Westside Nautical Bar Crawl - 4/30/2011 (Photos start Pg 5) - California Events

J JOHN-O Tiki Socialite Dogtown, USA Joined: May 16, 2008 Posts: 2721	J JOHN-O Posted posted on Tue, Apr 26, 2011 11:48 AM Thanks Sabu and Bigbro, that "Marina Swinger" content provides the Nautical crawl with greater historical context. We'll be visiting places that represent 3 phases of Mid-century Nautical bar culture including pre, mid, and post. The Galley (est 1934) opened around the same time the Hollywood Don the Beachcomber did. Now while that DTBC is ancient history, the Galley is still going strong !! Here's some historical background taken from their website... "Some of the oldest pieces of history are from the 1934 movie Mutiny on the Bounty. Since many of the stars and crew frequented The Galley - it isn't surprising to see that most of the movies memorabilia made its way into the restaurant. Memorabilia includes: Two Dead Eyes used in the movie now drape the walls of the restaurant. Pictures taken on location during different scenes with stars like Clark Gable and Charles Laughton. The steering wheel used in the movie now hangs from the ceiling. A boat used in the movie now lives on the heated patio outside the restaurant. In the early 1940's WWII propaganda posters were mailed to The Galley. The war bond posters were sent in the hope of urging onlookers to do their part in the war. The collection of 11 posters are framed around The Galley with the original envelopes on the back. One of the collections most valuable pieces is that of the Sullivan Brothers. This piece was used after the Sullivan Brothers, five brothers that served on the same naval ship, were killed off of Soloman Island. When the President of the United States heard a mother had lost five sons in one tragedy, he created a new naval law, named after the Sullivan brothers that prevented brothers from ever serving on the same ship." Chez Jay (est 1959) is firmly rooted in the JFK-era Tiki golden age. Although it doesn't drip with Disney-esque nautical kitchiness, it does ooze Mid-century history and has a colorful background as well. This was taken from a 2008 LA Times article... "Stories of the famous who hung out at Chez Jay were often repeated: Daniel Ellsberg, who worked at the nearby Rand Corp., supposedly passed the Pentagon Papers to a reporter there. Marlon Brando allegedly waltzed off with a waitress. Henry Kissinger spent so much time in the back, a rear table was dubbed the "Kissinger Room." Alan Shepard, commander of Apollo 14, was dining at Chez Jay when owner (Jay) Fiondella persuaded him to take one of the restaurant's trademark peanuts with him to the moon in 1971, Fiondella often said. He recalled telling the astronaut: “I want to have the first astro-nut." When Shepard returned the legume, he reportedly signed an affidavit that stated it had accompanied him to the moon. “Jay used to carry the peanut around in his pocket and put it down on the bar," Stebbins said. “One time, actor Steve McQueen put it in his mouth and Jay had to wrestle with him to get it away."" The Warehouse (est 1969). Sabu, I really appreciated that 1972 reference to the place. It illustrates Nautical bar culture during a time when the convenience of the birth control pill was introduced and AIDS wasn't yet on the radar. Even though "free love" started in the Hippie 60's, it wasn't until the 70's when casual sex really became an acceptable part of mainstream American culture. I remember reading a magazine article that summed up one woman's perspective of that time... "Those were the days if I liked a man enough to go out on a first date, I liked him enough to have sex with". Looking for Mr. Goodbar, indeed !! :) If Los Angeles was arguably the 1970's epicenter for casual sex, then perhaps Marina Del Rey was it's main neighborhood of promiscuity, and the Warehouse its last surviving headquarters. This Saturday, as we're enjoying our Mai Tai's in the Warehouse's nautical splendor, we can contemplate all of the one-night stands (and STDs) that started out there. Yes, mid-century Tiki culture may have sold the safe illusion of Modern Primitive sexuality, but it came to fruition in the early 1970's in places like the Warehouse.

Thanks Sabu and Bigbro, that "Marina Swinger" content provides the Nautical crawl with greater historical context. We'll be visiting places that represent 3 phases of Mid-century Nautical bar culture including pre, mid, and post.

The Galley (est 1934) opened around the same time the Hollywood Don the Beachcomber did. Now while that DTBC is ancient history, the Galley is still going strong !! Here's some historical background taken from their website...

**"**Some of the oldest pieces of history are from the 1934 movie Mutiny on the Bounty. Since many of the stars and crew frequented The Galley - it isn't surprising to see that most of the movies memorabilia made its way into the restaurant. Memorabilia includes: Two Dead Eyes used in the movie now drape the walls of the restaurant. Pictures taken on location during different scenes with stars like Clark Gable and Charles Laughton. The steering wheel used in the movie now hangs from the ceiling. A boat used in the movie now lives on the heated patio outside the restaurant.

In the early 1940's WWII propaganda posters were mailed to The Galley. The war bond posters were sent in the hope of urging onlookers to do their part in the war. The collection of 11 posters are framed around The Galley with the original envelopes on the back.

One of the collections most valuable pieces is that of the Sullivan Brothers. This piece was used after the Sullivan Brothers, five brothers that served on the same naval ship, were killed off of Soloman Island. When the President of the United States heard a mother had lost five sons in one tragedy, he created a new naval law, named after the Sullivan brothers that prevented brothers from ever serving on the same ship."

Chez Jay (est 1959) is firmly rooted in the JFK-era Tiki golden age. Although it doesn't drip with Disney-esque nautical kitchiness, it does ooze Mid-century history and has a colorful background as well. This was taken from a 2008 LA Times article...

**"**Stories of the famous who hung out at Chez Jay were often repeated: Daniel Ellsberg, who worked at the nearby Rand Corp., supposedly passed the Pentagon Papers to a reporter there. Marlon Brando allegedly waltzed off with a waitress. Henry Kissinger spent so much time in the back, a rear table was dubbed the "Kissinger Room."

Alan Shepard, commander of Apollo 14, was dining at Chez Jay when owner (Jay) Fiondella persuaded him to take one of the restaurant's trademark peanuts with him to the moon in 1971, Fiondella often said. He recalled telling the astronaut: “I want to have the first astro-nut." When Shepard returned the legume, he reportedly signed an affidavit that stated it had accompanied him to the moon. “Jay used to carry the peanut around in his pocket and put it down on the bar," Stebbins said. “One time, actor Steve McQueen put it in his mouth and Jay had to wrestle with him to get it away.""

The Warehouse (est 1969). Sabu, I really appreciated that 1972 reference to the place. It illustrates Nautical bar culture during a time when the convenience of the birth control pill was introduced and AIDS wasn't yet on the radar. Even though "free love" started in the Hippie 60's, it wasn't until the 70's when casual sex really became an acceptable part of mainstream American culture. I remember reading a magazine article that summed up one woman's perspective of that time...

"Those were the days if I liked a man enough to go out on a first date, I liked him enough to have sex with".

Looking for Mr. Goodbar, indeed !! :)

If Los Angeles was arguably the 1970's epicenter for casual sex, then perhaps Marina Del Rey was it's main neighborhood of promiscuity, and the Warehouse its last surviving headquarters. This Saturday, as we're enjoying our Mai Tai's in the Warehouse's nautical splendor, we can contemplate all of the one-night stands (and STDs) that started out there. Yes, mid-century Tiki culture may have sold the safe illusion of Modern Primitive sexuality, but it came to fruition in the early 1970's in places like the Warehouse.

Post #586608 by JOHN-O on Tue, Apr 26, 2011 11:48 AM