The DINER.

[ledsled]

Looks like Sandy Hook

Dinerman, have you ever been to that diner in Towanda? I drive by it all the time on my way to my inlaws, but it's always too late (I think they are only open breakfast & lunch). I will be there for a week starting Oct. 7, so I may have a chance to stop in. It's now attached to the bldg. next door, so I guess business is pretty good.

This Red Rose diner looks like a larger (and restored) version of the Sandy Hook diner.

 

[Dinerman]

yeah- That's pretty close to what the sandy hook would've looked like as well.

 

[panamag8or]

If you're ever in Gainesville, FL, there are two places downtown that can't be missed. One is Wise's Drug store, where they have a lunch counter/soda fountain that makes great lunches and sandwiches. They have been open since the '50's. The other is Louis' Lunch, a little burger place that has been open since the 20's. I try to hit both when I make it down there.

Here in Panama City, they have done their best to erase all traces of anything vintage, from hotels to amusement parks and restaurants. However, there is a place on old hwy 98 (now business 98) near downtown called Jimmy's, that has been around since 1946. Lots of great memoribilia on the wall, including old newspaper ads. Over one table is a page from the "Carhop's rules" book. No gum, tardiness costs you .25, etc... It makes for great reading while chowing down on a burger or shrimp basket.

 

[fortworthgal]

Looks like there are still a few real diners in Texas.
you've got Hullabaloo's in Wellborn, TX http://www.hullabaloos.net/wellborndiner.html

none of these are anywhere near you, so it doesn't really matter anyways. Keep them in mind if you do any traveling though.

Actually, Wellborn looks to be just outside of Bryan-College Station. That's not *too* much of a hike, I guess. I'll make it a point to try to get by there when we're in that vicinity next March.

There are a few lunch counters around here, but no true diners so to speak. I'll throw in my usual pitch for the Airport Diner at the Hangar Hotel in Fredericksburg - it is new, but the interior looks almost identical to the photos of the Wellborn diner. Fabulous food, too.

 

[fortworthgal]

I also work at the neatest vintage soda fountain--it's called MacAlpine's and was built in 1928. It housed a pharmacy until 1992, and it is the oldest continuously operating soda fountain in the southwest. Wayne Newton and his brother, who lived in one of the surrounding neighborhoods, used to come and sit at the counter. The food is top-notch home-style cooking, and they have and use a lot of the original equipment (for example, the shake machines are from the 40s.) Also, I have met so many people who either worked at the fountain when they were teenagers, or remember it as *the* high school hangout. Once, a gentleman came in and softly told me that he had worked here when was 16--in 1940.
Although we don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t have official uniforms (yet), I always dress vintage. I have the cutest green and white striped day dress that matches the d?ɬ©cor and makes a perfect uniform. I wear a 1940s waitress apron, style my hair in big rolls, and even wear a cap. I find that customers love the look, and I often have people ask for me when I am not there. About once a month, tourists ask to take my picture! I'll try to a post of photo of me in waitress mode.

I hope you can find a photo of yourself in "waitress mode" because I would love to see that! That place is fantastic, and it sounds like you fit right in. What a cool place to work!

 

[Dinerman]

posting these for ledsled







and here's the message that went along with them.

I found 3 pictures of that diner in Baker City, Oregon. Once you see it, I think you will agree that it's one of those "homemade" diners... not from a factory, but the final product looks great.

I took those pictures in June, 2001. As I recall, the interior of the diner was more spacious than I anticipated. The food was good too. It's a beautiful part of the country if you ever get out there. Be sure to stay in the Geiser Grand Hotel. You'll not regret it. (They have a website too if you want to check them out).

 

[airfrogusmc]

In Fall River Mass.

 

[Dinerman]

this is a painting I finished this weekend. Not the best photo of it, but you can tell what it's like.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

I hope you can find a photo of yourself in "waitress mode" because I would love to see that! That place is fantastic, and it sounds like you fit right in. What a cool place to work!

I found one--I had forgotten that a local reporter took my picture for an article on MacAlpine's a few months ago

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Zowie! Chocolate malted please!

 

[Mr. Sable]

This diner is a block from my apartment. One of the reasons I chose to live where I did. That and the Casablanca Video store.

"After Hours"

"After Hours 2"

*I shot all these stills but the one I'm in.

A 1930's diner was being demolished, so these guys salvaged EVERYTHING beforehand and put it in a modern building exactly as it was in the old location. I have permission to shoot a scene for my film noir inside.
The food is excellent there. They don't serve fries, only hash browns... and you get a Double Bubble gum with your bill.

There's another diner in my town owned by the same folks, all original in the original location. It's 3:20am, so the name of it eludes me, but those with kids might recognize it from the Chevy Chase movie "Snow day". It's a hole-in-the-wall place. You have to walk down the aisle single file and more or less sideways to get past the bar/counter out the front door.

 

[Mr. Sable]

"The Galaxie" was the name I couldn't think of:

I'm not sure who took this photo, but it's a good one.

 

[Mr. Sable]

I took these pix of the Galaxie on my way home from work today:

the front.

It's hard to tell from this 'through the venitian blinds' shot, but I think the kitchen is bigger than the dining section. You can sort of tell the proportions looking at the back wall there. Half the space is kitchen, the other is dining/aisle/bar allcrammedtogether.

 

[Dinerman]

is that a barrel roof I see back there in the kitchen?

 

[Mr. Sable]

I'm not sure. Should I take more photos?

 

[Dinerman]

I dunno. I mean- I know it's in a storefront and all, built on site and the like, but you just don't see curved rooflines like that in places much.

my guess is they just really did their research.

 

[Mr. Sable]

That particular one, though, has been there about 50 years. The other one, only maybe six.

 

[Dinerman]

in any event- they both look really nifty. What kind of crowd seems to frequent them? Trendy? Just locals?

 

[Mr. Sable]

The Belmont is a cross-section - mostly locals. There's a half-block line up for this place every Saturday and Sunday from 8am til about 2 - which is when I roll in usually.

The Galaxie attracts the yuppie crowd who don't mind paying four bucks for a milkshake. I've never been inside. Both these places close at 4pm daily, and I can't usually get to the Galaxie before they lock up.

 

[Dinerman]

They're owned by the same folks, aren't they?