Take a few minutes and Photograph It!

This is just a passing thought that I thought I would post. You know so many things are being torn down, have probably noticed a lot of things vanishing yourselves...that cool old building, that beloved sign, etc.

There's a shopping center here in the Rosemead area...it's on Valley Blvd. and has been there for more than forty years...been there as long as I can remember, anyway...

And they had this cool designy thing, a Googie sign made of colored panes of glass mounted in metal boxes attached to a pole...it looked somewhere between 50's Googie and 60's Austin Powers, anyway. Actually it wasn't technically a sign, just a decorative construction. There to look pretty and to attract you to the shopping center.

For a long time I would drive by this and think, "That thing is from another time...I have this strange feeling someone will just tear it down soon because it looks so old..."

I had thought about going out to photograph it, but I never got around to it. And not too long ago, someone did indeed make the decision to rip it down. It's gone.

I wish I could show you a photo, but I was too lazy to take one. Believe me, it was beautiful.

So now, when I see something like this, I am going to make an effort to take a picture, just to save it.

You are absolutely right, I have a list of cool signs that I mean to photograph, and always think off when I drive by them "Next time I must!" ...like that "Starlet Apartments" sign across the street from Warner Brothers in Burbank. Than one day they are gone...

A few months ago, Boris insisted on the importance of taking a camera along whenever I left the house and not just when I would go out with the intention of taking pictures. I'm glad I listened to him. I've stumbled across so many cool things, and I would have kicked myself if I hadn't had a camera with me.

Very good idea. I travel all over central and west coast Fl for work. I've seen many cool things and I have always forgotten to take pics. Will take a camera from now on.

But what's a good way to keep the camera and batteries in it cool? The batteries go down fast in a hot environment.

On 2008-06-21 09:36, Jungle Trader wrote:
But what's a good way to keep the camera and batteries in it cool? The batteries go down fast in a hot environment.

A few of my fellow pros use plastic Igloo/Playmate coolers in various sizes to carry their gear. They put in foam cutouts for bodies and lenses, etc, but that's about it. They provide good protection against abuse and don't have the same "steal me" appearance that a traditional camera bag has. They should even provide some thermal insulation if you keep it outa the sun.

Just a thought.

Maybe i'm going to sound a bit technical here or maybe the uk's different but my mobile phone kind of does everything except make tea (sorry lets usa that statement coffee)

So I always have a camera, video and sound recording equipment with me and can phone someone to tell um what i saw, however, reality check, i dont know how half of it works lol

however

The point is very well made and not just for Tiki take a photo every month of your loved ones never forget to ring mum or dad (or grandad and grandma) we live one life and we cant go back.

My Dad was killed on his motorbike but i said i loved him the night before he died but i aint got the greatest memory and i cant spell but i can take a good photo!

thanks for the reminder cools stuff is all around we just forget to see it!

mahope

After seeing this thread and also seeing BOSKO's seminar at this years Hukilau I went out today and took these pictures ~

Sure they're not Tiki but rooftop chickens are cool and fun and it would suck to not have them around. I wouldn't want to know anyone who got mad while driving past a giant chicken but you know they're out there. :)

I have to put my two cents in here and agree with this post 100%.
Stuff can vanish literally overnight.

Think of all the time spent by the urban archaeologists here on TV tracking down rare pics of old defunct places... now imagine if the people a generation before us had taken the time to shoot more pics of these things before they were gone.

The last relics of mid-century pop are vanishing as quickly as ever.

I never leave home without at least a little point-n-shoot digital. Don't be lazy, document this stuff NOW. It will be too late before you know it.

On 2008-07-13 20:07, Bora Boris wrote:

Sure they're not Tiki but rooftop chickens are cool and fun and it would suck to not have them around. I wouldn't want to know anyone who got mad while driving past a giant chicken but you know they're out there. :)

Wasn't there a chain called 'Chicken Licken' with one of those chickens on top?

Part of the problem is that a large percentage of people passing by this building wouldn't notice or even mind if the chicken was replaced by a big yellow "M", or maybe worse, a Starbucks sign...

I still occasionally forget to take my camera out with me...

In Richardson, TX, there's a place called Heights Park that has a playground with several "atomic age" looking pieces of playground equipment. They were manufactured in the early/mid 60's when space travel and atomic powered subs were all the rage. These pieces were well maintained for 40+ years. Last summer I began to hear rumblings that the city planned to tear them all down. I read where one city official even said "nobody cares about 40 year old playground equipment." I decided to see for myself so I went down there one morning with a camera. What I found was some very cool retro pieces of playground art, and they all appeared to be very good condition. My kids were the ultimate judge and they absolutely loved it. There was a rocket ship, a radar tower, a submarine (painted yellow of course) and the planet Saturn:

Last night after reading some of this thread I remembered that I had these pictures and wondered if they had taken down the playground. Amazingly enough, in this mornings paper there was an article about it. They're tearing it down this week.

On 2008-07-14 08:18, Kenike wrote:
...They're tearing it down this week.[/url]

The article sort of says they aren't safe. But it doesn't mean they are falling down, they mean kids today are too stupid to play on them without getting hurt and parents today are just looking for a chance to sue the city over anything. So, they have to go.

I used to play in a rocket slide much like that one as a kid. They got rid of that too and installed a plastic slide that egnerates so much static electricity that it could double as a defiblerator!

On 2008-07-14 08:37, Swanky wrote:

On 2008-07-14 08:18, Kenike wrote:
...They're tearing it down this week.[/url]

The article sort of says they aren't safe. But it doesn't mean they are falling down, they mean kids today are too stupid to play on them without getting hurt and parents today are just looking for a chance to sue the city over anything. So, they have to go.

I used to play in a rocket slide much like that one as a kid. They got rid of that too and installed a plastic slide that egnerates so much static electricity that it could double as a defiblerator!

I thought it was interesting that they didn't do a safety audit until someone decided they wanted it gone.

The article also states:

"The rocket ship and other technology-related pieces will eventually be made into art pieces as reminders of the city's deep ties to the tech world. They'll be reinstalled as the city completes an overhaul of the park as envisioned in a new master plan. At least part of that work is expected to be funded by a bond proposal anticipated for 2010."

This is to calm down the preservationists. The plain truth is the bond will never pass and this equipment is headed for the scrap heap.

As far as keeping cameras cool, I'd purchase cheap disposable film cameras and throw one or two in your glovebox as a back-up. That way when you forget your "real" camera, you'll have a spare. There's no use in buying anything more than the 12/24exp versions, most come in ISO400, just ensure it has a flash.

On 2008-07-14 08:18, Kenike wrote:

Wow. When I was very young my family lived in Montecito Heights in L.A.. When I was about 6 or 7 the city put in all new playground equipment in the neighborhood park -- including a rocket ship slide that was identical to the one pictured above. This would have been in the early 1970s. And until your post I probably haven't even thought about it in 30+ years. I have no idea if the slide is still there, although I doubt it.

"I am Lono!" -- http://www.347steps.com

[ Edited by: arriano 2008-07-14 15:12 ]

I couldn't have tuned in to this topic at a more appropriate time!

Yes, I agree 1000% with every comment before mine, although living in the North Eastern USA there is a serious lack of mid-century signage/architecture. However, being in diner country, I do notice some great neon signs that just aren't manufactured anymore. In fact, this past weekend I was driving at night along some interior roads (non-beach promenade) down the Jersey Shore and saw an old style restaurant sign that had little carriage lanterns with colored smoked glass (it was probably just dirty) and some great script lettering in wonderful retro hues. The main building had clearly been recently remodeled, but for whatever reason, the roadside sign remained untouched and I would have given anything to have taken a picture of it. It wasn't all that spectacular, but it was just something you don't see all that frequently anymore. There were also a bunch of bowling alleys with some killer neon, too.

Man, I guess one night I'll have to go driving in search of these soon-to-be lost gems of yesteryear WITH my camera in tow. Watch, then I won't find any worth photographing!
Peace,
Peter

hah....It seems alot of us are on the same page. I recently upgraded my camera and started doing this exact thing. I've been from L.A. to O.C. taking pictures of the obscure for personal reference. Once I start resizing the pictures, I'll get them posted either here, or blogged. It will be like a little L.A. fieldtrip down memory lane of sorts. Charles Phoenix had inspired me to do this, but in my own pictures, and sights.

On 2008-07-14 08:18, Kenike wrote:

My friends and I were just talking about these Rocket Climbing things they had around Ventura County. We thought we were the only ones because of the Navy Bases around here, and we thought some military engineer designed a bunch of playground equipment.

One of the rockets in the park we use to go to had an escape hatch, which you could climb out of the bars 3 stories high to reach the nose cone compartment that could only be reached if you climbed outside the cage. I still can't believe that was ever built, but just thinking about that gives me butterflies.

http://www.ourlamirada.com/neighborhoods/gardenhill.html

I played on one of the rocket ships identical to that as a kid at some park in S Ca. Were was that?

Thats a grate pic.

Speaking of great playground equipment, when I was a kid, my grandmother took me to a park in the Los Angeles area that had a giant robot you could climb and his arms were slides. I loved that thing. Anyone have any idea of what park that was? It would be in the Beverly Hills/West LA part of town circa late 1960s/early 1970s.

I cant speak for kenike, but it looks like it could be the Los Arboles/Rocketship Park in Torrance, or maybe not?

Further inspection reveals it is not Rocketship Park in Torrance, hence the need for an edit!

Also, I'll be starting a new thread in Beyond Tiki named "Newer Pictures of Older Places" for Photos around town. Anyone who is interested in "googie" style photographs and vintage signs/stores around town feel free to add to it! Basically anything with a 30+ year history to it.

[ Edited by: Tom Slick 2008-07-16 23:37 ]

I did a google image search for Rocket Playground and got this and many more good versions:

[ Edited by: tikitony 2008-07-16 23:01 ]

I totally agree with carrying a camera at all times, I go through phases of doing it all the time and then I forget and slack off.

But if you want to do more than document the cool architecture in LA consider this:

http://www.modcom.org/

NEXT GENERAL MODCOM MEETING

Hollywood Riviera

1954 Edward Fickett

When:
Monday, July 21st
6:30PM meet & greet
7:00PM meeting

Where:
Hollywood Riviera
1400 North Hayworth Avenue
West Hollywood, CA 90046

Best
Mark

I finally did that today with this place, which I have driven by for YEARS and said to myself "This could be gone any day, I should photograph it!"

It is amazing to me that a sign of such vintage is still around...

...especially just around the corner from Warner brothers Studios!

(in case you wonder: I parked that '59 Impala there, I am car sitting it for a friend) :)

Oh, Damn, that's right up the street from me.

Pass Ave and Barham

Kool sign Big Bro & that's a '60 Impala.

Okay Sven,
Here is what I consider to be the Culver City equivalent of The Starlet! ~ The Studio! Unfortunately my camera is on it’s death bed but I’ve wanted to take a picture for this place for a while and today seemed like the day.

It’s right across the street from the under construction Sony Pictures Studios (Formerly MGM for you Out-of-Towners)

I’ve never noticed the bumps in these stars before. I’ll have to go back at night and see how it looks.

On 2008-07-14 15:11, arriano wrote:

On 2008-07-14 08:18, Kenike wrote:

Wow. When I was very young my family lived in Montecito Heights in L.A.. When I was about 6 or 7 the city put in all new playground equipment in the neighborhood park -- including a rocket ship slide that was identical to the one pictured above. This would have been in the early 1970s. And until your post I probably haven't even thought about it in 30+ years. I have no idea if the slide is still there, although I doubt it.

---

"I am Lono!" -- http://www.347steps.com

[ Edited by: arriano 2008-07-14 15:12 ]

100% Ditto - down the street from me at College Estates Park in Long Beach.

On 2008-07-28 19:14, Big Kahuna wrote:
Kool sign Big Bro & that's a '60 Impala.

And I KNOW that! Being that I own a white '60 Le Sabre. So why did I write '59? Must have been thinking about that '59 Buick over in the Havana thread. :) This is what I got the owner of that Chevy as a surprise gift for when she gets back:

...and here is what I photographed today, when I picked up a friend at Union Station:

Now luckily the 1939 grandeur of Union Station has been widely appreciated, and its not going away soon. But fewer folks know about the original, authentic 30s streamline restaurant next door:

...and its bar:

..which have been standing empty and have not been operated for decades, and are only rented out for film shoots and events. Supposedly this was the last one of Fred Harvey's Harvey House Restaurants built. A great time warp.

Here is an example of a Harvey sign caught just in time:

Harvey House sign in Beloit, WI just off of I-90. This sign sat for years in disrepair before being dismantled a few weeks after photo was taken in the summer of 2006.

I grew up in Boulder Colorado and always thought that this rocket ship was original to Scott Carpenter Park there...guess I was wrong. This one was put in place in 1962.

Glad I got a shot of this before they gutted it. Rockwood Lanes..still standing for now but soon to be the new Justice Center in East Multnomah County outside Portland.

The Pineapple Hut, an old school, long-abandoned tourist stop located along the bypassed section of Kam Highway in Kahalu'u:

The place has been for sale for a while, and will certainly be demolished. Not any big architectural loss, just some history gone forever.

Here's the old tin signs:

While I was taking these photos, an old man suddenly appeared and asked me if I wanted to buy the sign. He said "I get plenty offahs - plenty offahs". I didn't make an offer, but I hope someone gets the signs and restores them.

Nice Pineapple Hut photos there! That looks like the Hawaii I remember from a couple of decades ago...good to see some old buildings and streets, they have such patina and character.

I was just in Colorado Springs where there are sweet Googie signs all over.

I had another one of those "glad I had my camera with me" moments today.

Drove past this house this morning.

Hey Koolau! Remember the 4 humungus tiki that stood in front of the building for many years?
I asked in another thread where they went to. Any idea?

Just got back from a vist to Islamorada Florida (The Keys)...Saw this driving down Hwy 1...liked it...can't say as much for the rest of the resort.

Here are some pics I took on a recent trip to Waikiki. Mostly of the smaller apartment buildings that used to be everywhere. This are changing VERY fast out there. The Ilikai is the next thing to be "updated" and much of the surrounding area is already being torn down or experiencing heavy asthetic changes.

I wish I had taken even more pics of the ramaining gems (Chart House, etc.) I didn't have my camera with me when we went down Lewers. I particularly enjoyed the small museum at Kings Village featuring diplays on old Waikiki with heavy focus on Primo gear. So many memories...

Old School Waikiki - Primo Kimo's World in Pictures

[ Edited by: Primo Kimo 2008-08-20 07:02 ]

Great pictures, I love the Mai Tai glasses and Swizzle Sticks display.

The Wailana Coffee House and Flamingo Cafe are 2 of my old time faves, where you can still get a taste of semi old Oahu at fair prices. Hard to beat La Mariana tho, but it'll never be the same without Annette!

5-0

When I started up in photography back in the seventies, most of the time I used Tri X. (B+W) ,(( Black and White)) for economic reasons. Color film was about 3x more money.
I bulk loaded my own film which kept the costs down. Did my own developng, proofing and 8x10 prints and it was still expensive.
Then the Hunt brothers cornered the silver market in the late seventies and I was screwed.
Film, paper, all went up alot! So I cut back, much like gasolne today.
Then we became digital. I reverted to my old ways. One 2GB chip was giving me 10 or more 36 exposure rolls of film which would have cost a few C notes ($100.00) back in the day. Now I can take 12MB pictures to my hearts (not others) content for basically free.

Most of you don't know how well you have it these days wth photography.
Don the Beachcomber rarely allowed photography in his place nor Trader Vic's. Never in Las Vegas until recently. So if any of you think I take too many pictures? (I do, sorry but I am on a mission), long after we are gone, Hanford's great, great, grand children can share Tiki Central with ths world.
Maybe help make it a better place. So for our future childrens children sake,
use your camera people!

For instance, the Malibu pier was damaged by a storm and nearly torn down n the nineties. Now it s a state park and the site of the Beachcomber and Malibu Per Club bar. The owner Doug Cavanaugh, hired Bamboo Ben, Tiki Farm abd Tiki Ray to build the Tonga Lei tribute room.

Tonga Lei Room to the left and the former Tonga Lei site in the distance where the Malibu Beach Inn now stands.

[ Edited by: Ojaitimo 2008-08-23 01:39 ]

Tim, I enjoy your pictures and your creativity with the pictures. I was wondering what Tonga Lei looks like. I haven't had a chance to go there yet. I wish I had taken pictures of Alice's Restaurant in it's glory days, I used to go there on a regular basis.

On 2008-08-03 04:17, Koolau wrote:
The Pineapple Hut, an old school, long-abandoned tourist stop located along the bypassed section of Kam Highway in Kahalu'u:

The place has been for sale for a while, and will certainly be demolished. Not any big architectural loss, just some history gone forever.

Huge Mahalo for posting this! Every time I drive by I think, "man - I gotta get some shots of this place before it is too late!" I actually remember when the pineapple hut was open for business (25+ odd years ago) - I'd always beg my parents to stop during the seemingly endless drive out to the north shore. We never did - an how I regret it now!

Henrik "VanTiki"

On 2008-07-29 07:07, Babalu wrote:
I grew up in Boulder Colorado and always thought that this rocket ship was original to Scott Carpenter Park there...guess I was wrong. This one was put in place in 1962.

There is an identical rocket in a park at Long Jetty NSW in Australia, I used to play on (in) it as a kid and live about 5 mins from there now (when I am actually in Australia)...

and from satelite:

It was moved to it's current location from the park accross the road about 10-15 years ago.

edited due to ridiculous typo

[ Edited by: Tiki Trav 2008-08-23 17:03 ]

On 2008-07-16 22:25, Tom Slick wrote:

Wow, what a trip down memory lane! I played on one that was exactly like this when I was a kid (back in the 60's) in Houston. It was even the same colors. That thing seemed a thousand feet tall to me back then. It was ALWAYS packed with kids, the higher you got in it the more kids were packed in.

Something else that seems to have gone the way of the dodo bird are those big "tube" play areas (like the McDonalds or Chuck-E-Cheese playlands; but much, much bigger and taller). There used to be several around Dallas, we used to take our kids to them when they were small (about 10-12 years ago). They were plenty big enough for the adults to crawl in too, I loved them! They all disappeared right around the same time and of course thinking they'd be around forever it never crossed my mind to take pics of them.