Alrighty then.  So here is a sampling of Sunday’s photos from this weekend’s driving & shooting marathon.  One of the reasons that I got to bed so late on Saturday & got into this mess of being behind on blog posts is this little sidetrip to El Centro.  It’s about two hours from San Diego.  So, rather than wasting four hours roundtrip, I thought it wise to drive there at night and only waste half the daylight shooting time.

So, this was shot when there was just barely enough light in the morning.  I guess they cut back on the 31 flavors at some point.  Now, it’s a water store below the sign.

 

Here are a couple of remaining signs on one of the downtown main streets.  The businesses are gone:

 

A very sad downtown — it just have been swinging at some point.   Here are some nice window display cases:

 

A couple more signs from El Centro.  Nice little jaggedy edges.  Maybe meant to look like those homemade-ish “house for sale” signs you stick in people’s lawns?

This oldie looks like it was restored in recent years.  Those stuck-on letters are probably original:

 

Moving on to the San Diego area — this sign from National City:

 

And these signs from Chula Vista:

Broadway Liquor:

 

I don’t know how much of this neon still works.  The neon on the facade is probably relatively new (guessing 1980s or so):

 
Plastic signs are so under-rated:

 

The El Patio gives us a pole sign and a facade sign — but I don’t know if either are still lit at night:

Most likely, some neon originally:

 

A Masonic Lodge with nice canopy details and neon sign:

 

A small sign said “since 1940”:

 

Across the street from Bob’s — I’m assuming this is an Irish bar?  Too bad I couldn’t get it to yesterday for St. Patrick’s Day:

 

While many of you are still dealing with snow and cold, it was in the 80s this past weekend in San Diego.  I decided to have a Shamrock Shake from McDonald’s.  I never eat at McDonald’s — but this was a nostalgic moment.  I haven’t had one of these in more than 30 years.  I don’t even remember it being minty.  I just like the color.  And it was refreshing and filling.  They didn’t serve it with the whipped cream back.  It was just a simple paper cup:

 

And on to San Diego proper for some more signs.  This must be the result of some really cheap paint used during a “restoration”.  A shame because this is a really old sign (1920s?):

 

I’ve never been able to figure out what this place with the circus theme was originally:

The clown terrazzo apron at the entrance:

 

This two-tone green paint job on this Art Deco building is just horrible, in my opinion.  And I like green.  But wouldn’t something lighter and fluffier be better?

 

Union Station was built in 1915 — an incredible interior:

and yes, a mammoth, double-sided neon sign on the roof.  I don’t believe it’s lit at night:

 

A couple of quick shots from the Automotive Museum in Balboa Park.  A gorgeous little NSU Spider:

And this thing — which looks fairly ordinary until you look inside and under the hood:

Some details on the sign next to the car — and some more info at this link:
http://sdautomuseum.org/exhibit/louis-mattars-fabulous-car

 

Okay, I’ll leave you with one more sign.  A modern but super fun one outlined with neon — with Mr. DUI and Mr. Ticket.  Don’t forget — you can click on all my photos for enlargements:

 

And if you want even more photos from this weekend, check out the sampling I put up at Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/agilitynut/

I’ll be home for a couple of weekends (busy adding photos to the website).  Then, the dogs and I will be heading up to the Fresno area for some more shooting.

Take care,

dj

Normally, I do these Saturday roadtrip posts on Saturday night.  But this trip was so action-packed that I didn’t get settled until 11 pm.   Then, after a very busy of shooting on Sunday, I didn’t get home until 10:30 pm and then work today.  So, I’m now playing catch up.    I’ll get this post in tonight — and the other one tomorrow night.

I had a huge list and figured it would take at least two trips, possibly three to get it all done.  But with perfect weather and pushing myself, I got through the entire thing.  This means most of SoCal is officially wrapped up (except for some L.A. area stuff which I’ll get  to in conjunction with Nik eyeball checkups).  The next string of trips will focus on the Central Valley north of Fresno and the Bay Area south of San Francisco.

Let’s get to the photos — LOADS of them!  First, a couple of shots from my hometown of Ventura.  I drive by this one every night and have been meaning to shoot it.  Lots of patched & unpatched neon tubing holes.  I’m guessing this was probably not the original business name:

 

And a night photo of the Hong Kong Inn which just reopened with new owners a couple of weeks ago.  Evidently, the restaurant has also revived the “Polynesian Review” (dancers) on weekends:

 

Friday night’s destination was Oceanside.  A bummer that the Star Theatre was lit since nothing was going on there.  But I got to shoot this one before bedtime — with a nearly full moon.

 

This concession stand is at the Flower Fields in Carlsbad.  I assume it was inspired by Twistee Treat buildings:
http://www.agilitynut.com/food/twistee.html

 

More ice cream?  This is on the roof of the Oceans Ice Cream building in the Mission Bay section of San Diego:

 

Everything from here on out is from San Diego unless I say otherwise.  The Freaky Boutiki features this 3-D tiki figure on the side of its building:

There’s also a neon window sign:

 

This house (apartment?) appears to have been made from a trolley car — or at least simulates one:

 

I lived in various fourth floor “walkups” for nearly 30 years.  Not missing it at all.  I’m in a second floor apartment now which seems like nuthin.  This would be a nightmare with my four dogs:

 

I suspect from the tubing holes and the font style that this is a reworked sign.  Impossible to get a good shot during the day since it’s under billboard scaffolding.  Pretty at night though:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25849022@N08/4323455776/

 

Nik is obsessed with sleeping in caves — tight, dark corners.  In my apartment, he likes to sleep in the linen closet.  Most of the time, on roadtrips, he wedges himself in the very back of the van in a corner with some blankets.  But on this trip, he discovered what I call the “bed of nails”.  A new cave in the passenger front seat floor where he sleeps on my stash of Diet Coke bottles.  It can’t be comfortable.  Note the squashed ear on the left.

 

I love the simulated trunk on this one:

A nice mural at the same motel:

 

Two kiosks on one corner.  The one on the right appears to be a former Fotomat.  The one on the left is a flower stand with a faux thatched roof:

 

A decent Art Deco building made great with the pastel paint job:

On the side of the building, some of my favorite cacti which add even more class.  Does anyone know the names of these?

 

A former Original House of Pies (now Lil B’s Urban Eatery):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25082963@N02/2840367572

With an adapted sign:

 

This 1963 photo of JFK in a motorcade passing by Rudford’s is installed on the side of the building:

What the place looks like today:

 

Two neon signs keeping each other company.  The Stern Gym sign is protected by clear plastic panels — but the sign wasn’t lit when I was there:

The arrow on the New Life Laundry sign flashes on and off:

 

This one from Coronado — still nice even with the “Night & Day” not lit:

 

Back in San Diego for some more nighttime shooting:

 

These signs are modern but still pretty wonderful.  They decorate a shopping center.  This majorette is a nod to the Campus Drive-in sign — part of which was saved & is now located at another shopping center just down the block.  The baton on this sign also twirls:

I believe this represents the San Diego Mission:

Even more photos from Saturday at Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/agilitynut

And — stay tuned — some photos from Sunday here in tomorrow night’s post!

I’ve been itching to take a little two-hour trip up to Templeton to shoot a giant milk bottle which I found out about a few weeks ago.   Today’s forecast was for all-day sun and near 80 degrees — not a good day to sit at the computer.  After a few errands and a drastic haircut, I loaded up the dogs and camera and a list of stops.  Had to stop in Morro Bay for that doggie beach again.  It was just as wonderful the second time.

So, I’ve got some sign photos for you.  I do shoot other stuff on these trips (the buildings and statues) but my blog fans seem to like signs the most so that’s what I focus on here.

From Guadalupe — looks like a replica of the original jewelry store clock sign installed here in 1923.   The business is gone now.

 

Several signs from Santa Maria:

 

This drive-in in Santa Maria opened in 1960 — and is still going strong:

 

A few signs from Lompoc.  Gotta reshoot this one in the morning sometime when the sun is coming from the other direction:

Unfortunately, this IOOF sign is in a spot that probably never gets light:

I’ve shot these signs a few times — but not been lucky enough to see them in the afternoon from this side when the roof is out of the way and you can get them together:

 

Last stop in Buellton where the sun ran out.  This is the County Line Motel:

This was a good little test drive for next weekend.  Sparkle needed an ABS computer module which was a pricey $1500 and required 3 trips to the shop to get it right.  It was a relief to have no scary warning lights on the dash for a full day of driving.   Next weekend, if the forecast is sunny, the dogs and I will be heading down to San Diego.

More photos from today over at Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/agilitynut/

dj