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All posts for the month June, 2010

Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlours

Posted by ksquaredno15 on June 30, 2010
Posted in: Eateries, Foods. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

Farrell's LogoFarrell's Ice Cream Parlour

Who doesn’t remember Farrell’s! Ahhh, the Pig Trough, the Zoo, any kid would be in 7th heaven, I surely was. In my younger days, we would go to the location in Van Nuys, California because that was the closest one to where I lived at the time. Then when I was older, there was a location in Torrance, California that I went to. I vaguely remember that they had sirens going when they literally ran the “Zoo” out to your table on like a wooden stretcher. Great fun! :)

After I became an adult, all of the Farrell’s local to us, closed down and we didn’t hear anything more about them again. Well, while doing my research for this post, I had discovered that Farrell’s is making a comeback and as they put it, “…to stay true to the philosophies upon which the original company was founded”.

Here’s something else I did not know, from 1971 to 1985, the Marriott Corporation had owned the company.
For much more details about Farrell’s History, click the link to their website:
http://www.farrellsusa.com/history-of-fun.php

How To Leave Us Comments

Posted by ksquaredno15 on June 30, 2010
Posted in: Info. Leave a Comment

I’ve been asked how to leave a comment or reply to a post.

One way is to look at the end of the post you want to comment on and there is a link that indicates how many comments there are for a particular post. If no comments have been made, then it will read as “No Comments”. Simply click on this link and it will allow you to leave a comment.

Another option is to click on the title of the post you want to comment or reply to, your selected post will be displayed, scroll down, and you can type in a comment or reply in the “Leave a Reply” area.

To return to all of the posts, you can either click on your browsers Back button or click on the “Yesteryear Remembered” title at the top of the screen.

Vac-u-Form

Posted by ksquaredno15 on June 29, 2010
Posted in: Toys. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a Comment

Mattel Vac-u-form box

I bet this is one toy my mom and dad wished I never got. Every time I used it, the house was filled with the unmistakable smell of melting plastic, and in some cases, burnt plastic.

It was a very cool toy, despite the smell. It works very similarly to the processes used in commercial vacuum forming. You heat up a thin sheet of plastic over the built in heater, once it becomes really soft, you flip the plastic frame over the mold you want to duplicate, then pump the lever to create a vacuum that sucks the plastic sheet down onto the mold, where it takes the shape of the mold.

There were times that I left the plastic sheet over the heater way to long and it would droop down and melt (and burn) onto the heater.

Hmm, wonder whatever happened to my Vac-u-Form.

Here’s a YouTube video of a person using the Mattel Vac-u-Form:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aat5m46RE1s

Click the link below for more info from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vac-u-form

Lawry’s California Center

Posted by ksquaredno15 on June 29, 2010
Posted in: Eateries. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a Comment

Lawry's California Center logoLawrys California Center EntranceLawry's California Center fountainLawry's California Center dining area

It’s amazing how vivid a memory can be, even after decades have passed. I went to Lawry’s California Center in Los Angeles a few times back in the ’70s and ’80s, and I still remember the ambience/hacienda style decor of the place and that the food was excellent. I especially liked one of their side dishes, “Lawry’s Sour Cream Tortilla Casserole”, it was sooo good.

I’d say it’s a pretty good indicator how popular the food was (actually, it was the side dishes, because the main course was basically a grilled steak or chicken), because of the knock off recipes you find in abundance on the web, even after the center has been closed for years.

Here’s the recipe for the “Lawry’s Sour Cream Tortilla Casserole”. This came directly from the Lawry’s website back in 2003. I could no longer find it there at the time of this post.

“Lawry’s Sour Cream Tortilla Casserole”

A favorite side or meatless dish that used to be served at Lawry’s® California Center, before it’s closing.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 to 50 minutes
Lawry’s Products Needed:
Lawry’s® Seasoned Pepper
Lawrv’s® Taco Spices & Seasonings

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups chopped onion, divided
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. EACH) diced tomatoes, with juice
1 package (1 oz.) Lawry’s® Taco Spices & Seasonings
1/4 cup chunky salsa
12 corn tortillas
1 pound shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/2 cups sour cream
Lawry’s® Seasoned Pepper

In medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium high heat and cook 1/2-cup
onion until tender. Add tomatoes, Taco Spices and Seasonings and salsa. Bring to a
boil; reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, 15 minutes. In small skillet, fry tortillas
lightly, one at a time, in small amount of oil, 10 to 15 seconds on each side. In
bottom of 13x9x2-inch baking dish, pour 1/2 cup sauce. Arrange layer of tortillas over
sauce; top with 1/3 EACH of sauce, onion and cheese. Repeat layers 2 times.
Spread sour cream over cheese. Sprinkle lightly with Seasoned Pepper. Bake in
325 degree oven 25 to 30 minutes. Cut into squares to serve.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Variation: Lawry’s® Spices & Seasonings for Chili (1.62 oz.) may be substituted for
Taco Spices & Seasonings. For fewer calories, do not fry tortillas.

Enjoy!

Lost In Space

Posted by ksquaredno15 on June 29, 2010
Posted in: Television. Tagged: , , . Leave a Comment

Anybody remember the television show, Lost In Space?
Great science fiction show from the ’60s, I use to watch it all the time. Although looking back, I have to admit, it was a bit corny, but entertaining just the same. My favorite characters were Dr. Zachary Smith and the robot (“Danger Will Robinson”). My sister of all people, had one of the toy reproductions of the robot (see similar toy in attached photo). The show only lasted for 3 seasons and succumbed to budget cuts, so they say. You can read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_in_Space

Lost in Space CastLost in Space toy robot

Van de Kamp’s Restaurant

Posted by ksquaredno15 on June 28, 2010
Posted in: Eateries, Foods. Tagged: , , , , . 27 comments

I don’t remember what I ate here, I don’t remember what the interior of the restaurant looked like, but I do remember the restaurant looked like a Dutch windmill on the outside. The Van de Kamp’s we use to go to was on the corner of Fletcher Drive and San Fernando Road in Glassell Park, a suburb of Los Angeles. One of my favorite frozen dinners that my mom use to make for me (Ok, she heated up for me), was the Van de Kamp’s enchiladas. I’m not sure if they served these in the restaurant though. Hmmm, talk about memory fade. The photo of the windmill (they sure don’t make buildings like this anymore) is of a Van de Kamp’s in Arcadia, California, but similar to the one on Fletcher Drive, and the other photo is of the main bakery that was just South of the restaurant.

Does anyone remember Van de Kamp’s Dutch Girl Cookies?

Updated: Novemeber 5, 2012:
I get comments from people about how much they liked the Dutch Girl Cookies, so I searched online and found a recipe with the same name. I haven’t made it yet, but was hoping someone would try it and send me a comment on how it tasted.

DUTCH GIRL COOKIES
Yield: About 5 dozen

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk
Lemon oil; see cook’s notes
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
1 1/2 cups coarse sugar

Cook’s notes: Add just a drop of lemon oil for a hint of citrus. Lemon oil can be found at Williams-Sonoma stores.

Procedure:
1. Mix together the flour, milk, lemon oil, yeast and salt until combined. Using an electric mixer, add butter one piece at a time, beating for one minute after each piece is added. Dough will be very smooth and elastic. Remove the dough from the mixer, place it in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate it for at least two hours. Can be refrigerated overnight.

2. Sprinkle a work surface heavily with coarse sugar. Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time (keep the other half refrigerated) use a rolling pin to roll out the dough on the sugar covered surface as thinly as possible, adding additional sugar to the work surface when needed. Halfway through rolling, turn dough over to coat the other side with coarse sugar.

3. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into squares or diamonds, about 2 1/2 inches in size. Note: Don’t make the cookies too large, or the edges may brown before the middle is baked.

4. Transfer the cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining dough. Bake cookies for 45-50 minutes or until a deep, golden brown (but not burned). Remove them from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack immediately, so as not to stick to the parchment.

Note from yesteryearremembered.com: 45-50 minutes seems like a long time to bake a thin cookie like this, I would keep an eye on it while baking.

Van de Kamps WindmillVan de Kamps Bakery 1930

Griffith Park Southern Miniature Railroad

Posted by ksquaredno15 on June 28, 2010
Posted in: Entertainment. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a Comment

Located next to the Griffith Park Pony Rides, the Southern Miniature Railroad is great fun for children of all ages. I use to go on both the train and the pony rides when our family visited Griffith Park. I recollect that the train crossed over a wooden bridge and through wooded areas and you passed by cars traveling along Los Feliz Blvd. I can’t imagine what it costed back then to ride the train, if it’s only $2.50 today. Great bargain! Click on the links below for more information.

Southern Miniature Railroad

http://www.laparks.org/dos/parks/griffithpk/sorailroad.htm
http://www.daytrippen.com/

Kelbo’s Hawaiian Restaurant

Posted by ksquaredno15 on June 27, 2010
Posted in: Eateries. Tagged: , , . 1 comment

I don’t remember a lot about this restaurant except that it was very tropical or Polynesian looking inside with fishing nets, tikis and colored lighting to set the mood. I do remember that a group of us ordered a drink that came in a huge bowl (like a big plastic salad mixing bowl) and it had really, really long plastic straws to match.

The Kelbo’s I went to was on Pico Blvd in Los Angeles. The link below explains more about Kelbo’s and how it got it’s name.
http://theyalwayscomeback.blogspot.com/2008/01/kelbos.html

Original Tommy’s Hamburgers

Posted by ksquaredno15 on June 27, 2010
Posted in: Eateries. Tagged: , , , , , . 1 comment

What can I say about Tommy’s, except…Yummy!!!
Founded on May 15, 1946, and situated on the corner of Beverly Blvd and Rampart in Los Angeles is THE original Tommy’s Burger stand, it’s so small, if you blink or sneeze while driving by, you’ll miss it.

Back in high school (1970′s), this use to be a big night time hangout spot to grab a bite. Back then, they not only served their burgers from the tiny stand on the corner, but also from the building that is set back from the street (not sure if they still serve from this building). We would wait in line to place our order at the window and wait a bit more as they so expertly crafted our burgers to order. Ahhh, chili cheeseburger with fries and a drink. My mouth is salivating as I write this.

Within the last year, me, a friend and his sons stopped by the original stand to get a burger before a concert.
Could this possibly be the start of a new generation at the old hot spot?

Griffith Park Pony Ride

Posted by ksquaredno15 on June 27, 2010
Posted in: Entertainment. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a Comment

I was only a toddler when me and my family went to ride on the ponies at Griffith Park. The ponies have special saddles/harnesses to accommodate small children so they won’t fall off. And if I recollect correctly, you could pick if you want a slower or faster horse too. Once you’re strapped in securely, you wait in line till it’s your turn to make your way around the path (it was just a circle). I remember when the horses were side by side, my legs would get pinned between the two horses. It didn’t hurt, but at that age it had me a little concerned being smashed between two huge animals.

http://www.laparks.org/dos/parks/griffithpk/ponyrides.htm