USS Tilefish – California Submarine Veterans
Tilefish was a WWII submarine built in the Bay Area and saw a few tours of duty in the Pacific, followed by some action around… Read More »USS Tilefish – California Submarine Veterans
TIL
Merlin McFly’s Doors
Merlin McFly’s was a magic-themed bar in Santa Monica. TIL it was on the site of what is now Finn McCool’s Irish pub. These were… Read More »Merlin McFly’s Doors
Roos Brothers Megaphone
TIL Roos Brothers was a men’s clothing store in San Francisco, and one of their little gimmicks were megaphones. This one probably from the 1940s… Read More »Roos Brothers Megaphone
California State Bird: The Fruit Fly
For the record, it is actually the aborbable California quail (Callipepla californica). But for a time in the late 1980s the Mediterranean fruit fly was… Read More »California State Bird: The Fruit Fly
Mountain Dew Willy the Hillbilly
Before it was the choice of coders and gamers, Mountain (pardon me, MTN) Dew was repped by Willy the Hillbilly until 1969, and I guess… Read More »Mountain Dew Willy the Hillbilly
The Cisco Kid was a friend of mine
The Cisco Kid was so long ago I only recognize it from the song by War. Duncan Renaldo, who played the kid, was pictured on… Read More »The Cisco Kid was a friend of mine
Jackie Gleason Presents Lonesome Echo – LP art by Salvador Dali
TIL that in 1955, Jackie Gleason had a #1 record of mood music with unusual instruments featuring cover art by Salvador Dali. Wikipedia has the… Read More »Jackie Gleason Presents Lonesome Echo – LP art by Salvador Dali
Ice Cold Beer non-video Arcade Game
It looks like an arcade videogame, but the proportions are not quite right. Per Wikipedia, it’s a mechanical game from 1983: Two joysticks on the… Read More »Ice Cold Beer non-video Arcade Game
Gilmore Stadium Program 1940s
Gilmore Stadium is a great bit of LA history (as was nearby Gilmore Field). It operated in the 30s and 40s not far from the… Read More »Gilmore Stadium Program 1940s
The Betty Furness Westinghouse Thermometer Set
Betty Furness turned her early acting career into greater success as the spokeswoman for Westinghouse, and later served in LBJ’s administration as a consumer advocate.… Read More »The Betty Furness Westinghouse Thermometer Set