Interlude at Clifton's

After touring the Museum of Neon Art in Glendale, the UCDA group reconvened at Clifton's in downtown Los Angeles until our Neon Cruise began (more on that later!).



Unfortunately, the cafeteria part of Clifton's was closed when we arrived...



so drinks had to suffice. A Moscow Mule on tap. Who knew???



Never content to just sit, I began noticing (and photographing) little details.



Then got up and wandered around to see the taxidermy...



and this gorgeous "tree" that's the centerpiece of the building.



Oh those light fixtures!



This gothic bar is a beauty.



One of these days I'll get to see the South Seas room. I just need to plan my trip to Clifton's a little better next time!

See more Clifton's Brookdale Cafeteria photos at my main website..

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MONA, Motels, and More

Until August 26, the Museum of Neon Art in Glendale has an exhibit titled “There’s More to Neon Signs Than Liquor, Motels and Live Nude Girls” and “Motel California.”

With a touch of humor, the majority of this exhibit features signs about liquor, motels, live nude girls...and motels.

And I loved it. With designer, author, and saver-of-vintage-neon Eric Lynxwiler as our group's tour guide, we had a blast looking at the other-worldly glow that emanated from these vintage neon masterpieces. See the neon in the tube travel closer to Eric. Apparently water attracts neon!



This little guy was amazing to watch. I felt like Dr. Frankenstein in the laboratory!



Eric showed the different colors possible and how they were achieved.



I'll let your eyes feast upon the twists and graceful curves achieved by some of the neon artists of yesteryear.





A few animated gifs to show you the neon in action:







Last and definitely not least is one of my favorites:



See more MONA photos at my main website..

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Return of the Dragon

Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard is arguably the most famous movie theatre in the country. Of course it's famous for the cement footprints in the front court area, but it's also known for the spectacular neon that graced the façade, especially the two dragons that faced each other since 1958.



In 2001, both dragons were removed and disappeared from public view until now, when you can see one of the dragons fully restored, thanks to the Museum of Neon Art in Glendale (aka MONA).



It took about eleven years of fundraising and restoration, and it was TOTALLY worth it. The sound of the mechanism as the neon inches up to the head of the dragon is like music to Eric Lynxwiler's ears (more on him in future posts!).



See more Museum of Neon Art photos at my main website..

Follow my Daveland updates on Twitter and view my most recent photos on Flickr & Instagram.