Many times have we hailed the weird, roadside wonder of San Bernardino, CA's magnificent Wigwam Motel (est. 1949). From road trip adventures, to birthday parties, to holiday wigwam lightings, we have become regulars amongst the teepee set. Last weekend we were heap happy to attend the Charles Phoenix Wig Wam Pow Wow at what is quickly becoming our home away from home.
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| The whole lot was filled with classic cars, vintage trailers, and roadside enthusiasts. |
We weren't there as spectators alone; we set up a pop-up hat shop in one of the Wigwam Motel rooms.
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| Charles, Mary, Zack, Fabian, and Mr. Tiny After seeing some of the hats I had made for Mary, Charles kindly asked if I could bring enough hats to sell. Quarters inside the well-appointed wigwam were a little tight with all of those hats but it made for a cozy (and blessedly active) selling space! |
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| One of our pals, Cherie, was on hand and became one of the first people to Put A Lid On It! We were thrilled to see her (and her awesome, homemade Route 66 dress) before she leaves us for the more verdant environs of Portland, OR. |
While I did take a break to dance along to some of my favorite tunes (ahem, "Mashed Potato Time") spun by the killer DJ, I spent most of the afternoon inside the wigwam hocking my wares. Although, I have been assured that the event was chockablock with the most enjoyable activities, from showing off cars and trailers, to swimming, to weenie roasting, to s'mores toasting, to fireside sing-a-longs.
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| Two poolside fashion shows, hosted by Dave and Sabino of Clever Vintage Clothing, were filled with spectacular ensembles. They were even nice enough to include one of my sun hats!!! |
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| If I was a more ruthless kind of a person and capable of making a quick getaway, there were plenty of cars for which I would have gladly ditched all of those hats and started my life of crime - beginning with grand theft auto! |
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| The cars were great but the real show-stopper was our friend's completely- restored 1957 Airfloat trailer in gleaming gold! I was so awestruck that I only captured a peek through one of the porthole windows. |
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| Brian Potvin, the master "Ballusionist," created a wigwam out of balloons and set it afloat in the pool! |
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| The main event began at sundown; we were lucky enough to be a part of it! Tiny & Mary opened the show for the incredible troupe from the Bob Baker Marionette Theater and the always-enthralling Charles Phoenix Big Retro Slideshow! You might recognize some of those puppets from their big-screen appearance in Walt Disney's Escape to Witch Mountain (1975). |
Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)
If you can't escape to Witch Mountain, be sure and make the escape to the Wigwam Motel - to sleep-ee and to peepee in a teepee are most underrated and completely unparalleled experiences! We would be remiss if we failed to acknowledge the graciousness of the owner and conservator of this irreplaceable landmark, Kumar Patel. He and his family have committed themselves to not just their own motel, not just their own city, but to the entire Route 66 community and to the lovers of all things wacky tacky! A big thank you to our inimitable host and emcee, Charles, for including us in this very special celebration!
Wigwam Motel
2728 W Foothill Blvd
San Bernardino, CA
(909)875-3005
wigwammotel.com
Cheers!
Mr. Tiny
* The day has finally come!!! Put A Lid On It Sun Hats are now available for purchase in our Etsy store, Mr. Tiny's South Side Market. We will continue to bring you new designs, new colors, and new hat inspiration on a regular basis!!!
