite holiday. As an actor, writer, director, I love all the make-believe and drama, and as a vintage fashionista, it feeds my passion to dress-up! I sat down and listened to all my...
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