Saturday, February 23, 2013

Just Folks

On today's "Anything Goes Saturday", we are going to visit with some folks. Good old, ordinary folks!

This first photo is from March 1955 features two ladies who have just returned from a trip to Mexico. The ladies are in Phoenix, so maybe they made the 2-hour drive to Nogales, a popular border destination. Suddenly I realize that the thing that has been missing in my life is a sombrero! Apparently they bought some grapefruit while they were in Mexico (grapefruit, bleah!).  And the lady on the left is proudly displaying her ornately embroidered skirt, covered in vibrant Mayan-ish motifs.


There is something so American about old drive-in restaurants. Park your car, order your food, never unbuckle your seatbelt (though not many people wore seat belts back in August 1959). Three months later, find petrified french fries on the floor. The whole process was fascinating to me as a kid; every time I visited my grandparents in southern Minnesota, we would eat at least once at the local A&W, and food never tasted so good! 

I don't know where this particular photo was taken, but I love the fact that somebody wanted a picture of their helpful car hop. Notice the sign for 7-Up floats! My mom used to make those... sherbet and 7-Up; I wish I had one right now.


11 comments:

Nanook said...

Olé-!

Chuck said...

The carhop reminds me a bit of Annette Funicello.

TokyoMagic! said...

I've never had a 7-Up float, but it sounds pretty good. When I worked in the Ice Cream Parlor at Knott's, I would make myself a float with Mountain Dew and Boysenberry sherbet. I think using 7-Up would have been better, but Knott's didn't sell 7-Up (or Sprite) back then. By the time they finally replaced Mountain Dew with Sprite, I was no longer working in the Ice Cream Parlor. Now I'm hungry.

Anonymous said...

The "Dining Room Parking" sign got me thinking... at a drive-in, isn't the dining room wherever you park?

Loved loved loved the root beer at A&W, especially the giant frosted mugs!

Bill in Denver

Alonzo P Hawk said...

I agree with Chuck the car hop is a cutie (a la Annette).

We used to love the A&W till it closed then we had to go to the Bob's (home of the big boy) in Canoga Park. Till it closed, then we had to eat inside and save the carmats.

The grapefruits are probably from a tree out of the shot. Phoenix is lousy with them. I have to go clean fallen ones (from our tree) this morning. Love the double shame hats (a la Josie Geller).

K. Martinez said...

A&W was awesome! The Papa, Mama, Teen and baby burgers. I loved those frosted mugs of root beer too.

You mind if I have some of this tasty beverage to wash this down?

PsySocDisney said...

Woo! Represent fellow Zona ladies! They look like they might still have some tequila in their blood haha. We sure know how to party! Fresh grapefruit actually sounds good right now... mmm.

Melissa said...

My Grandma used to take us to A&W, too! They always called her "Sir" over the little intercom where you ordered, and we kids would get a huge giggle over it.

Nancy said...

I remember having carhop service at Eat N' Park or Big Boy's when I was a kid in the 60s. More of the simple pleasures of the day. Now I go to Sonic for my carhop experience!

Very fancy duds on those gals, too. I think you need a sombrero, Major. Would like to see a photo of that!

Nanook said...

Hmmm, do sombreros come in "moon sizes"-?

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, Oil of Olé.

TokyoMagic!, I've never heard of a float made with Mountain Dew and Boysenberry sherbet! Sounds interesting. I always remember my mom using 7-Up and either lime or orange sherbet.

Bill, I always wanted one of those large heavy mugs. They're all over ebay, but I haven't bought one yet.

Alonzo, there was an A&W in Moorpark, but it closed years ago. Now I don't know of any nearby… such a shame.

K. Martinez, for some reason the onion rings are what really appealed to me as a kid (besides the delicious root beer, of course).

Hannahx2, those ladies DO look like they've been having a "good day"!

Melissa, I love that the A&W guys called your grandma "sir"… they probably did that to all the ladies just to make them crazy. Maybe they called men "Ma'am" too!

Nancy, we can still get carhop service at a Bob's Big Boy near here, if you go a peak hours. For some reason Sonic hasn't made it to our neck of the woods.

Nanook, are you saying my head is the size of a moon? ;-)