Vintage Photo Friday - Roadside Architecture
Remember when the Jack in the Box Restaurants actually resembled a big jack in the box toy?
Another example of roadside vernacular architecture is the old Tail o' the Pup hot dog stand. 
I've always loved these types of buildings. Even if the food isn't that great, it's always fun eating in or next to a big chili bowl, a frog or an owl ice-cream shop!
Another example of roadside vernacular architecture is the old Tail o' the Pup hot dog stand. 
I've always loved these types of buildings. Even if the food isn't that great, it's always fun eating in or next to a big chili bowl, a frog or an owl ice-cream shop!Years ago Jim Heimann wrote a book called "California Crazy." It details many of these types of buildings in the Los Angeles area and around the nation. Many of these places are gone. How many do you remember? Are there some buildings that are still in existence but used for other purposes? Let me know!
This photo was shot by Ansel Adams in 1940 and unearthed by Gerard Van der Leun. The Pup Cafe was on Venice Blvd., in Culver City
Have a wonderful hot, summer weekend!
Labels: Architecture, Food, Los Angeles, Memories, Vintage Photos
posted by Ellen Bloom @ 2:02 PM
8 Comments:
When I was in college, majoring in history, I did a presentation about programmatic architecture in Los Angeles. I drove all over using the first edition of California Crazy as my guide, and shot slide film of existing examples. I never found any giant dogs, but back then there was still an owl and a coffee pot in Long Beach, a chili bowl in Glendale, and another coffeepot on Manchester in South L.A., in addition to the better-known examples like Tail O' The Pup. Makes me wonder if any of those are still around. I still have the slides!
That is so cool, Marielle, that you still have the slides. I have just a few pix in my collection of those old buildings. Most of the pix are in my memory bank (points to forehead and taps).
I was inspired by Jim's first edition of "California Crazy" to paint many of the landmarks, using the photos in the book as my guide. I've sold many of those old paintings, but still have a few photos of the paintings. I kind of want to paint them all over again!
Tail of the Pup is a guy I went to school with. He is looking for a new place to set up business. As always thanks for sharing all things LA with us.
Have a great weekend and stay cool!
I like Tail o' the Pup's food and there's not an insane line like Pink's. We had a pirate ship restaurant back home called The Galley, which is funny because we were nowhere near the ocean.
How about a site in PA? Close to where we live, about 9 miles, and visible from busy interstate 30!
http://www.shoehouse.us/
I think they still do the ice cream there...interesting that it started as a "honeymoon retreat"!
Hi Barb! I've seen pictures of the Shoe House in books! Thanks so much for the website link! This place is great!
My sister worked at Jack in the Box when she was in high school. On the drive in speaker, she would get a lot of comments like, "Are you Jill in the Box?" I'm sure each guy thought he was being SO clever...
In Seattle we had the Hat 'n Boots gas station:
http://www.hatnboots.org/
that was an old gas station. Seattle also has some more modern creations like the Fremont Troll - an art piece under the Aurora Bridge that's a giant troll clutching a real Volkswagen in his claws.
I love these quirky architecture pieces.
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