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| Rainbow Oaks Restaurant - Rainbow, CA (est. 1946) |
The importance of the Rainbow Oaks sign can not be overstated. Situated in a roadside town of less than 2,000 residents, the sign put Rainbow on the multi-fold, AAA roadmap for motorists who otherwise might have breezed right through town without ever knowing there was a place to stop for a cold beer. In its heyday, the sign was probably as bright and shiny as a brand new penny, but I love the faded beauty of its many components - market & motel, RC Cola, cold beer, the neon Rainbow Oaks, and the pinnacle light box with a cocktail glass that is drunk on its own contents.
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| My very favorite part though is the spooky, rusted, multicolor, baby-faced chef! The combination of the faded, colored bulbs, new flood light bulbs, empty sockets, and sawtooth, shark teeth in the chef's murderous mouth will have Mr. Tiny's nightlight burning until the wee hours for at least a couple weeks! Instead of fat pictures, I might hang this picture on my refrigerator to keep me from sneaky snacking! |
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| Being a early bird, I always seem to capture these neat signs in the bright light of midday - still beautiful but dim. To catch this sign in all of its neon glory. you can drive to Rainbow, CA after dark or follow this link. |
It is tough to go for a drive with Mr. Tiny because the car makes frequent stops and dangerous, whiplash-inducing maneuvers to get a good photograph of an inspiring sign. If we stopped as much as I wanted to, we would never make it past the county line! Rainbow Oaks Restaurant's sign was definitely worth the stop, with or without a refreshing RC Cola.
Rainbow Oaks Restaurant
4815 5th St
Rainbow, CA
(760)723-2279
