Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Flower Market, September 1958

Today's scans qualify as "LEFTUGGIES"™, photos that were left over from a previously-scanned batch. Now they are finally being warmed up, seasoned, and served with a nice lemony hollandaise sauce. 

As you can see, we are standing in the Flower Market (circa 1958), where everything is edible. I mean, technically you can eat those flowers. Don't blame me for whatever happens afterward. Adjacent to the market is the Carnation Ice Cream Parlor; a father and son are sitting at a table, but they aren't eating ice cream. I think Dad is doing a Señor Wences routine.


And... a second view of the market. I think we all discussed the possible date that the flowers were added to West Center Street - 1958. And if that is correct, then maybe that explains why it still looks relatively sparse compared to later photos. Still, it's pretty! I love the light-up milk glass Bell Telephone sign (can you find it??).


27 comments:

  1. Major-
    Actually, I think the Father & Son team are discussing differential calculus. I mean, didn't all of us do the exact same thing with our Dads while having refreshments at Disneyland-??

    Yes, what a simple, yet classy telephone sign.

    Thanks, Major.

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  2. Those certainly are smart outfits the ladies have on, in that second pic. I can just hear one of them saying to the other, "Oh, Marge! Just look at those beautiful hyacinths!"

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  3. Major, is that the same little boy from your very first post?

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  4. The father and son photo - what a priceless moment caught in time! That little boy probably still treasures his memories with his dad in Disneyland!

    Nanook - differential calculus - hahahaha!

    TM! Pops looks pretty snazzy, too!

    Major, thanks for these nice, summertime photos!

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  5. I just took a second look at the first photo...where is the photographer standing?!

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  6. Nanook, maybe that dad is explaining to his son, the physiology of calculus build-up, and it's consequences on the human body.

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  7. @ TM!-

    Are you possibly referring to that "... pesky river-clogging weed, the water hyacinth...", for all you EPCOT fans out there-?

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  8. Nanook, ha, ha! No, I was referring to just "regular" hyacinth, like the ones in that flower cart. I forgot about the other kind!

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  9. “Son, I’m afraid we’ve exhausted Fiscal Year 1958’s budget on this vacation. Your mother and I have talked it over, and we’ve decided the wisest course of action is to sell you to the Upjohn Pharmacy for medical experiments. If I can just get your John Hancock on this exit interview summary, the pink copy is for your records. On behalf of the entire organization, allow me to wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.”

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  10. That first picture is priceless! The dad is clearly showing something to the kid (who is very interested in it). However, we'll never know what it was. It's their secret forever. (Ok, actually it's a vial of uranium- happy now?)
    In the second picture Marge and Edna discuss how they keep the flowers so nice at Disneyland. Don't tell them, it would spoil the moment!

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  11. Anonymous10:10 AM

    Any pictures of the Flower Market are fine with me.

    Love the picture of the little boy and his Dad. Brings back memories to me of playing both parts in different decades.

    Thanks Major.

    JG

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  12. Sunday Night10:22 AM

    In pic 2: Father is waiting patiently and nicely as mother and her sister examine the pretty plastic flowers. What he's thinking is "can we get going? "

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  13. I just know that little boy has fond memories of the time he spent with his dad at Disneyland. Some of my best memories are with my family at the park. Thanks Major.

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  14. Nanook, I’m just glad that I’M not discussing differential calculus. Math was never my thing, to put it mildly. Much to the puzzlement of my dad, who was really good at math!

    TokyoMagic!, those ladies usually saved those nice outfits when the bridge club met, but Disneyland was a special occasion. Are those hyacinths? I have no idea!

    TokyoMagic!, no, it’s a different boy, though I do see a resemblance.

    Lou and Sue, the little boy may treasure those memories, but he must not have treasured the photos. That’s why I have them! Do you think “pops” is with one of those ladies? He has the air of someone waiting patiently.

    Lou and Sue, it looks like the photographer might have been standing to the left of the little white cart visible in the second photo, looking over the corner of it. With those hyacinths!

    TokyoMagic!, maybe he’s talking about other human bodily functions. “I’ve chosen this moment to explain where babies come from”.

    Nanook, now I know that water hyacinths are useful for cleaning polluted waterways, and they also make a great snack that kids love.

    TokyoMagic!, I wonder if there is anyplace in the world besides WDW that uses water hyacinths to purify water? When I heard about the theory as a kid I thought it was ingenious, but have no idea if it ever caught on.

    Melissa, I think it’s nice that the dad is introducing the son to the exciting world of medical volunteerism. “Tired of your 9 to 5 job? Want to be your own boss? Do you love needles? Then call the Upjohn Pharmacy NOW!”.

    stu29573, it’s too bad that umbrella pole is in the way, blocking dad’s face. I wish I had a vial of uranium, it would be the most fun ever. Plutonium is even MORE fun. Marge and Edna probably think that the flowers are from Walt Disney’s personal garden.

    JG, “See son, this here is the filter. You don’t light that end”. That’s where my brain goes! Sorry. Like so many slides that I have, I wonder why nobody in the family wanted to keep them.

    Sunday Night, ha ha, yes, that’s just what I said to Sue! He’s probably used to it after 45 years of marriage. My poor dad spent hundreds of hours cooling his heels while my mom was antiquing.

    Jonathan, although we did go to Disneyland with my dad on many “Navy Nites”, my memories are more about my grandpa, who was willing to ride the Matterhorn with me the first time, and also the Haunted Mansion.

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  15. "...it looks like the photographer might have been standing to the left of the little white cart visible in the second photo, looking over the corner of it."

    Major, it looks like the photographer must also be standing on a flower planter or something. Maybe he's standing on Pops' back. Seems like a high vantage point...??

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  16. It looks like a beautiful day to enjoy Disneyland. I'm thinking that Mom left Junior with his Dad so she could take some photos of the Flower Market, saw the scene with the two of them and snapped a quick pic.

    I remember seeing the ol' Bell Telephone logo plenty times at America the Beautiful Circlevision. The styling of it is a better fit for Main Street than Tomorrowland. I say that and yet General Electric had their 1900 logo towering over Carousel Of Progress. I guess it's more timeless.

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  17. On my commute to my last job, I used to walk over a manhole cover with the old Saul Bass Bell logo every day. It cheered me up no end.

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  18. @Melissa

    Might be right on with your first post. My pops was pretty frugal. On the back of some of our legacy Disneyland ticket books is dad's chicken scratch totals of tickets, food, parking, gas, gift shop purchases. Lucky for us we never went over his (secret) budget or we might have wound up in the same testing pool as that poor little lad.

    @Dr Goat-sending some of these fake flowers as a belated Birthday wish. Hope all is well and you are just busy playing polo or riding on your luxurious yacht. Arizona (where we both live) is a scary place right now! I myself have had mild flu symptoms for a week, am laying low and awaiting the results of my covid test.

    Major. Thanks for the post. Leftuggies or not. Between you and Melissa even lemons become lemonade.

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  19. Major, yes, those are hyacinths. I just noticed that we can see more of them (and up close) on the far right of the first pic. Hyacinths can usually be seen in the grocery stores around Easter time and I think Mother's Day, too.

    I believe that water hyacinth is also used by some people, as a natural filter in backyard ponds.

    "I’ve chosen this moment to explain where babies come from"

    Oh great! Way to go and ruin a day at Disneyland, Dad!

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  20. Major, ooops! I see that you have already pointed out (to Sue), that there are more hyacinths visible in the first pic.

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  21. Always enjoy pics of the Flower Market.
    Alonzo, my yacht is in dry dock for now since we're short on rain. Been dealing with some not related to Covid health problems and I get a bit withdrawn during bad spots. Mileage is catching up. Other than that, may your test come out a big negative fellow desert dweller.
    Thanks Major, top shelf Leftuggies!

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  22. DrGoat, did you see your "surprise party" on the 7/19 GDB post? We missed you! Glad you're back! Happy Belated!

    Mr. Hawk, take good care of yourself...am hoping and praying test is negative.

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  23. Wow, thanks everyone. Lifts my spirits it does. I was feeling low on my birthday and missed the post, but thank you one and all. And a very merry unbirthday to us all. You are all fine human beings and it is such a joy being a part of this grand endeavor of the Major's.
    Thank you again.

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  24. Lou and Sue, the photographer was standing on the back of a small child! ;-)

    Omnispace, Mom was clearly in charge of the camera - in fact, many other photos from this batch show the father, so it seems like they traded off at different times during the day (we see mom now and then too). I agree that the Bell Telephone logo seemed a little old-fashioned for Tomorrowland… there is an interesting short documentary (old and faded and scratched) about how Bell changed their logo in 1970, thanks to legendary designer Saul Bass, mentioned by Melissa!

    Melissa, ha ha, I would like that too!

    Alonzo, so many people today look at the prices from 40 or 50 years ago and marvel at how cheap it was, but they often forget to adjust for inflation, and even THEN a trip to Disneyland was often a luxury that they could only afford once a year, or maybe not even that often. As I’ve mentioned many times, we were lucky to have the annual Navy Nites, which were free, so that on occasion I could even go to the park twice in a year. I hope you recover from whatever is ailing you!

    TokyoMagic!, I spent plenty of time around my flower-crazy grandma, and my mom has quite the garden too, you’d think I would have picked up some knowledge. But alas, no such luck. Unless it’s a weird flower like the dracunculus!

    TokyoMagic!, it’s OK, I won’t send the blog police to your home. THIS time.

    DrGoat, California is pretty bad too, it makes me nervous to do mundane things like go to the store. And I need to go soon! I’m sorry to hear that things have been hard lately, I get the same way (meaning withdrawn). Sometimes I just have to “put on a happy face” for the blog even if I don’t feel that way on a particular day - I figure nobody comes to GDB to hear about my drama!

    Lou and Sue, I’m glad you mentioned it to Peter, because I was going to do it myself pretty soon.

    DrGoat, aw, I was hoping you were doing something fun on your birthday, I’m glad that the birthday wishes helped to lift your spirits, even for a while. Sometimes it helps to know that people are pulling for you.

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  25. Dean Finder6:21 PM

    @Major-You can get yourself some Uranium, for the low, low price of $39.95 (and free shipping!) on Amazon, of course. Like you, I have a fond memory of my grandfather taking me on Space Mountain at WDW as a kid when I was too small to ride without an adult.

    @Melissa-I also rode (on my bike) over a manhole with the Bell System logo on the cover and it made me smile a bit, back when I commuted to work many weeks ago. I always though about how that manhole must have been there for close to 40 years, long before most of the buildings on that road existed. Here's the pitch film for the Saul Bass redesign of the Bell System logo. It's a pretty good copy restored by Bell Labs, I figure you'll have some comments on the designer outfits that are part of the new look.
    @DrGoat and Alonzo-Hope your health has some better news in the near future. I don't comment every day, but I read through everyone's every day. GDB is one of the few places of good will on a very vitriolic internet, and I hope you all do well and stay with us.

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  26. Major-
    And I always thought GDB was ALL about the drama-! The only things seemingly missing are extreme hairstyles and outlandish outfits so popular on all those so-called 'reality shows'.

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  27. Thanks for that video link, Dean Finder! Fascinating piece of history.

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