Going to the Big House ... 10 of 365

If you've ever taken a trip down Highway 99 through the heart California, chances are you've passed this sign a time or two. I must have passed it a quite a few times before signs were my thing, but I'm certain I missed it completely. The Casa Grande Motel is still operational, and it stands alone along the west side of the highway in Madera.

It's a rather simple sign, three colors, clear lettering, yet still charming. Heading southbound the neon has been stripped from the top motel lettering, but as best I can remember the other side of the sign still glows bright red at night. And the Casa Grande lettering is hanging in there as well. I love the cursive lettering effect the neon creates as the yellow tubes pass over black paint.

I'm wondering if the name ever deterred visitors... 

And hey, who doesn't love sunset colors and palm trees? I know I'm a sucker for both. 

Ten down, 355 to go. As a disclaimer, tomorrow's post might be a little late, but I promise it'll be up before I go to bed. 

Everyday I'm Hustlin.... 8 of 365

Before hustlin' made its way into lyrical history, it was captured in animated neon across the United States. Speedee, a little man with a hamburger face and quick walking legs was the original McDonalds mascot. He graced the sky before the famous golden arches, and was eventually replaced by Ronald McDonald in 1962. Like most vintage neon, not many Speedees still exist. I found this one in front of the oldest operating McDonalds in Downey. I love the six different neon legs, more arms than I can count and that wink. Oh yeah, and there's a bow tie.

Ladies love the bow tie...

 They just don't make 'em like they used to. Until tomorrow... Eight down, 357 more to go.

Kickin' It Old School.... 7 of 365

Someone once asked me if I had a photo of an old Dairy Queen sign. At the time, I didn't. I'd never seen a vintage DQ sign like the one she was looking for, let alone photographed it. And then there was an impromptu Route 66 trip through parts of Arizona. We found Williams, and there it was...

Blizzard, anyone? 

I can't believe the weekend is over. Happy Sunday night everyone. I'll see you tomorrow, for eight of 365.

Accidents Happen... 6 of 365

When traveling for sign photography purposes I'm a planner. I research, I map, I select my shooting order based upon level of importance aka awesomeness if I have a limited amount of time. I don't want to miss anything, let alone anything good... it's an "all the things" sorta need. Yes, you can mock my perfectionism, I'm okay with it.

It's a rare occasion when I find myself in a car with my camera in a place I've never researched, or, for that matter, heard of. In fact it's only happened once, and somehow there were signs...  I guess accidents do happen.

Once a Motel sign, now someone's driveway marker. I'm only immensely jealous.

It may not be epic, but I was pretty darn excited to find it. If you're ever in Lake Isabella you should go looking for it. Six down, 359 more to come.

Perfect Place for a Friday Night... 5 of 365

Who here remembers tropical storm Hillary? Show of hands? That's right... nobody. I wouldn't either, if not for the fact she ruined a few solid hours of shooting in Tucson with her high winds, cloud cover and rain. I hung in there with the best of them, but after I started getting pelted with pebbles I decided to pack it in before any equipment was damaged. You can bruise me, scrape me or make me bleed, but I'll be damned if you're going to scratch my lens. But back to Tucson...

If you've never been to Tucson you absolutely MUST go. It is a veritable smorgasbord of vintage neon signage, with some of the most unique signs I've had the pleasure to see. I've already posted a fair amount of my Tucson images to either my Etsy shop or my Flickr page but there are a few gems I haven't gotten around to editing. Tonight I'm digging one out of the archives, simply because it sounds like the perfect place to spend a Friday evening. Of course I'm at home blogging and making cream cheese icing, but that doesn't matter. The Crossroads restaurant is apparently pretty darn good and worth the drive to the edge of town. I'll be going back to Tucson to capture the rest of the signs I couldn't shoot thanks to Hillary, and the Crossroads is on my list for lunch.

Yes, that's a neon beer mug.

Happy Friday night folks! See you tomorrow for the six installation in this crazy project of mine...

Moody Marquee.... 4 of 365

I know I'm a little late, but the clock hasn't struck midnight on the west coast yet which means I have not turned into a pumpkin and missed my deadline for the evening. Besides, I have a good reason.... a consult with a couple about their future wedding photography is a perfectly good excuse to be behind schedule.

As it turns out, that same couple is the inspiration behind tonight's post. The groom works on sets for a non-profit company involved in theatre productions. After our evening meeting I came home and began searching for tonight's photo of the day and found this...

Downtown LA's very own theatre, down the street from the well known Orpheum

It's a bit moody and definitely different than my usual style, but it's a perfect end to my Thursday and it's my fourth of 365. Good night everyone.

Bowl at the Wheel... 3 of 365

Today was a rather overcast Wednesday, from the moment I woke up until the sun set. It's been pretty hot down here though lately so for the time being, I can appreciate it. I also don't usually attempt to shoot signs on weekdays...

Unfortunately not every weekend is bright and sunny either, even in southern California. So, until I develop my Storm powers more completely I, like all other photographers, have to deal with the light, sky and backgrounds nature gives me. And when photographing something far from home, well, I just have to work with it.

Today's offering is one of those such days. A friend and I drove out to Oxnard from his place in LA one Saturday, hoping the clouds would break as we approached the coast. I'd been trying to get to Oxnard FOREVER and with the Wagon Wheel Motel being razed I wanted to capture a few shots of the motel and bowling alley signs before they fell into complete disrepair. But the clouds didn't relent and the closer we came to our destination the more and more definition was lost in the sky. By the time we made it to Oxnard the only thing above us was gray soup. Not knowing when I'd be back, I photographed the signs as best I could, working with the diffused light and nondescript background. I hope I make it back soon, but until then, at least I have this.

Here's to Wednesday and a week that's more than half over. Three down, 362 more to come!

Reno's El Ray... 2 of 365

Reno has a wealth of small motels with colorful vintage signs. And there's no clear motel row like some other cities I've visited. Instead the mom and pop places seem to be in clusters around the downtown area. Find one and you'll find four more. It makes for some fun exploration on foot, wandering from place to place with camera in hand. The El Ray is on Arlington in the midst of several other motel signs, across the street from the Sands Casino. I know what you're thinking... it's not that Sands sadly.

Boomerang signs... amazing.

It's unclear if the El Ray is still operating as a monthly rental place, if at all. The plastic panel that once read motel is completely gone, but there is still a building on the property and I was definitely unwillingly eavesdropping on a woman's telephone conversation while snapping away pictures of the sign.

Two down.... Happy Tuesday!

Motel Monday - Loop de Loop

Most of my road trips are centered around groupings of signs I want to photograph that can be found within a city or general area. This makes my trips more efficient, allowing me to capture as many signs as possible and attempt to save gas in the process. But every once in a while I'll stumble upon a vintage sign that is so extraordinary I will drive well out of my way just to photograph it and nothing else. That one sign is the trip.

Perhaps it's just a function of it's location, but the Loop Motor Lodge in Venture was one of those signs for me. I've had it on my maps for years, and with every trip to Los Angeles I'd wish I'd made it farther north and west. A few weeks ago I finally took the trip and was thrilled to finally see it in person.

I love the neon details that adorn the outside of the sign, and I bet it looked amazing when fully lit. A vintage postcard I found of the motel shows that some changes have been made to the sign over the years, but the core remains unchanged. The design is so classic and simple it makes me smile. 

Here's hoping that smile lasts all week!

Happy Monday!

- Stefanie

Motel Monday - The Sun and the Sand

Today's feature is by far one of my favorite photographs ever, in part because this sign is no longer the one that got away.

The Sun 'n Sand Motel sits on Route 66 in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. The first time I spotted this sign was from afar during the summer of 2009. We'd stopped for gas in the midst of our cross country road trip and the motel was just down the street. For the life of me I cannot figure out why I didn't photograph it then... whatever reason I had for not getting out of the truck, putting on my shoes and walking the few blocks in the late July heat with my camera became completely feeble and inexcusable just a few hours later.

I've been kicking myself ever since that summer and with every disappearing sign I read about I kicked myself even more. Thankfully when I made it back to Santa Rosa last year the Sun 'n Sand was still standing as beautiful as ever. Apparently the sign was restored sometime before June 2006, and you can definitely spot it from Interstate 40. Take the exit into Santa Rosa and you'll drive right by the motel.

The motel also has it's own restaurant but it was closed for the Thanksgiving holiday. The restaurant comes complete with it's own great vintage googie inspired signage. I'll save it for a Foodie Friday feature.

Here's to checking this one off my list!

Happy Monday!

- Stefanie

Motel Monday - Awaiting Restoration

A few weeks ago I featured the Route 66 Motel of Needles, California. Ed Klein of Route 66 World is in the midst of restoring the sign and last I heard all that is missing is the new neon tubes. Our course the Route 66 is not the only motel sign in Needles in need of help. Just down Broadway street is the Sage Motel and it's sign that has certainly seen better days.

Most of the neon tubes are completely gone, the few remaining letters to spell vacancy are hanging cattywampus, and the only portion that seems to still be in place is the tip of the arrow. On the plus side, the sign is still standing and the property appeared to be in the midst of a restoration. I can't find any additional information about the property or who might be fixing it up, but I did come across this undated vintage postcard.

 The property looks much different now and is completely fenced in with a rolling gate and a decorative cement tile wall. I seem to remember a pool too, but perhaps I just imagined it.

The next time I'm in Needles I'll definitely check up on this place. Maybe I'll have more to report... 

Happy Monday!

- Stefanie

Motel Monday - Googie Spectacular

One of the most brilliant signs you'll see driving down Route 66 through Grants New Mexico is for the Sands Motel, directing travelers a half block to the actual Motel itself. The sign, with it's red flags, giant arrow and beyond amazing lettering will grab even the most distracted driver's attention.  The 1/2 block in neon just makes me smile. 

The Sands Motel was established in 1950 and has had a few famous guests in it's 62 years of business. Room 123 is known as "The Elvis Room" and the motel has Elvis memorabilia including a copy of his marriage certificate. After reading this I'm sure my grandma will want to know why I didn't take more pictures. Oopsy daisy...

Happy Monday!

- Stefanie

Motel Monday - A Restoration Project

Last September I drove a stretch of Route 66 from Kingman, Arizona to West Hollywood chasing vintage sign beauties. A few photographs from the trip have already been featured here, including the Hill Top Motel, Lo's Chinese Food, the New Corral Motel, and the abandoned Motel sign standing alone in the middle of the Arizona desert. Today's feature is the well known 66 Motel in Needles, California.

Over the weekend I learned that Ed Klein is fundraising to restore this sign to it's former glory. The broken neon and bulbs have been removed and the sign has received a much needed coat of paint. While I appreciate peeling paint as much as the next sign lover, it is an important barrier needed to protect the metal from the elements. You can see Ed's progress and support his restoration project of the sign on his indiegogo page. At this moment the project needs an additional $1700 over the next three days to be funded. I've got my fingers crossed.

When Ed is done with the restoration I'll have an excuse to make another trip to Needles. In the mean time, all the progress Ed has made officially makes this Retro Roadside Photography image a classic.

Happy Monday!

- Stefanie

Motel Monday - Destination Unknown

Deserted

One extremely hot day last summer I was driving down Highway 99 through central California and I needed water. A car with black leather interior is a bad idea when you're in direct sun for an 8 hour drive. As soon as I see a gas station sign I take the next exit. The station is understandably packed so I opt to park in the empty dirt lot across the street. There's a building and dumpster to my left. I figured it was just an abandoned restaurant waiting for some new owners to try their luck. 

As I'm getting out of the car I notice that the building 500 feet in front of me looks oddly like a motel. To my right are remnants of an old pool that has since been fenced in. And hiding in the palm trees above me is the motel cousin of those famous Waffle House signs I have yet to photograph. 

Unlike the rest of the signs I've shot, I don't know a single thing about this motel. I don't know it's name... I couldn't find one... or if it is still operational in some way. I can't even tell anyone with any certainty where the sign is located. It's on the west side of Highway 99 next to a gas station somewhere between Stockton and San Diego. That 8 hour stretch of freeway and this photograph are all that I have. Thank goodness I was carrying my camera. 

Stay tuned for this week's Foodie Friday. I found something special for St. Patrick's Day!

- Stefanie

Foodie Friday - Hey Vince!

A few weeks ago I drove up to Los Angeles to chase some neon over the long weekend. I headed as far east as Rancho Mirage to shoot the most awesome car wash sign ever before making my way back towards the valley. I also stopped off at the World's Famous Dinosaurs of Cabazon but we'll save them for another post. Saturday evening ended in Ontario and Covina where neon signs used to be king.

One of the most amazing signs still standing in Ontario is Vince's Spaghetti. The restaurant opened in 1945 and has been in the same location ever since. Apparently Vince's started as a french dip stand before customers caught sight of a member of the family eating his grandmother's spaghetti. Sorta funny how some business decisions are made... Anyway, more than 60 years later that sandwich stand has grown into a 425 seat restaurant that keeps family friendly hours. 

I stopped by Vince's between lunch and dinner service so they sadly were closed when I photographed their sign. I remember thinking their parking lot was rather large, but it you're going to feed 425 people at a time you're going to need quite a few parking spaces. And a lot of spaghetti. 

So who's got pasta on the menu tonight?

- Stefanie

Foodie Friday - It's the Cheese

In the last Foodie Friday post I brought you Canter's Deli, a New York style delicatessen that's been around for more than 80 years. Today's feature isn't quite as old, but at 66 it is still a senior citizen. 

Cheese 'n Stuff Deli was established in 1949 on Central Avenue in Phoenix, Arizona. Their awesome globe shaped sign includes the tag line "From Everywhere" because the deli carries several food items from around the globe. According to their website, a truck load of goodies from New York arrives the third week of every month. So if you're jonesing for something from the city, make sure you stop by then. The site also includes a vintage photograph of Central Avenue and the Deli in all it's glory.

This part of Central Avenue doesn't look remotely the same any longer, but Cheese 'n Stuff has survived. I really wanted to eat at the deli on my trip but sadly they are closed on Sundays. So after staring longingly through the front windows, I photographed their beautiful sign and went on my way. I don't even remember what I had for lunch instead. 

If you've eaten at Cheese 'n Stuff, please send me your recommendations. I want to make sure I order something delicious the next time I'm in Phoenix.

Happy Friday!

- Stefanie

Motel Monday - Another New Mexico Find

Last  fall I drove to Tucumcari, New Mexico during the Thanksgiving weekend for the longest sign chasing road trip I've yet to enjoy. You may remember my post about the Blue Swallow Motel a few months ago. Today's Motel Monday feature was the very first photographic stop on the trip.

Sitting at the far eastern end of Route 66 in Tucumcari, the Pony Soldier Motel was demolished sometime before 2010. What is left behind is a concrete slab, several rusted and gutted old cars, and this glorious sign. In searching for information about the now gone motel, all I was able to dig up is this vintage undated postcard on 66postcards.com

The sign has changed a bit since the postcard photo was snapped, but the core items remain the same. I wish they had saved the marquee, but I definitely love the "Here We Are on Route 66" addition. A close up of just that sign will be up in my Retro Roadside Photography shop soon.

Happy Monday!

- Stefanie

Look Mom, I'm on Design Sponge!

I know today is supposed to be Foodie Friday. I know... but I have something awesome to blog about so Foodie Friday will have to wait.

Late last night I got a message from a friend about a recent Design Sponge post that included a piece of artwork she thought might be mine. She thought right. The post in question was a DIY Before & After: Penny Wall.

Care of Design Sponge

I love that wall. That wall got me on Design Sponge. Thank you Lizzie and Ryan for your countless hours on your penny wall and for the after photo that includes my photography. I am thrilled.

Happy Friday everyone!

- Stefanie

Motel Monday - It's Still the Weekend

I dig the star mobile...

This President's Day Motel Monday is a little late because let's face it, it's still the weekend. I've been too busy chasing neon to be blogging. Sometimes there's just not enough hours in the day.

I have yet to find a Presidential themed or named Motel, so instead I'm opting for the Holiday Lodge Motel in Los Angeles. At least it's got the Holiday part right. I also find humor in the naming repetition of both Lodge and Motel.

If you're a fan of the cancelled television show Numb3rs you may have caught this sign flash by in an episode or two. The motel was used as a filming location for at least one perpetrator hide out.

Enjoy the holiday!

- Stefanie