Several years ago I went with some friends into a local vintage store, hoping that browsing would not turn to buying; I need not have worried. As I perused the display case that held scads of vintage eyeglass frames, the proprietress walked over and said, "Oh, I don't think I'll have anything in there big enough for you." It seems my shopping shame knows no bounds. Even when it comes to glasses, I will forever be relegated to the "Husky" department. Well, big & tall eyewear, here I come!
The same sort of "size-ism" applies to hat shopping too; I once had to have an XXL hat professionally stretched to fit my giant skull. Because my cranium is so disproportionately-large compared to those of the general population, I have been forced to get especially creative in finding retail outlets for my apparel/accessory options. Thank goodness for Arby's; if it wasn't for them I would never have been able to buy a 10-gallon hat off the rack, er, post!
Finally, a hat that fits!
Arby's enormous hat sign was designed by the Peskin Sign, Co. of Youngstown, Ohio (Source).
It isn't that the sign at my local Arby's is unique among the nationwide chain, it's that, among the square, molded, lightbox signs of the the fast food world, the Arby's sign (continuing the tradition of awesome, oversized, novelty neon) creates a unique and distinctive silhouette in skylines throughout the nation.
Oh, the glory of the buzzing neon and chasing, twinkle-light border of that enormous 10,000-gallon hat!
This is in no way intended to be an endorsement of the "deliciousness" of Arby's.
I can count on two fingers the number of times I have eaten at Arby's in my entire life...
The Arby's sign in action!
Because the last time I ate at Arby's was at least twenty years ago, I simply cannot vouch for it.
In fact, every time I see an Arby's, I am reminded of The Simpsons episode where a
character, crazed with starvation, is heard to utter, "I'm so hungry, I could eat at Arby's."
But there was a limousine in the parking lot, so you know it's fancy!
Instead of wallowing in the kind of self pity induced by an abnormally-huge noggin (seriously, we used to have "Big Head" contests at work and I would always "win"???), I choose to count my blessings, not the least of which is a big, sturdy body that prevents me from looking like a life-size bobble head. Also among my many blessings is the surprising amount of 10-gallon-hat-themed videos that are fitting to share with you. Enjoy!!!
"Ten Gallon Stetson" - Bill Haley & The Saddlemen
"My Stetson Hat" - Ethel Shutta & Company from Whoopee!
Speaking of flying to the moon, sometimes it is a much shorter trip than one would imagine. As I have mentioned before, in our never-ending search to discover all that is wacky tacky, we cast a very wide net. Sometimes our gaze is set so far that we become myopic and miss some things that have been staring us in the face for our entire lives.
Apollo 11 Mission (1969)
Such is the case with a neighborhood treasure, Moon Park in Costa Mesa, CA. Moon Park is little more than a partial moonscape surrounded by a small fence. As with most things wacky tacky, it is of a time when something as insignificant as a small community park had a real identity. Sure the park has a slide and some swings, but at the heart, it is a monument to the United States' space program and a place where kids can dream of becoming an astronaut. It is also a big hunk of cement with giant craters, next to the river trail, surrounded by power lines, where generations of Costa Mesa teenagers have been "up to no good."
"One small step for man, one giant LEAP for mankind." Old Neil wasn't kidding!
A recent visit to the park elicited fond childhood memories of playing on the surface of the moon. Although, I still live especially close to it, I have neglected the opportunity to go back and really couldn't recall the last time I played there - I'm never too old to play in the park!!!
The Man in the Moon...
stuck in a crater
No, I wouldn't say that Moon Park is "out of this world." In fact, the surrounding isn't especially lush and there is very little to do; once one has traversed the lunar landscape and cradled oneself in a crater, the fun is pretty much over. It is, however, a nice tribute to our brave astronauts who first walked on the moon. It is a reminder of how far we have come in the last 40 years and a reminder that parks used to be more distinctive and more than just recycled-rubber play areas with modular plastic slides. It is a wacky tacky landmark park and we like it. And where else on earth do you get a chance to do the moonwalk on the moon?
What these cats need is a Rocking Chair on the Moon!
"Rocking Chair on the Moon"
Bill Haley and His Comets
This time of year always seems so hectic and yes, even stressful, that going to the park and sitting on the moon forced me to relax and bid farewell to my earthly cares - for a short time. Now I have never wanted to be an astronaut; outer space is just too vast and frightening for my meager intellect to comprehend. It occurred to me though, that maybe just for a little while, I'd like to spend New Year's on the moon.
Le Voyage dans La Lune (1902)
Because it's hip...
wacky tacky wishes you a very happy and very prosperous New Year! Whether you spend it at home or on the face of the moon, may the Man in the Moon smile upon you!
Not so very long ago, I was awarded the Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award by my friend Emily over at The Silver Screen Affair. As part of that award and subsequent blog post I was required to list seven, little-known facts about myself. Recently, I have hit one of life's charming, little "bumps in the road" and consequently, "ye olde blog" has definitely suffered. I haven't gotten out of the house very much and therefore have not had much about which to write. In a feeble effort to maintain the blog, I thought I would share an additional bit of personal trivia (something I would not ordinarily do) because I am a "blogger lemming" and after seeing a few other bloggers share their alphabetical information I thought it seemed interesting. Hopefully, I am not alone in that. To get you in the spirit, please enjoy the "ABC Boogie."
"ABC Boogie" - Bill Haley & The Comets
A-Age:
Majority. I always wondered why people hid their true age; now I know it is because it is embarrassing to explain to people that even though you act like you're 14, you're actually 30 - from what I hear.
B-Bed:
I go alone. Nosy, yeesh...
C-Chore that you hate:
Shaving!!! I suppose shaving would better be listed under the category of personal hygiene/grooming but dang, it is definitely a chore. What can I say, I have a big face!
D-Dogs:
They're barking...time for some orthotics.
E-Essential start to your day:
Waking up.
F-Favorite Color:
It is hard to think of a color that I don't like. I am definitely drawn to the primaries.
G-Gold or silver:
This is probably the only one that I can give a completely-honest and unequivocal answer - GOLD, GOLD, GOLD!!!! Silver just ain't tacky.
H-Height:
Am I standing up straight?
I-Instruments you play:
Okay, it's time to get a little serious. Just recently I have discovered that one is never too old to become a child prodigy. Without bragging, I have been told that I am a Fisher-Price Pull-A-Tune Xylophone virtuoso. I am self-taught and play entirely by ear.
J-Job title:
The title that I would give my job is far different than the imprint on my business card. Until the whole go-go dancer/reality show star thing works out, I think it better to simply refrain from saying anything negative.
K-Kids:
Love 'em. No matter how old I get my mentality remains that of a seven-year-old - a very hungry, very opinionated, very surly, seven-year-old that has missed his nap, but a seven-year-old nonetheless. It is their honesty and quickness to laugh that makes kids the best human beings. I could never be a teacher, Sunday School or otherwise, because I think everything kids do is hysterical.
L-Live: Absolutely, despite the ghostly pallor, I am 100% alive - okay, maybe 94% alive in sunny, Southern California.
M-Mother's name:
Sometimes I wish that it was Lily Munster or even Yvonne de Carlo but I got pretty lucky with the mom I have; her name is Deborah.
N-Nicknames:
Occasionally, people drop the "Mister" and just call me Tiny. I am very decorous, however, and do not encourage this kind of behavior.
O-Overnight hospital stays:
None, but there's always tomorrow. That's me, always looking on the bright side.
P-Pet peeves:
Bad drivers - with those who flip me off when they have done something wrong leading the category followed closely by those who refuse to use their turn signals, cutting in line, coughing and/or sneezing (yes, general symptoms of a potential allergy attack/cold drive me bonkers), fake British accents, uncorrected, speech-impediments in adults, people at work who obviously see the sign but continue to exit the restroom without washing their hands, weak hand shakes (especially with the people at work who have not washed their hands), my neighbor of over 20 years who knows my name but puts "anonymous" notes addressed to "driver of this car" on my windshield threatening to call the police when I park in front of his house on a public street with the added suggestion that I park a block away and walk so his "view" will remain undisturbed, servers in restaurants who sit down with me when they are taking my order, being "put on hold" when I am actually present in a store/at an office so the person can take a phone call, slow walkers, when the volume on the TV doubles during commercial breaks...I could go on but I am afraid I'll begin to lose friends and followers...
Q-Quote from a movie:
Where do I start??? I try not to be one of those people who constantly quote films but I am an avid movie watcher and sometimes the quote fits! Basically, any line from The Parent Trap (1961), The Quiet Man, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Also, "Oh, Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon; we already have the stars."
Side note: please notice the disparity between
Sharon's dainty tootsies and Susan's gargantuan, bare feet!
Additional side note: I think Maureen O'Hara is one of the
most beautiful women to have ever graced our universe,
R-Right or left handed:
Correct.
S-Siblings:
Two many brothers and two many sisters...get it?
T-Time you wake up:
I think it actually is time that I woke up. Truthfully, I wake up as late as possible whilst still allowing me to get to work reasonably on time.
U-Underwear:
Buy me dinner.
V-Vegetable you hate:
I can't think of a veggie that I hate - except CELERY!!! You can cover it with all of the peanut butter in Peter Pan's arsenal and it still tastes gross! And it has strings! STRINGS!!! It's like getting a stray hair with every bite! Yech!
W-What makes you run late:
I never run if I can help it.
X-X rays you've had:
Is it normal for people to gag to the point of vomiting from routine, dental x-rays? No, I am not asking because it happens to me every time.
Y-Yummy food that you make:
Everything I make is yummy. I am loathe to toot my own horn, but I am a solid home-cook and love to make dinner for the fam. Clean plates and no complaints! I think I'll tole paint that on a little sign to hang above the stove....barf.
Z-Zoo animal:
I've already discussed my siblings, quit asking.
BONUS ABC TRIVIA: I can say/sing the alphabet backwards in under 3 seconds. I'm sure a lot of people are capable of the same thing but really, throw me a bone, it's all I've got.
Hi-how-are-ya! Hi-how-are-ya! Hi-how-are-ya! When was the last time you immersed yourself fully in the indigenous culture of your country? When last did you slough off the cares of our modern, workaday world for the purposes of cultural appreciation and personal enrichment? I am always open to a spiritual awakening - an opportunity to open my heart and mind. I embrace the chance to really "walk a mile in another man's moccasins," as it were. In search of such an experience, I sought out, nay, I was called to the Wigwam Villages of San Bernardino, CA and Holbrook, AZ. The Wigwam Villages were the vision of Frank Redford, a Kentucky native, who built his first wigwam in 1933 to capitalize on his collection of Native American artifacts. What started out as a roadside attraction dedicated to Indian culture soon turned into a motel concept and The Wigwam Village Motel was born. In total, seven Wigwam Villages were built from Kentucky to California. For the purposes of this blog post, we will be using the terms "wigwam" and "teepee" interchangeably - just to keep it authentic!
Wigwam Village Motel #7 - "Do it in a Tee Pee!"
Wigwam Village #7 (est.1949) in San Bernardino, CA is a veritable diamond in the rough. This is not a stale cliche - "rough" is an accurate description of the surrounding area. My mother's people are from San Bernardino; I can remember the dreamy days we spent with my great-grandmother and great-aunt in their turn-of-the-Century, San Bernardino homes. The area, while decidedly working class, felt old-timey and safe. Unfortunately, the last few decades have been less than kind to San Bernardino. Yet, somehow, it felt good to be there - especially in a teepee!
The Happy Hunting Ground
In Indian territory
The wigwam
The interior did not fulfill my dreams of peace pipes and smoke signals.
In fact, the furnishings did not speak to Native American heritage at all.
Rating: ^^^^^^^^^ (9 wigwams) - The facilities are well-maintained and the staff is very courteous and seemed genuinely happy to have us. They allowed us early check-in, gave us recommendations for places to eat and even took our photo and added it to their Facebook page! A one-wigwam deduction was taken for the boring, standard motel furnishings.
Wigwam Village Motel #6 - "Have you slept in a Wigwam Lately?"
Wigwam Village #6 in Holbrook, AZ was built in 1942 by Charles Lewis as a wigwam franchise. According to the motel website, the payments to Frank Redford as franchise fees consisted of the dimes collected from the pay-radios installed in each teepee! We liked the exterior of these wigwams better than the San Bernardino location as they look like the picture postcards from the 40's.
A teepee-cal teepee
Vintage automobiles enhanced the motel's Route 66 credibility and character.
The custom, metal benches outside the teepees were a reminder of our path.
King of the castle teepee!
We were happy to learn that the room's furnishings, including the quirky,
bedside lamp and desk/vanity were all original.
Native American Art
The room was surprisingly roomy - enough for two beds.
My biggest complaint was the distracting, southwestern bedding!
Wigwams by day...
...and wigwams by night...
Rating: ^^^^^^^^^ (9 wigwams) - It is hard not to give a perfect 10 to a motel that has operated for nearly 70 years by maintaining the look and feel of true, vintage-American roadside/Route 66 history. Really, who doesn't want to sleep in a wigwam? A single wigwam deduction was given for a less-than-immaculate bathroom, proximity to the bustling railroad tracks (all-night freight trains) and those terrible, I mean terrible, bedspreads. The staff was accommodating, the sleeping quarters were tidy (bonus point for the original art/furniture), the exterior of the wigwams were well-maintained and the vintage cars added greatly to the atmosphere.
Wigwam Village numbers 6 and 7 are independently owned and share only a common history. Beyond the San Bernardino and Holbrook motels, there is only one other remaining Wigwam Village. Wigwam Village #2 is located in Cave City, KY which means just one thing - we'll be seeing you in Kentucky for another authentically-Native American experience. How!!!
