Chow Time: Andre's Drive-In

Now, usually, I am not one for making new year's resolutions - much less, keeping them.  However, as the circumference around my equator (on an anatomically-correct body I believe it is referred to as a "waistline"???) ever increases, the changing of the calendar year seems like a adequately-arbitrary time to reign in the chronic binge-eating of the past few months.

"Yay!  I'm a fatty!!!!"

Before 2014 officially comes to a close, we have just enough time left to savor the sweet, sweet, burger-flavored memories of our trip to Bakersfield, CA and Andre's Drive-In (est. 1955).

Andre's Drive-In - Bakersfield, CA

With all of the surrounding cars, and electrical poles, and wires, it was difficult to capture Andre's at its most photogenic; surely, to most people it is about as plain a hamburger stand as California's Central Valley could muster.  I'll concede that without the finishing touches, it would merely be a stucco-clad, burger-dispensing, beige cube.  It is the genius of those simple finishing touches (see the optimistic script of the sign) that transform it from bland box to atomic space crab!

Sure, those splayed beams both anchor the building to the ground and frame the drive-thru, but they also create all kinds of form and dimension as the scuttling legs of our space crab.  I can't help but love the improbable use of DIY, corrugated siding and the remaining hand-painted signage still adorning the windows.  Did somebody say, "FRIED PIES?!?!!!"

The real delight at Andre's is the free-form, al fresco, dining room.
Undulating amongst the encroaching landscape, the curving benches are punctuated by floating,
kidney-shaped tables; they are perfect for dining alone or cuddling up with your new steady.

If the food was as good as the paintings in the window led us to believe, we were in for a real treat.  Seeing as how we had eaten only a short time before, Mary and I decided to opt for something on the "lighter side."

We acted like we were exhibiting some kind of restraint by splitting Andre's famous "French
Burger."  The fact is, as the sign so clearly states, the French Burger is actually two ham-
burgers made indistinguishable by the large french roll on which they are served.  But, hey, we
didn't order french fries or fried pies...so that's a healthy choice.

The French Burger left us questioning our own patriotism as all we could muster between sloppy, mustard-tinged bites was, "Vive la France!"  At "a million francs or three," we would definitely go Dutch on another French should we again find ourselves in the burger-friendly climes of Bakersfield!  

"La Marseillaise" from Casablanca (1942)

Do you have any resolutions for the new year?  Do you lie to yourself by eating half of a double-burger and then telling yourself that you are halfway to a one-hundred-percent vegetarian, gluten-free, paleo diet?  Whatever your issues, whatever your resolutions, we wish you and yours a very Happy New Year!!!

Andre's Drive-In

1419 Brundage Ln.

Bakersfield, CA

(661)322-0044

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

Signs of the Times: Donahoo's Golden Chicken

I count it as a great advantage to be fluent in sign language.  In today's world it is not only useful, it is downright necessary to be able to communicate in more than one language.  My abilities have made it possible for me to work as a volunteer interpreter; I, for example, can quickly spot the the happy-chef-in-prairie-schooner silhouette and let those around me (who might think that the amorphous shape was a tragic sign-making accident) know that while it may read, "China King," this sign's previous life was lived as the marquee of what was once Southern California's most-popular fried chicken franchise, Pioneer Chicken.

China King/Hefty Burgers nee Pioneer Chicken
(Source: A, B, C, D)

What?  This doesn't make me a sign language interpreter???

Okay, okay, so maybe I'm not fluent in the type of sign language that is "certified," "recognized," or "endorsed" by the ASLTA, but I know a good sign when I see one.  A good chicken sign always speaks to me and dadgum if I don't start speaking right back!

Donahoo's Golden Chicken - Pomona, CA

Such was the case when we happened upon the glory of Donahoo's Golden Chicken in Pomona, CA.  The giant fiberglass rooster roosting atop the stacked, light boxes pierced by a faded-red boomerang had me shouting, "Cocka-doodle-doo!"

It's a good thing one of our foursome was a vegetarian; we
couldn't leave Donahoo's without splitting a three-piece
chicken strip meal - chicken, coleslaw, french fries, and a
house-made dinner roll that comes with a mystery "butter"
spot melted in the cleft.

Do you speak in signs?  Is there a fried chicken restaurant in your town with a beautiful sign?

In the absence of a Donahoo's ad, here is 

one from Pioneer Chicken circa 1979.

Donahoo's Golden Chicken

1074 N Garey Ave

Pomona, CA

(909)622-3213

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

Chow Time: Dinah's Family Restaurant

It's a restaurant story as old as the hills (see Vince's Spaghetti), a family successfully opens up a restaurant using a tried and true, family recipe, and subsequently establishes itself as a neighborhood landmark of hearty dining.  As word spreads and business grows, it becomes apparent that a second location across town would be the natural progression.  That second location opens to acclaim and the manager (usually a brother, son, uncle, cousin) decides that to increase business, the menu should expand, the hours should change, and the recipes should be refined.  Outraged at the young upstart, the original proprietor severs all ties with the new location and each facility runs independently of one another, refusing to change the name, the sign, or the very menu item for which the small chain became famous.  In all honesty, I don't know if this is the case behind Dinah's Chicken in Glendale, CA and Dinah's Family Restaurant on the west side of Los Angeles, but it is the story I made up to appease myself when I could find no connection between the two besides the signage, the chicken bucket, and the signature fried chicken itself.

Opened in 1959, Dinah's Family Restaurant is definitely representative of its place in history.  With minimal updates, this fixture of West Los Angeles casual cuisine gives patrons an opportunity to catch a glimpse of midcentury, mid-level, Southern California dining.

My favorite part of the restaurant is the stucco flying saucers suspended at staggered heights from the ceiling.

The cantilevered barstools are comfy and portions of the original
flooring are still visible.  Under all that commercial-grade
carpeting lies some seriously beautiful terrazzo. 

The menu is huge - both in terms of
 size and quantity of available items!

Mary opted for the dish which Dinah's is most famous -
the fried chicken.  Apparently, the creators of Dinah's developed
 a method for fried-chicken preparation in which the final
 product is completely "free of cooking oils," rendering it the
crispiest and juiciest in town.

I don't know enough about midcentury lighting to
understand this particular fixture - or why I love it.
It looks like the bell that used to ring at the end of
recess - perforated just enough to let a bit of light to
sparkle through and illuminate the rock wall.

The holiday decorations - including paper plates hung by tinsel garland -
seriously distract from the integrity of the restaurant's design.  The heavy
color story doesn't help matters much either.  Design dilemmas aside,
Dinah's is a good place for an inexpensive lunch.

There is no lack of merchandizing at Dinah's - mousepads, magnets,
and mugs make Mr. Tiny hungry for chicken.

If you can't find the time to stop in for a bite, be sure to drive by and get a glimpse of the iconic chicken-bucket sign.  According to the website, Dinah's was the original bucket sign in Southern California and has been featured in multiple Hollywood productions, most recently in Little Miss Sunshine.  

I do not have any idea what the real story is behind the two Dinah's.  Although I do have a second theory that someone was in the kitchen with Dinah "Strummin' on the ol' banjo" and that led to the "Fee, Fi, Fiddle-e-i-o" that wrenched the chain in twain.  If anyone has the real low down, please feel free to share.  Until then, treat yourself to some mighty-fine food and a song.

"Dinah" - Louis Armstrong

Dinah's Family Restaurant

Los Angeles, CA

6521 S Sepulveda Blvd

(310)645-0456

www.dinahsrestaurant.com

Dinah's Chicken

4106 San Fernando Rd #A

Glendale, CA

(818)244-4188

www.dinahschicken.com

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

Bowl-O-Rama: La Habra 300 Bowl

I had this blog backlogged and thought I would bring it to you while I finish editing all of our pictures from Barcelona.  I have left you good people without decent reading material for long enough and I can't countenance one more day without a post...

Have you noticed that contemporary buildings have become so utilitarian by nature of their design that the only discernible difference between a shopping center, a suburban home, and a jail in Communist Russia is the generally good humor of the Russian inmates.  This was an abstract concept for me until they started building a new strip shopping center near my house.  As each new building went up, it was impossible to guess what would go inside the stucco, taupe-colored boxes.  Frankly, it could be anything - Taco Bell, auto parts store, bank, dentist office, shoe store, market.  I guess the idea is to make it as generic as possible so that when businesses cycle through, the only real change that would need to be made is switching out the outsized, plastic sign.

Don't get me wrong, I love the convenience of Target.  I love the abundance of food choices and the idea that with new construction comes new jobs and new opportunities for businesses to thrive.  But would it kill architects/contractors to give these buildings a little personality?   More than just boring, these buildings fail to serve as the landmarks that I so desperately need when driving or giving directions.  I live near and work in a certain community that is famous for being "beige" in every aspect.  I get lost there all the time because not only do the streets meander (I'm a firm believer in the grid), but when someone says turn left at the tan building, you could be driving in circles for hours without ever reaching your destination.  I say all this not to bemoan the foibles of modern society, but only express my deep appreciation for the masterminds that created the wonderful 20th Century bowling alleys that are still plentiful and ready to be enjoyed not just for their leisure activities, but for the distinct figure they cut in the skyline.  One such bowling alley is La Habra 300 Bowl in La Habra, CA.

La Habra 300 Bowl is so old-school that they don't even have a website (editor's note: as of December 2012, La Habra 300 Bowl has a website), so you'll just have to take my word as gospel on the information I provide you.  Situated just a few miles east of Friendly Hills Bowl (our last featured bowling alley), LH300 is just as famous for its unusual coffee shop as it is for its gleaming lanes.  Consider this, the most popular items on the menu are, if you can handle this, Chinese food!!!  Chinese food, albeit of the American variety, seems like an unlikely style of cuisine to be proffered in the coffee shop of a bowling alley, but it's true and every regular in the place told us that we had to come back for some Egg Foo Yung.  I think it's a fiendish plan by the management; everybody knows that when you eat Chinese food and then bowl, you'll just be hungry for another frame of bowling an hour later.

I think we had just eaten, but there's something about a
bowling alley coffee shop that makes Mary HUNGRY!!!

The nice folks featured in the center of this photo gave us a strange look
 when we walked in and promptly started snapping photos.  However,
when they realized we were bowling alley enthusiasts, they practically
 invited us to share a late breakfast with them.  The gentleman assured us that
 it was neither a special occasion nor was he being favored as a regular when our
eyes got as big as saucers looking at the humongous, 27-egg (or thereabouts)
 omelette that was set before him on the squeaky-clean formica table.  

My favorite thing in the world is authentic, vintage wallpaper from the 50's...
at least there weren't life-size cut outs of James Dean and Marilyn Monroe

My usual coffee shop favorites are still in place -
barstools, terrazzo, original fixtures and display cabinets, and a
pretty stellar color story of black, gray, and pinky salmon

Maybe not the best example, but don't you love the light-box,
"cocktails" signs with the block letters?

The 13th Frame is the bowling alley's bar/lounge and has
an entrance from the inside and outside.

Button-tufted oxblood leather, brass nailhead trim, beer pennants, stained-glass
 lanterns - it's such a totally different world than the coffee shop, but I'm so glad
these two worlds exist under one extremely-sloped roof!

The private party room is adjacent to the bar and reminds a little bit of
The Regal Beagle from Three's Company.

The hand-painted figure seemed to indicate that this alley was full of real music enthusiasts.
  The bar actually would be a great place for shows.  Hmmm...maybe I need to
 add booker/promoter to my resume and include La Habra 300 Bowl as a venue!  

You read that right, that's a pin-full of "Ball Polish."

I think my snickering at the ball polish combined with the consistent flash of my camera finally brought about the inevitable - a confrontation by the management.  We're always so distracted by our excitement over neat stuff (and taking pictures of said stuff) that it never occurred to me that anyone would question my motives.  Nevertheless, after a brief interrogation by the manager, where I told her that my intentions with her bowling alley were quite chaste, we were back in action.  Although, given her grimace, I'm sure I left her unconvinced that we weren't just weirdos with a camera.  Heck, I haven't even convinced myself of that.

It's become a bit of a bad habit, but I keep forgetting to remind you that these bowling alleys do indeed offer bowling services.

Just a question, before I let you go.  Is "300" a perfect game in bowling?  That is my guess as to the significance of the name, but maybe someone out there can clarify this small detail for me.  Oh, and one more question; who determined that a strike in baseball is a bad thing but a strike in bowling is the best?  Until I find out the answers to these, life's greatest mysteries, I wish you turkeys all the turkeys I can spare.

Hardy har har!!!

La Habra 300 Bowl
370 E Whittier Blvd
La Habra, CA
(714)526-2058

www.LH300Bowl.com


Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

Bowl-O-Rama: Friendly Hills Bowl

Do you ever just drive around looking at/for cool signs?  I'm pretty sure that every region of the United States still offers an abundance of interesting signage to inspire the natural marketer/advertiser in all of us - if we just keep our eyes open.  Many times my eyes are so wide open looking for cool signs that I miss what is happening on the road.  As we have discovered, some of the best vintage signs are to be found at bowling alleys and we were certainly not disappointed by the towering, skewered diamonds of Friendly Hills Bowl in Whittier, CA.

Like many of the bowling alleys around Southern California, Friendly Hills Bowl is a relic of Jet Age optimism and architecture.  The roof line looks like a jet taking flight while the structure is grounded by the weight of stacked stones; this juxtaposition of ultra modern angles and stone age materials always lends a dissonance that I find both confusing and thrilling.

Friendly Hills Bowl - Whittier, CA

I'm telling you, it's all about mid-Century optimism.
 I've always heard that a person whose writing angles upward,
 is a natural optimist.  Here, the script of the bowling alley's sign
follows the ascending flight path of the roof line, followed
by the diamonds repeated from the larger sign.

So a cocktail tray, a trifle bowl, a coffee carafe and a martini
 glass walk into a bowling alley; they start to juggle and...
I'm not exactly sure what this mural at the entrance to the bowling
 alley signifies, but please write me a hilarious joke that
 ends with the punchline, "Those aren't bowling balls!".

Anywhere we go, I'm always interested in light fixtures,
but the more interesting part to me was the muted violet color
that predominated the color scheme of this and the last bowling
 alley we featured (owned by two different companies).  Is there
some psychological effect that shades of purple have on bowlers?
  Eat more? Drink more?  Bowl a few more frames?

 Mary had to stop for a hip photo op in front of the color-blocked lockers.

The flooring, paint scheme, and  menu have been "updated," but the
 barstools and chrome prove that the bones of a cool snack shop are still there.

Is it the friendly barroom at Friendly Hills Bowl, or the popular,
 teen hang out, The Max, from Saved by the Bell?

A view of some fancy bowling balls
available for purchase in the pro shop
I wonder if they have any of these in 4.5 lbs.
 with extra large finger holes???

So Friendly Hills Bowl has all the hallmarks of a genuine bowling alley - Snack bar/coffee shop, check.  Bar, check.  Pro Shop, check.  Beauty Parlor, Check.  Beauty Parlor?!?!

Friendly Hills Bowl has a beauty parlor conveniently located inside the bowling alley.
 H-A-I-R, big "D," little "e," Big "S," Big "I," Big "G,", Big "N," spells "coiffure me!"
Now that's class!

I've always had a love-hate relationship with those Nagel-esque salon illustrations.
 This one is funny because it is a whole family and not just those smoky eyes, razor
cheekbones, and single, red rose.  They always seemed so creepy but now they leave
me a little nostalgic for stylized, 80's cartoons like "Jem."

Come to think of it, I'm not sure that Jem, herself, isn't
 a product of Hair DeSign's gifted team of stylists!
(Source)

Just in case you had any doubts - this ain't no salon; this is a beauty parlor.
 I can only assume that this is some kind of combination potty chair/hair dryer.

It seemed so strange to have a beauty parlor inside a bowling alley until we remembered that Covina Bowl had a beauty parlor as well, called Hair'em (adhering to the ye olde Egyptian theme of that establishment).  Some of you more informed types out there might be able to fill me in; was it de rigueur to have a beauty shop as an obligatory addendum to the greater bowling experience?

Hair'em at Covina Bowl

All I know is that it must've been nice for Marge and Leona to know that they needn't worry about getting all dolled up before the big tournament; they could simply show up in curlers and a scarf and leave with a bubble flip and the league championship!

Considering getting a permanent, Mr. Tiny was feeling pretty
 friendly himself standing in the in the atrium-like
setting of Friendly Hills Bowl's entry created by the
sun-drenched horticulture filtered only by the architectural beams.

If you're looking for a fun day of bowling or just a slice of pizza and a finger wave, make your way down to Friendly Hills Bowl in Whittier.  Look for the diamonds in the sky.

Friendly Hills Bowl

15545 E Whittier Blvd

Whittier, CA

(562)947-3815

www.amf.com/friendlyhillslanes

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny