A couple years ago, I stumbled across this slide of an amazing 1950s space age show car. Much to my frustration, I couldn’t quite read the name plate on the hood and had no idea what it was. In all the car books and mags I’ve read through the years, this is one dream car of the future I had never seen. But I knew that some way, someday the mystery would be solved.

Finally, last February at Palm Springs Modernism Week I attended Jim Cherry’s slide show lecture about mid-century cars. Half way into the presentation, it appeared on the screen — pictured on the September 3, 1956 cover of Newsweek no less. I recognized it instantly and was beyond delighted to finally find out that the striking bubble-topped, quad-head lamped space age show car extraordinaire is the Astra Gnome. Mystery solved. Yay!

And fun name too, huh? The adorable Astra Gnome was built on a Metropolitan chassis and displayed one time only at the 1956 New York Auto Show.

Knowing the vast majority of mid-century era dream cars were made only for show and then destroyed for insurance purposes, I almost fell out of my chair when I heard that it’s on display right in my own backyard at the Metropolitan Pit Stop in North Hollywood, CA.

Half not believing what I was hearing and half wanting to savor the anticipation of actually standing before what I thought was a long lost artifact from the space age, I waited until last week to see if it Astra Gnome really existed.

Crazed with curiosity, I walked in the door and there it was gleaming in all its out-of-this-world glory and spellbinding me into an out-of-body retro-religious experience of the highest order.

Mark Lane, the nice man that runs the Metropolitan Pit Stop told me the Astra Gnome was discovered in 1980 sealed up in a New York high-rise office then faithfully restored to perfection. It’s fully functional but deemed far too precious to roll on the reckless streets of Los Angeles.

So the Astra Gnome stays indoors, virtually undiscovered except by those who trek from all over the world to the Metropolitan Pit Stop to seek parts or restoration for their Metropolitans.

Perhaps if you ask very nicely, Mr. Lane will turn on all four headlights and raise and lower the bubble top with the push of a button. But fair warning … you might pass out!

To see what the Astra Gnome looks like today go to my Facebook page!

Click here to see a Metropolitan!

Here’s to the Astra Gnome and YOU!

Charles Phoenix
Los Angeles
May 16, 2012

Circular signs of Gulf and Coca Cola dot in the distance across the parking lot where bright-eyed, dull-colored cars, parked outside boxy double white windowpanes, wait for their owners.

Inside, warm knotty pine paneling and tropical-ish print bark cloth curtains compliment a lamp-lit, wood trimmed, buttery-tan Naugahyde upholstered booth where a party of four half poses for this picture. The lone man finishing his dessert and the lady in blue glance toward the lens. But the hot pink hatted, tri-pearl stranded lady — dressed to match the tablecloth — sternly stares at the snow-capped coed.

All the while, the pursed-lipped pioneer woman up front and center has no idea she’s being photographed. Say cheese!

Here’s to the diner, the diners and YOU!!!

Charles Phoenix
May 3, 2012

A ’57 Chevy and ’55 Olds bookend the crosswalk and grand entrance of this candy stripe-shaded world class tiki temple tavern. Guests pose for pictures with the official mascot and greeter, Mr. Bali Hai, a giant version of the famous house souvenir tiki mug fixed at the front door.

Whether arriving by car or by boat, (they have a dock, the Bali Hai is on an “island” after all) the first thing you see when you arrive is the legendary “Goof” on the roof exactly as he’s been since 1953 perched on a palm frond thatched cone. Grinning a toothy smile, he seductively sports a stylish chef’s hat and large hoop earring.

The tiki gods of time have been kind to the Bali Hai. It’s still thriving. This week when I’m in San Diego to do my Big Retro Slide Show, April 29, at the Museum of Photographic Arts, of course I will be making a beeline to the Bali Hai by boat. Water Taxi to be exact. Taxi?

On my way out I’m gonna gift shop for the uber classic Mr. Bali Hai tiki mugs and salt and pepper shakers then for the final fan experience, strike a pose right with Mr. Bali Hai!

Here’s to another 57 years of Shelter Island’s Bali Hai and YOU!

Charles Phoenix
April 26, 2012

Hi, Charles! I came across your cherpumple video some time ago and became a big fan. In my enthusiasm, I shared your site with a friend. This past week, when I was planning my (belated) passover seder, my friend expressed his hope for an Inchezonya! I decided that the corn tortillas would be ok (some Jews avoid corn on Passover. I’m simply not that Jewish) and I would use matza as the noodles. Then I used fake beef so it could be my vegetarian entree. It was a huge hit! The pics don’t quite do it justice…

I made this for a fundraising party for my kids’ school, which has a rocket logo. The base is a wine bottle filled with sand, which made the project that much more enjoyable.

A ’64 Ford yellow cab, couple of cross walkers, lot full of cars, and cocktail pick-starburst-octopus-skinless umbrella-like parking lot light fixture are picture perfect accessories to one of the most stylish structures on the planet, The Theme Building.

Those graceful, sweeping arches hoisting that see-thru soup bowl-shaped restaurant skewered by a silo elevator tower and circling wall of concrete lace is architectural nirvana.

The Theme Building was built as the centerpiece and crowing touch of the 1961 jet-age expansion of Los Angeles International Airport. It is to Los Angeles what the pyramids are to Cairo, the Eiffel Tower to Paris, and leaning tower to Pisa. No other building remotely resembles it. It is truly one-of-a-kind.

I keep thinking one of these days our beloved Theme Building will be painted yellow and morph into a McDonalds. They will call it McDonald’s McTheme Building. This gives golden arches a whole new meaning. And there is plenty of room for a drive thru!

Here’s to our beloved McTheme Building (?) and YOU!!!

Charles Phoenix
April 19, 2012

My nephew assisted when you visited the Colombia Science Center in Downey, CA when you the gingerbread house with millions of balloons. He saw your cherpumple cake video online and asked me to make him one for his birthday. I delivered it to him today and everyone loved it, so I thought I’d send you a picture. Thanks for the recipe.

Hi Charles- Here’s our YouTube video from Christmas- you Rock!

My dear friend has an annual Valentine’s Party, and I decided I really needed to bring something magical to share. Hence, the Unicornucopia – a unicorn horn of all the delicious treats frolicking unicorns enjoy in the wild: Strawberries, Blackberries, Maraschino Cherries, Pineapples, Kiwis, Mallows, and Heart-Shaped-Brownies!

My daughter and I made Cherpumple,…technically it was just one layer of it but it was “off the hook” good. We still dream about the white cake with a cherry pie inside.

With the memory still fresh we HAD to make the Inchezonya! It did not disappoint us at all it was delicious. I added corn and refried beans to one layer (forgive me Charles).