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Tuesday, May 8, 2007

First Article: Decodence

This is my first article published here in Florida. (Click the title of this article to see the "Decodence" website). It will be in the June 2007 issue of "My Bliss" magazine, a local publication in Volusia County. Woo hoo!

Things handed down from generation to generation have a great deal more value than something you bought yesterday. In fact, things from the past can often make us feel better about the future. Why? Because it’s not just their age that makes them special, it’s the story that accompanies them, the history behind them, that connection to a past we never knew and a chance to pass along a bit of now to the next generation. In Ormond Beach, there is a store that specializes in stories. Let’s have a look.

Known for its mild climate and white, compacted beaches, the city of Ormond Beach has been a destination for tourists for over 100 years. In the late nineteenth century, it was the “in” place to go, especially if you happened to be fabulously wealthy. The likes of John D. Rockefeller and Henry Flagler, founders of the Standard Oil Company, were so impressed with the area that they devoted huge sums of money to invest in railroads and hotels to make the area accessible and suitable for tourism. In 1902, some of the first automobile races ever were held on the beach, and with the arrival of the fledgling American Automobile Association, the area soon became known as the “birthplace of speed”. Rockefeller himself was so enamored with Ormond Beach that he spent the better part of his last 23 years there until his death in 1937 at 98 years of age.

What heady times those must have been. After WWI, America enjoyed an unprecedented spurt of prosperity and optimism. The Kaiser had fallen, industry was growing at a frenetic pace, and Americans were free to enjoy themselves as never before. Pondering those days of yore immediately conjures images of Alvis automobiles and flapper girls, speakeasies and spats. Al Capone ruled Chicago while everyday Americans benefited from electricity and a newfound appreciation of all things “modern”. In the world of today, we haven’t perfected the time machine, so it would appear that those bygone days are lost to us. But, suppose there was a door you could walk through that would instantly whisk you away to another time, a time of romance and vitality, of danger and exuberance. And suppose you could stay for a while, and soak, no, drink in the experience of life as it was nearly a century ago. If you look in Ormond Beach, you will find that there is indeed a portal to another time, waiting to be explored. Decodence, at 23 W. Granada (just west of the Granada Bridge) specializes in authentic art deco items from one of the most celebrated periods in history.

Do you remember the original “King Kong” movie? Have you heard of prohibition? Do you know what Bakelite is? (And no, it’s not diet food.) All of these seemingly unrelated things share a common thread: Art Deco. You’ve probably heard the term before, but do you know what it is? It was both a style of design, and, literally, a world wide movement that influenced everything from film to architecture to home furnishings for about 20 years, from the end of WWI to the Great Depression. It was so prevalent that you have seen it all around you, and you might not even know it. For instance, everybody knows that King Kong scaled the Empire State Building, but did you know that the famous structure is an example of art deco? The era that spanned the years 1915 to 1933 witnessed an explosion of creativity, although there were those who sought to put a damper on some of the fun Americans were having. Prohibition reared its ugly head, but that didn’t stop the production of sleek and stylish bar accessories, used on the sly by a generation enjoying the newfound prosperity and optimism of a world at peace and a burgeoning economy.

And what about that “bakelite” stuff? You can’t eat it, but you can admire it. Bakelite was the first incarnation of what we now call plastic. Not entirely synthetic, like modern plastic, bakelite contained some organic components, namely, wood flour. It looks like plastic, but shines like glass. It has a depth of texture that evokes a time when household knick-knacks and necessary items (radios) were produced not only for their use, but for their style as well. The art deco movement sought to bring some pizzazz to the ordinary. Vibrant colors and streamlined designs are the hallmarks of art deco, and it’s quite possible that your grandmother had a bakelite radio or bakelite napkin holders. Imagine sipping a martini mixed by hand in a shaker and decanted into one-of-a-kind metal glasses that were manufactured during the prohibition era. Now that’s a shot of irony, with a twist of nostalgia.

To walk into Decodence is to walk into a bygone era that still looks as relevant today as it did 95 years ago. But make no mistake: Decodence isn’t a musty antique store filled with junk from an old barn loft, but it isn’t a museum either, although every piece in the store is of museum quality, and looks exactly as it did as the day it was made. It is a showcase of what once was, and in many ways, of what still is. Signed, original Picassos adorn the walls and china from the Queen Elizabeth fills the showcases. How about a clock or an original Herman Miller table? Dressing tables that women would have sat at and applied their makeup trying to emulate Betty Boop are among the treasures to be found here. Bar accoutrements, kept full by the likes of Al Capone and used in speakeasies are here too. Indeed, all sorts of items from an age when glamour was defined are collected in Ormond Beach.

All of this talk about art deco may seem a bit hoity-toity, but have no fear, because even though you’ve passed into another time, there is a friendly guide to help you during your stay. Much like Mr. Peabody and his “Way Back Machine”, your host at Decodence is the ever jovial George, knowledgeable and gregarious, and always ready to answer your questions, get you a cup of coffee, or regale you with historical tidbits regarding every piece in the store. Authenticity is never an issue; all pieces are proven to be original and there is an extensive reference library available at the store to convince any doubters. And if George doesn’t know the answer to your question, he’ll find it while you browse.

Don’t feel that browsing century-old items makes you a fuddy-duddy. A person that succumbs to nostalgia belies their love of history and, more importantly, stories. A piece of art deco is a tangible link to our collective past. The people of our past weren’t any different than we are today, in that they appreciated function coupled with design, but for them, unlike us, it was completely new and exciting. The magic of this period didn’t die, though, and it can still be worked, quite effectively on those with an eye for simple beauty. To see art deco is to look into the face of optimism, and who couldn’t use some of that?

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