Nostalgia (Los Angeles, Glendale, Oxnard: rental car, rental, neighborhoods)

[onlyonejudy]

Originally Posted by kansaslady

I miss the drive-in movies that were safe and fun. When we were little kids we could wear our pjs to the movies and go up front and play on the swings, etc., before the movie started. We never had to worry about anyone bothering us. The snack bar food used to really be great back then too.

When we got older we'd pack the car full of friends (some hidden in the trunk) and had a great time. Some even climbed over the fence Back then (50's and 60's) it was like going to a great car show as well. And of course the back rows were reserved for the "steamed up" windows

Does anyone else remember the 'money tubes' at the old J.C. Penney and/or department stores? The cashier would put your money and the sales ticket in the cylinder container (a small version of what we now use at the drive-thru windows at banks) and it would travel up the tube to the accounting department upstairs where change would be made and then sent back down the tube to the cashier. That thing always fanscinated me.

Lots of fond memories of growing up in that era.

I remember the money canisters and the creaking wood floors, egg salad sandwiches at the lunch counter, the candy counter.................

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by jdavid93225

I was just reading the thread about earthquakes in California and someone mentioned quakes being like "E Ticket" rides. This caused me to think about the "E" Ticket, along with some other nostalgic things I remember from growing up in Southern California. Here's a list that comes to mind off the top of my head. Anyone else have anything they'd like to add?

Disneyland Tickets: A, B, C, D, & E Denominations. "A" was least expensive, and could mostly be used for the trolley on Main St. and similar attractions. I don't really remember what the "B" tickets were good for, maybe the shooting gallery? (remember that, too?) "C" tickets were for middle of the road attractions, but I can't remember which they were. Maybe the steamship "Columbia," or the Train around the park? "D" tickets were for the better attractions, but not the best ones. It's the "E" ticket rides I remember best, such as the Matterhorn, the Jungle Cruise, and Space Mountain. I think even "Small World" was an E ticket ride, although I can't imagine why, since you could never get that song out of your head!!!

The Helms Bakery man: He used to deliver fresh bread through my neighborhood in his old (probably new at that time) Suburban Panel Truck.

The Carnation milk man: Yup, we had fresh milk delivery back in those days, too.

The family farms in the San Fernando Valley: There were quite a few farms and dairies in the Valley back in those days. I think of the ones I remember, there is only one left. It's the one on Rinaldi St. in Mission Hills.

The Principal's Paddle: I remember this one, too. Back in those days, if the teacher thought you were out of line, he or she could send you to the principal for some one-on-one attention. This meant one paddle to one bottom, repeated, if necessary. I only experienced that once!

The Pacific Electric: This was the public transportation system that Los Angeles used to have. Although I'm too young to have experienced it, I've heard many great things about it. The legend has it that the demise of the P.E. was brought about by General Motors, Standard Oil, and Goodyear Tire, all of which wanted to put people into their own cars.

Marineland: This was a theme park with a marine theme (betcha' didn't see that coming, did ya?). I hardly remember it, since I went there only once, when I was very young.

Busch Gardens: Back in the 1970s, the Anhauser Busch Brewery on Roscoe Blvd. used to have a Busch Gardens Theme Park on the grounds. I remember going there only once, too. When the brewery expanded, they got rid of the theme park. There used to be a number of exotic birds there, and I've heard that they were turned loose when the park went away, and were seen in the Valley for several years after that.

I can remember many of these things from my childhood, most of them very fondly. I'm sure that if I put my mind to it, I will be able to come up with some other fond memories from that era. For now, though, I'd like to hear about what others remember from their earlier days.

here is a link to old Los Angeles area telephone prefixes:

Telephone Prefix Locations

[onlyonejudy]

I used to go Christmas caroling at St. Joseph Hospital - I went to Saint Finbar shool in Burbank and the nuns that taught were connected to the hospital.

[theatregal]

Originally Posted by onlyonejudy

I have been looking everywhere for a photo of Pop's Willow Lake - could you post one or email me one? I grew up in Glendale/Burbank in the 40s & 50s and have so many happy memories - what a great place to grow up! Thank you, stillonlyonejudy@gmail.com

I grew up in the Burbank area in the late 50's - early 70"s. My mother worked at St. Joesph's Hospital for about 39 years. Whew...that place has grown through the years.
Instead of having Candy Stripper's... they had "Josettes" ... LOL... My mom signed me up. I remember St. Finbar, both the school and church in Burband, along with Providenca High School. The "Sister's of Charity" were involved with all I believe.
I'm not familar with "Pop's Willow Lake".... tell us about it.

[onlyonejudy]

Pop's Willow Lake was in the Sunland/Tujunga area - it had grassy areas for picnics and you could rent paddle boards - i was more like a lake than a pool. I have found references to it on line but no photos yet.

[drunk on kool aid]

I'm sure some of these are duplicates but some things I remember:

Licorice Pizza - essentially a record store and head shop rolled into one.

Leo's Stereo; Pacific Stereo; The Federated Group; Rogersound Labs

TK Enterprises and other calculator/computer stores - glass cabinets with a beautiful array of LED calculators and watches. Remember the Fairchild Channel F?

DAK - I remember their catalogs and I think they had a retail store in the valley.

J.K. Gill - very nice stationery store. Is H.G. Daniels still around?

Ascot Park Racetrack in Gardena - never attended but could hear the roar of the engines.

Did the Dial Chevrolet ads have a saleswoman named Madeleine?

Home magazine in the L.A. Times.

Fright Night with Seymour who was then succeeded by Elvira.

Blue Chip Stamps and S&H Green stamps from the *full-service* gas stations. Regular or ethyl? I remember getting the Blue Chip Stamps at the grocery store as well.

Month-End sales at the major department stores in downtown L.A. (Broadway, Bullocks, Robinsons, May Co, RIP). I remember they also had nice animatronic Christmas displays in their windows.

Brew 102 and Lucky Lager with the rebus puzzles under the cap.

KWST, a hard rock FM station.

KLOS Too Hip stickers as well as the ones with band names.

Video game arcades

Some music venues: Raji's, Club Lingerie, Water's Club, Jabberjaw, Fender's Ballroom, Al's Bar, The Impala, ad nauseum.

Grieger's lapidary and rockhound supplies - original location at the mouth of the Pasadena Fwy. is now a health club. They moved to a non-descript location on Foothill Blvd. as a mail order business but shortly closed up for good. The original store was like a gem and fossil museum.

Other recent closings in Pasadena:

E(spresso)-bar, Merida Yucatan restaurant, Super A(ntojito)'s, Rose City Diner, The State Theatre, The Rialto Theatre, Nardi's Bar & a used bookstore when the corner was taken over for a Laemmle theater + Vroman's annex, C and H Electronics Surplus, Pakmann arcade, John Bull English Pub. *sigh*

Time marches on...

[Charles]

Originally Posted by drunk on kool aid

Brew 102 and Lucky Lager with the rebus puzzles under the cap.

KWST, a hard rock FM station.

Was KWST 106.7 before KROQ?

Growing up in L.A. during the ’70s and ’80s — jaced.com :: Jace Daniel’s World Wide Web Site


(photo not protected by copyright)

[onlyonejudy]

Originally Posted by jalopy43

Engineer Bill....Green light.drink your milk..red light! ..Stop drinking.. green light. drink again...red...WAGON!!!!..ha ha ha ,, got cha!! Popeye cartoon hosted by Tom Hatten, ,in sailor hat,white pants,white T shirt, with bulging biceps...If I'm not mistaken , he still works for KTLA tv channel 5?? And of course Stan Chambers,channell 5 news man,he started when the station went on the air,in 1948?,and is still there?? I liked the George Putnam news,with his famous "film at 11!! (o' clock). Someone was trying to remember the name of the arena/skating rink,near the burbank airport..'The Valley Gardens",as I recall they had wrestling,and roller derby there too. W,T, Grants,and Woolworth's stores always had the smell of popcorn,and a small lunch counter... I miss palm trees,and In-N-Out Burger!!!!.oh, and Cupids' Hot dogs...etc,etc... sparky

Did you ever see Stan Chambers tapes of "Things that aren's there anymore"? It showed so many Los Angeles "things" like the subway for the trolleys that aren't there now.

[onlyonejudy]

Originally Posted by onlyonejudy

Did you ever see Stan Chambers tapes of "Things that aren's there anymore"? It showed so many Los Angeles "things" like the subway for the trolleys that aren't there now.

Also, wasn't Tom Hatten the host with Webster Webfoot (Mayco Club). Remember Uncle Whoa Bill on radio? Or am I really old...........judy

[onlyonejudy]

Originally Posted by MotleyCrew

Helms Bakery trucks. Wow, growing up in Northridge during the 50's we had one come down our street all the time. I think those were the very best chocolate doughnuts ever. Anyone remember the giant donut somewhere downtown. I can't remember the city, just remember the big giant donut. I think that Van Nuys decorated their downtown to the hilt at Christmas too. The Pantry in L.A had the best hamburgers. My dad was a L.A police officer and we used to eat there all the time. Wish we could turn the clocks back.

How about those Orange cakes from the Helm's truck. Grew up in Glendale, CA in the 40s 50s. Mom didn't drive (most women didn't) and there were lots of trucks that came by - knife sharpener, vegetables, ice cream trucks, poultry. And of course the Fuller Brush Man, Avon, photo companies, etc etc.......