“Get Your Kicks…

…on Route 66!” So go the lyrics of the 1946 song by Bobby Troup, recorded by Nat King Cole. Celebrating the road that went from Chicago to Santa Monica, it became a huge chart-topper. When I moved from Indiana to California in 1999, one of my goals was to explore the remnants of old Route 66. Once I got in my piece-of-s$%t vehicle, all I wanted to do was get to my destination and the original plan went down the toilet.

Driving back from Vegas, I saw a sign for the historic Harvey House in Barstow (coming soon!) and pulled off the freeway to explore. I discovered that part of Route 66 was nearby so of course I sniffed around there as well! I can’t say that I'd get any kicks in Barstow…the place looks more like it’s been kicked. However, there were still a number of interesting things for my camera to document, like the murals that adorn the main street of town (once known as Route 66).



I love the rusted remains of this old neon sign that once touted the Village Cafe and Motel:



Like the old Route 66 itself, the main drag just looks forgotten and neglected:



In even worse shape is the El Rancho Motel:





The Yelp reviews are not encouraging:

DO NOT COME IN HERE — A DRUG AND PROSTITUTION DEN.

One of the worst hotels I've ever seen makes the tenderloin in San Francisco look like Disneyland or the Ritz-Carlton.







The ghosts of a once thriving town do remain, like this tile entryway advertising what was once a drug store:



Good thing Bobby and Nat aren't here to see this place.

See more Barstow, California photos at my main website.

Route 66: Start To Finish

In a previous post, I displayed a photo I shot of the Santa Monica Pier. Daveland reader JG was kind enough to send me a corresponding photo that he had recently taken. As he tells it:

Here's a recent shot of the Route 66 start on Adams and Wabash in Chicago, a block or so from the old entrance to the Art Institute. Hope you enjoy it, now you have both ends of the road!



This is the kind of stuff that makes blogging worth it. Thanks to JG for sharing and completing the puzzle! See more of my photos on my photography web pages.

Traveling Thursdays: Hooray for Hollywood!

Looking for a little R&R, I booked a weekend at the Chamberlain, charged up the camera battery, and went absolutely photo-nuts.



I'm a sucker for signage, so when you throw in the neon factor, I'm in absolute hog-heaven. These pieces are part of the Museum of Neon Art collection.



The IHOP sign is not part of that collection!



Historic Barney's Beanery has been around since 1920.



Located inside an old Pacific Railroad passenger train on Sunset Boulevard, Carney's has dubbed itself as having "probably the best hot dogs and hamburgers…in the world!" Using the word "probably" gives them a wider margin for error—smart thinking! I will say that I enjoyed my chili burger.







Hugo's is a favorite spot for breakfast:



The Courtyard Thematic District on Fountain Avenue is one of my favorite spots in Hollywood; I love the vintage apartment buildings, courtyards, and landscaping. It's like stepping back in time into a film noir setting.











On my morning run to Runyon Canyon, I had to carry the camera with me (you just never know what you're going to see). To get the best possible arm work-out, I continually switched my camera back and forth from right to left arm.









For the first time I ever, I checked out the Planetarium Show at Griffith Observatory. What a blast!







If you've never been, you need to add this to your list of things to see. It is a masterpiece of art deco architecture.





See more vintage & current Hollywood, CA photos on my Hollywood photo web page.

Traveling Thursdays: Meet Me in St. Louis

The Jewel Box is an Art Deco floral conservatory built in 1936 by the City of St. Louis and has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places. These photos are from 2004, during a visit to St. Louis.





Here’s your profound quote of the day:



Forest Park, the area that once housed the 1904 Exposition/World’s Fair, really is a midwestern gem. Here are some photos from the original 1904 Fair, made famous by the 1944 Judy Garland movie, “Meet Me In St. Louis”:







It’s too bad that the original buildings from the Fair didn’t survive and were dozed once the fair was over. A few of Forest Park & The St. Louis Art Museum:





And ol’ St. Louis himself:



For a tasty treat that beats the summer heat, Ted Drewes Frozen Custard is second to none. Ted’s first stand was in St. Petersburg, Florida back in 1929. He opened his first St. Louis location one year later in 1930. Both of these shops were closed by 1958.



I believe the Ted Drewes that I frequented on my last SL visit is the 4th shop that he opened, located at 6726 Chippewa, formerly Route 66. After you visit here, you’ll never think of concrete the same way again.



Museums are fascinating for what they contain, in addition, some museums are just as fascinating for their “containers.” The Pulitzer Foundation For The Arts opened in 2001 with a building designed by Tadao Ando located in St. Louis' Grand Center district. From their website: “The Pulitzer presents changing exhibitions and engages in a variety of programming initiatives involving the visual, literary, and performing arts.” Dang, come again?

Here are some exterior shots of the Pulitzer:





I couldn’t refrain from interacting with the art:



Who knew that a huge Cathedral was located in St. Louis? I certainly didn’t. Here are a few views of this breathtaking architectural wonder.













From highbrow to lowbrow, during my visit, the city was celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the famous 1904 World’s Fair. They installed a huge ferris wheel (aka “The Giant Wheel”). I kept myself from urping and took a spin on it.





The view from the top; is that all there is?



For a great breakfast, be sure to check out Uncle Bill’s, a St. Louis classic.



2 million slices of bacon? Talk about hog heaven!



That’s it for today’s whirlwind tour of St. Louis; boy, am I tired! For more St. Louis photos, visit my main website.