Torana Art League

David wants to ask OCThen readers if anyone can comment about the Torana Art League, which he describes as an annex to Bower's Museum in Santa Ana...

Back in the '60's I went to art classes at the Torana Art League. I have come to find out that it was an annex to Bower's Museum. It was a large Spanish style house that functioned as a multi-roomed craft studio space. It was almost like an open studio for kids. I learned ceramics, batik, linoleum block printing, enamelling, watercolors, oil painting, and other art/craft mediums.

I live in San Francisco now and have been thinking of trying to open something like that up here. As we all know, art has pretty much been cut out of the general curriculum in public schools. My mom believed in art as an essential part of learning and working with your hands was a good skill. If anyone knows anymore about this let me know.

David sezdu@aol.com

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Garden Grove & Westminster in the 1950's and 1960's

Carol Kennedy submits her memories of growing up in Garden Grove, and going to school in Westminster. She also talks about the stores and restaurants she remembers...

What memories this site brings back! We moved to Garden Grove in 1954, and my parents bought a brand-new tract house the next year, on Florence Lane. There were still orange groves around us. Because we were the end house on a cul-de-sac, we had 1/3 acre. My dad fenced in a huge backyard, but that still left a triangular-shaped piece in back that stayed "wild." We used to build tumbleweed forts out there. We caught lizards and "horny toads" (horned lizards), and jackrabbits would leap across the lot.

My brother and I went to Blessed Sacrament grade school in Westminster, but all our neighbors went to public school: Marie L. Hare, which was a grade school at the time. Later we went to Mater Dei, and the neighbors went to Rancho.

I remember, just for starters: the A&W and the Pink Spot on Chapman; a truck farm where a number of Japanese-American families lived at Magnolia and Garden Grove Blvd.; the Gem Theater (in downtown); the Hiway 39 drive-in; a trampoline place where you could pay to jump by the half-hour or hour, on Chapman east of Gilbert; the polo grounds on Garden Grove Blvd. east of Magnolia.

I remember when the Sav-on was built on the southwest corner of Chapman and Brookhurst--ice cream cones there were 5 cents for a scoop, with a choice of about ten flavors, and candy bars were three for 10 cents; when the plaza on the northwest corner of that intersection was built, and my folks shopped at the Thriftimart; when St. Columban's school was built, and later St. Polycarp's; when the Grove Theater was built, and we started going there instead of the old Gem.

So many memories came flooding back as I read comments here! I wish your site had a "search" feature, but it's great as it is. Thanks!

If anyone thinks they remember me, they can email me at bigred_56@hotmail.com.

Carol Kennedy

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UFOs Over Orange County

I don't think I've ever witnessed an "unidentified flying object" while living or working in Orange County; it seems like everything I saw flying in the air was something I could recognize.

Though I'm sure others are convinced they've seen alien spacecraft flying over Orange County.

If you're passionate about beings from outer space visiting Orange County, then you might want to check out a website called, "Footnote.com". They have the complete Project Blue Book online, with scanned images of records, and OCR'ed so that you can search by keyword.

Here's a link to their Project Blue Book start page...

http://www.footnote.com/documents/6283401/project-blue-book-ufo-investigations

Notice the search box on the far right dubbed, "Search this Title". Enter "anaheim", and you'll get hit several hits. Note that a single sighting of a UFO will encompass several pages, thus each hit that shows from a search may be for the same sighting.

Try entering other names of cities, like tustin or westminster. For cities with two names, use quotation marks, such as "santa ana".

There was even a report of a UFO sighting over Disneyland on November 6, 1957, that was determined to be a hoax.

Below is a photo of a UFO dated August, 1965, taken in Santa Ana, which I found in these files...


Whether or not you believe intelligent life exists elsewhere in the Universe, it's still interesting to peruse Project Blue Book, and see some weird stuff.

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Santa Ana High School

I didn't attend Santa Ana High School, but many readers of OCThen have. I wanted to create this post as a place where all SAHS alumni can post their memories of attending the oldest high school in Orange County.

I remember while attending Santa Ana Valley, I'd hear some teachers or faculty talk about how our high school always had to play second-fiddle to Santa Ana High. They'd say stuff like, "Santa Ana High always attracts the better teachers", or "Santa Ana High always gets more funding". That kind of talk gave us students at Valley High a sense of hating Santa Ana High.

I'd read the sports section in the Orange County Register, and see more press attention being given to the SAHS' football team, "The Saints", and rarely see Valley's team mentioned. The Saints always got to play at Santa Ana Stadium (Eddie West Field).

At one time, when we lived in Santa Ana, off of Flower and Wilshire streets, I would walk past Santa Ana High School on my way to the Santa Ana Library, where I worked. I always thought it was a cool looking school with that "old school" architecture.

When I attended Santa Ana College, I majored in music. One the activities I participated in was the college choir. Dr Larry K. Ball, who directed the choir, would use the theater at Santa Ana High School for performances, and I sang there once.

That's pretty much the extent of my experience with Santa Ana High School.

If you attended, or worked at, Santa Ana High School, click on "Post a Comment" at the end of this article, and tell us what you remember.

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Which Mexican Restaurant in Santa Ana or Orange?

An OCThen reader named Kathryn King write to us about a Mexican restaurant she used to go to, and now can't remember the name of it...

I actually have two questions regarding restaurants. My family used to go to a Mexican restaurant that was just east of Main but I can't remember if it was on 1st, 4th or 17th. It was run by a family. The father usually sat at the register and would give us lollipops when we left. They had the best food. I remember this meatball soup. In fact I have only had a similar soup one other time and that was at a small Mexican restaurant in Venice. Anyway I would love to know the name of the restaurant. Also there was a smorsgabord and (i think) miniture golf restaurant near/across from Hart Park. Anyone know what I am talking about?

The soup she's referring to is probably "albondigas".

It sounds like this restaurant is in Santa Ana, based on the cross streets of Main St and either 1st, 4th, or 17th. However, she also mentions Hart Park, which is in Orange.

Anyone wanna try to name this restaurant?

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Lemon Heights in the 1950's and 60's

Lemon Heights is a small unincorporated community located off of Skyline Drive and Foothill Blvd, just north of Tustin. When I grew up in Orange County, Lemon Heights was known to us an upscale community, where the "rich folks" lived, to get away from the noise and commotion of the city. It apparently was a much different place decades earlier.

An OCThen reader named Steve (no, a different Steve), submitted his memories of growing up in Lemon Heights during the 1950's and 60's. Eventually, he moved away from Orange County, and then just recently returned for a reunion, only to find a Lemon Heights that looks much different than what he remembered...

Hi Steve!

Tustin California was a very small place back then, the year 1956! My folks had bought a new home in a small secluded neighborhood right in the middle of an orange grove! The area was Lemon Heights.

I went to Tustin Elementary for seven and eighth grade and then to Tustin Union High School. The area was pretty much "laid back" to say the least! Seventeenth Street was a two lane road running east and west from Newport Blvd all the way to Santa Ana, alot of it covered over with giant fir trees. The area smelled of lemon and orange blossom, eucalyptus and weed oil! The sound of bees filled the air no matter where you might go.

Saturday nights would be filled with dancing at the Wanger Studio on Main street in Santa Ana or get togethers at some classmates house, this was the norm!

After graduation, I joined the Navy and was gone for several years. I could not beleive how fast the area had developed into housing tracts upon my return just three years later, 1961-1964!

I married a gal I went to Tustin High with and we moved into the Viking apartments off of Tustin Ave and Seventeenth street. This was a small village of sorts as there was Walkers Market, Hahns Hardware, Village Cleaners, Lemon Heights Realtors, Market Basket, Fathers Bar(really great sandwiches and ice cold beer) and several other little shops and places of business.

It didnt take long for the growth pattern to take off like a wild fire and destroy the charm of a different time and place! I moved out to Huntington Beach and lived on Grove Circle, this little spot was just off of Warner Road and about a mile from PCH and the state beach. Truck farms were up and down Warner road with vegetable stands offering the best fresh produce around. Needless to say that area became another enity of packed home sights shopping malls and thousands of people all with in a very few short years!

Years went by and I had long sinced moved away from Orange County, I went to a couple of high school reunions and attended a getogether in 1987 with some classmates at the home Mr. and Mrs. Knaack of Cowan Heights. The house was located on a bluff over looking the Redhill and Skyline Ranch neighborhoods. The evening was filled of talk about Tustin, Newport Beach, Corona Del Mar, Santa Ana, Orange County history and rememberance.

The next morning I drove to my old neighborhood and very slowly made my way from one street to another the houses were freshly painted for the most part, beautiful lawns and close cropped shrubs, everything looked as if it were from another era! There was not a person on the street or in a yard, almost as if it was deserted, stone quiet! I lingered for a while and finally drove out and headed for home, McCammon Idaho.

One thing for certian, having lived in "that time and place" always brings back the most pleasant of memories, what a time and what a place, Orange County back then!

Best Regards!
Steve

If you have memories of Lemon Heights, click on "Post a Comment" at the end of this article, and share them with us.

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Growing up on El Toro MCAS

Having lived in El Toro from 1988-2001, I can remember driving around the El Toro MCAS (Marine Corps Air Station) and seeing the base housing. I also remember the old fighter jets on display alongside Irvine Blvd as it cut through the base housing.

Today, Irvine Blvd no longer cuts through there since they re-routed the road, and for the most part, it's hard to even notice El Toro MCAS these days.

Only once did I ever set foot inside El Toro MCAS. My father, being in the Navy, was able to go into military bases and shop at the commissary and exchange, and one time when I was about 10 years old, we went in there. But I don't remember much at all.

The OCTD Bus used to drive into the base as it took passengers from Irvine into El Toro (the community). My wife remembers travelling with her grandmother on the bus enroute to El Toro.

We found some memories submitted by OCThen readers and wanted to group them here, and start a new thread about folks who lived on El Toro MCAS base housing...

Hi Steve - I stumbled across this site, and glad I did. As far as I can remember, my family moved to El Toro sometime in 1965/1966 - our father was an enlisted Marine. We lived in base housing - Wherry Housing, and later moved towards the end of the housing area on Trabuco Road. Next to our house on Trabuco was a field full of carrots, and we used to sneak in there to pick carrots and take them home. And, I don't even like carrots! We later moved to Stanton, off of Beach Blvd, then to Santa Ana on Custer Street, across Santa Ana on Wilshire, then to Cypress, Irvine, Westminster, and finally Garden Grove when I left California and joined the Army. I have many memories of growing up in Orange County, many good, but some not so good. If it weren't for the high prices, millions of people, and the horrendous traffic, I would love to live there again. It was a special time growing up there, and it makes me sad when I go there now and see all those places we hung out as kids all paved over, concrete jungles, etc. Some call it progress...does anyone remember when Featherly Park was out in the BOONIES!!!! :)

By Lee, at June 11, 2007 2:31 PM

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Thanks for this web site, Steve! I wasn't born here but my family and I arrived in Orange County in the summer of 1958 when I was almost 7. There were orange groves and eucalyptus trees everywhere and most cities were "islands" between one orange grove or ranch to another. My dad was stationed at El Toro Marine base, becoming the Manager of the Staff NCO club. He used to book entertainment acts for Friday and Saturday nights. I remember my dad getting us a signed copy of a photo from Tex Ritter (John Ritter's dad) after he performed there one night.

We even lived in the military housing on base for a couple of years while I attended 4th and 5th grades. Stanley Cook, the son of the owner of "Cook's Corner" was the pitcher on our little league team. Another pitcher, Dan Peavey, was such a baseball fanatic (he had the best collection of baseball trading cards that I ever saw), that he impressed Joe Dimagio enough that he came to visit us at the El Toro Elementary School in 1962. Our team even took a photo with him that was blown up and mounted in our school cafeteria. I wish I knew what happened to it.

By Gary Zaremba, at August 17, 2006 7:40 PM

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Hey steve,
I just found this website and man was it interesting. I was born in Santa Ana California and it says Orange County on my birth certificate. I was born at St. Joseph hospital which I believe was a military hospital. I lived on El Toro base within that community for years. Some of my fondest memories were there on Longstaff way within El Toro. My dad was a marine and worked there on base during my childhood. I was born in 1968 and had many friends there. I was little so I don't remember alot of the hot spots there in Orange County like most people that have left comments but I do remember that I loved the Santa Ana winds and I have longed to go back ever since I moved in 1976. My father was transferred to DC after we left the good old state of Cali...and later retired out of DC. I often wonder if my house is still there where I grew up at with that huge nectarine tree in the back. If anybody out there lived on El Toro military base during the late 60's and early 70's comment this site.

By Patricia "Cole" Vail, at May 21, 2007 12:23 PM

Click on "Post a Comment" at the end of this article, and share your memories of El Toro MCAS.

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Santa Ana Drag Strip at Orange County Airport

Before it was called "John Wayne Airport" it was called "Orange County Airport", and during the 1950's it was the place for drag racing.

A man named C.J. "Pappy" Hart was credited as having built the world's first commercial drag strip, named "Santa Ana Drag Strip" or "Santa Ana Drags", and held races there every Sunday. The drag strip operated from 1950 to 1959, until the County of Orange forced it closed due to increasing air traffic.

When Hart passed away in 2004, several newspapers rans articles that documented his fame in racing circles and told the story of how he started the first commercial drag strip. A site called, "We Did it for Love" has archived them all...
http://www.wediditforlove.com/cj-2.html

While going through the e-mails we received during the old days of OCThen, I found one that talked about the Santa Ana Drags...

Before it was called the John Wayne airport and before it was called Orange County Airport, it was just a sleepy little landing strip used by private planes, charters and the Martin Aviation Company. When I was a teenager in 1955 the airstrip would close down on Sundays and NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) sanctioned drag races were held on the runway. I remember seeing the "Green Monster", Art Arfons jet powered drag racer, screeming down the runway. It was probably the first jet to ever "land" at SNA. The drags moved to Lyons Speedway in Long Beach sometime in the late 1950's. They did return later on, for a few years, as the Orange County Raceway located at the I-5 and Sand Canyon.

By: Richard M. Cowan, 10 Aug 2002

If you can remember the drag races at Orange County Airport, click on "Post a Comment" at the bottom of this article, and share your memories with us.

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History of Denny's Restaurant

The Denny's Restaurant chain did not exactly originate from Orange County, though pretty close. It's first location opened up in Lakewood, CA in 1953. Back then it was just a donut shop named "Danny's Donuts".

But being that it started here in Southern California, many Orange County residents got to experience Denny's long before the rest of the world did, and got to experience first hand the makings of perhaps the most iconic full-service restaurant chain in America.

Denny's did, however, have a connection to Orange County in that it's national headquarters was located in Irvine up until 1991, when it moved to Spartanburg, SC, after it was bought out by TW Services, Inc. TW Services, Inc. went through a series of name changes until it finally decided to call itself, "Denny's Corporation". I guess you can't keep a good Southern California phenomenon down.

I decided to create a blog post about Denny's after an OCThen reader named Ward Hollesen posted a comment (under a Knott's Berry Farm article of all places) explaining how he helped build some of the earliest Denny's restaurant, and explained how Harold Butler, the founder of Denny's, had once owned Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas...

My first wife and I moved from Clovis Ca (near Fresno) to Orange in 1960. Her uncle was one of the founders of Denny's Coffee shops. They were called Danny's at that time. The first one was at Florance and Lakewood in Downey. Her uncle was in charge of the building part and I worked as a framer for them. I helped build three of them. One in Gardena,One in Lancaster, and one in San Bernadino. We lived on Pepper street in Orange. Danny's at that time had a little donut shop in the right hand corner where you could stop at a window and order Donuts or go inside to the coffee shop area. We didn't have much money in those days so we would go to Knott's berry farm because it was free and we could picnic on the lawn. Then the hippies started camping out there so they built a fence and started charging to get in. During that time for corporate reasons they changed the name to Denny's My wife's uncle was not only corporate but he and his wife owned the franchise for the one in Downey and also the one on White Lane in Bakersfield. Harold Butler was the main man I guess he was the CEO he even owned Ceasers Palace in Las Vegas for 48 hours in a stock manipulation. Those were the good old days. Ward Hollesen wardjh@hughes.net

By Ward Hollesen, at May 29, 2007 11:23 PM

There were several Denny's restaurants that my wife and I visited going back into the late 1980s when we started dating. We had our favorites, including the one in Costa Mesa, on the corner of Red Hill and Bristol, and more recently the one in Foothill Ranch, when we lived in Lake Forest.

Post a Comment at the end of this article, and tell us about your memories of Denny's Restaurant in Orange County.

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Chez Cary Restaurant

In Santa Ana, near the border with Orange, there used to be an upscale restaurant called "Chez Cary". It was located on Main Street, next to the old Buffum's store.

In it's time, it spared no expense in trying to be as upscale as possible. They provided foot rests for women, and they had a "women's menu" with no prices listed on it. They served many distinguished guests.

I wanted to make separate blog post for Chez Cary because we received so many comments from people who remembered it on our earlier post about Favorite Orange County Restaurants.

Some people seem to think that Chez Cary later was converted into another restaurant called, "Ambrosia". Apparently, this is not the case. However, the two restaurants share a connection, which the commenters pointed out.

Here are the comments. Click on "Post a Comment" at the bottom of this article, and submit your memories of Chez Cary...

Please, please, someone help me out here! It was the fanciest, priciest restaurant in Santa Ana, just across from Buffin's on Main Street. The women's menu had no prices. Two short words, think they were French. The mind is rotting away, so I really need your memory. Thanks.

By Anonymous, at April 09, 2006 8:07 PM

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The restaurant is Chez Cary (prounounced shay ka'ree').

By Anonymous, at April 09, 2006 8:16 PM

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Chez Cary later became Ambrosia (I think) it was also a very upscale resturant at the time.

By stuart wallach, at May 09, 2006 1:11 PM

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The April 9th writer mentioned a pricy restaurant across from Buffums on Main in Santa Ana. It was Chez Cary, but it was across from what is now Main Place in Orange. The location is now a parking lot. It was owned by Cary Sinclair. The menu was very expensive at the time...around $10-$15 per person...strictly a special occasion place. It was not related to Ambrosia in Newport Beach. Chez Cary also featured a weekly musical showcase. One regular performer was Jennifer Warnes (Time of My Life with Bill Medley). Prior to it becoming the Chez, it was called The Parisiene. Very upscale, dark, and themed like an outdoor Paris Cafe. This would have been in the late 50's or early 60's.

By Anonymous, at June 25, 2006 1:43 AM

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So now we know that Chez Cary is not currently Ambrosia, but there IS an Ambrosia restaurant in Santa Ana at the OC Pavillion. Any reviews of that restaurant?

By Anonymous, at June 29, 2006 1:43 PM

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I worked for the Chez Cary Restaurant from 1975 to 1979. It was a great time. Daily I cooked real Dover Sole from the English channel, Froglegs, Abalone,Sweetbreads, etc etc. I was 16 when I started there and was trained by Swiss Chef Fred Hossli. One of the best Sauciers that I had ever known.

Names like Gabby, Henry, Johny Ahn, Hanz, Sean, Ray, Klauss, Doug Cull, James Sly all come to mind. The good old days!

By joeymac, at August 28, 2006 10:45 PM

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One of my mom's favorites was the Chez Cary. She loved that her menu did not have prices and they also provided a little footstool for her feet.

By Linda (Hermon) Hayes, at November 01, 2006 9:53 PM

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The Chez Cary was awesome, the bartenders made the best "Pousse Cafe's" - a beverage with leveled colors of alchohol. Unfortunately it was torn down for an ugly parking lot.

The new Ambrosia is located in the OC Pavilion - it is probably the best/fanciest restaurant in OC right now, even over The Ritz. I was just there and they seem to know you and take care of you as soon as you park the car and walk to the building. The atmosphere is quite nice inside and I love the small trio band that plays while you eat. Be prepared to spend at least $100 per person - easy... but it is worth it.

By Anonymous, at November 17, 2006 2:36 PM

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there seems to be a lot of confussion over the chez cary and the ambrosia,the chez cary was first opened under the mgt of cary sinclair prior to that sinclair had managed the villa fontana. sinclair left the villa and opened the chez cary for nathan rosental, a big wig I believe in the teamsters . ask guido to be continued

By Anonymous, at December 01, 2006 9:58 AM

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joeymac this is guido falco I worked with you at the chez Im in woodstock Ga. Im in the book lets talk

By Anonymous, at December 01, 2006 10:09 AM

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Sinclair left the chez cary under suspicious circumstances, geril and gus muller took over the helm of the chez cary a few years later they openned ambrosia a carbon copy of the chez cary down to the crushed red velvet chairs. I actually worked in both restaurants, the ambrosia in the early seventies and the chez in late 70's . they were the most high end eateries of there time I believe both of the muller brothers are gone now. and by the way cary is pronounced like drew cary the guest were allways changing it to Karee it was never pronounced as a french word. Everything was prepared tabele side or finnished at the table 6 tables and 3 servers the likes of which nyou will rarely see anywhere today. the check average was well into the 60 $ range or more the wine list looked like a bible. more later ask guido any old friends out thier

By Anonymous, at December 01, 2006 10:19 AM

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the ambrosia was started by geril and gus muller both danes gus was cool geril was a bit of a prussian but if you proved yourself you did ok by him. they had a capitol partner {no idea who} . geril had a son who I believe is still in oc the restaurant was set up just like the chez I think it was just a tad smaller than the chez cary and it had originally held karems an upscale restaurant of similar style both the chez cary and ambrosia catered to the shakers and makers of oc society, on any given sunday or monda y tues... you could run into the duke{john wayne} chuck heston or the reverend shuller with the like of diva beverly sills burl Ives and many more, richard nixon and even the governor {regan} . more later ask guido

By Anonymous, at December 02, 2006 10:17 AM

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I dined regularly at the Ambrosia restaurant in Newport Beach. The Ambrosia was created by brothers Gus and Geril Muller who brought fine dining to Orange County. These two restaurateurs were innovators and created dining experiences which have never been duplicated since it was closed in the mid 80's. I had many enjoyable evenings at the Ambrosia from Geril's narrated la Chaine des Rotisseurs dinners to political fund-raisers; every dinner was flawless. Every time we were at the Ambrosia someone interesting was having dinner from politics, film or business. Geril and Gus groomed their nephew Howard Kent to one day take over the restaurant. I recently ran into Howard who still lives in Newport Beach and he told me that Geril doing great. My wife and I wish that the original Ambrosia was still around.

By Anonymous, at February 09, 2007 11:11 AM

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There hae been several comments about the Chez Cary & original Ambrosia. They indeed were the creation of Geril & Gus Muller. And yes, Geril is doing well. I just wanted to clarify that the new Ambrosia in Santa Ana is not related to the original Ambrosia as many articles have claimed. The trademark was copied from the original Ambrosia and some of the amenities, but it does not have the creativity or the heart of the Muller brothers in it.

By Anonymous, at March 18, 2007 2:38 PM

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I was married to Cary Sinclair in 1970. I visited the Chez Cary on our honeymoon and met the Rosenthals. I never knew about his wrong-doings in California. Can anyone tell me?

One day he showed me a newspaper where they quoted: "Drop charges against Sinclair" Not knowing enough English limited me to understand what this meant. He opened a sucessful steak and lobster operation in Acapulco, Mexico where I am from, with his partner Carlos Mendoza. After our divorce in 1977, I moved to Texas. He opened 4-5 more restaurants. His original Black Beards was very sucessful. I remember him welcoming Henry Kissinger, Roger Moore, Johnny Carson (I never knew until later, who they were)... :[

I learned from friends in Acapulco that he went broke.

I think he still operates one of the restaurants... I am in contact with him off and on through the Internet... Ex wife, Elvia

By Elvia Wallace-Martinez, at May 28, 2007 7:29 AM

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Geril Mueller was a great guy, my Dad supplied both the Chez Cary and the Ambrosia and he and Geril were very good friends, the Muellers were nice enough to have us over to their home one time. Whenever Geril needed an emergency delivery, my mom and sister would ride along with my Dad and I and Geril would bring out a long stemmed, chocolate covered strawberry for each of them as a thank you!

By teeoc, at June 28, 2007 12:28 PM

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