This is the least despairing of my latest suburban despair photo expedition. This time I was in Stanton, which is a small, boring, violent chunk of North Orange County. Stanton evokes for me, because it looks the way Costa Mesa did when I was a child in the 1970s: strip malls, asphalt, and piles of improbable small businesses.
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If I remember correctly, there is a wonderful Peruvian restaurant right around there.
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I wouldn’t be surprised. Stanton has some great food on account of the low rent/gunfire situation.
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bart’s pub just kind of makes you want to die. wow.
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I remember filing a story from right in front of there back in the day, about a shooting I think. I kind of like the post-apocalyptic-meets-suburban feel of the place.
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that after-the-nerve-gas-war look! yeah!
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It is so super weird to see photos of california now. Where be the trees, etc.
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Nice pix, C.
Sideways snow here today, no blue skies.
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Love that roofline on the taco shop. It’s so cute, I just want to put my arms around the whole thing and hug it.
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Ever so glad to be in my groovy little corner of Portland whenever you head out for shootin’. Thanks, Iggy.
(also, I have a sofa with your name on it, also.)
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worried about sofa situation
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I, too, have a sofa with your name on it in Portland. Well, more of a futon. And it has several people’s names on it, but only one at a time. It rotates that way.
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Upon which axis does it rotate?
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The Axis of Evil.
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One of my favorite artists, Robert Bechtle, celebrated that aspect of California.
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ooh thanks hadn’t heard of this one
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Sigh-inducing & desktop-worthy, as your snaps usually are. Thank you.
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Vance’s Pressure Fried Chicken
Did you notice Vance’s? John G. and I used to go there all the time. Great food, great dyed black hair chubby waitress named like Merle or something. Those photos make me all sentimental for my mispent youth spent driving around Orange County on quixotic trips…
You can come to Reno too, you know. It’ll will remind you of the Costa Mesa of our youth PLUS snow in the winter. I’ll even make my oldest kid give up his bedroom for you! 🙂
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Re: Vance’s Pressure Fried Chicken
I went to Vance’s with you at least once! It’s long gone. 😦
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Those are wonderfully depressing pictures! Makes Vernon look like a happy place.
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