Hollywood at Sunrise

During my recent trip to Hollywood over the holidays, of course I had no idea of the impending devastation that would be experienced as a result of the ongoing fires. While walking Willis one morning with camera in-hand, I was able to capture a gorgeous sunrise against the backdrop of some of my favorite buildings. Along Santa Monica Boulevard, the advice of this neon sign calls to mind the movie “LA Story” (iykyk).



A major bucket list item was checked off by capturing the Tail o’the Pup sign while lit:



(speaking of “LA Story” again!)



During the day, this pop-up ad for the Netflix film “Carry-On” looks like just another construction wall.



With the purple and pink hues of sunrise, it is much more appealing!



The Standard Hotel in West Hollywood has been closed for a few years, but appears to be in the construction phase for its next iteration. Has it been painted pink like the Beverly Hills Hotel down the street? No; this is just what the rays from a gorgeous sunrise can do to an otherwise bland off-white building.



I was ecstatic to see that the El Mirador Apartment neon sign was working again.



Even better at sunrise!



The historic 1930 Colonial House on Havenhurst:



I have no idea what this building at 8246 Sunset Boulevard is, but it provided a cool silhouette against the backdrop of the sunrise:



By the time I got back to the Chateau Marmont, the sunrise was almost over. Still, a hint of pink was cast over the mysterious tower at the top of the hotel:



One room I have never been in. Just add that to my bucket list.



The latest fire catastrophes in Hollywood and Los Angeles make me recall the horrible fires in San Diego back in October 2003.



One minute we were carving pumpkins, the next we were struggling to breathe clean air.



My heart goes out to all the residents of the areas in Los Angeles that have been affected. The devastation is unreal when you see the videos (the real ones, not the ones generated by AI - ugh). Whether it’s dollars, thoughts, prayers, or physical assistance, whatever you believe in and are capable of, send them the way of the people who are suffering.

See more Hollywood photos at my main website.

Rudford’s Diner: The Real Thing

While other places attempt to replicate the genuine diner experience, Rudford’s in San Diego doesn’t have to try. It’s the real thing. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, it’s been serving the North Park neighborhood since 1949. The photo mural below graces the side of the building.



President John F. Kennedy’s motorcade drove by the restaurant on June 6th, 1963, just a few months before he was assassinated.



Rudford’s has a milkshake named in his honor. The JFK Bacon Caramel Shake is not for the faint of heart, and guaranteed to induce a food coma. And speaking of shakes, this one comes with a good sized portion of extra shake in the cup it was made in. Little extras like that are what makes a great diner!



Signage and tchotchkes adorn the walls and shelves.



Atmosphere like this just can’t be created.



So much neon…I love it!



The patty melt is a favorite of mine; plenty of meat and just the right amount of grease. It is DELICIOUS!



Do not skip the pie for dessert; they are made fresh here at the restaurant from scratch.



The service is super friendly, too. Not the canned kind that is attempted through training; the real kind.

See more North Park/Rudford’s Diner photos at my main website.

Monday at The Lafayette: Quixote

A few years ago when I learned that the iconic Red Fox Restaurant was getting the boot from the new owners of the Lafayette Hotel, I was extremely disappointed. Not because the Fox had amazing food, but because it was a historic piece of San Diego restaurant kitsch (and the only restaurant that my late Aunt frequented). As previous posts have reported, the Fox moved across the street to a nondescript building and Quixote, a tapas restaurant, has replaced it. Having dined there, I can now say that I’m 100% fine with that change.



The inside is a visual feast, full of pieces that were reclaimed from an old Mexican church (according to the server). While the booths are not comfortable (without pads, not even sure “cozy” could be used), I’m not gonna’ gripe about it. In this case, the price of the atmosphere and look is worth it.



The bar, which is the perfect place for an after-work happy hour and nosh.



There are two side rooms at Quixote. These blew me away. LOVE ’EM!!



I want this for my house!



The dripping candles are a nice touch to set the mood.



The lighting is perfection, giving an air of mystery and slight decadence. Note the horns on the statue, reminiscent of the ones Michelangelo put on his statue of Moses. Is this meant to be Moses?



Besides candles, there are plenty of way-cool light fixtures.



Tapas doesn’t necessarily translate into good photography, but the cocktail sure did.  This one is the Motomami, with Oaxacan Rum, Mezcal, smoked pineapple, Sochu, lime, and Demerara. Yum.



I highly recommend this place, especially the Forcefully Crispy Chicken Tacos!

See more Quixote at the Lafayette Hotel photos at my main website.

Monday with Musso & Frank

It had been seven years since my last visit to the oldest restaurant in Hollywood, Musso & Frank Grill. Would it disappoint? Had it been tarnished by the pandemic like so many other places that allowed their customer service and quality to slip in order to recoup the losses?



As far as the food and drink go, the answer is a resoundingly positive “no”; you can expect the same delicious food that patrons have been experiencing since it opened in 1919.



The atmosphere has not changed, either. You can still expect to see the historic murals, the phone booths where gossip columnists phoned in their stories, and the signature red leather booths.



This is where all the news was first broken:



The wedge salad was out of this world; just the right balance of iceberg lettuce and tasty toppings:



The Chicken Parmesan was tender and delicious; definitely one of the best I have ever had.



I tried the new signature desert, the Club 1919 Sundae, named after the year the restaurant was founded. It’s the Musso and Frank take on Bananas Foster, made with California ice cream. It’s all in the details.



Note the anniversary drink stirrer, celebrating the 100 year anniversary (well, technically 103 years, but the pandemic obviously screwed everything up).



The one disappointment had to do with the staff. Our waiter had been there for six years, but I can’t say that’s a positive thing. Perhaps Josh was having a bad night. He forgot to bring my cocktail; once reminded, he rushed off to get it and promptly brought it back without an apology. At the end of the meal (with no checking in after our dinners were served), he hastily dumped a complimentary dessert in front of me saying it was for forgetting my drink. While it was nice to have the free dessert, his lack of service during the meal was not customary for the Musso & Frank I experienced in the past. One other sour note came from General Manager, Andrea Scuto. I walked Melissa (aka “The Colonel”) to the restroom so she wouldn’t get lost. The previous time I was at Musso & Frank in 2015, I took pictures of the architectural details (as I so often do). The Manager on duty at the time came up to me and offered to give me a tour around while I took my photos and even explained many of the historic details that I would have missed had he not done so. That was not the case with Scuto. He told me in no uncertain terms that I should not be taking photos as it was not allowed. While I understand the policy (to protect certain guests from “paparazzi”), I am also aware that there are many ways to deliver the same message and his tone with me (a paying guest) was extremely rude and accusatory. Anyone with two eyes could see my camera was aimed at the top of the phone booth and nowhere near any patrons. As I continued to stand near the phone booth, waiting for Melissa to return from the restroom, he paced by a few times to make sure I wasn’t taking pictures, eyes glaring at my camera. Next thing I knew he was whispering to another Manager and not very subtly motioning towards me. As soon as Melissa returned, I walked over to the other Manager and let him know how rude Scuto had been. He was very apologetic and when we were finished our meal, checked in at our table to see how the meal was and then toured us around the restaurant, showing us some of the banquet rooms and discussing the history of the restaurant. THAT’S how you do customer service. Would I go back? Of course. The overall experience was very good; you can’t judge a place on two bad apples.

See more Musso & Frank photos at my main website.

Neon at Disney Parks

When neon expert supreme Eric Lynxwiler makes a request, I listen! He recently alerted me to a Zoom Artist Talk hosted by MONA (Museum of Neon Art).



Get a Backstage Pass to Neon in Disney Parks with “The Wonderful World of Disney Neon.”



Here’s the 411: Zoom Artist Talk: Thursday, December 9, 2021 at 7pm PST MONA will host Steve Spiegel, Story Editor Executive for Walt Disney Imagineering for a one-night-only Zoom event on December 9th at 7pm to showcase the history of luminous tubing in Disney Parks. Disney theme parks are known for their rigorous attention to historic and aesthetic detail and the “Imagineers,” Disney’s team of artists, writers, engineers, and technicians use neon and other forms of lighting in multiple ways, from perfectly replicating Golden Age movie houses of Hollywood to transporting audiences into hyper-realistic future worlds. Audiences will be wowed by the layers of narratives presented through light at Disney theme parks worldwide, such as the dazzling neon collection at “Cars Land” in Disney California Adventure Park.



A Q&A will follow the presentation.

Steve Spiegel is the Story Editor Executive for Walt Disney Imagineering, the theme park design and development division of The Walt Disney Company. In this role, Steve has written notable Disney experiences including “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience!” “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue,” and “Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!” He is also a co-founder of Signs United, an international community of vintage sign hunters, enthusiasts, and preservationists. His photographs of vintage neon have been featured in exhibits at The Museum of Neon Art in Glendale, CA, The Perfect Exposure Gallery in Los Angeles and in a “Signs From Different Worlds: Vienna meets Havana” exhibit in Vienna, Austria.

You can get tickets here.

See more MONA photos at my main website.

Neon at the Hotel Churchill

While visiting a friend at his downtown condo, I looked out his balcony and saw a perfect view of this vintage neon sign - STILL AGLOW!! Of course I came back with my camera and my 600mm lens to capture this shot at sunset. I had passed the Hotel Churchill many times on the way to work when I used to catch the bus from downtown. It looked fairly seedy, as if it had seen better days. Apparently it has been repurposed as an affordable housing project. Just in case you wanted a closer look at the neon tubes:

Here’s a vintage postcard of the Hotel back in its heyday, most likely not long after its 1914 opening. The neon does not appear to have been installed yet:

A vintage postcard showing the lobby:

…and the dining room, which must be where that “famous food” was served:

Got a match?

This 1960s era postcard shows the neon sign:

See more San Diego photos at my main website.