the pop box

I used to really like Snapple. You could say, obsessively. When I was in middle school, I worked at a bagel shop in a local farmers market. We sold Snapple and I drank it like water. I even wore a hip Snapple bomber jacket that we got for free.

I thought that someday, I would meet “The Snapple Lady” AKA Wendy Kaufman. I had a grand plan: I started saving the labels from the bottles and the caps, with the intention to some day build something so cool that it would get me a spot in one of Wendy’s commercials. Sadly, I never did get to meet Wendy, but a friend of mine did and he got me this autographed picture AND a bobble-head doll. It turns out Wendy thinks I’m the “best stuff on earth” too!

Oh and if you’re wondering what ever happened to Wendy, get this. According to Wikipedia, she was unceremoniously fired from the company in 1994 when Snapple was sold to Quaker Oats (douche bags). We then lived for three years without her until she was reinstated in 1997 when the company was sold yet again. More recently, you may have seen her on Celebrity Fit Club (twice) and also heard about her new business venture, Wendy Wear – “Fit for A Queen Size.” Yes, it’s activewear for plus-size women.

Wendy says, “Just because I like to eat, doesn’t mean I should be destined to a lifetime of wearing sequined pumpkins and appliquéd kites on my clothing.”

Way back when, we used to have these "creative sessions" where we would hang out, sometimes dabbling with experimentation and um, create things. Often these took place in J's kitchen, where we would cook many delicious foods and write strange messages on post-it notes, sometimes sticking them weirdly throughout his house. The other sessions took place in my basement. These basement sessions are remembered by all, as the cellar was a haven for our young creative minds. Sometimes, we created beautiful things. But truth be told, there are also quite a lot of papers filled with chicken scratch and "profound" ramblings. Take these for example. I will call them The Gershwin Hotel Series.

Oh, there are more. Including a crude drawing of a spanish dancer, a house shaped like a boot and a map of the United States that says "AMER "ICK!" AH." PS: J, do you remember being locked in the kitchen with me at Ben's old apartment in Powelton Village? We couldn't get the door open... Good times! - POP by E

UPDATE: In response to The Gershwin Hotel Series images, J explains: "I had returned from my studies in Paris in the summer of 2003, ready to share my complex new worldview with anyone who might feel like reading some scrawl on a hotel notepad. In Lets Not Waste, it seems the "STUPID LAZY AMERICANS" are quick to throw away spare body parts, while a "big apple" takes center stage on a cushy sofa. In young post-9-11 world, the greater public continued to fixate on the tragedy in Manhattan, but was removed, to some degree, to the American losses overseas."

He also adds, " Oh, and I vaguely remember being locked in that kitchen, I think we had gone there seeking a bottle of flavored rum. I'm not sure I remember the conflict that is described on that paper, but I certainly do recall that flavored rum."

I have a lot of laminated items. We had a machine for my mom’s job at home and I was always creating odd little plastic thingys including these fantabulous figurines from The PJs that we used to decorate our locker.

The PJs, as in the projects, was a claymation television show that graced the airwaves from 1999-2001, during my high school years. I loved this show. It was ridiculous, to say the least. Synopsis: Thurgood Stubbs lives with his wife Muriel in the housing project where he is the chief superintendent AKA The Supa. The show, created by Eddie Murphy, follows the adventures of the Stubbs family and the others in the building, animated through a process called 'Foamation.'

The cast of characters was spectacular. I think Juicy was my favorite. He's a little fat kid who idolizes Thurgood and sounds like his mouth is stuffed with cotton balls. In one episode, he turns out to be an awesome chef and wins the chili cookoff. I was so proud. We used to imitate him all the time: “Supa, you got a cookie for me?” I know that I had a little laminated picture of him. Where could it have gone?

How could you not like a show with such wonderful stereotypes. Remember Smokey the crack head and Jimmy Ho the Korean? Bring back The PJs! Oddly enough, they still show it on late-night telly in Australia... - POP by E

Do you remember POGS? For a short period in the mid-90s, I collected them. Oddly, I never actually played the game which is weird that I had them at all. I guess I was a young junker. This is my one and only remaining POG. - POP by E

UPDATE: Many of you may remember the public's overwhelming interest in the OJ Simpson case. J recalls: "My seventh grade home ec class watched the verdict being read live. I can't remember my teacher's name but it was Italian. When he was aquitted, everyone in the class started chanting "JUICE IS LOOSE, JUICE IS LOOSE..." as directed by Kyle Allen."

The Philadelphia City Paper has a regular column called Culture Shock: Things That Matter to People Who Matter. Each week, they ask a “somebody” from Philly to write a little blurb about something they love. Sometimes these columns are highly amusing. Take the article to the right.

The owner of this restaurant is also the designer of this postcard. He explained the concept to me: The old woman is thinking about a cheeseburger. The old man is thinking about a sexy young woman eating a fry.

Vivian found this place, which isn't much of a surprise. The Burger Joint has $1.50 burgers that are very tasty.

- POP by J

I bought this postcard in the early or maybe mid 90s at the White Dog Cafe in University City, Philly. Well, actually it was the *sister* (read: lesbian) shop next door called the Black Cat. I've managed to hang onto it through 7 different moves.

My favorite part is that nobody believes she's going to win, not even God.
[photo by Susan Copen Oken] - POP by J

...and now look what's happened. Welcome to the digital age. Enjoy the things we did ... the things we do ... and the things we find really f*&^ing amusing. - E & J