More Motels 'n Stuff
It's time for more fabulous photos from Lou Perry (shared with us by his daughter, Sue B.), featuring vintage Anaheim Motels. Plus one "non-motel" image! These motels have become beloved by fans of Disneyland, and of mid-century design (kitsch?). These are all from September, 1961.
First we have this wonderful Pixie Motel, located at 1016 West Katella Avenue, "across from Disneyland, next door to convention center. Near Angels Stadium". What more could anybody want? I mean, and ice machine, sure, but I'll bet they had one. Note that the motel next door is the Magic Lamp, also photographed by Lou (years later).
Here's a vintage postcard. The sign is a work of art!
Looking around online, I found this ashtray that shows a motel that looks just like the Pixie, only it's called "Sandy's". Just up the street from the Pixie. Baffling.
Next we have the Wanderlust Motel, at 1701 South West Street (on the corner of Euclid and Katella). This motel was torn down to build the Emerald Hotel, which is now the Pixar Pier Hotel. With the close proximity to those power lines, guests woke up with a San Tropez tan!
Vintage postcard time, the motel has a newer and less-cool sign.
The Wanderlust had particularly wonderful matchbook graphics!
And finally, NOT a motel, but Oscar's Drive In. It was located at 1160 North Kraemer Boulevard, and was part of a chain of restaurants. One website said Oscar's was THE place to see and be seen on date nights. Guys would cruise through the parking lot showing off their car and girl, and then find a prime spot to peruse the scene while enjoying a 25 cent hamburger and a 10 cent Coke. (I am assuming that they were referring to another location).
Here's a photo of one Oscar's restaurant.
THANK YOU, Lou and Sue!
15 comments:
Major-
I'm afraid the close-up of Oscar's Drive In has pulled an "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" for the close-ups of the Pixie and the Wanderlust Motels - poor things.
Thank you's to Lou and Sue.
Pixie Motel: Only the thumbnail shows up, so I had to greatly enlarge it, losing a lot of the detail. But anyway, I like those stubby little palm trees in the median strip. And what are those fish net-like things going from the motel to the power poles?
Pixie postcard: I love how all the motels come up with a unique sign design; endless variety, much to Uncle Walt's chagrin. I think the upper part of the Pixie sign is meant to be a magic wand. Because, you know, all pixies have magic wands. Is the pixie a not-so-subtle reference to Tinker Bell?
I don't know what to make of the Sandy's vs. Pixie confusion.
Wanderlust: (thumbnail only) They could use the power lines proximity as an added selling point, with the guests waking up "with a San Tropez tan" at no extra charge!
Oscar's Drive in: The sign in the window says "Chicken Shrimp"... Not sure why they would advertise cowardly shellfish. I guess the shrimp weren't cowardly enough to keep from being eaten.
Last pic: I like this version of Oscar's better than the other one; more drive in-ish. I can't figure out what Oscar is supposed to be. A clown? A bear? A seal? And what is that big thing that looks like a toucan beak?
I'm really glad that Lou Perry documented the area around Disneyland; all but gone now. Thanks Lou & Sue & Major too.
Now I've got the "Bain de Soleil for the St. Tropez tan" jingle stuck in my head.
Melissa, ha, ha! Upon reading Major P.'s San Tropez tan comment, I was going to say that the guests better slather on some Bain de Soliel before going to bed!
Thank you Lou, Sue and Major for the vintage visit to Anaheim!
Yay - more of Lou’s Motelapalooza!
The Pixie Motel and Sandy’s Motel were different locations but may have been under the same ownership. They definitely both shopped at the same Signs R Us. The site of the Pixie Motel is now occupied by the Anaheim Westin (opened 2021), while the Hyatt House (opened 2016) was built on the site of Sandy’s.
I am confused by the statement “Wanderlust Motel, at 1701 South West Street (on the corner of Euclid and Katella).” Euclid and West Street are parallel north-south streets about a mile apart. Of course, I’m confused by a lot of things. Like…where do babies come from?
Thanks again, Lou & Sue!
These are great! Thanks, Lou and Sue!
Unfortunately on my one trip in '73 we stayed with my great aunt and uncle in LA. Don't get me wrong, it was still fun! They had a pool and lemon trees! But, I didn't get to experience any motels. Still, we were Holiday Inn folks, so I don't know where we would have ended up.
On my next trip, at the end of this month, my daughter has arranged a preferred view room st the Disneyland Hotel! I'll let yall know how it goes! (She's a really good kid!)
Oh boy, I love vintage motels!
We stayed often at the Magic Lamp (in this original design with the white gravel roof), but I don’t recall the Pixie at all. Such a great sign!
My guess for the ashtray mystery is that the pattern might have been selected from a catalog and not be a fully custom design. Probably most ashtray users might not notice?
The Wanderlust seems like it might be just a bit fancier and probably more expensive. Notice the guest rooms all have lanais overlooking the pool, which means the doors probably come off a central interior corridor, maybe double-loaded (rooms each side) or else the outdoor walkway is on the back of the building. By the time of the remodel shown in the later postcard, the railings were changed to vertical pickets, improving the view of the pool from the guest room decks.
These rooms are undoubtedly bigger than those at the Pixie or Magic Lamp, and come with the power line tanning salon feature too! I can imagine a little tube of suntan lotion in the bathroom next to the tiny chip of soap in the beige 1-inch mosaic tile shower with hammered wired glass door with the little ball-catch latch that makes that loud snap. And the paper band on the toilet lid “SANITIZED FOR YOUR PROTECTION”.
Notice the rooms on the left end of the block are wider than the others, bigger rooms (mini-suites?) on the ends having fewer common walls and so are quieter also.
I wonder if the room had the Magic Fingers vibrating beds and in-room coffee too? Also, great matchbook cover!
I am also puzzled by the “corner of Euclid…” description. A transcription error?
Stu, enjoy your DLH stay, have a great trip!
Thank you Lou, Sue and Major!
JG
@ JB-
"I can't figure out what Oscar is supposed to be. A clown? A bear? A seal?"
Just LOOK HERE. Lots of images (and menus).
Nanook, I have no idea how that happens, but I fixed it at 3:30 in the morning!
JB, I think the “fish net things” are just power lines going to the motel. I once watched a show about the signs in Las Vegas, and the companies that made many of them, it was fascinating. It really is its own art form. My guess is that there was more than one motel with that sign, presumably from the same owner, but I really don’t know. Power lines: do they make a loud buzzing noise? Watch them spark as birds land on them! Disney magic, but for free. I’ve never seen a brave shrimp, but they must be out there. Oscar might be a clown/chef? Hard to tell!!
Melissa, that was the inspiration!
TokyoMagic!, you have to be of a certain age to make that association. But hey, we’re all in that range!
Chuck, yes I assume that the Pixie and Sandy’s were owned by the same folks. Admittedly I did not spend a lot of time trying to solve that mystery! As for the “corner of Euclid and West Street”, I got that from a website that had a brief article about the Wanderlust. Not being overly familiar with the streets of Anaheim, I did not question it. Oh well.
Stu29573, a pool and lemon trees! Pretty sweet. I have the feeling that by ’73 a lot of those cute motels were getting a bit seedy, but I still wish I’d stayed in one or two of them. Whoa, a “preferred view” room, pretty fancy!Maybe you can watch the fireworks from there. I always figure that by the time I get to my hotel room, my #1 goal is to sleep, so I don’t pay more for a nice view.
JG, weirdly, I’ve just happened to find a number of slides in my own collection featuring Anaheim motels, I’ve scanned most of them and will share them here one of these days. They aren’t as nice as Lou’s photos, but then again, what is? You could be right about the Pixie sign being picked from a catalog, after all, it makes sense that a sign company would have many different examples for prospective clients to look at. Wow, you observed a lot from the Wanderlust photos, a real Sherlock Holmes and Yo-yo. (Who remembers “Holmes and Yoyo”??). Your description of a typical motel room rings true, though these days a shower curtain is more common than a nice glass door. Maybe I stay in the wrong hotels. I’ve never stayed in a motel/hotel with Magic Fingers, and it makes me sad. See my comment to Chuck regarding the Euclid/West Street thingy.
Nanook, yep, “clown/chef” it is! Thanks!
Nanook, thanks for the link. There's one good illustration of Oscar there, and I'm still not sure what he's supposed to be. He's got a round red nose so... a clown? (Major P. concurs!) He's a very wispy, indeterminate fellow. (Oscar, not Major.)
Major, yeah, after I saw the full-sized image I realized they were just power lines. The blurriness and pixeliness caused by me after enlarging the photo made me see things that weren't there. Much like Percival Lowell seeing canals on Mars.
Gonna have to file these under TRE, as each of those MCM signs suffered serious downgrades in fun over the years…even as Wanderlust’s watering can nurtures better landscaping, a nice driveway, and a pool deck!
What ever happened to those paper bands around the motel toilet seats anyways?
MS
@ JB-
The 'parts' of Oscar seem to be a chef's toque, topping a 'clowns' head, and the body crafted from a napkin or tablecloth.
JB, yes, I’m going to bet big money on “clown chef” for Oscar. Millions. By the way, can I borrow millions of dollars? I really don’t know how Blogger manages to mess up the links between thumbnails and the full-size image, because they are theoretically made automatically when you upload the photo during the draft stage.
MS, I have to agree with you, it’s just an odd thing how some people (Walt Disney!) thought that those motels were trashy and awful, and now they look playful and creative. The benefit of hindsight I guess? Maybe those paper bands are gone because they no longer sanitize toilets for our protection.
Nanook, I concur.
My vote is that Oscar is a seal dressed up as a clown chef. I don't think he's an ordinary clown chef.
I'm chucking at a lot of today's comments...including the toilet ones. Believe it or not, in my dad's collection, I found a picture of the bathroom of one of these Disneyland-area motels. Am serious. Though I don't recall if it had the paper band or not.
Thanks, Major and everyone.
^ CHUCKLING, not chucking
* sigh *
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