VanNice Travels: Random Road Finds

HARVEY HOTEL

Originally trains in the west did not offer meals leaving passengers to fend for themselves at mealtimes. The situation gave rise to exploitation and passengers were soon victimized by poor food and high prices. Fred Harvey decided to improve service by establishing a series of restaurants on the Santa Fe lines. Trains would stop, allowing passengers to get a good meal for a reasonable price in clean surroundings.

The Fred Harvey Company would hire women of good moral character, have at least an eight grade education, display good manners, be neat, and articulate to work in his restaurants. In return for employment, the Harvey Girls would agree to a 6-month contract, agree not to marry, and abide by all company rules. Harvey Girls were women who brought respectability to the job of waitressing. They often left the protection and proverty of home for travel and adventure.

The Barstow "Casa del Desierto" is a great stop as there is a railroad museum and the Route 66 Mother Road museum here also and all are free.

Dinosaur car in a field outside Barstow... Don't ya want one of these?

Famous Baker, California thermometer! We actually had lunch at "The Mad Greek's" restaurant and it was a fun place! Can only imagine what it was like in its heyday when movie stars frequented the place. Lots of photographs from the 60s and 70s.

KIMI JAPANESE RESTAURANT

Tiger roll with shrimp... so yummy!

Tempura and more for two served in a wooden boat!

Desert tortoise in Joshua Tree.

SMITH'S RANCH DRIVE-IN

We saw this drive-in and just had to go, just like we remembered them to be - minus the speakers on posts (just posts!). Had fun watching "Paddington".

Golden apatosaurus and...

T-Rex too!

I like this roadrunner graphic on the side of an apartment complex.

And world's smallest...

Entire inside!

Artist Shari Elf owns the museum and started collecting the crocheted poodles as a child until it grew into this larger collection!

PALM SPRINGS

Oh, there is nothing so beautiful as bougainvillea in bloom!

NOAH PURIFOY ASSEMBLAGE SCULPTURES

Pick up a self-guided tour here...

Noah PURIFOY was born in Alabama in 1917; he became one of the country's most profound assemblage sculptors. He was founder and first director of the Watts Towers Arts Center in the 1960s and in 1976 was appointed to the California Arts Council where he created and administered the Artist-in-Communities, -Schools, and -Prisons programs for eleven years. He is known for the ground-breaking "66 Signs of Neon" traveling exhibit created from 2 tons of debris from the city of Los Angeles following the Watts Riots in 1965.

In 1989 Noah moved to Joshua Tree, California. From 1989 until his death in 2004 he filled ten acres of his high desert studio with assemblage sculptures.

BAND WAGON