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Vintage roadside

LizzieMaine

Bartender
Messages
33,728
Location
Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
Yep. He was a bosom pal of Robert Woodruff, who succeeded Asa Candler as the Kingfish of Coke, and had an inside track when it came to making money off the product. For most of his last ten years in baseball, Cobb invested nearly all his salary in Coca-Cola stock, and ended up owning over 24,000 shares. He held onto it till the day he died.

Cobb never missed a chance to promote the product, either. When Coke put on its first national radio program in 1930, he was the first guest star. (Segment starts at 11:55 in.)

 

2jakes

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,680
Location
Alamo Heights ☀️ Texas
Besides baseball, ol' Ty made a killing off of his Coca-Cola investments, didn't he?

Rob

Yep...that's why I'm a grinnin' !
s-l300.jpg


:D
 
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3fingers

One Too Many
Messages
1,797
Location
Illinois
Our last drug store soda fountain/lunch counter went away a few years ago. It was a huge loss to the downtown. The owner sold out to one of the mega chain joints and he also went to work for them. I kind of feel bad for him though. He looks miserable every time I see him behind the pharmacy counter.
 
Messages
12,009
Location
East of Los Angeles
I think the reason a properly prepared fountain Coke is so good is because Coke had and still has rigid specifications for how it's to be served -- it has to be at a temperature of exactly 34 degrees, no more, no less. Not all fountains today enforce that as strictly as they could, but McDonald's does -- and I think a McDonald's Coke is the best Coke you're ever going to get. Say what you will about the Clown, but he does that right...
I'm pretty sure you'd be disappointed by the lack of quality of the fountain sodas here in southern California, including those at McDonald's. Say what you will about bottled Coca-Cola in all of it's various forms, but at least there is a consistency in place and, unless improper storage (i.e. temperature) has affected the product, one bottle of Coca-Cola (or Diet Coke, which is my poison of choice) tastes like the next. The self-serve fountains found in the local fast food restaurants and convenience stores never seem to be set up to get the mixture right so there's either too much or not enough syrup. And, for whatever reason, unless you drink them quickly the flavor only gets worse regardless of how much or how little ice has melted and diluted the mixture further.
 

LizzieMaine

Bartender
Messages
33,728
Location
Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
Some fountain operators will tamper with the throw ratio if they think they can get away with it. It's calibrated by the Coke service person using a Brix cup, and once calibrated it can't get out of adjustment unless someone has deliberately tampered with the mechanism. The Coke fountain department might appreciate a tip on this -- in most outlets they retain ownership of the fountain equipment and tampering with the settings is a contract violation.
 

2jakes

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,680
Location
Alamo Heights ☀️ Texas
I'm pretty sure you'd be disappointed by the lack of quality of the fountain sodas here in southern California, including those at McDonald's. Say what you will about bottled Coca-Cola in all of it's various forms, but at least there is a consistency in place and, unless improper storage (i.e. temperature) has affected the product, one bottle of Coca-Cola (or Diet Coke, which is my poison of choice) tastes like the next. The self-serve fountains found in the local fast food restaurants and convenience stores never seem to be set up to get the mixture right so there's either too much or not enough syrup. And, for whatever reason, unless you drink them quickly the flavor only gets worse regardless of how much or how little ice has melted and diluted the mixture further.

You can include South Texas as well. When the McDonald's meal includes a drink...I’ll
fill the cup with ice water and go next-door and purchase my favorite soft drink in
glass bottles.
 
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2jakes

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,680
Location
Alamo Heights ☀️ Texas
You can't get a decent fountain soda if the water supply is not good. If your drinking water tastes bad, your soda is doomed.

That's true of the border cities I grew up.
On the other hand, the Alamo city draws water from the
Edwards Aquifer and the spring water taste is delicious.

So why am I drinking soda water?

Because I'm a bona fide sugar-drinking Dr Pepper addict
and
the only reason I haven't put on excess weight is
because I'm a 24/7 tennis playing and cycling freak! :p
 
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Messages
17,196
Location
New York City

I'm not quite sure what's going on with the woman wearing the sailor pants and cap, but there is a strong spark of life in her facial expression and body English. No matter how limited her town or situation, I'll bet she maximized her opportunities for fun and, my guess, was the one you wanted to run into late on a Saturday night at the local Honky Tonk.
 

2jakes

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,680
Location
Alamo Heights ☀️ Texas
”.... No matter how limited her town or situation, I'll bet she maximized her opportunities for fun and, my guess, was the one you wanted to run into late on a Saturday night at the local Honky Tonk.” F.F.

....I remember!
 
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Messages
17,196
Location
New York City

Regarding this bakery:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/vintage-roadside.75196/page-5#post-1779923

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...-in-your-lifetime.32277/page-310#post-2381071

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...-in-your-lifetime.32277/page-324#post-2441910

When you read the posts, you'll understand why a tear welled up in my eye when I saw your pic. And I've had that particular pastry in the foreground of your pic - it was a combination of chocolate mouse, sponge cake, chocolate pudding and white buttercream - a weird, crazy, fun pastry that no one will make now as it was very throwback.
 
Messages
12,009
Location
East of Los Angeles
lJHl8Ij.jpg


The original Tommy's Hamburgers location (the tiny shack in the foreground) on the northeast corner of Beverly and Rampart Boulevards west of downtown Los Angeles. Opened in May of 1946 by Tom Koulax, during the 1960s the entire lot was purchased and soon after the building in the background (on the right with the red roof) became a second service counter. Simple menu--burgers, hot dogs, and tamales, all covered in chili, with french fries (chili covered or not) and soft drinks. They now have 30 locations in California and three in Nevada, but for some reason the food isn't quite as good at the other locations; close, but not quite the same. Must be the 72 years' worth of grease on the grill. :D
 

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