1950 Pictorial California, Pt. 1

The Winter 1950 edition of Pictorial California and the Pacific featured a number of my favorite places. Marking the 25th anniversary of the publication’s start, the founder was Eugene Swarzwald, who simply wanted to “publicize California and the Pacific, to show the loveliness, the dynamic beauty, the grandeur, and the lure of the West.” The ads at the back of the publication are just as interesting as the gorgeous photography featured on sepia-toned pages.



It is fitting that the foreword is plastered over a picture of palm trees, orange groves, and cloud-covered mountains.



The first areas featured are those I have yet to visit. The top picture shows “historic Gardella, where the California State Highway 49 crosses the Mokelumne River.” The bottom image shows “the dusty main street of Volcano.” Volcano is home to many firsts: theater group in CA (1854), private school in CA (1855), first private law school in CA (1855), and first legal hanging in Amador County (1856)!



As a kid, I visited Columbia State Park many times with my California cousins. I loved the old western town with its vintage touristy shops and a stagecoach ride that was “held-up” on each trip. My brothers got a kick out of heckling the stagecoach robber!



A genuine FauxD© 1970s shot of the Columbia State Park Wells Fargo Express coach:



Next up is a two-page spread featuring Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco:



The Wharf area when I visited in 2002:







The photography in this publication is stunning, even without being in full color. Below is a shot of Jenner Beach in Sonoma County, about 90 minutes north of San Francisco:



Storm clouds over Joshua National Forest, named after the Joshua trees that populate the area:



Still beautiful…



Below is the reason I picked up this magazine - a shot of Sunset Boulevard featuring (but not naming) the Chateau Marmont hotel and the Garden of Allah:



Chateau at left, the Garden of Allah across the street:



In August 2015, I captured some similar views:



The Garden of Allah was paved over for a bank and a strip mall, and now even those are gone.



More scenic sepia California views to come!

See more vintage and contemporary photos from my collection at my main website.

Sunday Funday: The Disneyland Bench

Tile and light fixtures, yes. Benches…well, maybe that’s a new one. In a previous post, I had written about my discovery of a four-seater cast iron bench in Disneyland’s New Orleans Square (above and below)…



…and a similar bench (albeit unpainted and a three-seater) that I happened upon at the Joshua Tree Inn near Palm Springs.



While at the Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, just as I was leaving I saw this bench. Same design, same end caps, but a two-seater.



I’m guessing that the next time I spot one, it will be a chair. Wonder where that will be?

See more Disneyland New Orleans Square photos at my main website.

Pioneertown: Pappy + Harriet's

It was Pappy + Harriet's that got me to Pioneertown in the first place. Looking for a place to get dinner, it seemed like the most interesting choice in the Joshua Tree area. I was not disappointed.



The backstory, edited from the website:

In 1946, where Pappy + Harriet’s stands today, was a façade used as a “Cantina” set for numerous western films well into the 1950s. In 1972, Harriet’s mother, Francis Aleba, and her husband, John, purchased the building and opened “The Cantina,” an outlaw biker burrito bar. The Cantina rollicked for 10 years, and when it closed, Francis and John made sure the building stayed in the family. In 1982, Harriet and her husband, Claude “Pappy” Allen, opened, “Pappy + Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace.” While the bikers still hung around, Pappy and Harriet’s presence created more of a family atmosphere. With family-style Santa Maria bbq, hearty comfort food, and live music featuring Pappy and Harriet, The Palace quickly became a local favorite with all walks of life getting along under one roof! When Pappy died in 1994 his friends and fans flew from all over the world to be at P+H for a celebration of his life. Harriet sold the bar to a family friend who gave it up after a few years. The next owners were former patrons who loved P+H and wanted to see it back with more music and life the way it was when they fell in love with it. Musicians from Paul McCartney to Lizzo, Belle & Sebastian, Orville Peck, Patti Smith, Taking Back Sunday, The Psychedelic Furs, Lorde, Lucinda Williams, Arctic Monkeys, Robert Plant, Peaches, The Dead Kennedy’s, Gregory Alan Isakov, Jesse Daniel, Everclear, Ani Di Franco, The Zombies, Coheed and Cambria, and countless other eclectic talents have graced our indoor and outdoor stages.



Not a bad lineup! Since I had Willis with me, I confirmed with the staff that I could have my dog with me. They were very friendly and assured me that I could sit on the patio. I loved the decor inside; eclective with plenty of items to look at.



Unfortunately, with Willis in one arm, I couldn’t take any shots as we took a brisk stroll through the restaurant right by the concert stage (which was rocking with great music!) to the door that opened up to the back patio.



We were the only patrons there. The temperature was about 40 degrees outside and the wind was rushing. I was seriously rethinking my choice. However, a heat lamp was immediately brought over and turned on and the staff was super attentive. It was cold as @&*#(, but I figured I’d gotten this far…and I was hungry! The heat lamp provided little comfort from the wind, but Willis and I trudged on; thank goodness I didn’t sell my pea coat when I moved out here from Indiana! Back to the positive part of the story…even the tableware is themed well:



The food was outstanding; my pulled pork sandwich had just the right amount of kick to it, and the mac and cheese was flavorful.



Needless to say, Willis and I did not stick around for dessert. However, I would DEFINITELY come back here in warmer weather! See more Pioneertown photos at my main website.

Welcome to Pioneertown!

My welcome email from the Joshua Tree Inn mentioned Pioneertown as a place of interest to check out. I’d never heard of it, but just the name alone piqued my curiousity.



Pioneertown is eleven miles from Joshua Tree State Park. The historic town was originally incorporated in 1946 when actor Dick Curtis was inspired to create a “living breathing movie set.” Curtis, who towered at 6'3", appeared with the Three Stooges (typically playing a villains) and in a number of “Lone Ranger” TV episodes. Teaming up with fellow actor/friend Russell Hayden, the two set out to create Pioneertown, which was also done in partnership with Roy Rogers. More than 50 films and serials were filmed in Pioneertown during the 1940's and 1950's. Gene Autry filmed his weekly TV show here for five years, using the exterior buildings as part of his film set.



It is a mix of Calico, Ghost Town at Knott’s Berry Farm, and what the average person imagines the old west to look like.



I found it to be charming, and a place I would like to visit when it is actually open and functioning. When Willis and I stopped here, it was early in the morning, the temperature outside was barely 40 degrees, and the wind was stirring up the tumbleweeds.





Plenty of interesting details to peruse:



Humorous touches abound:











Curtis died in 1952 at age 49. His final appearance with the Three Stooges was as Shemp Howard’s dental patient in “The Tooth Will Out” (1951).

He is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California. Guess where I need to go next?

See more photos at my main website.

2020: A Year in Review, Pt. 1

2020 is a year that will go down in history as…well, yet to be determined how it will be classified, but for many it was not a year for good memories. I have been very fortunate in that the pandemic allowed me more time with Willis, continued employment, and the ability to travel via automobile. My number one goal was to improve my health, which meant better eating and a regular exercise regimen. I also made it a goal to get back to the canvas and start painting, which I did, too. This post is a quick summary of the highlights, which started with the virgin trip to Joshua Tree State Park. I was in the Palm Springs area for the wedding of my very good friends Kamy and Amanda. It was definitely one of the most beautiful and touching ceremonies I have been invited to. The Parker Hotel in Palm Springs was the perfect backdrop.

The ready-made family of Amanda, Famous the dog, and Kamy:

The one (and only) plane trip of the year was to Austin, Texas to visit my brother and his family.

I allowed myself one night at the South Congress Hotel, so that I could get some shots of an area I hadn’t really explored before.

The hotel was an excellent choice; hip, clean, and the perfect location.

Neon was in abundance on Congress Avenue:

Back in California, I had the honor of doing the “farewell” shoot of the Dearly Departed Museum in Hollywood before everything was packed up and put in storage.

I was able to get up close and personal with the Jayne Mansfield death car:

The Shirley Temple that Shirley Temple refused!

My one and only “live” concert for 2020 was to hear The Doo Wop Project when they performed in Palm Springs:

It’s always a treat to hear these guys in concert.

2020 marked my first trip to the Anzo Borrego desert:

The pandemic allowed me to capture these shots of an empty Balboa Park at sunset:

There were still reasons to celebrate in 2020; I was hired to do a graduation shoot at San Diego State University:

SO many firsts for me in 2020, including lunch at the Rainbow Oaks Restaurant in Fallbrook:

…and my first trip on the Angels Flight Railway:

While in Laguna Beach for a photo shoot, I captured this. Yes, the anger that was building in this nation was palpable.

A photo shot took me back to Long Beach, which is so close to where I live but a place I rarely spend time in.

I dined twice at the Bali Hai Restaurant on Shelter Island:

I decided to wear a vintage Hawaiian shirt that belonged to my dad. I had worn it frequently during my college years, and it still fit!

I joined Eric Lynxwiler (neon aficionado and LA history/Knott’s Berry Farm expert) and Darin for the first dining experience at Bali Hai:

…and with the group of guys I have been doing my outdoor workouts with. We definitely had earned our dinner (and drinks)!

Stay tuned for Part 2 on Monday! See more Daveland photos at my main website.