Lex sez:
It’s the middle of summer. The scorching heat of the southern California sun is driving us crazy. Our normal knee-jerk reaction would be to get out and have fun. But with social distancing measures still necessary in the middle of a pandemic, is fun still possible? Neek, Sar and I set out for Downtown Disney, determined to find out!
Neek sez: This year I have a lot to be thankful for including not having to cook for Thanksgiving. We decided to have our meal at Norm’s Restaurant which is having it’s 70 birthday this year.
Yes, it was crowded and yes the food wasn’t as good as what you make at home but being with your favorite people makes it all worthwhile. Lex definitely didn’t complain about any dishes to wash this year.
We would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!
Lex sez:
Our next stop on our little desert road trip took us to Indio. One place that Neek, Sar and I were really curious to visit was Shields Date Garden. I had never been to this place before even though I love dates; as a child my parents took me to another place that sells dates in Cabazon, Hadley Fruit Orchards (more on that in a later episode). But I had seen the place before on a Huell Howser TV show on public television, so I was very excited to experience the place!
Approaching the driveway, the Shields Date Garden sign from 1953 with a knight in shining armor pointing toward the main entrance is a standout sight. Continue reading
Neek sez:
It seemed fitting to finish up our road trip by visiting the Ghirardelli Chocolate Outlet store and having a decadent sundae. They are the masters in making the most incredible ice cream delights.
After hearing about the gold discovery at Sutter’s Mill, Domenico Ghirardelli sailed from South America where he had a confectionary store in Lima, Peru. The news of the gold strike must have been enticing enough for Ghirardelli to open a tent store in Stockton, California in 1849 to sell his products to the miners. Continue reading
Neek sez:
Lex was delighted to see an old cigarette vending machine at the entrance of the Jailhouse Motel and Casino in Ely, Nevada. He and his older sister used to pull the levers pretending it was a game when they were children. Sar and I used to buy chocolate cigarettes and bubblegum shaped like cigars when we were kids. The good old days!
We walked into a cacophony of electronic bells, fake clanking coins, and real people yelling in glee. Continuing on, we passed through a short corridor and till we were seated at our very own jail cell. The Cellblock Steakhouse is a themed restaurant where you can sit and have your (possibly last) meal. Continue reading
Neek sez:
If you are a basketball fan, you might recognize The Forum in Inglewood, California. It opened on December 30, 1967 and was an unusual and groundbreaking structure in that it had no major support pillars. It was created by Architect Charles Luckman and engineers Carl Johnson and Svend Nielsen and was famous for being the home of The Los Angeles Lakers before moving to the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. Now the venue is rented out for special events and concerts.
Across the street from The Forum is the Inglewood Park Cemetery. The cemetery was built in 1905 and has a number of notable entertainment and sports figures such as Ray Charles, Betty Grable, Ella Fitzgerald, Gypsy Rose Lee, and Ray Corrigan (the actor who owned Corriganville where we had previously visited the remains of his western amusement park).
Lex,Sar and I have visited here many times to pay our respects to a relative of mine who is interred here. The grounds are beautiful with rolling hills and memorials to those who have passed on. A Canadian goose was having a great time on the warm sunny day.
One memorial has always caught our attention while on our visits and it is a sculpture of an angel lifting a woman to heaven. The faces are quite detailed and the base is carved with two rings in which one is broken. We did some research and found who they were.
The models are of Alfredo Codona as the angel carrying his wife, Lillian Leitzel in an embrace. They were circus performers. Lillian Leitzel was only 4 ft 9 in (144.78 cm) but incredibly strong and could do one armed flips over her shoulder repeatedly while the audience counted and cheered. She performed for the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus and was posthumously inducted into the International Circus Hall of Fame.
Lillian Leitzel had quite a temper and was famous for throwing things and slapping people who didn’t work to her expectations. In contrast, she was also known for her kindness toward the circus performer’s children who called her “Aunt Lillian”. A little mental maybe?
In 1928, Lillian married Alfredo Codona who was a trapeze artist, famous for doing the often dangerous triple somersaults. Their relationship was quite tempestuous and their diva-like personalities were well-matched.
While performing in Copenhagen in 1931, one of the hand rings broke and Lillian fell to the hard floor. She died a few days later at 39 years old. Even though they had such a troubled marriage, Alfredo Codona’s love for Lillian Leitzel was quite evident by creating this beautiful memorial to his wife.
One of the last surviving Southern California mimic architecture is Randy’s Big Donut. Mimic architecture started in the 1920’s creating a trend in designing structures in the shape of the product that was sold there. By the 1950’s building such structures were out of style and too costly. Randy’s Donut was built in 1953 and was the second location of a number of donut shops owned by Russell C. Wendell, a donut machine salesman. The giant donuts are constructed of steel bars and a dry type of concrete called gunite usually used in swimming pools.
Originally, there were 10 Big Donut Drive-Ins but only 4 have survived. In the 1970’s Wendell sold off the donut shops to concentrate on his “Pup in Taco” chain (Lex is wearing one of the old shirts) which was then sold to Taco Bell in 1984.
If the Randy’s Donuts looks familiar, it’s probably because you’ve seen it in various TV, movies, talk shows and music videos. My favorite is the big donut in Randy Newman’s 80’s hit “I Love LA”.
Lex, Sar and I stood in a line to get a bag of apple fritters and a buttermilk donut. I almost dropped a dollar bill and lost it to the wind but a kind man in a beige hat fetched it for me. The donuts tasted great but when I was a kid, I really wanted to take a bite out of the big one. Good thing I never did because it’s got bird poo all over the top of it!
Lex sez:
On Route 66 in Los Angeles County as it cuts through the town of Glendora, California, there is a shop that’s definitely worth stopping for if you’re feeling hungry. That would be The Donut Man, which has been serving donuts for over 40 years!
This is a place that has received a lot of attention from national and international media, including features on The Food Channel and The Cooking Channel. One look in their window and you can see why! Continue reading
Lex sez:
While Gary West may not be from the Old West, serving the city of Jacksonville, Oregon for 50 years is still quite an accomplishment! This is a place that The Today Show called the “Rolls-Royce of jerky” and it is the place to go for the best smoked meats in Oregon.
We pulled into their parking lot and saw there were a couple of signs celebrating their 50th anniversary. Continue reading
Lex sez:
One of the highlights of our summer was going to the Los Angeles County Fair at the Pomona Fairplex in Pomona, California. There are so many rides and attractions there, it is truly massive!
We started off by checking out the DIY contestants which included entries for quilts, table settings, wine, beer and baked goodies. Continue reading
Lex and Neek 