Coronado Construction

Willis was feeling a little cooped up from a year of quarantine, so we went to Coronado Island yesterday for a stroll along the beach. It had been quite some time since I'd been to this area, and I was surprised to see quite a bit of construction at the entrace to the Hotel del Coronado, one of the historic landmarks of San Diego.

The beachside of the hotel also had some construction fences up, but that didn’t seem to deter tourists/guests who were enjoying the good weather.

This is the same hotel where Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Marilyn Monroe cavorted on the beach in the classic Billy Wilder comedy “Some Like It Hot” (1959).

The Hotel’s website has this information somewhat hidden at the bottom of the "what to expect" page:

• Fitness Center (opening early 2021, if health regulations allow)
• Windsor Lawn on the beach side of the Victorian building (opening July 2021)
• Ice House Museum (opening by summer 2021, if health regulations allow)
• Lower level retail shops (opening late spring 2021; The Signature Shop and Brady’s for Men are open off the Garden Patio)
• Victorian lobby, front porch, and south entrance drive and walking paths (opening by summer 2021)
• Ocean Towers guestrooms (reopening as The Views, July 2021)
• 142 new residential rooms and suites, and a conference center on the south end of the resort (opening summer 2022)

I’m most curious to see if they put the Victorian lobby back to its original splendor; currently owned by Hilton, the lobby has definitely been “dumbed down” over the years. Not surprisingly, they are doing lots of new construction (residential rooms and suites and the conference center) which might help them actually turn a profit.

Willis enjoyed the beach; it had been too long since his last dipping of the paw into the tide!

See more Coronado Island photos at my main website.

Columbia State Park in 3D!

Although it may not be as famous as some other Ghost/Gold Rush/Mining Towns, visits to Columbia State Park were a staple of my childhood. I still recall riding the stagecoach which was magically held up by bandits of the Old West each time. Even though I knew what was coming, it never failed to disappoint…especially the time my smart-ass brother decided to heckle the bandit. Back to this post… By 1852 (only 2 years after gold was first discovered here) there were 8 hotels, 4 banks, 17 general stores, and over 40 saloons. The images presented here are from 3D strips of film from the 1970s, presented to you in genuine FauxD©! Let’s start with a visit to the old Columbia School House, bult in 1860. While less ornate than the one you might see at Calico or Knott’s Berry Farm, it still gives a feel of the era. The school had 368 students in attendance in its first year and was staffed by two teachers and a principal. It was open for biz until 1937 when it was closed for not meeting earthquake safety requirements. Renovated in 1960, it is open for tours.

Saint Anne’s Catholic Church was the first brick church built in California back in 1856. Brick…not adobe!

Here is a recreation of the original Columbia Gazette Printing Office, which was lost to fire in 1857.

The historic Wells Fargo Express Office, built in 1858.

The last one for today shows the Fire House, Drug Store, and Dentist's Office:

I still remember the candy store in Columbia, where you could get rock candy (which looked like rocks) wrapped in a metal mining dish. What a thrill! See more Columbia State Park photos at my main website.

Pete on Bourbon

Sorry - not sorry - but we are back in New Orleans! Today‘s vintage image is from June 1965 and shows a dashing gent posing in front of Pete’s Place at the corner of Bourbon and St. Ann Streets in the French Quarter. The club opened in November 1960; previously it was La Lune.

From the website nola.com: Jazz clarinetist Pete Fountain, who was known to music fans around the world, often joked that he attended the “Conservatory of Bourbon Street,” eschewing his studies at Warren Easton High School in favor of the musical education he received as a teenager playing in French Quarter clubs. “We tried to call it the French Quarter Inn [note the sign in the photo above], but everyone ended up just calling it Pete’s Place,” Fountain told The Times-Picayune in 1987. “I think my name is still out on the sidewalk.” Fountain recorded two live albums in the club, “Pete Fountain: French Quarter Inn” and “Pete Fountain on Tour.” In 1968, Fountain relocated to a larger space at 231 Bourbon St. He continued performing there until 1977, when he moved to a club in the newly opened New Orleans Hilton Hotel, now the Hilton New Orleans Riverside. Although Fountain died in 2016, he remains an icon on Bourbon Street. His life-sized statue is one of nine included in New Orleans Musical Legends Park at 311 Bourbon Street.

The photo on the side of the club was from the cover of his 1963 album “Plenty of Pete,” which included such classics as “Stardust” and “Just One of Those Things.”

Today, this location is known as Oz, a gay nightclub:

See more Bourbon Street photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: Shirley and Robert

Shirley Temple and Robert Young costarred together in two films, starting with the 1936 smash hit “Stowaway,” where she plays an orphan who charms a wealthy playboy, Tommy Randall, played by Young. Unable to speak Chinese, Shirley’s character (Ching Ching) steps in and assists him in buying a souvenir mask. As is so typical in Shirley movies, moments later she’s living the high life with new dresses and all the toys that Depression-era children could only dream about.

Tommy Randall is definitely a “player,” at least until he meets the lovely Susan Parker, played by Alice Faye. Unfortunately, Susan is engaged to a drip with a meddling mother-in-law.

Ching Ching’s matchmaking attempts for the two almost fail, thanks to mistakenly getting thrown in jail and then narrowly avoiding being put back into an orphanage.

But let’s face it, NOBODY says “no” to Shirley, who gets Susan to delay her marriage to the drip so that Tommy will wed Susan in order to temporarily adopt Ching Ching. You still with us?

Ching Ching works with the divorce court judge to make sure that Tommy and Susan stay married so that she can have a Merry Christmas with lots of toys and song!

Robert Young autographed this photo for his young costar inscribing it with:

To Ching-Ching, My screen daughter whom I couldn't love more if she were my very own, Uncle Tommy, Robert Young

Young was apparently a bit of a prankster, as demonstrated by this shot of him putting the sign “Exhibit 496 Cuttlefish (Extinct) Do not touch” over napping costar Arthur Treacher:

Despite the autographed photo and the pranks, Shirley had absolutely ZILCH to say about Robert Young in her autobiography Child Star.

Thirteen years later, Young again played Shirley’s father (albeit biological, this time). According to The New York Times, Melvyn Douglas was the original choice for the role. As an Episcopalian pastor in this “Meet Me In St. Louis”-esque film, Young’s character attempts to balance the gossipy judgmental community he presides over vs. the liberated views of his daughter, played by a now mature Shirley.

With a little graying at the temples, he played the part well. You could definitely see the father-daughter chemistry between the two.

The most touching scene is when he wins the dance contest with his daughter, beating out her beau (played by Shirley’s then husband, John Agar) who had temporarily dumped her for another girl. Don’t mess with Robert & Shirley!

Shirley ended her film career shortly after this one while Young found the fame that eluded him in the movies on television, beginning with “Father Knows Best” (1954-1960) followed by “Marcus Welby, M.D.” (1969-1976). And let’s not forget his Sanka Coffee commercials, like this one:

OF COURSE you can trust a man who plays a doctor on TV to give good sound medical/dietary advice!

See more Shirley Temple photos at my main website.

New Orleans vs. New Orleans Square, Pt. 4

What to do in New Orleans, Louisiana? So many choices, but how about something sedate like City Park? Hop on a Streetcar named Desire, oops, I mean St. Charles, and venture out to the Museum of Art:




Or perhaps you’d prefer something a little more kitschy like Storyland:



The New Orleans version of the Three Little Pigs:



For those that enjoy cemeteries (yes, there are a few of us), Saint Louis Cemetery is one of the most famous:



The future eternal home of Nicolas Cage is located here:



Back in the Garden District you can find the less famous Lafayette Cemetery:



If you love Mardi Gras, you’ll want to see where most of the parade floats are created and stored:



To get yourself prepared for that annual celebration, how about a beverage at the famous rotating Carousel Bar inside the Hotel Monteleone? HIGHLY recommended (but get there early!).



With all the rich food and booziness of New Orleans, seeking out the Athletic Club might be a nice change of pace. For me, it’s probably the best/coolest gym I've ever gone to.



Got a thing for Vampires? Visit Oak Alley, used for the exteriors of “Interview with the Vampire”:



For a home tour closer to the French Quarter, the 1850 house is located on Jackson Square:



Need to pray away those French Quarter sins? Also on Jackson Square is St. Louis Cathedral:



This is not the piano that killed the Wicked Witch (or was that a house?), but rather the grand piano of Fats Domino on display at the Presbytere Museum (also on Jackson Square). This is what Hurricane Katrina did to it:



Well readers, now you have four posts worth of information on both New Orleans in Louisiana and New Orleans Square at Disneyland. Which one would you rather visit?

See more New Orleans, Louisiana photos at my main website.

New Orleans vs. New Orleans Square, Pt. 3

Welcome to New Orleans Square! To experience the attractions here, it’s best to board the train at the Main Street Train Station and head to the first stop, which is Frontierland/New Orleans Square. As you approach the station, you know you’re in the right place as you see the decor from the Mardi Gras Supply Company. This is one of my favorite stations at Disneyland, as the detailing is rich.



Tired? You can always hang out and relax at Magnolia Park while the kiddies run wild.



Into history? Take a moment to read the plaque purporting this to be the anchor from a pirate ship commanded by Jean Lafitte.



Want to know your future? Consult with Fortune Red: