‘Bit of a ghost town vibe:’ South of the Border visitors say attraction’s upgrades are much needed
From WMBF: DILLON COUNTY, S.C. – First-time and repeat visitors to South Carolina’s most iconic roadside attraction say it could use some upgrades.
Thankfully for them, South of the Border in Dillon County is.
“We would see the billboards, 300 miles, 299 miles, 298 and then it’s like ‘Oh my God, they think this place is Disneyland’ and then you come here and you go ‘Okay, it’s something different,’” visitor Frank Malia said.
Renovations are currently underway at the rest stop and attraction off Interstate 95. They’ve already torn down what was an ice cream shop and a T-shirt store to make way for some of the new upgrades.
LA Preservationists Cringe as Unpermitted Renovation Threatens Historic Pig ‘n Whistle
Outside of Pig ‘n Whistle in Hollywood in 2014. AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
From Eater Los Angeles: The legendary Hollywood restaurant Pig ‘n Whistle has closed as a result of the ongoing global pandemic. What’s more, the historic space at 6714 Hollywood Boulevard appears to be undergoing an unpermitted renovation from Mexican chain restaurant Tempo Urban Kitchen, which has not opened yet. Last week, workers were seen removing parts of the classic facade and signage from the nearly century-old building known for its vintage British pub-inspired decor, though some preservationists are saying the work is being done without city approval. LA historian Alison Martino posted a photo of a stop work order dated October 25 that demanded all renovation to cease until the operator obtained approvals from Building and Safety and other departments.
New Train Depot Opens On Route 66 In Tulsa
From News on 6: TULSA, Oklahoma – The City of Tulsa opened a $3 million dollar train depot Friday at the Route 66 Historic Village in West Tulsa.
The project is part of the Vision Tulsa package approved by voters. Just before the ribbon was cut, Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum talked about capitalizing on the tourism of Route 66.
“Everybody in Tulsa believes in what we’re trying to do on Route 66 in our community,” said Bynum.
The Rise of the Designer Deli
Paula Scher’s illuminated signage for Shelly Fireman’s USA Brooklyn Delicatessen in Midtown Manhattan. James Shanks
From The New York Times: Nothing says “New York” like a shabby shop that sells lox and bagels. But as the city’s delicatessens were threatened with extinction, a new species was unleashed.
Vicki Bodwell is an internet retail executive who moved to New York City from Texas in the late 1980s. Over breakfast recently, she told me in great detail about the very authentic bagel shop in TriBeCa where her family likes to go on Sunday mornings. As she spoke, I was thinking that there was a limit to how deep this shop’s roots could be. New York has many historically Jewish neighborhoods, but TriBeCa isn’t one of them.
The bagel shop in question, Zucker’s, is in fact the original outpost of a six-store chain, opened in 2006. And its revised approach to Jewish cuisine — the bagels are hand-rolled, but you can get them with bacon — is part of a broader trend in which all forms of ethnic food are regarded as the raw material for 21st-century artisanal tinkering.
‘Full House’ no more: Iconic St. George motel goes out with a bang before demolition
An undated postcard picture taken sometime in the mid-20th century of what was then Hail’s Motel before it became the Dixie Palm motel. Photo courtesy of the Washington County Historical Society, St. George News
From The St. George News: ST. GEORGE — There won’t be a full house at the corner of St. George Boulevard and 200 East anymore.
On Wednesday, Dixie Palm Motel’s neon sign came down, marking the end of 74 years the motel has provided lodging, serviced motorists on Highway 91 and, at one point, even became part of the Oklahoma City bombing investigation.
The motel’s distinctive neon sign included the words “Full House” instead of “No Vacancy.” But the upkeep required to maintain the historical motel had become more expensive than any revenue that could be generated from the motel’s 15 rooms, said Shayne Wittwer, CEO of Wittwer Hospitality, which owns the motel and two others on the boulevard.
The Clown Motel Is Known As The ‘Scariest Motel In America,’ But Is It Scary Or Just Unconventional?
From The Travel: There’s seemingly no end to ‘scary’ places throughout the U.S. and when it comes to hotels that have a reputation, there are a few that come to mind. One is the hotel that inspired The Shining, The Stanely, in Estes Park. Another is the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast, which has an unusually eerie reputation for obvious reasons. However, there is another that many people forget about when it comes to places they’d rather not spend the night: the Clown Motel.
This motel is located in Tonopah, Nevada, and it’s garnered quite a reputation due to its, er, ‘unique’ decor. Not only is the entire motel clown-themed but it’s also full of clown dolls and figures, which automatically makes it ten times creepier than necessary. But is this motel really that scary, or does it just play on the figments of guests’ imaginations?