Sunday, April 19, 2009

Random Memories of Orange County

OCThen reader, Brian W, shares his memories of Orange County...

My dad, Brad Worley,just passed away in Tustin last month. I live in DC now, but damn I have a lot of OC memories.

Remember:

The Alligator Farm

Lion country Safari

Original Sam's pizza in Orange (in the sixtys it used to be my maternal grandfather, Lee Fugere's, deli and butcher shop) My mom said the everly brothers used to buy meat there.

The Green Garden chinese restaurant a few doors down from Original Sam's (near Main/C.H.O.C.)

The California Surf soccer team that played at Anaheim Stadium?

The Southern California Sun football team?

Anaheim Stadium when the Big a was the scoreboard?

Anaheim stadium when the Rams moved in.

Anyone ever have an Anaheim Rams bumper sticker.

Remember the Cinedome theatres near the Santa Ana river?

Tewinkle park BEFORE all the fancy landscaping, when there was just a big dirt hill that kids rode their Big Wheels down?

Brian W
OMG, yes I do remember the California Surf soccer team, I actually attended one of their games at Anaheim Stadium, and I want to say they played the Seattle Sounders that day.

And of course I remember the Cinedome. I would take my wife-to-be in those days, and there would hardly anyone there. We'd find a place away from other people, and just make out all movie long. Had there been any more people seated, we'd have probably been thrown out for indecency!

13 comments:

  1. I remember a tower at tewinkle that you could climb up a couple stories. It was out near the soccer fields. also the cool metal castle playground at tewinkle

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  2. My dad took me to a California Sun game once. he also used to call the Cinedome the "Raquel Welch theater," for obvious reasons.

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  3. Tewinkle Park - now there's a place I haven't thought about in awhile! I went to University High School in Irvine, and ran cross-country all 4 years. Every year we ran the Costa Mesa Invitational, and it was at Tewinkle Park. I remember the big dirt mound in the middle of the park, and we ran over that hill at least twice in the course of a race. Part of the course went along the north boundary of the park, where there were posts in the ground with a chain strung between them. Used to be a scary moment coming up to that point because if one didn't pay attention, it was quite easy to get tripped up by that low-lying chain. Great times, awesome races, and good camraderie.

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  4. I went to at least one California Surf game, and have the pictures to prove it :) I had recently bought my first 35mm camera, and took it everywhere. I'm not a fan of soccer at all, but it was something to do with friends.

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  5. How could you forget the Japanese Village & Deer Park in Buena Park? I think I cried when they had to destroy all the deer.

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  6. I miss the Cinedome. I remember that place so well. That was the best movie theater. Too bad they tore it down.

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  7. does anybody remember Dick Darlings Silver Fox in Anaheim on lincoln near dale? or maybe it was called The Ramada inn, They sponsered my Anaheim Popwarner team 1972-1974

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  8. I certainly do remember the California Surf. We had season tickets for two years, and I still have a couple programs from games. Peter Wall...Manny Neves...Wolfgang Sunholtz...the names are forever stuck in my mind! Loved it!!!

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  9. I remember the Calif. Surf as well. We had season tickets way back then! My parents co-founded a soccer league to get away from AYSO. It was called AUSL. Greta memories! Dave Joker was the goalie. I have pictures of myself at Japanese Deer Park too. Kristine -

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  10. Did they really euthanize the deer at the Deer Park? That's great. "Sorry Guys, our business idea didn't work out so we've sold you to Lion Country Safari". God only knows what they did with the koi.Somwhere around junior high we took a field trip to the place. I remember there was a vending machine you could buy special crackers from to feed the deer. I also had some green tea that was pure awful. No wonder they went belly up. It wasn't the best location for a tourist trap either. It was all industrial buildings except for Bellis Park. 'm still pissed about the deer

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  11. I remember the Japanese Village and Deer Park. Didn't they have a huge alligator in a round pen and he was way too big for that enclosure? My friend used to eat the rice cakes. Up the street was the Cars of Stars and the Planes of Fame and of course the Movieland Wax Museum. Knott's Berry Farm had the Steak House with a salad on miner's pans and it would be ice cold and a great chicken fried steak.

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  12. My grandpa used to take us to the Cinemadome. Really old school theater, trounced by the stadium seating theaters. They say that's progress, but I want the domes back!

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  13. I remember the Southern California Sun of the defunct World Football League. I believe Pat Haden was the starting quarterback. I also remember when the Big A was the scoreboard just behind left field at Anaheim Stadium.

    Personally, I think the baseball team should be the Anaheim Angels again!

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