Roll on, Big-O

Lawson's was a convenience store before that term was invented. Going there was a routine part of growing up in NE Ohio. We'd mostly get milk and bread, but sometimes candy, ice cream, pretzels, chip dip, or orange juice too. Here is their famous - not to say beloved - ad campaign for Lawson's Florida orange juice. "Get that juice up to Lawson's in forty hours!"

In the early 1970's Lawson's suddenly disappeared from the local landscape. They were bought out by Dairy Mart, but happened to open a franchise in Japan before the deal closed. So oddly enough, Lawson's today is still thriving in Japan, while here in Ohio we only see the occasional vintage Lawson's milk bottle at flea markets.

O, Thou Too-Bright Lamp!

This formal portrait was spotted at the Cleveland Museum of Art a couple days ago by Anne and Julie. It is entitled, "Portrait of Nathaniel Olds", and it's by Cleveland capitalist/philanthropist Jeptha Homer Wade. I think they were as excited about this painting as they were about the Fabergé eggs and jewelry they went to see.

Beyond the goofy collar thing, they were mostly struck by the bizarre sunglasses. It seemed like a modern addition to an old portrait - like the Mona Lisa with a moustache.

It turns out that Nathaniel was wearing special glasses to protect his eyes from the glare of a whale-oil lamp. But why wear them for your portrait? Was Jeptha using the lamp to illuminate his subject? Was his subject some kind of Martian nut case? Or did doctors of the day attribute blindness to the use (or abuse!) of whale oil lamps? I shall ask the Internets! The Internets will explain it!