Nostalgia (Santa Barbara, San Clemente, Palm Springs: restaurant, transport, smog)

[jdavid93225]

Here's a link for some more sites in the Valley that are now long gone:

The Valley Observed: San Fernando Valley history and sense of place

Quite a few of these things have been mentioned in this thread already.

[knoxgarden]

This thread has brought back a lot of memories. I grew up in Westchester back when LAX was just a couple of gates.
I was thinking about Helms the other day. I loved these big molasses type cookies they had, with pink or white icing. Never seen them anywhere else and was trying to figure out how I could make some.
We lived near the Big Doughnut. Used to sell them all the time for fundraising. At Christmas, they'd put up Santa and his sleigh driving through the donut hole.
It was near the Jewish cemetery where Al Jolson is buried. You used to be able to see his monument from the San Diego Freeway. It was a mini-temple with a waterfall down the front.
Surprised no one mentioned Blums or Will Wrights Ice Cream. Stopping there for ice Cream after a movie in Hollywood was always a special treat.
My favorite commercials were for Felix Chevrolet and Coast Federal Savings with the bunny that was trained to put the coins in the bank.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by knoxgarden

My favorite commercials were for Felix Chevrolet and Coast Federal Savings with the bunny that was trained to put the coins in the bank.

Cormier Chevrolet.
Ralph Williams Ford (or Dodge?)
And of course, Cal Worthington Dodge then Ford.

From that era:

Dick Lane and wrestling and roller derby on channel 13.
K-Tel records
Roman Gabriel (Los Angeles Rams)
Mr. Wishbone and the bad habit rabbit.
Hobo Kelly
Sheriff John and "Put another candle on my birthday cake..."
Wilt, Elgin, and Jerry, and of course Chick
Bozo
Billy Barty
Willie Davis #3, "Three Dog" (LA Dodgers)

[Mike Casey]

Originally Posted by Charles

Dick Lane Roller Derby & Wrestling:

"Whoa Nellie!" I'll bet he put more than a few dents in the hoods of the cars he used to sell on TV.

Mike

[Mike Casey]

Originally Posted by Gidget

Oh, I love the picture of the KMET bumper sticker. "A little bit of heaven,
94.7, KMET Weedledee..." Ace Young, Paraquat Kelly. KLOS held a memorial the day KMET abruptly went off the air. Can't remember the station that replace KMET...KLOS referred to it as a "rinse and spit" station.

94.7 The WAVE KTWV is now a jazz station in Los Angeles.

Not that I listen to it, or any station for that matter. My favorite radio is now Silent Radio. Nice and quiet around my place.

Mike

[ImRandy]

Originally Posted by jdavid93225

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!

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.

I was going through this thread again from the beginning and these two struck a chord in me. I remember the first day of junior high we were all broken up into these orientation groups and one of the stops we made was the principals office. He gave a big speech about what he does and how he was in charge. Then he pulled this paddle off the wall that to me at the time seemed about the size of an oar. Thankfully that was the first and last time I ever saw it.

Marineland on the other hand I loved at first sight. That is until a dolphin bit me. They had a couple in a tank and you could pet them as they swam by. Well, I put my hand out and this dolphin swims by and gives it a big chomp. I can laugh about it now but it was a scary experience at the time. It wasn't long after that incident that dolphins became really cool. Girls had dolphin stickers on their books and clothes and whatnot. I kept telling them they are bloodthirsty creatures but nobody would believe me.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by Charles

I typed out the little KMET gingle then bailed out earlier this morning.

I haven't heard "Paraquat Kelly" in 25 years. Awesome.

Now, what are Dr. Demento and Rodney on the Rock doing these days? Jim Ladd? Bob Coburn? the Real Don Steele?

And of course the legendary 93 KHJ.

Rodney and Jim Ladd are both still on the air. For most of this decade, both of them (and Huggy Boy, who's since died) were the only LA DJs on commercial stations who have been able to choose the music they play.
They have since been joined by Steve Jones' "Jonesy's Jukebox", a great NEW L.A. tradition, in which the former Sex Pistol plays great music and has great guests from many walks of life.

Speaking of Rodney, does anyone remember when Sly Stone returned to DJ'ing (which he'd done in the Bay Area before his own musical career) and had a show on right before Rodney's? Didn't last long due to Sly's bad habits (which destroyed the Family Stone). Good to hear Sly's in better shape again now and is planning to record and tour with a new Family Stone. He's moved from Baldwin Hills to Mill Valley. During the 90s he was a virtual recluse who'd only leave his place to sing in a church on Crenshaw. Black friends of mine would occasionally offer to take me to the church to see Sly sing, but I never picked up on the offer. In retrospect I regret it.

[Keith ExFedEx]

Originally Posted by GoodbyeCalifornia

I keep reading through these posts and they just trigger more memories:

One person mentioned Jerry Dunphy...but don't forget Christine Lund, Dr. George, Ted Dawson, and the rest of the Eyewitness News Team!

Who remembers Pup n' Taco? Best hot dogs around for the money and put that lousy Der Weinerschnitzel to shame.

How about the ribs at Love's..."When you're in Love's, the whole world's delicious."

Or if you were looking for that pseudo Polynesian experience, you could go to Kelbo's. Seems to me there was one over near the Farmers Market.

Ate quite a bit of Kentucky Fried Chicken, but I think I liked Pioneer Chicken better.

And I am not embarrassed to admit that I am old enough to remember going through the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland when it was brand new.

Buffums Department Store

Never went bowling or ice skating at the Pickwick but saw more than a few movies at the drive-in and swam in the pool.

Watching PSA and Hughes Airwest airplanes taking off from Burbank Airport. Loved those yellow planes that Hughes had.

I remember when California license plates were black with yellow letters and numbers. And from there they went to blue with yellow letters and numbers.

And of course, odd and even days to fill up your gas tank.

Governor "Moonbeam" Jerry Brown driving himself around in Plymouth Satellite instead of riding in a limousine.

Now that's the California I remember.

Don't forget he was going with Linda Ronstadt!!!! I worked in a bar on Burbank/Vineland.....used to watch the planes come into Burbank.....it seems they used Sherman Way as an alternate runway. That area is scary now. I would'nt drive thru there in the daytime, let alone tend bar at night...sheeeesh!!!

[Keith ExFedEx]

Originally Posted by Charles

Cormier Chevrolet.
Ralph Williams Ford (or Dodge?)
And of course, Cal Worthington Dodge then Ford.

From that era:

Dick Lane and wrestling and roller derby on channel 13.
K-Tel records
Roman Gabriel (Los Angeles Rams)
Mr. Wishbone and the bad habit rabbit.
Hobo Kelly
Sheriff John and "Put another candle on my birthday cake..."
Wilt, Elgin, and Jerry, and of course Chick
Bozo
Billy Barty
Willie Davis #3, "Three Dog" (LA Dodgers)

Don't forget:
Felix Chevrolet
Felix the Cat
Geeez, I miss the ol' channel 13 KCOP

[AVMan]

Well, SOME things have gotten better -- I remember the "2nd Stage Smog Alerts" that they would broadcast on the TV news (usually during the weather segment). Sometimes it really hurt to breathe, and they would keep us inside at school.

That doesn't happen any more. The air is much cleaner than it used to be.

Just thought I'd throw in that perspective.