expo 67 lounge

Sabrina "Brini" Maxwell is a cross between Martha Stewart and Samantha Stevens of Bewitched. Part drag queen, part mid-century domestic diva, Brini Maxwell is portrayed by Ben Sander, a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.

A Salvation Army find of vintage Pyrex bowls inspired Sander to start filming a how-to show from his tiny apartment in Chelsea, Manhattan. The Brini Maxwell Show debuted on cable access in 1998 and offered practical tips on decorating, entertaining, cooking and fashion, all with a retro twist. The Brini Maxwell Show became so popular that it was picked up by the Style Network in 2004, giving the retro diva a national audience.

Sander's love of the fashions of the late 1950's to the eary 70's has always been evident in Brini's fabulous wardrobe, and in the general look of the show. Sander has said this about his love of retro: ''What fascinates me about mid-century design was that it was a time when we were optimistic about the future." (Sounds like my love for Expo 67.) And like myself, Ben and his alter-ego Brini pine for an era when elegant dinner parties served dishes containing Jell-O and cut up hot dog wieners.