NOTE: Many comments are also included on the 1999 Guestbook, which follows these letters. Click here to go there.
12/20/99
Wes, I love your site. It is a definite 2 thumbs up. Even though I was born on February 12,1976 I still live with the some 60's/70's decoration in the Vienna house my folks bought in 1976. Well, it now just amounts to the plastic tile flooring in our basement and laundry room that's supposed to look like stones.
I have to admit though it wasn't until two weeks ago that we finally got rid of the vintage 1968 ( that's when the house was built) Spanish cabinets and the harvest gold stove and refrigerator and the tacky kitchen carpet in our kitchen (our harvest gold Maytag Dishwasher bit the bullet in October of 1996 and was replaced by a more quite and efficient black GE Profile Dishwasher).
I thank god that at least by some fluke our counter tops were white instead of Brady orange. What suprises me is the fact that I remember the brand of each avocado green appliance my mother had before she decided to get with it in 1980 and update to harvest gold. (Let's see now, they were a GE Dishwasher, a GE No Frost Fridge with the top mount freezer, and a continuous clean Wards Signature Range put in by the second owners.)
We also had our share of gold rugs (or as my mom called it, "coin gold"), rust-colored rugs, tacky yellow and green floral wall paper, gold diamond print wallpaper, green shag rugs and the like. As a matter of fact, one of my most vivid memories is of our vintage 1976 family room complete with the beige and gold striped sofa and love seat (to match the coin gold rug) with the little rust throw pillows, the big maple end tables, our wooden bicentennial table lamps with the pictures of George Washington crossing the Delaware, and the orange easy chair and matching hassock we called the "Archie chair," (because when dad was not flying a trip for United it was his chair), and the dark paneling.
We had a chair we called the "Archie chair" in my house, too!
Of course we also had an octagon-shaped game table with four matching chairs that were on casters and were upholstered in gold, and my dad's 1930's style desk and whirly-gig chair which sat in the alcove. Oops, I almost forgot our 19 inch 1971 Zenith Color TV that sat on the cheesy plastic tv tray that was supposed to look kind of like the end tables. Even after we got new sofa and love seat and got rid of the paneling during the 1989 remodel still kept, and have to this day, the end tables, the lamps, and the game table and chairs (which were reupholstered to match the mauve walls and the gray rug).
Thanks for the wonderful web site and keep up the good work.
A devoted fan,
PATRICK COFFEY
12/19/99
I thoroughly enjoyed your site. I, too, have plenty of "avocado memories". My parents bought their first home in 1969 in Chicago, IL, and upgraded to everything avocado. Even the toilet and tub in the main bathroom were avocado; our rented rotary wall telephone from Illinois Bell was too! Apparently, I was just potty trained (on a white toilet) before moving into this home and was so traumatized by this green toilet that I simply refused to use it. (The second bathroom had a pink toilet, and I would not us that one either). But I spent 17 great years in that home before having to relocate, and not a trip to Chicago goes by that I don't have to make a side trip and experience some avocado memories. I have heard that the new owners refurbished and chose stark white for everything. What a shame that would be--hence my reason for not asking to see it! Anyway, keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
Adrienne Mann
Memphis, TN
12/8/99
Wes,
One of the things we all must do is eat and my family did a lot of it in LA. That is one of things that I remember the most...all the great eating places in that area.
Yes, in Los Angeles you can eat well at many different places and not spend much doing it. Northern Virginia - where I now live - is not like that.
I am going to rat each of these off and give a remembrance or two in hopes that it would clue you in as to where I am talking about:
(1) Chris and Pits (It was a barbeque place that had a unique decor of having wood shavings scattered all over the floor. I know that sounds strange but, yes, the floor was scattered with wood shavings. The barbeque there was delicious.)
I never ate there, but sawdust on the floor wasn't that uncommon. I ate at Italian places that did this.
(2) La Fiesta (This place was either in Topanga or Tarzana. This mexican restaurant had delicious food but the thing I remember the most was the extremely beautiful Mexican girl who was the hostess (circa 1967-70).
I never ate there, either.
(3) Marie Callendar's Pie Shop (Somewhere in Burbank near where the Akron store used to be on Hollywood Way was a Marie Callendar's pie shop. Right across from it was McDonald's I believe.)
The pie place I remember as being across the street from Akron was "the House of Pie." It had a Greek pi sign as a logo. We always ate at the Marie Callender's in Glendale.
Another thing we all must do one time or another is get our haircut. We lived on Hollywood Way in the early sixites. I remember my father taking me to a place to get my haircut somewhere near Hollywood Way. The only thing I remember about this place was that the barber was named Tom.
I used to get my hair cut at a place near Leonard's and Market Basket. Also at a small shop on Victory just down the street on the Lincoln St. intersection.
Also, a shoe cobbler had a shop next to him and I don't remember his name, but he looked like Glenn Strange (who played the bartender in Gunsmoke as well as the Frankenstein monster in a few Frankenstein movies.)
I once saw Glenn Strange at Bill's Ranch Market in Glendale! (It was a little shopping plaza and was themed like a Western town, with false fronts.)
We lived in a apartment complex on Hollywood Way and we had some friends that lived near us in the apartment complex next door. These friends drove an old Model T Ford (which still looked out of place even for the early 60's) and always parked it along the street on Hollywood Way. So, in your Avacado memories, if you remember this old Model T Ford car parked out somewhere along Hollywood Way, I knew the owners.
Ronny Davis
No, I don't recall a Model T, but thanks for writing! - Wes
11/23/99
Wes, how wonderful it was to read this. I've spent the last year going thru old photos and writing discriptions and the such and was going to have them scanned in at my sisters. I lived briefly in So. CA in they early/mid 70's and then was moved back to the east coast in 78, I have to say the culture shock was immense :)
I know what you mean. When I moved from Burbank to Provo, Utah, I had the same experience! It can only be described as "culture shock!"
I really enjoyed the page, laughed so hard my cats left the room on "becoming your father" (I have finally faced that I AM my mothers daughter and shall soon be my mother) and cried at the wake of your father. My mother and I did the same thing when her mother passed away, only it was just her and I, but we told stories and laughed until we really realized, death does not equal gone.
I thought it was the appropriate way to see him off. It wasn't planned - it just happened that way.
Thank you, if you ever do publish this, I hope to hear about it, I'll buy it, add it to my book collection and eventually sell it in a yard sale for a small portion of its original value :)
Much respect and
Best High Energies,
Sprite
That's how I buy most of my books nowadays... - Wes
11/18/99
Hi Wes-
I happened upon "Avocado Memories" and was absolutely impressed!! I can't believe that there isn't one publisher smart enough to print this as a book. I grew up in similar circumstances in the '60's and '70's in Lakewood, CA. The only basic difference was that everyone worked for Douglas instead of Lockheed. Nutty neighbors, tacky color schemes, scary Earl Scheib paint jobs, it's all here.
I used to think my childhood experience was unique until I started getting e-mail from readers of this web site!
I believe that it is a truism that we all eventually become our parents (some may not admit it...). Three years ago, I moved back to my childhood home. I had to do some extensive remodeling because it was so hard to be back in my childhood home after my parents died. We took up carpeting and refinished the hardwood floors-just the opposite of when my mom and dad moved in-they were so proud to have wall-to-wall carpeting!
After exploring your past, I took a look around at my own. The house may be a little more modern inside, but the view out the front window is the same (so are some of the neighbors). My best friend lives in her childhood home two blocks away, it is amazing how many of us have returned (either to our parent's houses, or buying similar houses in the same neighborhood).
I wonder if the reason is because we felt so safe when we were children. So.Cal in the '60's and the '70's was a great place to grow up.
Yes, it was... There was a lot of optimism back then.
Sure, avocado and harvest gold were not exactly the most attractive color combination, but it did show imagination! All of the new tract homes are so tasteful...where is the fun? When it comes down to it, our parents might not have had good taste, but at least they never let that stop them!
That's certainly true. I can only imagine some of the conversations my parents must have had:
Mom: "Wes, we need a tiki house connected to the pool."
Dad: "Great idea, Madeleine. Let's get some palm fronds and bamboo and get to work!"
I hope your "Avocado Memories" are published in book form, or filmed as a documentary. I think that there are so many of us out here that remember that time of our lives with warmth and love that it would be a best seller!
I hear this a lot - it's very encouraging. Thank you!
Thank you for documenting your past and sharing it!!
Denise Keef Blake
Lakewood, California
11/18/99
Hi there!!
That was great. Saw lots of things that made me laugh!! The picture of the white Christmas tree and the multi colored wheel, for instance. Reminded me of going to my aunts house when I was a kid. She STILL has the tree, without the wheel!! Anyway I grew up in St. Louis MO, and graduated a bit after you in 1980. You really saw ahead. I wish I had the pictures you did. I live in Florida now and have for the past 20 years. I was able like you, to take a tour of my childhood home in 1995. Lots of changes also for the better were done to my old house. Thanks for the memories. Great site, I will refer my friends.
Love,
Michelle
Thank you. Would you believe I saw an aluminum Christmas tree with a (horribly overpriced) color wheel for sale in a catalog recently? Couldn't believe it. - Wes
11/16/99
Yikes, that was definitely a "blast from the past", only in Michigan, the town was White Pine and the street's name was Elm! The Finnish neighbors & the lavender paint on the Rivards "company" house (White Pine Copper company built a series of houses to rent to the employees) were comparabe to your Scottish neighbors & black paint job on the house across the street from you at the time. Oh the enchanting memories you stirred up in me. Your dad & mine sounded like twins, separated at birth!
...and here I thought they broke the mold after fashioning Dad...
A couple of questions: do you know if they still make CHARMS suckers
(kind of square with a bumpy side & a flat side) and do you remember
"clackers" a toy consisting of a piece of string & an acrylic ball on
each end; the object was to "clack" the balls together as many times
possible without "missing"; I think they were pulled off of the market
due to injury complaints.
Thanks for the grin!
It seems I've had the Charms suckers you describe since I was a kid. Maybe they were given to my kids at Halloween or something. But yes, I remember them. The "bumpy side" had the same texture as the inside of a brake light.
The clackers were a toy fad in the early 70's. They made a highly-annoying, ear-splitting "crack" when they collided at high speed. I was a teen when they came out and wasn't really interested, but recall seeing them for sale at flea markets. I assume they disappeared from the market for some fairly predictable reasons. Thinking like a boy for a moment, I can find two good uses for them, both dangerous: 1) They could be flung at hapless targets in the style of a bolo, and 2) They could be used like a garrote.
I vaguely recall doing an impact test on one I had gotten my hands on. Getting up a good head of steam by grasping one ball and whirling the other a la David and Goliath, I smashed the acrylic ball as hard as I could on some concrete, causing plastic shrapnel to fly everywhere. (Years later, as a Scoutmaster, I saw a kid do this with a fish at the end of a line.)
By the way, E-Bay comes to the rescue again. Click here to see an authentic pair of these deadly clackers. $1.98 plus tax, not including medical expenses.
Wes
10/31/99
Here I was, just doing a search on an old friend whose pics I found while packing to move, seeing a blurb about "Searching for High School" clicking on which led me to Classmates.com (which I am already a non-visiting member) and I see this bit about "Avocado Memories."
Thinking it was about things avocado-colored from the 70s, I thought of telling the story of my beautiful avocado green cheap Japanese transitor radio with the brand name of "Jade" which in its black leatherette case made a great tri-corder, and seeing it was much more than that!!!
Back in 1967 I had a Panasonic transistor radio that was uniquely shaped. The dial was sideways. But I, too, thought it looked like Star Trek gear! I found a photo of one just like it on E-Bay - click here to see it.
Skimming around on the articles, noticing the "final frontier" article and reading it, you sir, and I, are brother rocketmen!!!! (My 4 year old son loves that movie, too) We didn't have that type of side load washer, but my dad had a heavy wooden desk and we had these kitchen chairs that had a grid of numbers imprinted on the bottom that looked like a control panel of switches to me as a six year old. Taking some oval couch cushions to use as walls and a hatch placed against the chair's legs, with the chair pulled out away from the desk's leg well so I could slide in like Wally Schirra into his Mercury space capsule Sigma 7, I too had many a spaceflight.
Cool!
Lucky you, that you got the Captain Action Batman and Captain America suits. I did get a Captain Action, but only found a Superman head in a trashpile. I always wanted the Phantom (*sigh*). I still have my Cap doll (plus a bunch of my GI Joes which I abused making stop motion movies). They've reissued Cap's and Dr Evil's dolls and a few of his costumes, but he's very anemic-looking and doesn't have the original detailed body (that mold was used as a C3PO ripoff doll in the late '70's). I've bought the new Flash and Ming (Ming has a beautiful costume), but they really are bad (i'll post photos early next year).
I hope to remember to visit more of your site when i have the time. Thanks
for the memory jog. Meanwhile here's a link to one of my pages I'm doing
using newer dolls: The Dr. Leonard
"Buff" McCoy Home Page
Have fun,
10/14/99
Hi Wes,
I'm not sure how I made my way onto your site, but like many others that stumbled in, I got hooked. I grew up in Huntington Beach, Ca, and you brought back a lot of memories for me as well. Your writing style is very captivating - I agree with others when they say you shouldn't give up on the idea of a book. It would go nicely on a ship's-hatch coffee table or, in my case, a big oak door with metal hinges (my coffee table in college).
Your stories also reminded me of my own bedroom growing up, with orange furniture, orange-plaid wallpaper, and avocado green carpet (my mom was a lover of green as well and had an avocado green Ford Capri). I can remember the excitement we felt when our parents (or one of the neighbors that didn't have any kids) bought a new major appliance - that meant we got a new large cardboard box, and possibly a chance to take apart a dryer or something. Anyway, I passed this on to my own father and brother to look at - I hope they enjoy it as much as I did! Thanks.
Scott
9/13/99
Hello Wes,
I was born in 1959. My parents and I moved to California in 1961 and lived on a street in Burbank (called Hollywood Way) until 1964. From 1964 to 1966, my parents lived on a street in Burbank called Niagara St. My aunt and uncle (who worked for Lockheed at the time) also lived on this street.
My friend Bob Avery lived on Niagara, and so did my wife's grandmother, once.
It was about two to three blocks down from the Lockheed plant. At one end of Niagara Street was an elementary school I used to attend called Ben Franklin Elementary School. The school seems to be closed and the school's parking lot is full of military vehicles.
When the baby boom began to peter out Burbank started to close elementary schools. My elementary school - Monterey Avenue - was turned into school offices, then turned into a remedial high school.
At the other end of Niagara street was some kind of recreational facility that had a playground and an indoor shooting range. Also, I remember a street named Frederick about two blocks down from Niagara (I remember that one because I had a crush on a girl that lived on
that street). Then, my folks moved to Sun Valley California and we lived there from 1966 to 1970. In 1970, my parents and I moved to Arkansas and I have been back only once (in 1978) for a week, but I didn't get to see much. Thus, my memories of went back on then are kinda of hazy.
But, here is what I do remember:
(1) Yes, I remember Chiller on TV. I remember the shrunken head floating in a
vat of bubbling brew and a hand pushing the head down into the brew. One
particular movie that they showed frequently on Chiller was "100 Cries of
Terror", a black and white Mexican horror film. In this movie, a man dresses
up like a wailing female ghost and tries to scare his wife into a heart
attack. I remember that Outer Limits would come on just before Chiller.
The Chiller movie I recall them playing a lot was "the Hideous Sun Demon" from 1959 or so.
(2) I remember a liquor store across the street from Lockheed called Tony's.
It was run by a guy named Tony Schlovone.
This was a major hangout for the Lockheed drunks, as I remember...
(3) I remember a commericial with crazy lyrics that would come on all the
time on a local LA station. It went like this: "Troy, Troy, What a Joy!"
Yeah, so do I! What was "Troy," though? A department store? A car dealership? I don't remember...
(4) I remember a great burger joint in Burbank where you would order your
food, and they would put these ceramic blocks (about the size of scrabble
pieces) on a flat table to identify your order. There was a big sign on top
of this burger joint showing a cartoon drawing of a man flipping burgers.
Hmmm. This could have been "Mr. Big's Burger" near the Mar-Lin-Do bowling alley on the corner of SanFernando and East Ave. (It's gone now.)
(5) Oh, how I remember George Putnam (Until ten, see ya then) and Ralph
Dunphee
I think you're confusing Jerry Dunphy and Ralph Story.
(6) I remember Paul Winchell, Jerry Mahoney's, and Knucklehead Smiff's show
on TV (slide on a slide down into what looked like a barn) and Billy Barty's
too.
(7) I remember a crazy hotel where they had large figurines that were rather
frightening in nature that were out in front. Looked like a seedy motel. I
keep thinking it was Trader Nick's or Trader Vick's or something like that.
This was Burbank's famous "Old Trapper's Lodge." I have some text about it here. You'll be happy to know those garish figures still exist.
(8) My father worked for a large retail store at the time. It was called
Akron. I think it sold a lot of foreign goods. If you could dig up some
information about this store, I would appreciate it. I also remember Zody's,
Uni-Mart, and White Front.
My Dad and I used to visit Akron every Sunday; it was on Hollywood Way between Magnolia and Chandler, not far from Albin's drug store. (It's gone now.) As you recall, it was filled with foreign-made goods, usually from somewhere in the Orient and India. It was sort of like the modern "Pier One Imports" stores. Zody's was well-known to me - it was near Burbank High School between Third and San Fernando with Delaware as a border street as well. (It's something else now - I forget what.) Uni-Mart was purchased by Lockheed around 1969, I think, and was the big building near the railroad tracks on Hollywood Blvd. I don't recall where White Front was, exactly, but I remember the store. My pal Mike McDaniel says it wasn't in Burbank but was on Victory Blvd. where the Target store is now.
(9) I remember Hobo Kelly. I remember the big clown box with the crank on it
that she would crank and toys would spill out and smoke would spill out of
the mouth as well.
Hobo Kelly is covered at the Little PartiGirl's excellent site. - Wes
Well, that does it for memory lane. If you remember these, let me know. I
also have a website trying to reunite some childhood friends from the Sun
Valley California. You can get on this website by typing in
http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/neenachst or you can find a link to it by going
to Tweeners site which is http://www.internet-resource.com/tweenerspage.htm.
Route66guy@aol.com
8/13/99
Hi there Wes,
Just spent a couple of delightful hours greedily perusing your website. It's funny, being so much younger than you (I was born in 1967), that so much of it is familiar. I mean I remember going into (other people's) houses that looked like that, inside and out. I erected plenty of cardboard architecture myself. And my husband (also b.1967) totally loved your story of "The Cruise."
I guess America has turned a corner regarding what childhood is all about. Like you, as a kid and a teen I ventured deeply into projects and themes. Sure, some were commercially-based, including manias for "Dark Shadows" and "Star Trek," but there were other subjects, like your
Arthurian phase and my Roman Republic phase, that were based in history. Or science (dinosaurs, pyrotechnics, and outer space), or fantasy (Ray Bradbury) or literature. Kids today get deeply "into" stuff, but they don't seem as individualistic about it--exploring what catches their own fancy vs. what's being sold to them--or as inventive about it. Building your own stuff, going out and messing around in the real world, instead of playing video games or going to the mall, doesn't seem to occur to them. I was always expected to entertain myself; maybe that's the difference.
I think you're probably on to something there. Part of the magic of watching the Little Rascals series for me as a kid was seeing the inventiveness of the Our Gang kids producing race cars, firetrucks, cabs and full-blown Broadway productions out of junk in vacant lots. Well, okay - what I was seeing was the producers doing all that - but I've spoken to enough people who were kids during the Depression to realize those short comedies were at least somewhat grounded in fact. The kids were poor, but so was everyone else and they made do with what was available. I did, too, to a lesser extent. (The same feel is in Mark Twain's accounts of childhood on the Mississippi: Tom Sawyer's troop of pirates and treasure-seekers, for instance.)
Imagination is a wonderful, wonderful toy.
Anyway, I'm rambling. The main reason I'm writing you is to urge you to get this thing published. I'm not kidding. You have a concise yet detail-oriented and humorous writing style, and it's clear by your archives that your material produces strong reactions in your readers. There is
definitely room for this on the bookshelf. I have a number of things at home in a similar vein that your work would fit right in with, yet yours is from a much more personal angle than most of these "celebrating retro" books. That's what makes it so compelling! The timing is perfect right now. Lots of publishers are doing more "niche" genres, and if you pitch it as retro, you should be able to get it across. I really hope you will seriously consider any offers that come along. There is a lot of interest in this type of thing now, and a personal, guided tour is the perfect concept. I for one would be happy to buy a full-color, coffee-table-book version of your website.
Best wishes,
Karen Warton
P.S. Tell your wife I loved the cookie-baking shot!
Thanks for the encouragement. I have tried getting Avocado Memories published, and while I haven't entirely given up yet, I have come to respect the process. It's tough! - Wes
8/12/99
I really have enjoyed the content of your web page. Your insights are hilarious. This would make a cool television special. Had any people expressed interest in offering you t.v. time?
I can sympathize with your predicament. I think all kids have to suffer their through their parents quirky tastes. Thanks for the effort..
Actually, a fellow claiming to be a PBS producer approached me by email a couple of times and suggested a TV documentary be done about it, but I haven't heard back from him.
Little dollar signs have since sprouted wings and flown off.
Thanks for the comments.
Wes
7/26/99
Hi Wes,
I stumbled across your page this morning, and spent an enjoyable hour or
so perusing it. I too grew up in Burbank in the 60's and 70's. We lived
on Brighton St. between Olive & Verdugo. And I am living here yet
again, up on Peyton Ave between San Fernando and Glenoaks, after
escaping and spending about 12 years in the Torrance and Long Beach
area. I graduated from Burroughs in 1977, so we are pretty close in
age, except that you went to that "other" high school!
So many of the things on your site bring back memories of my family
life. My folks weren't quite as eclectic as yours in their decorating
practices, but they had their quirks. My mom made those horrible resin
grape bunches too, as well as decorating jars, kleenex holders and other
misc. items with odd shaped globs of resin that were supposed to
resemble jewels, with some grey gunk in between them and antiqued with
gold paint. I still have one of the jars!
You'll want to keep that, I think!
My dad was a carpet cleaner
then, and we got new carpet frequently. At one point we had whorehouse
red carpet, with avocado love seats and dark brown mediterranean tables
and lamps. We had a fireplace with one of those ghastly gas logs in it
that hissed.
Mediterranean was really "in" in the late 60's/early 70's. A lot of homes in Southern California looked like Spanish torture chambers or sets from Man of La Mancha.
I loved the polynesian back yard! I recently have discovered the music
of Martin Denny, and have been transforming my little patio of my condo
into a Tiki Bar.
!!
Your folk would probably have loved it! I'm not sure
what mine are thinking, as this was their last home after selling the
house on Brighton. My mom was an immaculate housekeeper, and didn't go
in for too much "cheese" (exception: the grape clusters). They are
both gone now, and hopefully my decorating isn't causing them too much
discomfort wherever they are looking down on me!
Well, I won't ramble on too much more here, just wanted to let you know
how much I enjoyed your site, and plan to spend some more time checking
the other parts of it out. I was a T-Birds fan too! Thanks for such an
enjoyable site. Take care and drop me a line if you ever had a chance,
I'll fill you in on what's new and exciting in Burbank
Debra Mobley-Burns
"New and exciting" and "Burbank" were always warring ideas, which is why Valley kids used to drive into Hollywood.
Wes
7/25/99
Ok, I happened upon your site as a result of seaching another website's list of links. When I read the explanation of your site on your homepage, my first thought was, "Why would anyone DO something like this? Do they really think the rest of us CARE about growing up in Burbank in the 60's and 70's?" Well, curiosity got the best of me and I began scrolling through your photos and editorials about your life in Burbank. I must tell you - this has to be one of the neatest sites I've discovered in a while. Your comments are humorous, yet poignant. While I am over a decade younger than you and am a long way from Burbank (Nashville, TN), your site has sparked long-forgotten memories of my own childhood. Thank you for the walk down memory lane. Great job!! I'm going to tell friends about this site and encourage them to take a look.
Jamie Sontany
I have often questioned the wisdom of exposing my past life on a global resource in this manner, but what convinced me to do it was the reaction from people to whom I had shown the original three ring bound book. Everyone thought it was hilarious.
I then starting putting this stuff onto a web site to sort of collect my thoughts, and expand on what I had written. Now, in order to do what I had always intended to do with this material - leave an account for my kids, and their kids - I need to publish it in some way. HTML is great, but will it be around in 100 years?
Anyway, thanks for the comments!
Wes
7/23/99
Wes:
Wandered into Avocado Memories early this morning when I should have been sleeping and had a great visit...so much so, that I returned for another hit (in case I missed something on the first tour).
I'm told it takes hours to get through everything - if one should want to do that, that is!
I too, am an only child, born in 1956 of loving parents who made sure that was aware of my family history by the telling (and retelling) of countless stories. Reading through your pages was like a trip through my childhood, so many memories were stirred!
I'm glad. The family lore our parents pass on to us is precious.
Avocado was an important color scheme in my childhood also. I can still remember the day when my parents had their hard wood floors covered with avocado plush wall to wall carpeting (a step up in luxury, that)...so thrilled were they that the next step was to drop a wad of bucks on a Kirby vacuum to properly take care of the stuff. (That machine always sounded like a jet taking off, and more than once the neighbors commented on the shrill din filling the neighborhood. It also had a habit of eating the fringe on my avocado bedspread!)
We had an Electrolux that looked like a torpedo casing.
I also lived through my mother's many different "collections" (dare I call them "phases"?), such as the Avon bottle phase, the plant phase, the depression glass phase, the tropical fish phase and so on, all of which fizzled out at some point.
My mom collected in phases as well. So did I. The plastic snow globe collection on the shelves in my room was replaced by the Coke bottle collection, which was replaced by the Star Trek art collection, etc.
I could go on and on, as reading through your memories and studying the photos has brought so much to the surface of my brain, but I should call a halt here. Suffice to say that these memories are part of the tapestry of our lives, and something which should not be lost. Thank you for sharing yours with us...and sparking so many of us into organizing and cherishing our own versions of Avocado Memories.
Take care, and look forward to checking back from time to time!
Joe
PS. Tums were the antacid that kept my family on its feet!
Glad you enjoyed my site! - Wes
6/19/99
Wes,
I really, really love your site and have visited it off and on a few times.
I plan to share some memories, thoughts with you one of these days when I
have more time. I was born in 51, grew up mostly in West L.A. and later
Canoga Park, and have some of the same memories as you from that era. I
don't know if Burbank is in the L.A. school district or not...I have the
recipies for the coffeecake and cinnamon rolls that they used to serve during
"nutrition" time in the L.A. schools and would be happy to share them if that
is of interest to you..
Wanda
My wife really perked up when she heard about the recipes - sure, we'd like them. (I have since posted them here. Thanks, Wanda!) Cari says they were good and that she has fond memories of those coffee cakes. (She went through the L.A. school district, I didn't. Burbank wasn' t in the L.A. school district - it was called the "Burbank Unified School District.")
Glad you liked Avocado Memories!
Wes
6/5/99
Hey dude, cool website. For it brings us to some sort of kindred spirit together. First, i'm a Marine right now in the Corps stationed out at Camp
Lejeune, N.C. and second I'm from Glendale,Ca. I totally know all the places you've mentioned. You' ve done a great work here and I never thought a site would make me homesick. I also went to Calvary Bible church there on Alameda and Main. I can relate to the sixties and seventies thing. I have similar pictures of my own from those eras, school, girlfriends, buddies, etc. If you want to keep in touch my email address is suejohn@gibralter.net let me know what the latest is going on over there in the valley
Take care, semper fi, and California rules!!!!!!
Sgt. John D. Nichols
I would let you know what's going on in the Valley, but I don't know myself. I don't live there anymore - I now live in Springfield, Virginia!
But Semper Fi anyway! - Wes
6/5/99
Dear Wes,
Terrific site. I too grew up in So.Cal. during the 60's and 70's and your web site really hit home with me. For instance, I was a
Batman freak as well. I still own a similar picture of myself in a Batman costume much like the one in your site. I owned a Schwinn bicycle, (mine was stolen and converted into a "Chopper") and I spent many Saturday nights watching "Seymour" on channel 9. As far as your
question concerning the KTLA movie music--I Haven't a clue. The thing I most remember about the channel 5 evening movie (or whatever it was called) was that they showed that damn "War of the Gargantuas" over and over during the early 70's. Another local favorite of mine was the "Real Don Steele Show"--how I would love to get a hold of an old VHS copy of one his shows. Sorry to see that he passed away not to long ago. I'll close for now--thanks again for going to all the trouble of putting together such a fun site.
Kelly Stephens
5/31/99
I stumbled onto your site looking for info on plastic spacemen from the 50's. The first page I saw was the living room shot of the chair. I was
wondering why anyone thought their photos of an old chair would be interesting to anyone else. I could not understand why you had done this. I decided to give it a second look.
I went to the page with the tiki painted on the outside of the house, and it all started to make sense. I then went to the home page and discovered the title and the reasoning behind the site. I now understand the reason and appreciate your history you shared with us. I only wish I would have had the foresight to have done the same. Your memories have stirred a sense of nostalgia in me for the things lost in my own past. I intend to read the rest of your sight and look forward to reading any future installments. Thank you for making my day a little brighter.
Shannon
5/26/99
Wes,
Oh yeah. Dick Lane was special. And do you remember Hoppy, his sidekick who used to do the live watch commercials, dipping the timepiece into a bowl of water and then striking it onto a wooden block to show that the "sweep second hand" was still moving? Toward the end, there, I think the entire announcing booth was one giant tangle of hearing aid wires.
I really enjoy your site.
Steve Amaya
5/21/99
Hi!! This is fabulous!! I think you had a great idea and pulled it off
more than successfully.
Thank you. Avocado Memories also makes a nice three-ring bound book for my family. Now I have to wait for technology to catch up so I can produce full-color copies cheaply to give to each one of the kids and friends, etc.
I, too, have always been concerned about
preserving memories for myself and for any offspring I may have in the
future, but have never been much of a journal-keeper. This is a perfect
idea. Yet another great use for the Internet.
I'm glad you see it that way.
You have inspired me to start going through some pictures, writing
captions and seeing where it goes from there.
Great! Use good, archive-quality acid-free plastic and paper, though. And caption everything - no sense in retaining a picture if nobody will know who it is in 100 years' time. A lady selling Creative Memories stuff gave a really good presentation to me about five years ago on the subject. Prior to that I had all my photos in cheap "magnetic" pages without captions. She showed me a scrapbook from the early 1900's with nary a caption in it. Who were these people? Nobody knows!
And no, I do not sell Creative Memories supplies - I just use them. I can vouch for the binders, however. They're very well-constructed. My three kids have been poring through them for years and there's no sign of them coming apart.
Thank you and keep up the good work.
3/18/99
Hello Wes-
My friend sent me a link to your site last week with the simple introduction of: "Read This." I think I've spent the better part of last week exploring the wonderful sight you have set up. You had me laughing to myself and inspired thoughts about my own childhood. I grew up in the late seventies but childhood feelings remain the same no matter what time you grow up in. Your parents seemed like such a pair, full of life and 'carpe diem' mentality. I loved all the 'antiqued avocado' and the pictures are worth a thousand words. It is so thoughtful and creative of you to take time to give this gift to your family.
I have told most of my friends about your adventures and I have also spent a couple of dinners at home telling my parents about your tiki hut and patio adventures. I love the Rolaids and Clorox excerpts.... they definitely had me laughing.... Thank you so much for sharing your childhood with me! I have your page book marked and I'll be sure to return! Take care and have a great one!
Warmly,
Ardis
2/25/99
Avocado Memories is a very wonderful page!
Thank you.
Here I was going through another one of my insomniac phases and playing around with a search engine,trying to find a recipe for guacamole when I came across your fantastic page...and read it for the next 2 hours.
Right. Guacamole is made with avocados. See how cleverly I snare the people looking for guacamole recipes with Internet search engines? Moo haa haaaa.
I must say, as a fellow Taurus (Apr. 29th) that you have a wonderful, long memory. I only wish that I had taken more pics of our family house in
Minnesota, sold after my parents divorce and at least some of what life was like back in late 70's early 80's rural southeast MN...I try and tell my
husband (who's from Cork, Ireland) but I just can't describe it as well as a picture. I would DRAW it, being an illustrator by trade, but I can't
remember detail that well and it wouldn't do justice to it all.
Yeah, you need the pictures. I probably would have forgotten about the framed Old Spice boxes if I didn't have a photo of them hanging on the wall.
Your kids are very fortunate to have a father who's gone to all the trouble to set up this web site for posterity.
Well, I hope the appreciate it some day - but I think they will. I certainly would have!
2/10/99
Wes:
Not only have you offered those of us who grew up during the sixties a chance to look back, you have also made a major contribution to anyone wishing to better understand the culture of suburban (North) America through the sixties and seventies.
One cannot fully understand a people without examining the material culture in which they lived.
While many may look at what you have compiled as a paean to bad taste, that was what the sixties and seventies were all about!
Harvest gold and avocado forever
Michael Landa
Well, I've never thought of myself as an anthropologist, but thanks!
Wes
1/27/99
Wes--
I am in awe of your web site! I am trying to construct one of my own, but am having some difficulty, and I can see it will take more time
than I thought.
HTML took some figuring out on my part, too. (And I still don't consider myself "versed" in it.)
Anyway, I had a tough time staying out of your LANDMARK site when I had other things to do! Once in, I was hooked by your wonderful narrative! So much of your home life 'hits home' with me, though I'm a Central Ohioan with six siblings!
Great - I'm glad you enjoyed it!
One of my sisters and I shared an apartment circa 1974-76 with avocado & harvest gold kitchen appliances and dark avocado carpeting throughout! But it went together. I remember as a preschooler, one wall in our living room was covered in wallpaper of red background with grey-gold concentric squares that looked like they were made of bamboo. It reminded me TV test patterns all over the wall!
My friend Bob Avery and his wife moved into their first house in Burbank that had bluish-greenish drapes and wallpapers from the previous owners. They said it was like living under the sea.
Mama had slip covers for the furniture; they were either 'pajama' striped red-green-yellow-blue , or huge bold peony floral! My fave part of your tour, though, was MADELEINESE! As a lover and self-proclaimed student of the various dialects of English (American or otherwise), I thoroughly enjoyed this bit. I have known of folks using those same or similar speech 'mishaps.'
That being the case you'd probably like my other web site, "The Utah Baby Namer," dedicated to odd Utah naming practices and Utahnics (the art of speaking Utahn). The URL is http://wesclark.com/ubn. Be sure to sign the guestbook!
Also, I am amazed that you lived and came out of there with classical your choice of music!
My wife says I must have been a changeling.
Cheers to you!
Veritas! :o) Yvette "Vettsie" Maurey, Columbus OH
1/25/99
Dear Wes:
Throughly enjoyed your site and your gentle sense of humour. I'm sure
your parents would be very proud of what you have done.
Yours sincerely,
John Selkirk
1/24/99
In many, many years online (almost 20, in some form) this is the most time I've ever spent on any one page. I still missed a few links, and haven't seen the letters or guestbook, but you've got an autobiography here! I'm very serious...I felt immersed in the dialogue. I can't see anyone not coming here and leaving without bookmarking it.
Mark
1/3/99
I don't know how they chose your page as web waste. I have never seen
anything so strikingly similar to my life EVER...LOL. What a trip. I
loved your site and I believe every word. Too cool... I have to
congratulate you on a very fun site and a great trubute to family.
Sincerely,
1/1/99
Wes,
I remember the boys who always chose me last to play on their teams.
Me, too. But now, at age 42, I can bench 315 pounds and play rugby.
(Rather well, considering it's really a young man's game.) A lot of
Burbank high school jocks of my youth are fat and out of shape.
"Let he who laughs last, laugh best. "
I remember the bully who threatened me to get some of my Army badges.
When I was a little kid - living in Silverlake, L.A. - a black teen took
a knife to my neck and threatened to cut my throat - but I got over it.
I remember the teacher who falsely accused me of stealing her rosary from her desk.
I was singled out for constant harassment by my 5th and 6th grade
teacher. Mom was told to get me to a shrink... but I got over that, too.
I remember the prima donna physical education teachers at John Muir Junior High School who only took roll and taught nothing. I also remember being put in wood shop, metal shop and print shop and being taught nothing, although I scored at the twelfth grade level on a
seventh grade mathematics evaluation.
I was way ahead of my peers in reading speed and comprehension.
I remember the girls form the better part of town whom I had crushes on who refused to talk to me, especially the girl who said she fed the
Valentine chocolates I gave her to her dog.
I remember the boy whom I thought was my best friend who suddenly attacked me while playing football.
I had something like this happen to me, too.
I remember the principal of John Muir for threatening to call the police on me when I visited to see a former drafting teacher I liked.
My sixth grade teacher once told me she'd hoped I'd one day be "...beaten
to a bloody pulp."
But guess what? I got over it and her.
I remember your churches (I went to a different one each Sunday for awhile) for shunning a young boy, who came alone in search of
something he knew not, especially the children at Calvary Baptist Church who laughed at me for wearing Levi's to church. They were my best pants. Months later, my father chased away some church members who came to our house asking for donations.
The first time I stepped foot in a Mormon church was during a dance. I
didn't own a suit or tie, and adult leaders kept asking (suspiciously)
who I was. (I was in the Marines at the time, and was instantly
recognizable as a Marine by my haircut. You'd think they'd be grateful!)
Anyway, it took me years, but I got over it and joined that particular
church.
I remeber the bishop of the Mormon Church who had a revelation and proceeded to initiate me into the "Order of Melchisadek", freaking
out my first love, who was Jewish.
Well, whose fault was that?
I thank Burbank for showing me the absence of Christ in Christianity.
...or New York, Cleveland, Columbus, Miami, London, Paris or just about
any other place on earth!
I thank Burbank for teaching me about bigotry and racism at a young age, although I didn't understand it until many years later. It prepared
me for life in America.
Okay. Now, having been taught about it I presume you're teaching yourself
- and others - that it's wrong.
I thank Burbank for its trash cans, which I used to rummage through regularly, amazed at the undamaged toys I found, which I brought home
to my sister.
Yeah, I used to go trashing, too, with Mike McDaniel. And my mom and I
and the DeTollas used to do it, too. It was fun!
I thank Burbank for the jobs it provided, beginning at age twelve, first, delivering newspapers, and later, working in a sash and door mill. Work has continued to be my consolation and my anchor.
How about family? Hobbies? Friends? For me, work is a means to an end.
Our family moved from Burbank when I was old enough for high school. Had we stayed, I'm sure Burbank would have taught me more. However, I don't plan on ever returning.
--Robert Wilson (John Muir Junior High class of 1956)
Geez. Didn't you get anything POSITIVE out of life in Burbank?
Wes
1/1/99
Hi Wes,
I found about your page thru the GeoCities Heartland page. No wonder
they picked yours for a Landmark Site. It's a great site. Some of the
pics of your living room and den remind me of an aunt's decorating in
the 70's. Brings back a lot of memories. Thanks for sharing your home
with all of us.
LMA
Mirabai Knight - 12/11/99 15:54:19 Comments: Comments: Comments:
My site, Tulsa TV Memories, was partially
inspired by your great site. I, too, have mined
eBay for images. Remember the old Ronco and
Popeil products sold on TV in the 60s and 70s?
"Ads" for them now appear at the bottom on my
pages about old Tulsa TV shows!
I found a solution to the Guestbook dropping
letters: get a new, non-Yahoo guestbook.
I am using GuestWorld.
It is a little tricky setting up the Deluxe
Guestbook, but worth it.
Thanks once again for your great writing!
Thank you!
People, if you haven't been there yet you really ought to visit Tulsa TV Memories at the URL listed above, a wonderful site. I especially liked reading about Betty Boyd's and Lewis Meyer's TV shows - all the best stuff is on local TV, I think! - Wes
Bobbie Forbes - 12/10/99 18:29:23 Comments:
Sincerely
CF Wendel
cwazyfrank.com
Nashville, TN.
Audrey Bartholomew
Best wishes,
Danica King
Toronto, Canada
Angie Johnson
1999 Guestbook Comments
My URL:http://www.sjca.edu/~cnidarae
My Email:teticscetic@altavista.net
Howdy! Nice site -- I've always been impressed with the retro touch, seeing as I'm a child of the wormwood glitz 90's. What I wonder is if you know my brothers -- William and Robert Knight, sons of Bob and Karin Knight? Had a dog named Juliet, fabulous floofy afros, and the sweetest habit of blowing things up in the backyard? They also took Jiu-Jitsu, and owned th' requisite avocado tree. See, I was born in 1981, and moved from sweet old Burbank to Montana in '84, but they lived there for most of their youth. I think the street was called "California City", but I'm not sure. For a year or two it was Lake View Terrace, but Burbank saw them through grade school and few years of high school. I've heard of a teacher called Mrs. Yoder. Do you know her? William was the one who dressed up in a storm trooper outfit and declared himself the sidewalk police. Li'l bastid, I know. If you (or anyone else reading this) knew them, I'd be tickled if you mailed me about it. I'd love to hear all the dirt I missed just cause I had the damned luck of being born 18 years after them. A fine page, though, regardless. Shine on!
yours,
Mirabai Knight
Linda - 12/11/99 06:44:44
My URL:http://homepages.go.com/~saoirsemc/saoirsemc.html
My Email:moosetingle@yahoo.com
Too funny! Thanks and happy holidays.
Mike Ransom - 12/10/99 21:36:58
My URL:http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Network/8226
"Sixfinger, Sixfinger, man alive!" Pretty funny.
I hadn't remembered that either, until you put it
on your site. Thanks!
My Email:Azure@fastlane.net
I've enjoyed my visit to your site. Almost all of it reminds me of my own life in Long Beach, just a few miles from where you were.
One L.A. TV show memory I have may also be one of yours.. Hobo Kelly. She was the after-school cartoons show host that dressed like a Hobo. She would dump "trash" consisting of broken lamps, etc. into a machine (probably a painted fridge box) and out o
the box on a moving belt would come these new toys she would give away to her TV audience if you sent in your address and were chosen.
Maybe you don't remember it, but I was compelled to share.
"Thanks for the memories"
Bobbie
gail - 12/03/99 20:42:10
My Email:heinsite@bwn.net
Comments:
What fun. There's a lot of comfort to be had in Avacado land. I loved the tribute to Rolaids
Bunny-Bunny - 11/30/99 13:53:12
My URL:http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Sparta/7844/RAOK-Garden.html
Comments:
Nice site---wish we all wrote and documented family life growing up.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
Greg - 11/29/99 08:26:33
My URL:http://now.at/DustySpringfield
My Email:greg@gravity.net.au
Comments:
Hi Wes,
Your site is great. A fantastic idea that I bet many others, such as myself, would love to be able to do. I was 16 in 1966.
Take care,
Greg...Melbourne Australia
B.J. - 11/27/99 14:14:50
My Email:beachbebe38@webtv.net
Comments:
I know where you are coming from. Memories are the best thing when you are older and try to explain the past to your kids. Without pictures then there is no other way to really remember it all.
Grace - 11/27/99 01:55:10
My Email:saygrace@juno,com
Comments:
Very interesting
Lise - 11/26/99 20:48:14
My URL:http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/9729
Comments:
nice
Kathy F. - 11/24/99 08:11:20
My URL:http://www.geocities.com/azdogrescue
Comments:
Your site is priceless! I can't believe I'm still up at 1 am reading it. I hope you keep it up forever. Or at least long enough for me to laugh through the rest of it at a more reasonable hour. I'm a decade younger than you, but still, your memories are c
ose enough to my own--in spite of the fact that we grew up on opposite coasts--that I'm delighted to browse through them. Avocado green -- we had those flour and sugar canisters in avocado green, as well as a stove and fridge. And harvest gold on the wall
. Ah, the memories. ;-)
My father tore out a wall that divided the kitchen from the dining room, intending to finish it some day. He finally got around to it when he had to sell the house. I wish I had photos of every room there, and us in them.
You have such a treasure in these pages. I hope you have them printed in an album somewhere as well.
Thanks. Great site.
Kitty - 11/17/99 05:21:18
Comments:
Just wanted to say hi Hope everyone is O K
I Love you Send Me a Christmas Card
Hey, Kitty! Everyone is fine. Send me your e-mail address; I don't have it. (This is the same Kitty that has the great flip hairdo in my "Cast of Characters," by the way.) - Wes
Pamela D. Hudson - 11/16/99 16:03:40
My URL:http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Garden/9946/
My Email:redbird@accessatc.net
Comments:
Hi Wes!
I grew up in Titusville, Florida during The Space Age and am wishing right now that I had documented all the important events that happened at that time. 'Course, I doubt that I could pen words as well as you have. Thanks for letting me view your old home
site. I don't care to remember mine (too painful--mother died in 1966 and father was a bully). Life is MUCH better now for me! Anyway, have a wonderful day! :)
Dave Kollar - 11/15/99 18:16:00
My Email:davekollar@msn.com
Comments:
Nice website! Burbank is a great place to be, I hope i never have to leave. You can't buy houses here for $18,000 anymore, but I think you can still get a parking space for that.
You can barely get a new car for that! - Wes
Larry Boer - 11/14/99 05:11:22
My Email:babak8630@home.com
Comments:
What a treasure for your kids! You have done an awesome job of preserving your memories for the future and I'm overwhelmed by the effort (and your success with it). I need to find the time (and expertise) to do the same. I'm 46, joined the AF in 71 f/5 ye
rs and now fly commercially.We have two boys,two girls.
Thanx very much for sharing your early years. The Avocado pages were wonderfully evocative. I had to know who did this effort so I pressed on to your "This and That". Many thanx again.
Larry
Ellen - 11/14/99 04:54:48
My Email:EllenPoole@aol.com
Comments:
Today, Southern California is a zoo. I don't like to visit college friends who live there. Had a great time while in college in Southern Cal in the early 70's. But now the people who run the school systems there want to tell your kid who she/he can bring
o the prom. The population of the United States will be about 340 million in only 20 years. I'm happy my kid is living in Alabama, where people still have a little space and some freedom. Soon I may join her there. Ellen (46 years old).
liz - 11/13/99 22:28:49
My Email:birdie@wirefire.com
Comments:
found your website quite by accident, I like your quirky sense of humour. I just turned 41, boo-hoo. But it is always fun to go back to the good old days. I can hardly believe that kind of furniture once existed.
Donella - 11/13/99 18:37:19
My URL:http://www.geocities.com/usmcspencers/
My Email:donella@bigfoot.com
Comments:
Stumbled onto your page... gotta say I enjoyed it :-) I was born in '57 in "The Valley", moved to Orange County in '70. We had so many of the same little quirky things in our homes! Notably, the avacado and harvest gold everything, the horse harness-ty
e equipment on the walls, the crocheted afghans, and that Spanish Galleon painting (I swear we had the EXACT same one!). Thanks for the memories :-) Although I am now living in my mother's house, clearing it out for sale, and have physical possesion of
any of the items I remember... I swear, my parents haven't thrown out anything since the 50's!
Athos - 11/11/99 11:53:30
My URL:http://members.tripod.com/Athos77/index.html
Comments:
Interesting...good pics. Didn't have time to look at everything, but I'll definately stop back.
The Queen - 11/11/99 05:48:28
My Email:rmt57@gateway.net
Comments:
Hey Wes,
Love your website. I live in Burbank with my two daughters...its changed a bit since you were a kid, but its a nice place to raise a family. I think we grew up in an era that is long gone... thanks for the memories.
Laura Landmark - 11/11/99 01:12:39
My Email:lmccuan@uswest.net
Comments:
I Love your site! It reminds me of my own Childhood growing up in Downey & Bellflower California. I too have pictures of the houses we lived in - interior & exterior and love to look at them. I really miss those old days, things (and people's values) ha
e changed so much. I often wished my own kids could experience the same things I did as a child.
Thanks for the memories!!
- 11/10/99 06:40:11
Comments:
11/09/99 20:17:31
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