Category Archives: California

Feb. 8: Vineland Drive-In, City of Industry CA

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Vineland Drive-In marquee and main screen

photo by jericl cat, from the Carload Flickr pool

It’s Day 39 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey. I stayed in the Los Angeles area, driving just a few minutes northeast till I reached the Vineland Drive-In in City of Industry CA.

The Vineland opened in 1955 and has stayed active ever since. It switched to digital projection in 2013.

Good news: The Vineland was open on a February Wednesday, and had four screens to choose from. Bad news: I had already seen all four early movies. Good news: One of them was Hidden Figures, an Oscar-nominated film that I hadn’t seen for over three weeks. Of all the movies to watch a second time, that would be my choice.

Miles Today / Total:  17 / 4859 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: Hidden Figures / 29

Nearby Restaurant: It’s about three miles away, but I had to experience a perfect example of roadside Americana at The Donut Hole in La Puente. It’s open from early morning to late, late night, and the donuts are great, but the important thing is to be able to say that you drove through two donut holes to order and pick up your donuts.

Where I Virtually Stayed: Less than three miles away on Puente Avenue was the Courtyard Los Angeles Baldwin Park, which was of course in Baldwin Park. There was a microwave and mini fridge in my room, so I could save drive-in leftovers for breakfast with the coffee I brewed.

Only in City of Industry: According to Wikipedia, City of Industry is a narrow, mostly east to west suburb that hosts over 2,500 businesses but only 219 people. It was incorporated in 1957 to prevent surrounding cities from annexing industrial land for tax revenue. Its few residences either existed before incorporation, or are on properties near Industry Hills Golf Club, Industry Hills Recreation Center, or City Hall. There are also a few people who live at the city-owned nursing home.

Next Stop: Mission Tiki Drive-in Theatre, Montclair CA.

Feb. 7: Paramount Drive-In Theatres, Paramount CA

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It’s Day 38 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey. I reached the Los Angeles area, starting with the theater closest to the previous day’s stop in San Diego. It took a solid two hours to drive north to the Paramount Drive-In Theatres of Paramount CA.

This drive-in opened as the Roadium Drive-In in 1947, just before the post offices of Hynes and Clearwater were merged to form then-unincorporated Paramount. It closed in 1992, but the Paramount was reborn in April 2014, just behind the Bianchi Theatres on Rosecrans Avenue.

The concession stand had pizza and other meals along with the usual suspects for snacking (especially the popcorn), and I enjoyed the video games before the show started.

On one hand, I was glad that the Paramount was open on a Tuesday night in February. Probably only a quarter of US drive-ins were open last night. But what a tough choice! I could watch Rings again, but it’s not my favorite genre and it’s actually not a very good movie. My only other choice was Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. So that’s what I saw for second night in a row and the fourth time in nine nights. New releases come Friday, and I’ll try to hold out till then.

Miles Today / Total:  123 / 4842 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: Resident Evil: The Final Chapter / 28

Nearby Restaurant: Just a short trip west down Rosecrans Avenue brought me to El Compa, a great place for Sinaloan style Mexican food. I went for the bistec ranchero, or steak simmered in ranchera sauce.

Where I Virtually Stayed: Nothing was really close to the Paramount, which is ringed by budget hotels about three miles away in each direction. Fortunately, I found something that’s like a four-leaf clover, a Motel 6 with positive reviews. (I know they exist; they’re just not as common as I’d like.) The one south of the drive-in near Bellflower Plaza worked fine and saved me enough cash for a real breakfast somewhere else in the morning.

Only in Paramount: Paramount is the birthplace and home of the Zamboni Company, started by Frank Joseph Zamboni Jr., inventor of the ice resurfacing machine. Zamboni manufactures and sells the machines worldwide. Since 1939 the Zamboni family has also operated Iceland, an ice skating rink with improvements patented by Frank Zamboni.

Next Stop: Vineland Drive-In, City of Industry CA.

Feb. 6: South Bay Drive-In Theatres, San Diego CA

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It’s Day 37 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey. I drove from suburban San Diego to southern San Diego, and in less than a half hour I reached the appropriately named South Bay Drive-In Theatres, less than five miles from the Mexican border.

The South Bay opened in 1958 with a single 100-foot screen. In 1974, it replaced the original screen and added two more. According to a CinemaTreasures commenter, its main screen blew down during early 2003 winter storms and had to be replaced that spring. The South Bay converted to digital projection relatively early, in 2013.

The South Bay is open all week, even on this Monday night. I’d already seen all three early movie choices so I sat through Resident Evil: The Final Chapter for the third time in eight days. I hope this viewing really is final for me.

Miles Today / Total:  26 / 4719 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: Resident Evil: The Final Chapter / 27

Nearby Restaurant: Since I set up shop in Imperial (see below), I stayed close by for dinner at the Coronado Brewing Company. Shrimp tacos and fresh beer within walking distance of my hotel. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Where I Virtually Stayed: There aren’t a lot of options close by, but that turned out wonderfully for me. I drove three miles due west and found Imperial Beach’s Sand Castle Inn, a charming little renovated place that’s literally across the street from the Pacific Ocean. The price was great for such easy access to Dunes Park, and the kitchenette and wifi made life easier in the room.

A heavily fenced 15-foot obelisk

The obelisk in 1894.

Only in San Diego: Fifty-two obelisks, known as Boundary Monuments, were erected between 1849 and 1857 along the U.S – Mexico border. The westernmost obelisk, set between San Diego and Tijuana, was rededicated in 1971 by First Lady Pat Nixon as part of a new “Friendship Park.” In 2009, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security closed down Friendship Park to build a new fence. In 2012, it agreed to reopen the park with an outer perimeter fence blocking access to the public except Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 2pm.

Next Stop: Paramount Drive-In Theatres, Paramount CA.