Wednesday, September 02, 2009

At the Cruiser Meet

Dressed For Success


Volvo Amazon


Vegabaren


Here are a few more shots from the cruiser meet. The first photo shows Rebecka, Teddy and Madde, three of the people that I met and asked to pose for a portrait. As you already know by now there was a Greaser Girl contest, and I'm sure both Rebecka and Madde got a few votes. If you are wondering about Rebecka's tattoo, I believe that it depicts Hylonome who was a Kentauride (a female Centaur). The second photo proves that you can drive a Swedish car when you are a raggare. This is a customized Volvo Amazon, now a convertible with a very cool paint job. On the last photo you can see a beautiful 1958 Ford Fairlane parked across the road from the famous Vegabaren. Which is very fitting as it was in 1958 that Sweden's first ever Drive-In Kiosk opened here. And a few years later, in 1964 it became the country's first Hamburger Bar. The man behind it all was Erik Engström. After him the Italian Carlo Taccola took over and he has done a great job with the place. Today there is even a hotel here. For more than forty five years Vegabaren has been the place to be for the lovers of the Raggare culture, and anyone else hungry for a burger in the day or late a night. I started coming here when I was eighteen. Me and my friends would drive up to Handen for a meal and sure enough there would always be a few Raggare around. Later as we started visiting night clubs and bars in Stockholm we often took a taxi home, and a stop at Vegabaren was obligatory as it was also a favourite place among the taxi drivers.

12 comments:

Lowell said...

Interesting trio. Just can't get away from all the tattoos.

That last car is familiar...We had a 1957 Ford Fairlane, 4-door hardtop...this is a '58.

Good-looking cars. In fact, I've got a photo of it hanging on the office mirror!

brattcat said...

That first photo may be my favorite image from you, ever, Steffe. There is so much going on there and each figure has such a fully-realized character, and the image itself is as crystal clear as it can get.

Don and Krise said...

Fantastic photos and narration Steffe. Even being a GM guy I can really appreciate that Ford. Have you ever seen someone operate the top on one of those?

Olivier said...

les voitures sont vraiment magnifiques, mais les tatouages des femmes...waouh j'adore.
cars are really beautiful, but the tattoos on women ... wow i love

Unknown said...

Woot! Hot stuff in the first photo!

Gunn said...

Before I saw the photographers name on the little photo... I knew it had to be yours.
Take that as a compliment! ;-)
The top one is my favorite.
You are very good at showing your models "Karisma/spirit" in your photographs.

eamon@ewmphotography said...

hehe - the guy looks a little self-absorbed. His girls hanging off each each arm only emphasise his machismo...

B SQUARED said...

Gotta luv the belt buckle.

Lois said...

My grandfather had a Ford Fairlane! That one is beautiful.

Stefan Jansson said...

I did see quite a few Ford Fairlanes at the meet

I noticed that same belt buckle lady (and her twin), on one of the cars. It was a Chrysler New Yorker. If you play nice I will perhaps show you that car!

He did look kinda happy when I suggested that he could be in the photo. I first noticed Rebecka and she was the reason I decided to ask them for a portrait.

Can't say that I have Don and Krise.

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

WOW! Snazzy cars and snazzy babes!!!

Jilly said...

Those ladies sure have 'attitude' - and a good looking guy too. I agree with Brattcat, so much is going on in this photo as in Doisneau photos in the past.