tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post8390237601478265741..comments2024-03-28T14:45:10.822-07:00Comments on GORILLAS DON'T BLOG: Westwood VIllage, 1950'sMajor Pepperidgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09843598326995116014noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-42906283449809531012016-05-14T12:47:04.263-07:002016-05-14T12:47:04.263-07:00@ Chuck-
I just now took a look at the link you p...@ Chuck-<br /><br />I just now took a look at the link you provided for the 'old' bus, and I realized the image shows a bus/streetcar "transfer station", for lack of the correct name, and it's at Pico & Rimpau, in the 'Mid City' area of Los Angeles. And in the background we see a large Sinclair Paints Store, long-gone now. <br /><br />And just off to the right of the image, is the lower level parking lot for the 'Pico & Rimpau' Sears Store. I spent plenty of time in that store as I was growing up, when we lived in that area of LA. That was back in the day when many a Sears location employed an "advanced" method of helping shoppers find an empty parking space, by placing a tiny, manned booth, on the top floor of their building. In the case of this location, that booth was waaaay atop (probably) a five story structure in essentially a corner of their Rooftop Parking Lot-! The man (it was always a man, in those days) would be surveying all the parking areas, from on high, and would announce into his microphone the next best available parking spot, and the message would be sent to a trumpet, outdoor loudspeaker, located near the main entrance lanes, so drivers would then "follow orders" and head-off towards that empty spot. And as a small kid, I would hope our parking place would be located on the roof, as that would allow us to drive up the steep driveway to the roof, and then have to take a ride on an additional set of escalators to arrive into the store, proper.<br /><br />In these times - who would ever take direction without the proverbial gun his head-??<br /><br />Thanks, Chuck.Nanookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07255357829181568172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-34335630331238182722016-05-14T12:39:41.190-07:002016-05-14T12:39:41.190-07:00Sooo beautiful.
By the way, happy 10th. I missed ...Sooo beautiful.<br />By the way, happy 10th. I missed posting the other day. So many blogs have come and gone but GDB lives on, and on. Thanks for all the time you spend working on the pics and blog!!Sunday Nightnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-6435837099646419082016-05-14T10:11:33.194-07:002016-05-14T10:11:33.194-07:00Okay... By popular demand-! In the first image, ...Okay... By popular demand-! In the first image, kinda front-and-center, is a convertible (hubba-hubba) 1950-53 Cadillac. To its left - I can't quite figure it out. The two-tone car in front of the BofA is a 1951 Chevrolet. And turning right, about to plow into the pedestrians (and the bus), is a 1954 Buick.<br /><br />In the third image, on the left is a 1951 or 52 Dodge. And behind it sits a 1951 Ford. But someone has tricked-up the hood (no ornament) and something seems a-miss with front bumper - there should be dual "spinners", which don't appear to be present, here. <br /><br />@ Major-<br /><br />From age nine until about 18, I lived in Brentwood, and then years later, worked at UCLA. So, yes, you could say I've spent some time in Westwood. The Wil Wright's I referred to earlier had its entrance on Lindbrook Ave., just east of (the former) Ralph's Grocery Store.Nanookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07255357829181568172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-82339551640526106392016-05-14T08:50:23.463-07:002016-05-14T08:50:23.463-07:00Not sure how you manage to do it, Major, but just ...Not sure how you manage to do it, Major, but just like your last Westwood post, there are buses in nearly the same position in the modern and vintage views of the same scene. <br /><br />The 1950s view shows a Santa Monica Municipal Bus Lines ("The Big Blue Bus"). While I haven't been able to identify the specific bus model or manufacturer (and it's driving me crazy), I did find a photo of the same kind of bus or close cousin (note the rear window design) at the line's interchange with the Los Angeles Railway (the "Yellow Cars") at Pico and Rimpau Boulevards: <br /><br />http://flickrhivemind.net/blackmagic.cgi?id=8277032088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflickrhivemind.net%2FTags%2Fcalifornia%252Coldbus%2FRecent%3Fsearch_type%3DTags%26textinput%3Dcalifornia%252Coldbus%26photo_type%3D250%26method%3DGET%26noform%3Dt%26sort%3DDate%2520Posted%252C%2520new%2520first%23pic8277032088&user=&flickrurl=http://www.flickr.com/photos/78023647@N04/8277032088<br /><br />The modern view shows a Santa Monica Bus Lines New Flyer L40LF, which is powered by natural gas rather than the more common diesel or plutonium fuel. The last L40LFs ever built were for Santa Monica and delivered in 2006; the transit company operates 62 of them.<br /><br />With the vintage bus identification struggles I've had this morning, I'll leave the car IDing to Nanook.Chuckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01836717368846566211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-7652077806195636852016-05-14T08:03:19.054-07:002016-05-14T08:03:19.054-07:00TokyoMagic!, imprecise prescriptions are more fun....TokyoMagic!, imprecise prescriptions are more fun. Dizziness, nausea, nosebleeds… you’re really missing out.<br /><br />Nanook, it’s never too late to ID old cars! Of course I can’t do it no matter what time it is, so the whole thing is moot. Sounds like you spent some time in Westwood?<br /><br />K. Martinez, it’s always nice to see that some of these old buildings have survived; so much of Westwood has become modernized with lots of large plate glass façades.Major Pepperidgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09843598326995116014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-33918053248499035992016-05-14T01:43:41.260-07:002016-05-14T01:43:41.260-07:00Love Vintage Westwood. I used to hang there in the...Love Vintage Westwood. I used to hang there in the summertime, the years my sister went to UCLA in the mid-70's. Last time I visited it was still a nice area. The Glendon Avenue pic is nice. Love the brick and tile combination. Thanks, Major.K. Martinezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03960970051790617367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-58929121019509577522016-05-14T01:06:04.979-07:002016-05-14T01:06:04.979-07:00Major-
It's too late at night for car ID-ing,...Major-<br /><br />It's too late at night for car ID-ing, but I'm certain you're correct on the location of the second image. That was my first thought before I saw the 'present' view. I believe the domed, ramped entrance once led to the Hamlet Gardens Restaurant - and - a part of that restaurant was originally one of the Wil Wright's Ice Cream Parlor locations.<br /><br />Thanks, Major.Nanookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07255357829181568172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922463.post-75940964094247362432016-05-14T01:01:33.143-07:002016-05-14T01:01:33.143-07:00I see vintage Westwood had a one-stop location for...I see vintage Westwood had a one-stop location for Steaks, Chili, Waffles and Precise Prescriptions. Personally, I prefer my prescriptions to be imprecise.TokyoMagic!https://www.blogger.com/profile/16340756514811789233noreply@blogger.com