The show goes on: Arcadia Theater renovation gets finishing touches
From The Kerrville Daily Times: Somewhere in the future, when they look at the history of Kerrville, it might be 2020 that’s looked upon as a time when so much happened, and when the city was transformed into a destination place for the arts.
For decades, the Arcadia Theater was one of the focal points of life in downtown Kerrville, bringing people in for vaudeville shows in its early days and then to movies, but it’s now been closed for so long that it’s hard to remember that it was once a viable entertainment venue.
San Diego’s best roadside attractions
Harper’s Topiary Garden: The hilly front slope in front of Alex and Edna Harper’s home has for more than 25 years been a living sculpture garden. Matthew Suarez
From the San Diego Reader: Bushy beasts, a heavenly meal, a giant lemon, a brutal murder, and so much more. Join us for a road trip to see some of San Diego’s more unusual sights.
Roadside attractions have been an integral part of America’s car culture since the first highways were built in the 1920s. Some were established to attract travelers; others just happened to become popular stop-off points because of what occurred there at some time in the past.
Just outside Amarillo, Texas, off Highway 40, is the Cadillac Ranch, a row of vintage Cadillacs stuck headfirst into the ground. The quirky roadside attraction was immortalized by Bruce Springsteen in the 1981 song of the same name.
Roadside America salutes Lake County oddities
Superdawg in Wheeling features two giant hot dog people on the roof. The “dawgs” are listed in RoadsideAmerica.com. Nick Kindelsperger / Chicago Tribune
From the Chicago Tribune: The hawk in a nest at Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve is likely the biggest one most folks will ever see. It’s actually a walk-through exhibit about the life of a red-tailed hawk.
Blogger and former Lake County resident Amy Evenstad describes the display as a “mini-amphitheater complete with observation telescopes and interpretive signs about avian architecture, red-tailed hawk family life, predator adaptations and more.”
After years of inactivity, the Rialto Theater is coming back to life beautifully.
The Rialto Theatre. Photo – Marina Khrustaleva
From Colorado Boulevard.net: The owners are literally peeling back layers of paint to reveal its past. Starting in early 2020, the owner of Rialto Theatre, Shomof Group, has been working on the repair and restoration of the exterior of the building with assistance from Escott O. Norton/Friends of the Rialto. The Shomof Group is a real estate developer with extensive experience in restoring historic buildings in downtown Los Angeles. A few of the restoration and adaptive reuse projects done by the Shomof Group include Spring Tower Lofts at 639 South Spring Street, the Premiere Towers at 621 South Spring Street, and Hotel Alexandria at 501 South Spring Street.
Echo Park’s Iconic House of Spirits Sign Has Been Rescued by the Museum of Neon Art
Eric Lynxwiler
From Los Angeles Magazine: Folks wandering by Sunset Boulevard and Echo Park Avenue this morning may have noticed that the puffy clouds drifting overhead were made of steel and hanging from a crane. The iconic collection of vintage 1950s signage was removed from the House of Spirits today by Glendale’s Museum of Neon Art and will be restored by the museum, which hopes to eventually put them on display near their current location.
The Telis family, who has owned the building for 50 years and ran the neighborhood store for much of that time, donated the storybook house with the crooked chimney, white picket fence, and neon tree after many months of negotiations with the museum.