Toast of the Town … For one night, it was the 1920s all over again

By Charles Sercombe
Saturday night on the town, and where did Toast go?
To the fundraiser at the Hamtramck Historical Museum, of course.
The theme for the evening: “The Roaring 20s.”
So, maybe there were no F. Scott Fitzgerald or Zelda Fitzgerald, both of whom are long gone, but there were:
o Flappers (AKA molls)
o A gin bootlegger (well, he had no gin to speak of)
o A backdoor entry into a “speakeasy” with a secret code
o Gambling on “horse” racing
o “Giggle water” (if you were so inclined — wine and beer only though.)
o A local attorney, of a certain age, offering a “bribe” (Ha! It wasn’t enough “Jacksons”)
o A juiced-up jazz band (did we smell reefer? OK, no)
o And a gigolo MC (kidding, Auggie – heh-heh)
o An authentic 1928 Dodge rum runner (we’re people smaller back then?)

What else?
Oh yeah, those finger food sandwiches with the crust cut off.
So what is Toast rambling about (and this ain’t the bubbly talking — or maybe it is)?
An evening on the town in Hamtramck, to support our one and only historical museum.
And it was a roaring night! The women got into the spirit of things, with their flapper dresses.
And we must say, the grand winner of the flapper dress competition, Pat, who is also of a certain age (and a “hotsy-totsy”), had the pitch-perfect response of the night:
“I knew if I stuck around long enough, I’d finally get to Hollywood.”
Which reminds us of Gloria Swanson’s famous line in “Sunset Boulevard”: “All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.”)
Did the men get dressed up? Ah, not so much (including Toast, who can no longer fit into his ancient tux).
But, it was the spirit of the night that counted.
Did we mention there were finger sandwiches with the crusts cut off? Yum.
Enjoy the photos.

(The Hamtramck Historical Museum is located at 9525 Jos. Campau. For visiting hours call (313) 262-6571.)
When it comes to good food and great times, Hamtramck has plenty to offer. In this column, we’ll talk about what’s happening at our bars, restaurants and at other events throughout the city.
Posted April 19, 2024