Tazza Mia in the Route 66 town of Fontana, Calif., is a combination coffeehouse, art gallery and pottery studio. It opened during Cruise Night and Market Night in downtown Fontana last week, reports the Fontana Herald News. Another thing significant about Tazza Mia is it held an exhibition by artist Pete Morris, which included a … Continue reading Coffeehouse / art gallery opens in Fontana
Month: September 2006
Taking the scenic route
After fits and starts too complicated to recount here, the quest to make Route 66 in Oklahoma a scenic byway is starting to get some traction. (Disclosure: I was involved to a small degree in this effort via the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, but we finally got someone in the state who will do this … Continue reading Taking the scenic route
Shunpiking
Shunpiking is the practice of avoiding toll roads, or turnpikes, and driving nearby free roads to save a few bucks. Shunpiking is of interest in Oklahomans. The Sooner State is full of toll roads, including a stretch from the Missouri-Kansas line to Oklahoma City that shadows the Mother Road. I learned about shunpiking through Dan … Continue reading Shunpiking
A trek in tribute to her father
The News & Observer in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., has an interesting story about Diana Garside, who's in a 1935 Austin Seven touring Route 66 with five other antique Sevens. She's doing the Mother Road in tribute to her dad, who died before he was able to do the same thing himself. A regularly updated blog wrriten … Continue reading A trek in tribute to her father
Chucky getting his kicks?
My search engine caught something I didn't expect. Chucky, the doll who's caused murder and mayhem in a bunch of horror movies, apparently has some sort of Route 66 connection in one of his films. In this news release touting the release of "Chucky: The Killer DVD Collection," it provides this summary to one of … Continue reading Chucky getting his kicks?
Wayne the Train
The Phoenix New Times has an interview with Wayne "The Train" Hancock, who's bringing his brand of honky-tonk and swing to southern Arizona. The article has these nuggets: "I did this interview the other day, and the guy asks me if I hate the road. Hell, about every other song on my new CD [Tulsa, … Continue reading Wayne the Train
A closer look at “Ultragate”
The Riverfront Times in St. Louis has a more in-depth look at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, which once carried Route 66, and artist James Woodfill's sprucing-up of the bridge, which he has called "Ultragate."
Deer friends
The Gateway to Sedona site in Arizona has posted an article about the Grand Canyon Deer Farm and Petting Zoo, which is on old Route 66 about 25 miles west of Flagstaff. The story has plenty of pictures of the deer, too. Everybody say, "Awwwwwwwww."
Mount Olive and Mother Jones
The Associated Content site has listed a "history detour" about Mount Olive, Ill., and its most famous resident, union activist Mother Jones. She is buried just off old Route 66 in the Union Miners Cemetery, and a monument also was erected there in her honor. The article also mentions the restored Soulsby Station on 66.
Why did George Maharis leave “Route 66”? — Part 2
Karen Funk Blocher has written on her Outpost Mavarin blog the second and final installment about why George Maharis left the "Route 66" show at the height of its popularity in 1963. In short, she reports that Maharis asked for a scaled-back shooting schedule that season because he was recovering from two bouts of hepatitis. … Continue reading Why did George Maharis leave “Route 66”? — Part 2