Mar 7, 2022
Before there were interstates, which was a long long time ago, there were smaller federal highways, often two-lane, that connected the east and west coasts. Route 66 was the most famous. Along the way, you’d find roadside motels, restaurants, and bars lit up with large neon signs highly stylized buildings. Anyone remember when all the Arby’s had that 30-foot cowboy hat sign in front of each store? That’s the idea. Los Angeles was a hotbed of these buildings as post-WWII optimism generated cool-looking car washes, gas stations, burger joints, diners, bakeries, donut shops, and gas stations. 20 or so years later, they were considered junk, and then the demolitions began. Fortunately, appreciation and preservation for this low-cost unique American glamour has grown and today we talk with architectural photographer Ashok Sinha, author of Gas and Glamour: Roadside Architecture in Los Angeles. Later on, electric swing with Tape Five and Henrik Wager.