TWA RETURNS

When Eero Saarinen's design for the The TWA Flight Center was unveiled in 1962, the building became an international symbol of the Jet Age. The curves of the roofline captured flight itself, and the swooping interiors, dressed in clean white with red accents, embodied modernity and connecting to the world- with time to spare for cocktails. It was the natural extension of the decade of leisure. The center closed in 2001, but the building is now under renovations to become a smart new 1960s-style hotel. Tyler Morse, the CEO of its development, told CNN Travel: "We're restoring Saarinen's Flight Center to its original splendor. At 200,000 square feet, the historic TWA terminal building will be the largest hotel lobby in the world. Right there in Saarinen's iconic space, you'll have eight restaurants and six bars for visitors and hotel guests to enjoy. The new hotel connected to the historic Flight Center will feature 505 guest rooms, 50,000 square feet of event space, a rooftop pool and observation deck, and a museum devoted to the 1960s. We've even acquired a 1956 Lockheed Connie aircraft which will host a one-of-a-kind bar and restaurant- guests will be able to come sit in first-class seats and enjoy a martini!" Sounds fantastic! Renovations are set to complete in 2019. But in the meantime, Spy Vibers can visit a TWA-themed lounge and exhibit on the 86th floor of One World Trade Center. The exhibit includes period furniture (look for Saarinen Tulip chairs!), artwork, artifacts, and uniforms- many of which were donated by former TWA flight attendants. Get the full scoop at CNN. More info at TWA. In other news, check out my episodes of Cocktail Nation radio as I introduce some of the great spy classics and soundtracks: Episode #1 (Danger Man) and Episode #2 (The 10th Victim), Epsiode #3 (On Her Majesty's Secret Service), Episode #4 (Roger Moore/The Saint), and Episode #5 (The Avengers), Episode #6 (The Prisoner), and Episode #7 (The Ipcress File), Episode #8 (The Man From U.N.C.L.E.). Enjoy!

Selected Spy Vibe Posts: Spy Vibe Radio 8, Interview: Ryan Heshka, Mid-Century Modern Schulz, Agent Werewolf, Mata Hair Exhibit, Johnny Sokko 50th, Interview: Trina Robbins, Eddie Izzard, The Prisoner Capt Scarlet 50th, Hugh Hefner R.I.P., Jack Good R.I.P., Interview: Shaken Not Stirred, Callan 50th, Spy Vibe Radio 7, The Prisoner 50th Event, Spy-Fi Event, Kaho Aso 007, Two Million, Bo Diddley, Carnaby Pop, Le Carre Events, Billy Bragg Skiffle, Elvis 68, Jack Kirby The Prisoner, Casino Royale Concert, Review: The Prisoner Vol 2, Interview: The Prisoner Essential Guide, Maud Russell Mottisfont, Spy Vibe Radio 4, Batman Gallants, Adam West R.I.P., Village Triangle, Roger Moore R.I.P., Spy Vibe Radio 3, Sgt Pepper 50th, Satanik Kriminal OST, 60s Overdrive, Make Love in London, Spy Vibe Radio 2, Spy Vibe Radio 1, James Bond Strips, Propaganda Mabuse, Interview: Police Surgeon, XTC Avengers, 1966 Pep Spies, Batman Book Interview, Exclusive Fleming Interview, Avengers Comic Strips, Robert Vaughn RIP, UNCLE Fashions, Thunderbirds Are Pop!, Interview: Spy Film Guide, Lost Avengers Found, The Callan File, Mission Impossible 50th, Green Hornet 50th, Star Trek 50th, Portmeirion Photography 1, Filming the Prisoner, Gaiman McGinnins Project, Ian Fleming Grave, Revolver at 50, Karen Romanko Interview, Mod Tales 2, Umbrella Man: Patrick Macnee, New Beatles Film, The Curious Camera, Esterel Fashion 1966, Exclusive Ian Ogilvy Interview, 007 Tribute Covers, The Phantom Avon novels return, Ian Fleming Festival, Argoman Design, Sylvia Anderson R.I.P., Ken Adam R.I.P., George Martin R.I.P., The New Avengers Comics, The Phantom at 80, 007 Manga, Avengerworld Book, Diana Rigg Auto Show, The Prisoner Audio Drama Review.

JET SET PRINTS

Spy Vibers, please enter Spy Vibe's 1960s book contest (ends Dec 16th). You can get 1960s spy paperbacks- free! Now, here's a little something that might inspire your holiday shopping. If you need cool artwork for your lair, or if you're looking for gift ideas for that suave agent or evil mastermind on your list, check out the Pop Art prints over and Art and Hue. Not only do they have awesome duatone images of The Avengers and Thunderbirds, you can also find graphics inspired by the Jet Set designs of the Mid-Century Modern era. Add some Eero Saarinen to the mix! Samples from the seres below. More info here. Read Spy Vibe's Avengers interview with Art and Hue. Enjoy!

Selected Spy Vibe Posts: Eric Mival Book, Book Contest, Robert Vaughn RIP, UNCLE Fashions, Thunderbirds Are Pop!, Interview:Spy Film Guide, Lost Avengers Found, The Callan File, Mission Impossible 50th, Green Hornet 50th, Star Trek 50th, Portmeirion Photography 1, Filming the Prisoner, Gaiman McGinnins Project, Ian Fleming Grave, Revolver at 50, Karen Romanko Interview, Mod Tales 2, Umbrella Man: Patrick Macnee, New Beatles Film, The Curious Camera, Esterel Fashion 1966, Exclusive Ian Ogilvy Interview, 007 Tribute Covers, The Phantom Avon novels return, Ian Fleming Festival, Argoman Design, Sylvia Anderson R.I.P., Ken Adam R.I.P., George Martin R.I.P., The New Avengers Comics, Trina Robbins Interview, The Phantom at 80, 007 Manga, Avengerworld Book, Diana Rigg Auto Show, The Prisoner Audio Drama Review, David McCallum novel, Andre Courreges R.I.P., Who's Talking on Spy Vibe, UFO Blu-ray, Avengers Pop Art Interview, Fergus Fleming Interview, Avengers: Alan Hayes Interview, Jaz Wiseman Interview, Diana Rigg BFI Interview, Casino Royale Interview: Mike Richardson, Lost Diana Rigg Interview, Honor Blackman at 90, UNCLE School, Ian Fleming Memorial, Portmeirion Photos, Doctor Who Exhibit, Farewell Steed, Pussy Galore Returns, Diana Rigg birthday, Sherlock at 221B, Invisible Agent, Saint Interview: Ian Dickerson, Saint Doppelgänger, Fleming's Typewriter, Rare Fleming, Fleming's Music, Ian Fleming's Japan, Jim Wilson Corgi Interview, Fantomas Design, John Buss interview, Saint Volvo, Mod Tales Interview, Agente Secreto Comics, Danger Man Comics 2, Danger Man Comics, John Drake Comics, Der Mann Von UNCLE, Golden Margaret Nolan, Man From UNCLE Rocksteady, Pussy Galore Calypso, Cynthia Lennon R.I.P., Edward Mann Fashion, Leonard Nimoy Tribute, Shatner at 84, Bob Morane series, Thai Bond Design, Bond vs Modernism, Tokyo Beat 1964, Feraud Mod Fashion, Green Hornet Manga, Avengers Interview: Michael Richardson, Ian Fleming: Wicked Grin, Jane Bond Hong Kong Records, Ryan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMAN, Comics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.

AGENTE SECRETO X9

Spy Vibe has curated a Pinterest board celebrating diobolikal villains like Fantomas, Diabolik, Killing, Fantomex, Death Man, Kriminal, Satanik, Mabuse, Sadistik, Phibes, and many others. In the wake of collecting these groovy gangsters, one of my agents just returned from Mexico with a stash of vintage comics to share on Spy Vibe. We posted some panels from Fantomas last week. Here are some groovy images from a 1963 edition of the Secret Agent X9 comic book, which collects strips by artist Bob Lubbers (who signed his work as Bob Lewis for King Features). The strip was created by Dashiell Hammett (Maltese Falcon) and Alex Raymond (Flash Gordon) in 1934, and the character made appearances in the newspaper strips until 2001. Reminiscent of 1960s spy films, this 1963 strip is energized by modern architecture- including the Eero Saarinen TWA building, which opened the previous year in 1962 (see 5th image below/airport scene). Enjoy!

Get ready to meet MIKI ZERO, Japanese fashion model and spy! Jason Whiton, creator of Spy Vibe, has written a sixties thriller inspired by his love of Ian Fleming and based on newly declassified intel from the Cold War. More info at his website here. Recent Spy Vibe posts: Julie Newmar, Erno Goldfinger, Hitchcock tribute, Ian Fleming memorial, Emma Peel Megaset returns.

JET AGE COOKING

Agent James Kraus has created a new book for your swinging kitchens. If you enjoy an occasional foray into the kitchen and happen to own an iPad, you may be interested in checking out Jet Age Cooking for the Bachelor Gourmet, a cookbook ideal for Spy Vibers with a taste for dining in the style of 1960s jet-setters.

This book is targeted to the sophisticated Man About Town who cooks for pleasure rather than necessity. All recipes are specifically scaled for a solo serving, easily doubled for preparing that special dinner à deux. It is focused on a selection of international favorites that were staples of upscale restaurants in the 1960s. Enjoy your favorite apéritif while you create vintage international Jet Age entrées like Steak Diane, Spaghetti Maria Grazia, Veal Milanese Four Seasons, or the Filet of Beef à la TWA from the 1968 menu of Trans World Airlines’ first-class Foreign Accent Service.

Included in the book are carefully selected music recommendations for the complete experience of dining with suave ’60s flair. These include classic standards by Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, Matt Monro, Dave Brubeck, Sérgio Mendez, and others. Spy Vibers can download Jet Age Cooking from the Apple iBooks store. A Kindle edition is due this Spring.

James Kraus enjoyed the 1960s growing up near Chicago, where his parents were active in their local gourmet club. While guests gathered around the bar, James learned his way around the kitchen prepping sauces and often assembling one of the signature desserts of the period, flaming Cherries Jubilee. He recently retired after three decades toiling in the entertainment industry, and currently publishes the 1960s automotive blog Auto Universum. Paintings appearing in this Spy Vibe post are by Shag. 

I have a spy novella coming out. Stay tuned and follow Spy Vibe by clicking the Follow link at top right of this page. 

Check Spy Vibe for recent posts about our discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, my review of SKYFALL, tributes to Donald Richie and Tony Sheridan, the Les Vampires serial on Blu-ray, Lucy Fleming, The Beatles first record session, Ian Fleming's desert island interview, new Ian Fleming book designs, Fantomas, Spy Smasher, Barbarella tv show, British spy comics, Piper Gates retro designs, Cinema Retro, and more. 

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NEW EERO SAARINEN BOOK

A new monograph focusing on the furniture designs of Eero Saarinen has been published and is available at Design Within Reach. From the DWR press release: "Pre-order your copy of EeroSaarinen: Furniture for Everyman by Brian Lutz. Available at Design Within Reach, the first 50 copies of this book will be signed by the author. You’re also invited to meet the author at our Flatiron Studio in NYC on September 27.

One of the most celebrated, prolific, and unorthodox architects and designers of the 20th century, Eero Saarinen has become a beacon of American modernism. While famous for his sculptural and bold architecture, such as the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and the TWA Terminal at the JFK International Airport in New York, Eero Saarinen: Furniture for Everyman is the first monograph to focus exclusively on his furniture.

Published by Pointed Leaf Press, the book includes a preface by Florence Knoll and an essay by Saarinen’s protégé Niels Diffrient. Inside you'll find hundreds of rare and never-before-seen archival photographs of Saarinen, his friends and family, as well as advertisements, patent drawings and design sketches. It's a must-have for every modernist's library." The book is also listed on Amazon. Spy Vibers may remember Brian Lutz as the author of Knoll: A Modernist Universe. 

SPECIAL EVENT: SAARINEN'S TWA

Spy Vibe agent J Kraus alerted us to a special event that brought architecture enthusiasts flocking to New York. From Phaidon: "Last weekend a crowd descended upon the TWA Terminal at JFK, not because of flight delays, but because the building was open to the public again but for just three short hours. Designed by Finnish American architect Eero Saarinen in 1956 and finished in 1962 – a year after his death, this was the first time the public had been given access to the building since its closure in 2001." Read more here. Image below by Ezra Stoller via SFMOMA.

MARISA MELL QUICK-CHANGE 1969

Una Sull' Altra (1969/Perversion Story/One on Top of the Other), is one of those Lucio Fulci efforts that offers up an odd cocktail of sordid crime drama and moments of cool style. And you can't get much cooler in 1969 than Marisa Mell (Danger Diabolik) and the modern architecture of the Eero Saarinen TWA terminal. In this clip, Marisa arrives at TWA and performs a classic disguise-change in the bathroom. The entire scene plays like a music video for Riz Ortolani's (Lightning Bolt) score. Not only does the music advance the sneaky tension of the plot, it was also a great way to make a low-budget sequence stronger with limited live sound. Does anyone else think that Marisa is wearing her wig from Diabolik? I wonder if she ever got to keep the outfits? Naked-alert. A heads-up for younger Spy Vibers who might rent the film. There are brief nude scenes (Marisa posing on a motorcycle, if I remember correctly?), albeit in a slightly innocent 60s fashion.