Dame Edna Does LA Pt. 1

I didn't need to be asked twice when invited to see Dame Edna Everage in her Glorious Goodbye Tour at the Ahmanson Theatre. More on that later. Today's post covers BEFORE the show, when our group did a quick little tour of downtown Los Angeles, beginning at the Ritz-Carlton.





A quick ride up the elevator took us to the 24th floor where the Nest at WP24 is located.



Despite the smog, the large glass windows afforded some very cool panoramic views of the city.





In the distance I could see the Eastern Columbia Building.



Zooming in provides a better look at the Art Deco classic which was built in 1930.



How it looks from the street:





Love the details!



A view from WP24 showing the Staples Center and Nokia Theatre, when the sun was attempting to break out from the smog:



The Figueroa Hotel intrigued us so much we decided we had to check it out before the show.



Come back tomorrow as we go inside!

Need more Los Angeles? Fly over to my main website and get your fill.

True Love at Disneyland, 1965

Based on the rings I see on their fingers, I assume this young couple is married. I also assume they are crazy about each other from the way that they happily pose for each other. Their day started outside the Disneyland Hotel.



Those who stay at the Disneyland Hotel now should not waste their time trying to figure out where on the property these were shot. The Hotel of 1965 bears no resemblance whatsoever to the completely rebuilt behemoth that exists today. Instead, spend your time looking at what's in this young gent's pocket, such as tickets to the Park.



At the front gate:



zooming in allows us to see the prices for 1965:



Once inside the gate, it's all about getting a shot in front of the Mickey Floral, which was probably the most popular Kodak Picture Spot.



And the sign that designates it as the perfect place for a photo:



As the sun begins to set, the young couple poses in front of Skull Rock:



and the nearby Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship:



A closeup of some of the photo suggestions available on this handy-dandy display:



Over at the Carnation Plaza Gardens, it appears that the Elliott Brothers are playing up a storm on this particular evening:



Yup. That's them!



I also had to zoom in to get a closer look at the pattern on this shirt. Kowabunga!



Riding home on the Monorail; looks like she had a fantastic day!



See more Daveland vintage & current Disneyland photos at my main website.

Mardi Gras Madness

The last time I was in New Orleans was pre-Katrina in June 2003. I've been to the French Quarter three times; in the near future it should be four. I cannot wait! In honor of today's Mardi Gras (aka Fat Tuesday) celebration, I am posting a few shots from Mardi Gras World, where most of the amazing floats for the big parade are put together.



I was in town for the HOW Design Conference, and one of the perks was an event that took place right smack dab in the middle of the studio. It was a blast to be able to walk around and see all of the gigantic floats up close while listening to a live band.



I swear I wasn't trying to feel up Mighty Mouse's knee; it was just a comfortable place to rest my arm.



It was pretty cool seeing all of the huge parade heads looming overhead and trying to identify who they were supposed to be.



This Louis Armstrong figure was a no-brainer.



All of the brightly-colored creations were a Technicolor dream for me.





Even the Fab Four were there:



You could almost hear Tarzan's call:



Mardi Gras World even had photo ops:



Jessica Rabbit needing a bit of a paint touch-up. I wonder if Disney's legal team just looks the other way for this kind of thing?



Our tour guide:



Let's take a closer look at the studio behind him:



even closer:



A Marilyn that definitely looks better from far away:



I hope you all have an amazing Mardi Gras celebration today, wherever you are located!



See more Daveland vintage & current New Orleans photos at my main website.

Hijinks at Disneyland, 1960

Picture this…it's August 1960, and we have a quartet of guests who have just entered Disneyland. Like the majority of people who visit the Park, they want to have their photo snapped in front of the Mickey Mouse floral because hey, that's just what you do! But…this quartet is different. They want a unique photo that captures their sense of fun, so Gal #1 hops up on the shoulders of her main squeeze (causing Gal #2 to feel a bit lonely). Here's a closeup of Gal #1, which I have included mainly because it also gives us a view of the Kalamazoo Handcar:



Jumping forward to today, just how long do you think it would take Disneyland Security to notice this and tell the guests to stop what they are doing?

See more Daveland vintage & current Disneyland Railroad photos at my main website.

The Rise and Fall of the California Theatre

Today's post shows a very sad before and after view of the once grand California Theatre. Located on 4th Avenue in downtown San Diego, the first image shows how it looked circa June 14, 1963. Today, it is a boarded up dilapidated mess.



The movie showing in 1963 was "PT-109," starring Cliff Robertson. Here's a vintage 1960's shot of a diorama from the Movieland Wax Museum in Buena Park that recreated a scene from the movie on the California Theatre's marquee:



Robertson also starred in the 1960's classic TV series "Batman" as the villainous cowboy Shame; his real life wife Dina Merrill portrayed Calamity Jan.



I had the pleasure of meeting Robertson back in 2002 at an event at the San Diego Historical Museum honoring San Diego in film. Robertson was born in the nearby community of La Jolla.



The building does still retain some of its vintage details:









At what point does a building actually need to be recreated vs. restored, and at that point, should the effort be expended? There is also a very cool faded vintage advertising mural on the side of the building:





I think I hear Joni Mitchell: "You don't know what you've got till it's gone…"



FEBRUARY 2020 UPDATE: 
Save Our Heritage Organisation and developers reached an agreement with the theater. Apparently it is going to be torn down and rebuilt using much of the original ornamentation and preserving as much as possible. The building has too much deterioration and carcinogenic asbestos to be saved as is.

See more Daveland San Diego photos at my main website.