Nature's Wonderland Interlude

Before I wrap up the final installment of the MONA Neon Cruise trilogy, I thought I'd insert these two previously unpublished shots of Nature's Wonderland, a beloved Disneyland attraction of the past. First up is a fairly empty overall view of the loading area and Pack Mule queue from April 1958.

This 1956 shot features the Rainbow Mountain Railroad getting ready to take another batch of guests on their journey through Nature's Wonderland.



See more vintage Disneyland Nature's Wonderland photos at my main website.

Cruising with MONA, Pt. 2

Hop back on the bus with me after our Chinatown interlude to continue the MONA (Museum of Neon Art) Neon Cruise. How about this evening view of the Los Angeles City Hall? No neon, but it's still a great view one gets from the top level of our double-decker cruise bus!

Here we see the historic KRKD radio tower, which has been around since 1932 atop the Spring Arcade (R-KD; get it?) Building near Broadway and 5th. A 2014 demolition application to remove the towers was rejected since they are a historic landmark. Another win for preservation!



There are lots of vintage movie house signs in LA, such as the Los Angeles Theatre:



The Palace:





and the Pantages:



I don't remember what this Aztec façade is from, but boy is it cool!



Jesus has lost his “s,” which points out how important it is to keep neon working properly. As Eric pointed out, would you buy your gas from a SHELL Station if the “h” was burned out?



Your typical no-tell motels:





The legendary Tommy's, where you get unparalleled chili burgers:



Our bus has pulled up in front of the Chapman Park Market near Koreatown for another interlude, where I will leave you until we continue.



More vintage neon wonders in my next post!

See more MONA Neon Cruise photos at my main website.

Cruising with MONA, Pt. 1

One of the things on my bucket list was the MONA (Museum of Neon Art) Neon Cruise. I am happy to say that I have now checked it off...for now, at least. Beause I had so much fun I want to do it again!

Designer and neon aficionado Eric Lynxwiler was our tour guide, and I can't imagine a better or more entertaining host. We boarded the double-decker bus and had unparalleled views of Los Angeles. Just watch out for those tree branches, folks!





The former Tower Theatre, which is about to find new life as an Apple Store.



The Golden Gopher Sign was one of my faves.



This restaurant near Union Station is supposedly the original home of the French Dip sandwich.



Eric dropped us off in Chinatown so that we could feast our eyes upon all the vintage neon signs and trim that highlighted the buildings. To quote Eric, it was FAAAAAAAABULOUS!











This one cries out for a detailed view:





Hop back on the bus tomorrow for more vintage neon wonders!

See more MONA Neon Cruise photos at my main website.

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.

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.

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.