From Imig Manor to The Lafayette

San Diego’s Imig Manor Hotel opened in 1946, boasting Hollywood celebrity Bob Hope as its first guest. The San Diego press reported this on June 28:

The west coast’s first large postwar built hotel, Imig Manor, officially opened today. Costing $2,000,000, the hotel has 180 units under its block-square colonial-style roof. In the center is a large patio with a swimming pool and two outdoor dining and dancing halls. Twenty-two shops line the block and one-half of corridor on the main floor.

Despite its lavish $2 million cost, not all the press was positive:

Add “Who Said the War’s Over” department: At a preview dinner for the “working press” at swanky Imig Manor last night, reporters were required to buy their own drinks at prevailing prices from the hotel’s bar.

Below is a contemporary shot of how the hotel, now named The Lafayette, looks today:



The Long Beach Press-telegram gave a bit more background on Larry Imig himself, on June 29, 1946:

Larry Imig, 31-year-old former sailor, last night formally opened his new $2,000,000 hotel, Imig Manor, built with a fortune he made in a construction business that began after he traded a car for a vacant lot 10 years ago. The 180-room hotel located on the edge of the business district, has a large swimming pool, nighclub, 700-seat dining room, bars, coffee shops and a shopping center. Imig will live in a half-block long penthouse atop the three-story structure. Imig received a medical discharge in 1935 after three years as a naval enlisted man on the U.S.S. Langley and got a job as an auto salesman in San Diego. After he had been at his job a year, a woman offered to trade a vacant lot for one of his cars and convinced him he could make a profit by building a house on it and selling it. In the following 10 years, he built 2000 homes and obtained enough money to finance half the construction of his new hotel.

Below are panels from a vintage brochure, showing interior views of the property and a map of the area:







How the diner looks today:



…and the pool:





The Mississippi Room and Circle Bar (above) are now Lou Lous’s Supper Club:





Consortium Holdings, who now owns the hotel and has been pumping money into the property at a feverish pace, has done a beautiful job of honoring the history of the hotel while bringing it into the 21st century for a whole new array of patrons. The photos in the brochure makes the hotel look a bit staid and stuffy; today, the property is vibrant and creative. Good job, CH!

See more Lafayette Hotel photos at my main website.

Christmas at the Lafayette

At Thanksgiving, I saw the Lafayette install a sleigh and reindeer on top of their sign out front of the Hotel. I incorrectly assumed that they were doing a token nod to Christmas.



I couldn’t have been more wrong. Going back for an early breakfast at Beginner’s Diner this weekend, it appeared as if I was at the North Pole! This incredible gingerbread house (patterned after the historic hotel itself) sits inside the entrance:



The lobby was adorned with ornaments and garland. Too much? Well, it is the Lafayette, and their theme does appear to be “more is more.” It works.



This empty little area that sits to the side of the lobby is normally empty and a bit sad looking, devoid of purpose.



Now, it appears to be the perfect place for a visit to Santa; or maybe just a Christmas selfie. I didn’t see any signage about appearances by Mr. Claus.



On the right side of this nook are a variety of vintage Christmas albums; do you see any that you recognize from days gone by?



Another selfie opportunity awaits in the courtyard outside the Gutter bowling alley and bar:



Inside the trophy case sits Santa; do you see your name? Looks like Steve has nothing but coal in his future.



The lobby bar has trees, too…HANGING FROM THE CEILING!



Garland has been strewn across the Olympic-sized Johnny Weissmuller pool:



There are nods to the Jewish faith as well, near the pool:



…and on the lobby mantel:



If you’re in the San Diego area over the holidays, be sure to stop by the Lafayette!

See more Lafayette Hotel and Club 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 Diner: One Year Later

With today being Veteran’s Day and having it off from work, I decided on an early morning breakfast at the Lafayette Hotel’s Beginner’s Diner. It has been a little over a year since this historic San Diego hotel reopened to great fanfare after a $31 million renovation. First, a genuine FauxD© shot of the hotel’s exterior. The fire inside the lobby was lit to keep the guests warm; the outside temperature this morning was a chilly 59°!



While my goal was the Diner, I had to snap a few other photos along the way, including the unique light fixtures that hang above the lobby desk.



The Diner itself looks pretty much the same since my first visit in August 2023.



The same cannot be said for the buckwheat pancakes.



When compared to the August 2023 photo below, you can see that they look (and tasted) less rich without the abundance of toppings.



Compare the biscuits and gravy; this morning, the biscuits tasted as if they had been left out on the counter all week.



The gravy had more filler and less meat than their September 2023 counterpart, and as a result, less flavor.



The clock has changed, too. Below is the current one:



…and the one originally installed when the Diner first opened:



This change didn’t bother me as much, although I would say that the original clock seemed more authentic. Overall, it would appear that the restaurant is cutting back or perhaps I just caught them on an off day. I might have to try Rudford’s down the street next time! Stay tuned…

See more Lafayette Hotel photos at my main website.

Milestone Running Monday

For more years than I can remember, I have both shopped AND run at Milestone Running store in the North Park neighborhood of San Diego. It’s been so long since I first discovered this place that I don’t even quite remember how I stumbled upon them. Most likely it was from my days of half marathons when I became dissatisfied with the zero-knowledge super stores that purported to be for runners but were more about the sale than being truly helpful. Milestone is in a league of their own, with employees that know about running and take the time to help each person that shops there until they find exactly what they need. If they don’t have it they’ll order it, rather than shove you into something that doesn’t quite do the job but does help clear the inventory. Greg and Chad are the owners that I have gotten to know over the years (no photos of Chad; he’s the shy one that hides in the wings!). Besides running gear, they also “sell” their Wednesday run club. I use quotes because they charge ZERO for this weekly experience. Here’s how run club works: you arrive at 6pm, listen to announcements from Greg (upcoming races, introducing various vendors that are onsite that evening, tips about the evening’s routes), run either the 3 or 5 mile course through the neighborhood, regroup at Milestone, win any number of fun raffle prizes (the coveted one is the weekly pineapple), and then meet at a different eating/drinking establishment afterwards. In case you missed it the first time, they charge zip, zilcho, zero.



When the pandemic hit, many activities went down the toilet as businesses shuttered and we were told to stay inside. No activity was missed more than Wednesday night run club. I was overjoyed when it came back with a vengeance. I forgot that after the run, Milestone also supplies water and either watermelon or orange slices for replenishment.



The prizes are creative beyond belief. Even if I don’t win, half the fun is hearing what Greg and team have concocted. For national coconut day, the bounty I won included a coconut, coconut water, coconut brew, and an almond joy bar.



I have also won the weekly pineapple prize a few times, too.



Run club is about more than just running and prizes; it is an amazing weekly social connection. I have invited many friends and most say, “I’m really not a great runner!” IT DOESN’T MATTER. All skill levels arrive and walk away with having had an incredible time. The camaraderie of this group is off the charts. At last week’s run club, Greg shared a video put together by Brooks. In just about ten minutes, they perfectly capture the spirit of my favorite running store and the incredibly selfless team of people behind it. Definitely worth the watch.



Thanks, Greg & Chad!

See more Daveland photos at my main website.

Serendipity Sunday: Jeni's Ice Creams

After my long tour around the Atlanta History Center’s property, I was hungry. I asked the gent at the desk if he had any recommendations of nearby eateries. He gave me a pamphlet and let me know that I should DEFINITELY check out Jeni's Ice Creams as it was the best. Ok, sure. I’ll do that right away. As a diehard fan of Leopold's in Savannah, I was extremely skeptical. Since good old Jeni was near my hotel, I decided to give her a whirl after dinner one evening.



The interior was festively fun, and what I liked most was that the flavors were what I would call normal. I don't need charcoal, rosemary, olive oil, or jalapeño peppers in my ice cream. Give me peppermint, rum raisin, lemon sorbet, or peanut butter chocolate chip and I’m happy. Forced weirdness does not work for me.



I chose the Green Mint Chip, served in a waffle cup. For the brief period of time it took to devour this dessert, I was in heaven. The crispy waffle had just the right amount of salt to it, providing a tasty counterpoint to the cool creamy mint. Chocolate chips were plentiful, too. Jeni does not skimp! I vowed to return the next night, but fate had a different plan for me. My friends backed out as they had to work on their Conference presentation, and I not-so-cheerily acquiesced. I flew back to San Diego the next day, feeling very sad that I would not see Jeni again.



Flash forward to a week later, I was out running again, having recovered from a nasty foot injury. I took a slight different route and lo and behold, what did I find barely a mile from my home? JENI!!!



How did this happen without me knowing it? Apparently Jeni has locations nationwide (girl gets around, but I’m not complaining). I’ve already been there twice. I highly recommend the White Chocolate Peppermint, the Boozy Eggnog, and my VERY favorite, Salted Peanut Butter with Chocolate Flecks. This is why I run, folks.



In another twist of serendipity, you might recall this painting from the lobby of my Atlanta hotel, the Intercontinental Buckhead. The way it “melted” off the canvas onto the wall was extremely creative.



Back in San Diego, on my way to the monthly Creative Mornings breakfast lecture at the library downtown, I saw this mural:



Sure enough, it was the same artist, Niki Zarrabi. What are the chances? The San Diego mural was done in 2019 for the first all-female mural festival, held in the East Village neighborhood of SD.

See more Daveland photos at my main website.