Louise:

I like the way you dress, you know I hate to fly, but I feel much better occupying my mind writing you a love letter, and so on and so forth.

Told you I liked Busted, but anyway there are much more pressing matters in the world. Like how the electrician saw how messy my bedroom was BECAUSE HE HAD TO GO IN THERE. WHILST I WAS NOT IN THERE. Not that I aim to ever be in my bedroom with an electrician, but you know, I may marry an electrician one day. This is completely hypothetical of course, I am destined for Alex Davies. I remember shutting the door this morning thinking oh yes, he won’t need to go in there, there is most obviously not a shower in my room (he had come to fix the power shower, not use it). Turns out, he did have to go in there because that’s where the boiler is and STILL THE SHOWER IS NOT FIXED. It’s not even that bad a mess. It’s a good job I attempted to tidy it yesterday. Though there was a pile of clothes right by the airing cupboard, and on top was my sister’s bra, but you know. I hope he liked my fairy lights.

OH MY GOD HE SAW MY SHRINE TO ROBERT PATTINSON. AND MY TIN FOIL MEN I MADE WHEN I WAS BORED. AND OH MY GOD MY HARRY POTTER WALL. I bet he read everything on my It Doesn’t Fit Into A Category So It’s Going On This Wall Over Here wall. Cheeky.

My life is over.

Why must England rain so much? Like seriously, Mrs Nature, what did we do to you? With the obvious global warming and general pollution of Scandinavia aside, we’re not that bad. December is meant to be snowy and crunchy and cold with blue skies and having your doors frozen shut on the car and taking three times as slow to walk anywhere because you don’t want to fall over and telling yourself that you will not throw a snowball at anybody but then as soon as you step outside your childish side takes over and you end up like a tennis ball machine thing before you know it. And Christmas.

Watch this. If you’re an Elliot Minor fan you will actually love them more than you could ever imagine. Back to reality. Christmas, yes. Did you know that an Official White Christmas is classed by the Met Office as one single snowflake landing on the roof of wherever they make up the weather in the twenty four hours of Christmas Day? Random fact for you there.

I am currently talking to my sister over MSN in French. I didn’t know I knew any. She started it first, and then I kept wanting to talk back in German (although all I can actually say is aber nein and ich kann nicht mein handy finden), even though I’m taking Spanish. But she just called me a filthy hypocrite. In English. She’s twelve, and has a better vocabulary than me. Although she doesn’t know how to spell her name properly. her display name is just “Sophiie” and I’m like no, this isn’t good enough, I am not having a chavling sister. Though I like Sophie but spelled Sophy. It’s more curly and like something you would see in a film. Well, no you wouldn’t but shut up, this is my brain.

I also wish I hadn’t inadvertently found out that coursework isn’t due in til next week, not this week as previously believed. This would have given me the incentive to finish it with time to spare. FML. On the other hand, after this is done I will never have to do English coursework again. Ever. Unless I fail this year and have to re-take my second year. Do they let you do that? I would totally do an EPQ instead of Spanish. Charlotte is doing one on American Politics next year, and it occured to me that this is partly what has been missing from my life this year. An extended piece of writing on something I actually care about, and where people have much more serious names. Like seriously, I am an A Level student and I laugh every time I have to write Tartt in English.

OOH and oooh I have not watched many episodes of it but I need to watch Series One and then proceed to watching Series Two properly, but yeah, MERLIN. Oh my God, Bradley James and Colin Morgan are just like ♥ ♥ ♥ which is a very weird sentence as my grandad’s name is Colin Morgan, and I most definately do not fancy my grandad. Electra complex, much? No, just no. THIS COLIN MORGAN and Bradley James, just yum yum yum. Although Colin is a person who either looks like OMG I LOVE YOU in a picture or No, Just Go Away. But alot of people are like that. AND oooh Charlotte and I discovered that Colin was in an episode of Doctor Who THAT I ACTUALLY WATCHED, ENJOYED AND WANTED TO WATCH AGAIN. So we watched a bit on YouTube this morning before college, and I was just like oh my god I loved him then. Actually did. I want to go find that episode and download it. As well as just anything with them in. Oh my, obsessed fan girl much. I need a bigger iPod. My piddly little nano is full of music and video, song and dance, RAINBOWS AND BUTTERFLIES, and I need an iPod touch to experience the proper whatsit of the thing. Or an iPhone. I REALLY WANT ONE. but that is £324 I don’t have, nor can I afford £34 a month for a contract. So imma have to wait until I’m 18 and see how it goes, because mumma won’t pay for me, such a spoil sport.

Ooooooooh Fillmore. It’s actually really good and I never thought it would be. When DC used to show it I was always like, no, go away, it looks crap (this was like the most bad-ass swearword in my ten year old vocabulary), I don’t want to watch it, stfu. Now I have been persuaded to watch it via youtube and oh my giddy aunt it is actually so cool, and makes me want to be a detective, but no crimes like that ever happen in school. What’s that about?

You should totally play the Wikipedia game. Bethany told me about it whilst we were meant to be doing English coursework in lesson. What you do is you start off with a topic on a Wikipedia page, and then you have a certain amount of clicks (we had 15) to get to the most random, most unassociated topic from your original one by clicking any of the links on the page you are on. We started off with ‘pineapple’. Bethany got to Orthopedic Surgery, and I got to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Then we played another one, though seperately. Bethany tried to get from Audrey Hepburn to Ed Westwick, and I tried to go from the name Toby to Barack Obama. She managed it in eight, and I got it in five. I was all, hello there, new boredom buster! I also have High School Musical 3 – I Want It All in my head, and I don’t know why because I haven’t watched it in like a million years.

x

Fans will be gassed when Fuel brings their modern rock-radio friendly brand of music to the Fillmore. On the heels of their successful 1998 début album ‘Sunburn’, the band is touring again with a new album under their belt called ‘Something Like Human’. This time out, the Pennsylvania-based group mine the depths of alterna-rock skilfully if not shamelessly. Yet the heavily influenced result (sounding at turns like everyone from Pearl Jam to Live to Tool) still manages to carve out a bit of signature sound. Refreshingly the songs manage to stay away from the typically mindless digressions of life’s little miseries. It’s mostly a lot of fun, guitar-driven sound. Nickelback and Full Devil Jacket open the show.

For being such a small city, San Francisco has an impressive number of boutiques with choice selections of everything from vintage to collector’s kicks. After living here for nearly two years, it’s easy to rely on the usual spots instead of exploring other avenues. Fortunately, I was introduced to Harput’s on Fillmore (two storefronts to the right of The Brooklyn Circus) by a friend of a friend visiting from LA. At first glance it looks like any other sneaker store with overwhelming window displays and fluorescent lighting. The store’s character becomes clear when you’re greeted by the store owner Bootsy – a charming certified Adidas fanatic whose pricing information seems masterfully improvised (and whose customer service is nothing short of entertainment). Beyond the disarming staff members, Harput’s boasts a fine selection of vintage Adidas and Nike deadstock. In a certain sense, the joint almost feels like a relic of pre-gentrification Fillmore. It exists in a rip in the time/space continuum. The combination of mixed fabrics, bright colors, jump suits and throwback accessories makes for an extraordinarily stimulating (and surreal) shopping experience. I should mention that there are several items of clothing cloaked in thin layers of dust and while some might find such wear and tear endearing others might walk away slightly turned off. Regardless, it’s the kind of place that generates immediate intrigue…you find yourself wanting to know it’s past, present and future. It was refreshing to want to aimlessly mingle in a store instead of run in and out (largely due to the strange warmth of the staff). We can all agree that retail employees often have a misguided sense of “customer service” consisting of snarky looks and gestures of indifference. Harput’s is a testament to the revival of service (may it inspire some of you other boutiques to step your game up). Check out the blog and online shop to see for yourselves. I encourage all the bay area heads to check it out: 1527 Fillmore St / San Francisco, CA 94115 415.923.9300 / Mon-Sat 11-7, Sun 12-6. Here’s a taste of the bold and bizarre pieces:

Check out the blog HERE. Shop online HERE. Scope their Yelp review HERE.

Peep the illustrious Bootsy in his element. I think I should interview dude, what do you think?

Nothing too strenuous mind you. We were still digesting our Thanksgiving leftovers.

So we ventured up to the Fillmore to wander for a bit.

I finally went into Nest, on Fillmore and Clay, which I had heard SO much about.

Look what I found!

I must to go back and buy it

I was so excited.

The store is put together beautifully. I kept on saying: “This is exactly what I want my house to look like.”

Rich, gorgeous colors. So much thought and detail. I love the lighting and all the little nooks and crannies.

Beautiful jewelry display. Doesn't it look like something you'd find in someone's closet?

I want this bedspread SO BAD

I could’ve stayed in there for hours…

Cute little desk display with books etc...

I was a huge fan of these tapestries. Kind of Marrimekko-esque but I don't know who they're by...

Bookshelf display with lots of treasures

Definitely worth a trip to the Fillmore.

I liked wandering around in there…but for now, all of these things will have to go on my “when I finally get rich” list.

Two locations, visited the one on Fillmore.

1914 Fillmore St
San Franciso, CA
415-437-CRAB (2722)

Tasty seafood in a low key atmosphere.

Moderately priced and so many interesting things to choose from such as the BBQ Pacu Fish Ribs to the Fried Oyster Po’Boy not to mention the daily specials.

What we had:

Fried Oyster Po’Boy with slaw and french fries – Simply delicious, melt in your mouth fried oyster sandwich. The french fries are some of the best in the city. They are thin, crispy on the outside, yet soft on the inside with just the right amount of salt and seasoning.

Dungeness Crab Melt with slaw and sub’d onion rings for an exta $1 – Toasted bread with a crab salad topped with cheese. Very yummy. The onion rings were battered like fish in a good ol’ fashioned fish and chips platter. Truly awesome.

Didn’t have room for the homemade desserts but would definitely go back and save room for next time.
Strawberry short cake, sour dough bread pudding and apple crisp w/icecream.

For a sample of the menu – http://www.woodhousefish.com/WFC%20Fillmore%20Menu%202009.pdf

In my nephew’s Cars book, Fillmore, the fun-loving, peace-loving, one with nature Volkswagen van is described as having a “problem with authority”, and “has a conspiracy theory for nearly every occasion”.

If you’ve watched the movie, Fillmore blurts out a line that parodies all conspiracy theorists, “It’s a conspiracy man!”  I can find the humor in someone who is whacked out on “organic herbs” speaking that line.  But the reality is ‘conspiracy theorists’ exist in every aspect of American society. 

I think that with over time people have come to learn to distrust the very form of government that we are told would never do anything to violate our rights or the confines of the of the Constitution.

The very truth is, the government is getting bigger.  More taxes, bigger spending, more wars are being planned, and more secrecy.  From the 700 billion dollar bailout to nationalized medicine…from Operation Northwoods and other ones like it, to the CIA’s secret torture labs, freedom is slowly and methodically being washed away.

View Larger Map

This map is something I’m going to update constantly as the Philly establishments rise and fall but for now it has a lot of great information on the most popular venues to visit. I’ve also linked to a few great restaurants and bars around the venues located in more happening areas. Take a look and enjoy! Let me know if there are any places you think I should visit and add to the map. As time goes on I’ll be adding photos and more stories so keep checking back!

[Flickr/Random J]

[Insert Heavy Sarcasm] Good job, Daisy – Hikaru Utada, your J-pop music idol for the past 10 years, is on a rare U.S. tour and you completely missed the boat on getting tickets for the SF concert (on 1/24/09 at the Fillmore). What the heck is wrong with you! With millions and millions of fans around the world, did you really think that this wouldn’t sell out?

Yea, I admit it. I didn’t think it would (given that her recent albums haven’t been as hot as her previous stuff). So here I am, 4 freakin days after the tickets go on sale, without a ticket.

The concert isn’t for another two months, so all hope is not lost. However, I ain’t going to pay an outrageous finder’s fee to a scapler either….to be continued….

In the meantime, here’s her latest English single, “Come Back to Me” – this song has definitely grown on me, so I’m giving it a Daisy Stamp of Approval…Ha!

Here I am waiting for the end of the world and it isn’t coming any time soon…

It’s almost time to for bed. The day is over in Denver metro. Darkness set in around 5 o’clock. Drink was not yet in hand, that came later. The holy football team has been shamed by a better opponent. I’m sure the local news will treat this as a massive tragedy tomorrow.  Nothing else happens around here, apparently.

The vodka has done nothing to help my shredded throat. More vodka might, but I don’t have time for that. The bar has closed for the evening.  Nothing left to do but burn it down, but I don’t have any matches. Probably for the best…

The Rob Zombie show the other night was pretty good. We were up near the pit and the crowd was intense. There was movement. The Fillmore is a great venue, possibly the only place I’ve found memorable in the metro-Denver area. The setlist could’ve used a tweak or two but the new songs sounded great. Can’t wait for the new album.

Why I bought a $40 t-shirt when my bank account is dying, I’ll never know. Guess it’s just one of those things.

Tomorrow, more hunting for work.

Not a cheery thought.

Event Name: Blues Traveler
Event Date: 11/4/09
Venue: The Fillmore at Irving Plaza
City: New York
State: NY

Guy – “I have 40 text messages. How did that happen?”

Girl – “I’ve  slept with too many guys in NY. That’s my problem. I need to move.”

 

Here is the wrap-up video from that epic game!

Fillmore won 41-34 in a dramatic last second touchdown over the Cardinals.

Enjoy!

PBS story of the Fillmore: http://www.pbs.org/kqed/fillmore/index.html

San Francisco history of segregation: http://libwiki.mcmaster.ca/geog3ur3/index.php/Main/HistoryOfSegregation

History of Japantown: http://www.japantownparking.com/About/history.cfm

ASLA student award on remodeling the Western Addition: http://www.asla.org/awards/2007/studentawards/022.html

History Lessons in the Strategy of Urban Renewal: http://www.thestreetspirit.org/Mayreal2006/bayview.htm

What’s really wrong with the Lower Fillmore?  http://www.sfweekly.com/2005-09-21/news/what-s-really-wrong-with-the-lower-fillmore/

© Michael Jang

As far as I know, Michael Jang has not taken a photograph inside a prison … but he has been to many other altered sites.

My good friends Brendan Seibel (words) and Keith Axline (photos) did the real deal this week with an interview and gallery over at Raw File.

Blake followed a train of thought set up by Bryan this week about photography’s late-bloomers. Jang might have words of encouragement along the same lines. He hasn’t exactly had the typical career track; he was exhibiting at a high school seven years ago.

And photographs can change:

Put [a photo] away and let it age like a fine wine. … Some of the work I question, like the Beverly Hilton or the Jangs, if it would have been good when it first came out, or appreciated. I think maybe not. I think maybe you need to age 30 years so that we can look back on it.

Jang comes across as a man who has as few answers as the rest of us:

In the ’70s you could pick a subject: freaks, twins, brothers and sisters, and you’d be the first one to get it. Everyone’s done everything now. You’ve got dead body parts — we’ve done everything. So how do you carve out a niche for yourself now as a photographer? Is it more about the best person who can market themselves? The best schmoozer? The person who can make the connections? It’s a whole new ball game. I don’t know what I would do now.

Times were raw and opportune back then:

In the ’70s I happened to get a guy who committed suicide in Golden Gate Park. I knew I had the only pictures — I sold that stuff to the 11 o’clock news. But now it’s like, “send it to us for free” and you go, “yeah, I can get my name on there.” That kind of sucks for photographers making a living, right? It’s just so diluted now.

And, Jang’s response to the uncertainty? Keep shooting.

My daughter had friends that were in a band in high school and I said, “Oh man, can I shoot this?” and she said, “No! … Oh please? … No!” So what happened is they played the band shell in Golden Gate Park one day on a Saturday. Look, that’s fair game. They’re out in public. So I go there and I’m laying back; I don’t want to embarrass my kid. Eventually I start shooting and one kid kind of comes up and he starts talking to me and I end up telling him that I shot The Ramones. And that was it.

© Michael Jang

Jang also photographed around Preston, ID where Napoleon Dynamite was filmed.

With all the talk of the need for affordable housing in the City of Ventura, we sometimes seem to overlook other local cities, and no other city is focusing on that need than Fillmore.

Fillmore has had a rough year, coping with the exodus of several city officials — some of them under fire for questionable acts — and now, a dispute over rent control and senior citizens rights in Fillmore’s low-income, mobile home tenant community.

This is the basis of what Measure F proposes for Nov. 3: a mobile home exclusive zone,  rent control for mobile home tenants, and easier conversion of mobile home rentals to ownerships.

And with all the talk of Measures A, B, C and E, it’s become like Alphabet City around here … with the exception of F.

Since our paper doesn’t predominantly cover Fillmore, this blog provides a good opportunity to endorse Measure F.

Like allegations that seniors in Ventura had been treated unfairly by code enforcement rules, the heart of Measure F is really all about senior citizens. Whether working or retired, many don’t have a lot of money; renting a mobile home in their twilight years is often all they can afford. Where can they turn to if landlords keep jacking up their rents?

Some people on online message boards posited that many seniors can move in with family. But why should they if one is still capable of independence at an old age? Greed has displaced one too many low-income people one too many times. It’s harder when someone is over 65 and not upwardly mobile any longer.

Measure F would establish better rent controls in Fillmore, specifically, at the El Dorado Estates, for those who qualify.

One reason why it’s called the Fair Rent and Home Ownership Initiative is because Measure F also looks to adopt better, easier standards for renters looking to purchase their mobile homes. Stabilize rent for those who do, and allow better ease of purchasing that same rented home.

Within all this, Measure F’s focus on mobile home exclusivity is another, third factor: to change Fillmore’s zoning laws so certain areas in town are zoned specifically for mobile homes.

It’s one of the most important parts of Measure F because it ensures that mobile homes aren’t squeezed in wherever there’s a random parcel available.

Let’s hope Measure F passes so we can see similar initiatives across Ventura County in the future.

Like any other Americans, the family living in the big white house on Pennsylvania avenue has traditions surrounding the holiday season as well. Sit back, and get comfortable, while we explore how Presidents have celebrated Christmas from President George Washington to President Barack Obama.

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. ~ President Calvin Coolidge

History of Christmas at the White House (1789-1849)

President George Washington and First Lady Martha (1789-1797)
President John Adams and First Lady Abigale (1797-1801)
President Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)
President James Madison (1809-1817)
President James Monroe and First Lady Elizabeth (1817-1825)
President John Quincy Adams and First Lady Louisa (1825-1829)
President Andrew Jackson and First Lady Rachel (1829-1837)
President Martin Van Buren (1837-1841)
President William Henry Harrison and First Lady Anna (1841-1841)
President John Tyler and First Ladies Lettitia and Julia (1841-1845)
President James K. Polk and First Lady Sarah (1845-1849)
President Zachary Taylor and First Lady Margaret (1849-1850)

History of Christmas at the White House (1850-1901)

President Millard Fillmore and First Ladies Abigail and Caroline (1850-1853)
President Franklin Pierce and First Lady Jane (1853-1857)
President James Buchanan (1857-1861)
President Abraham Lincoln and First Lady Mary (1861-1865)
President Andrew Johnson and First Lady Elizabeth (1865-1869)
President Ulysses S. Grant and First Lady Julia (1869-1877)
President Rutherford B. Hayes and First Lady Lucy (1877-1881)
President James A. Garfield and First Lady Lucretia (1881-1881)
President Chester A. Arthur and First Lady Ellen (1881-1885)
President Grover Cleveland and First Lady Francis (1885-1889, (1893-1897)
President Benjamin Harrison and First Lady Caroline and Mary (1889-1893)
President William McKinley and First Lady Ida (1897-1901)

History of Christmas at the White House (1901-1953)

President Theodore Roosevelt and First Ladies Alice and Edith (1901-1909)
President William Howard Taft and First Lady Helen (1909-1913)
President Woodrow Wilson and First Ladies Ellen and Edith (1913-1921)
President Warren G. Harding and First Lady Florence (1921-1923)
President Calvin Coolidge and First Lady Grace (1923-1929)
President Herbert Hoover and First Lady Lou (1929-1933)
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor (1933-1945)
President Harry S. Truman and First Lady Bess (1945-1953)

History of Christmas at the White House (1953-1977)

President Dwight Eisenhower and First Lady Mamie Eisenhower (1953-1961)
President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy (1961-1963)
President Lyndon Johnson and First Lady Claudia (Lady Bird) (1963-1969)
President Richard Nixon and First Lady Patricia (1969-1974)
President Gerald Ford and First Lady Betty (1974-1977)

History of Christmas at the White House (1977-2009)

President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalyn Carter (1977-1981)
President Ronald Regan and First Lady Nancy (1981-1989)
President George HW Bush and First Lady Barbara (1989-1993)
President William J. Clinton and First Lady Hillary (1993-2001)
President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush (2001-2008)
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama (2009- )

Back to Happy Holidays Main Page

President Millard Fillmore and First Ladies Abigail and Caroline 1850-1853

Millard Fillmore spent several Christmas seasons in Washington D.C. but only three as President of the United States. President Fillmore and his wife, Abigail Powers, had grown accustomed to spending the Christmas holidays away from their children due to Millard’s political career. Millard Fillmore and his wife would take great care in selecting Christmas gifts to send home to their children, who were attending school in New York. Mr. Fillmore was especially apt to select books to send to the children.

Mrs. Fillmore had grown ill by the time Mr. Fillmore took over the presidency after the death of Zachary Taylor. President Fillmore’s daughter, Mary Abigail Fillmore, took over the First Lady’s White House hostess duties including all duties associated with the White House Christmas celebrations. The President’s daughter was an accomplished musician and would perform at several White House functions. Since the first Christmas cards were believed to be designed and printed in London, England just 10 years prior to the end of Millard Fillmore’s tenure as president, it is doubtful it ever occurred to President Fillmore or his wife to send White House Christmas cards.

The East Aurora, New York home of President Fillmore, where he celebrated several Christmas holidays with his family before entering the political arena in Washington and moving to the White House.

President Fillmore’s daughter, Mary Abigail Fillmore, died of cholera a little over a year after her mother’s death. President Fillmore decided to go abroad and tour Europe, spending at least one Christmas season overseas.

President Franklin Pierce and First Lady Jane 1853-1857

Franklin Pierce served for one term as the 14th President of the United States just prior to the Civil War. Pierce’s four years in the White House was marked by a great deal of political turbulence and it is assumed that the thought of sending Christmas greetings would be buried under the weight of his responsibilities.

President Pierce may not have sent White House Christmas Cards, but he did have a Christmas tree put up in the White House. He is widely hailed as having the first White House Christmas tree, however, the first official “National Christmas Tree” was lit in 1923 by President Calvin Coolidge on the section of the White House lawn known as the Ellipse. Pierce had the Christmas tree decorated in 1856 for a group of Washington Sunday School children. The practice of putting up a Christmas tree was brought to the United States by German immigrants and was in vogue during the mid 1800s. Prior to this, decorations consisted of holly and pine cones and sprigs of green.

White House Christmas ornament from 1997 honoring Franklin Pierce featuring the White House grounds as they would have appeared during his time

In 1997 the White House Historical Society issued its annual Christmas ornament – depicting the White House as it looked during the presidency of Franklin Pierce. This special ornament features the White House lawn as people are strolling on the grounds in a casual fashion. It appears to be a peaceful scene, although President Pierce’s term in office was not at all peaceful.

President James Buchanan 1857-1861

Few leaders have faced the harrowing dilemma our 15th President, James Buchanan, suffered during the Christmas season of 1860. In the most polarizing of elections, the nation had just voted to have Abraham Lincoln succeed him. Numerous southern states saw Lincoln’s election as the death knell for slavery, the growing irrelevance of their role in the federal government and direction of the nation, and an end to the southern way of life. Led by South Carolina, seven (and later 11) of these disaffected commonwealths had begun the process of drawing up Articles of Secession as Buchanan, a man with southern sympathies but a protector of the Union first, scrambled to find a solution to the exploding crisis. Surely, the President had no time or inclination to send White House Christmas cards during that bleak winter.

The 1998 James Buchanan Holiday Ornament

A few days after his inauguration, the Supreme Court handed down the Dred Scott decision. This ruling stated that under the Constitution, slaves were considered to be property and Congress had no authority to prohibit slavery in federal territories. This ruling enraged most northerners who accused Buchanan of being in league with pro-slavery forces and attempting to increase the power, influence, and total number of slave states.

Wheatland, the Pennsylvania country estate of James Buchanan, where he would spend Christmas during his time away from the White House

President Abraham Lincoln and First Lady Mary 1861-1865

Christmas is not a topic that one often associates with our Civil War president. During the first Christmas of the war, Mrs. Lincoln arranged flowers, read books, helped serve meals, talked with the staff, and cared for the wounded at Campbell’s and Douglas hospitals. She personally raised a thousand dollars for Christmas dinners and donated a similar amount for oranges and lemons when she heard that there was a threat of scurvy.

During the Christmas season of 1863, the Lincolns son, Tad, had accompanied his father on hospital visits and noticed the loneliness of the wounded soldiers. Deeply moved, the boy asked his father if he could send books and clothing to these men. The President agreed and packages signed “From Tad Lincoln” were sent to area hospitals that Christmas.

One Christmas Tad Lincoln befriended the turkey that was to become Christmas dinner. He interrupted a cabinet meeting to plead with his father to spare the bird. The President obliged by writing a formal pardon for the turkey named Jack!

Commissioned by Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Nast illustrated the cover of Harper’s Weekly in January of 1863, depicting Father Christmas (a.k.a. Santa Claus) as we imagine him today

What also was special at Christmastime was the serving of special foods for dinner: turkey, venison, biscuits, chicken salad, fruit, cake, and eggnog. A famous story involved son, Tad, who during one particular holiday season, pleaded with his father to not have a certain turkey (named Jack) killed for Christmas dinner because Tad considered Jack his pet. The President wrote a formal pardon, saving the life of the turkey. The Lincolns never did have a Christmas tree at the White House, although a short walk away there was a tree they may have gone to see when they attended services at the First Presbyterian Church.

Thomas Nast's illustration, Lincoln's Christmas Box to Jeff Davis, depicting the choices the South had as the Civil War came to an end

The 2004 American President Collection Abraham Lincoln Ornament

As a result of his accomplishments and moral attributes for which Abraham Lincoln is known, historians agree that he should be considered among the best – if not the best – President of the United States our country has known.

President Andrew Johnson and First Lady Elizabeth 1865-1869

Andrew Johnson originally of Tennessee, serving as Vice President of the United States at the end of the Civil War, was thrust into the presidency upon the assassination of our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. There is no information concerning how the Johnson family celebrated the Christmas holiday while he served in the nation’s highest office or whether they exchanged White House Christmas cards during his term as president.

Aside from having been born four days after Christmas on December 29, 1808, the only other Christmas-related occurrence associated directly with Andrew Johnson was one of his last – and yet a most significant of acts – when on Christmas Day in 1868, he granted unconditional and full amnesty to any and all former Confederates charged with treason, specifically the former President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, and former Confederate Vice President, Andrew Stephens. The proclamation read, in part:

…the President of the United States…do hereby proclaim and declare unconditionally and without reservation, to all and every person who, directly or indirectly, participated in the late insurrection or rebellion a full pardon and amnesty for the offense of treason against the United States…with restoration of all rights, privileges, and immunities under the Constitution…

2001 commemorative ornament featuring President Johnson taking his family for a carriage ride during Christmas at the White House

Although it has been substantiated that the first “official” White House Christmas tree was displayed in 1853 during the reign of President Franklin Pierce, having a tree during the Christmas season did not become a yearly staple for presidents until the Kennedy administration.

The Greeneville, Tennessee home of Andrew Johnson, where he spent Christmas with his family before and after living in the White House

President Ulysses S. Grant and First Lady Julia 1869-1877

Although there is no information about White House Christmas cards sent out by Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States, and his wife, Julia, the Grant name has been connected with two important events involving Christmas itself. During his first presidential term in 1870, the former General in Chief of the Union Army signed into law the bill that had been introduced by Illinois Congressman Burton Chuancey Cook, making Christmas a legal holiday. The bill also declared that New Year’s Day, the 4th of July, and Thanksgiving Day would also be national holidays.

The General Grant Tree in Kings Canyon National Park, California, deemed the “Nation’s Christmas Tree” by Calvin Coolidge in 1926

Three decades later, President Dwight Eisenhower proclaimed the tree to be a national shrine and a living memorial to those who gave their lives serving the United States. Each Christmas, a wreath is laid at the tree’s base to honor the United States’ fallen war heroes.

There is no information available concerning how the Grant family may have celebrated the Christmas holiday. Exchanging White House Christmas cards was not yet a standard practice and there is no mention of a White House Christmas tree being displayed in the executive mansion.

Grant's Tomb, the national memorial in New York, the state where the former President Grant and his family spent their last Christmases together before his death in 1885

In 1885, Congress voted to reinstate Grant’s full general ranking along with providing a decent salary. While terminally ill, Grant had been moved to Mount McGregor in Saratoga County, New York for health reasons, and this was where he spent his last days working on his memoirs, writing his recollections in longhand since he was unable to speak because of the cancer which was killing him. The well-received publication earned the family more than $450,000.

President Rutherford B. Hayes and First Lady Lucy 1877-1881

President Rutherford B. Hayes was well known for his prolific letter writing before, during, and after he was president. There are many letters that were preserved from his four years spent in the White House. Although Hayes wrote a great deal during his presidency there is no indication whether or not he sent White House Christmas cards. Since the first known Christmas cards offered for sale in America date back to 1875, we can presume that President Hayes did not send out Christmas cards during his stay in the White House.

President Hayes kept a diary from the age of 12 through his death at age 70. Many of his White House moments have been recorded in these journal entries. While it’s been established that Hayes did not send out White House Christmas cards, he did send out letters during the holiday season to his uncle describing how he spent Christmases in the White House. In 1877 he wrote in his diary:

December 26, 1887 – Our visit to New York, 21st and 24th, was a most happy one. The Union League reception, 22nd, the American Museum of Natural History opening, and the New England dinner, all enjoyable. Christmas, the presents to the children made them and their parents equally happy.

The Doll House given to Fanny Hayes on her first Christmas in the White House, which was put on display by Pat Nixon along with several White House Christmas cards received by Rutherford B. Hayes during his presidency.

While serving as United States President, Hayes spent four Christmases in the White House, and there is evidence that he received several Christmas cards. President Richard Nixon’s wife Pat set up a Christmas display in the East Wing corridor that included three Christmas cards received by President Hayes during his term and a large doll house made for Fanny Hayes by White House carpenters, given to her during her first Christmas in the White House.

The 2004 Rutherford B. Hayes Ornament

President James A. Garfield and First Lady Lucretia 1881-1881

James A. Garfield was born into humble circumstances on November 19, 1831 in Moreland Hills, Ohio. His father passed away before his second Christmas and young James was raised by his mother, brother, and uncle. As a teenager, he drove canal boat teams to earn money and probably never imagined that one day he would be in a position to send White House Christmas cards. Garfield attended Western Reserve Eclectic Institute (later Hiram College) in Ohio. He went on to Williams College in Massachusetts, where he was known as an exceptional student, and graduated in 1856. After a brief stint as a preacher, he became a professor and returned to his former school in Ohio and was named President of the Institute within a year. He married his wife, Lucretia, in 1858 and the couple would have seven children. Garfield entered politics and was elected to the Ohio state senate in 1859.

Garfield spent Christmas 1880 sequestered at his Lawnfield Estate in Mentor, Ohio, poring over the inaugural addresses of all previous presidents, but he did not finish writing his own speech until just before the inauguration. In it, he spoke of the triumph of Constitutional law in the Civil War and he described the elevation of the African American race from slavery to citizenship as “the most important political change… since the adoption of the Constitution.”

Lawnfield, the Mentor, Ohio estate of Garfield, where he and his family spent many Christmases together

President Chester A. Arthur and First Lady Ellen 1881-1885

Chester Alan Arthur was administered the oath of office as the 21st President of the United States on September 20, 1881, just before the Christmas season and shortly after the assassination of President James Garfield. When Garfield won the nomination for president, several people were asked and refused the nomination for Vice President. Going against his mentor’s advice Chester Arthur accepted the nomination of Vice President stating, “This is a higher honor than I have ever dreamt of attaining. I shall accept!” (not realizing he would shortly take over the presidency).

The Official White House 2006 Chester A Arthur Ornament

President Grover Cleveland and First Lady Francis 1885-1889, 1893-1897

When Grover Cleveland first became President in 1885, he hardly stopped working long enough to celebrate anything, let alone the Christmas holidays. Then in 1886, the 50-year-old Cleveland married his deceased law partner’s daughter, 22-year-old Frances Folsom and between terms, their first child, “Baby Ruth,” was born. We can imagine that the President’s life was never the same from that point on!

Although there was no Christmas tree during the first Cleveland administration, when daughters Ruth, Esther, and Marion were born, this quickly changed. In 1895, a tree was set up, decorated with electric lights, gold angels with spreading wings, gold and silver sleds, tops of every description, and lots of tinsel. Under the tree was a miniature White House and a doll house for Esther, who was the only daughter of a President to be born in the White House.

The Cleveland family Christmas tree in 1896

President Benjamin Harrison and First Lady Caroline and Mary 1889-1893

While it is reported that President Franklin Pierce was the first to decorate a White House Christmas tree, the tradition was not begun in earnest and announced to the public until the presidency of Benjamin Harrison over four decades later. On the morning of December 25, 1889, the Harrison family gathered in the second-floor Oval Room of the White House (later called the Blue Room) and stood around a tree decorated with glass ornaments, toy soldiers, and lit candles.

President Harrison’s young grandchildren, Benjamin and Mary McKee, were the leading recipients of gifts, which filled tables and stockings hung from the mantel. Besides the presents, candy and nuts were distributed to family and staff, and the President distributed turkeys and gloves to his employees. While there is no mention of White House Christmas Cards being exchanged, Harrison did receive a silver dollar-shaped picture holder from his daughter, Mary Scott “Mamie” Harrison McKee. First Lady Caroline Harrison, an artist, was instrumental in planning how the tree would be adorned. The Harrisons played an essential role in setting the stage for a tradition which has lasted to the present day, as the First Family’s Christmas tree is still set up in the same location in the White House chosen by the 23rd President of the United States.

The Oval Room, where the Harrisons formally erected the first White House Christmas tree

The 2008 White House Benjamin Harrison Ornament

President William McKinley and First Lady Ida 1897-1901

President William McKinley celebrated four Christmas Seasons in the White House but would not make it to see the first Christmas of his second term in office. McKinley met his untimely death just before the Christmas Season in 1901, when he was assassinated by Leon Frank Czolgosz on September 6 of that year.

President McKinley and wife Ida Saxton celebrated Christmas of 1898 in the White House. The manner in which the First Family celebrated Christmas was mostly dictated by Mrs. McKinley’s health at the time. This was the second year of President McKinley’s first term, and he and the First Lady decided to spend the holidays at home in the White House. Just prior to Christmas, Mrs. McKinley was feeling strong enough to make a special trip to New York to purchase gifts for the White House servants and attachés. Several of the executive couple’s friends and associates from Ohio arrived to spend Christmas in Washington. When attending church services, their minister spoke of God’s Christmas gift of freedom to an oppressed people. Later in the afternoon the couple took advantage of the pleasant but brisk weather they were experiencing and went for a drive.

1898 article from the New York Times archive discussing how President McKinley celebrated Christmas

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Raekwon – I Wanna Rock Freestyle

After the jump, check out some footage of Rae, CNN and Busta att the Fillmore

Via: Nah Right

Thanks to my dude Menz for getting the tickets. Shout out to Rebel and Zero as well. It was a chill night. My bad for bouncing on the way to White Castle. I couldn’t take any more driving.

But I digress..let the pictures speak.

Blurry….but Cappadonna came out for Ice Cream.

Rae embraces O.D.B’s Moms. Who got a loud ovation from the crowd as Rae went into his Dirty Tribute.

Rae Rocks more classics from Wu albums, Cuban linkx 1 and 2 …C.R.E.A.M… Incarcerated Scar faces, Surgical Gloves..

From the shows in NYC and Chicago in October of 2008. If you’ve been to a KJ show, then you’ll understand how these “mistakes” actually embody the energy of the gatherings. A cathartic melange of exorcism via music.