The Charleston

The very tall gentleman with flowing white hair and a cowboy hat was taking in the room. He looked overwhelmed, so I went over and asked him what was up. This would be our first “Imperial Ball,” a NAMM Convention industry party sponsored by Duesenberg Guitars. It seemed the right name since it was dubbed the Imperial Ballroom above the upscale Commonwealth.

The cowpoke told me he just realized he had been in the ballroom long ago. The band he played in needed some electric guitars, so they came to see Leo Fender. Leo said he could help them, but they needed to play some songs, so they obliged. The band was Buddy Holly and the Crickets.

We finally got the chance to check out the complete transformation in person during “An Evening At The Charleston” event on Friday, November 17th. Summer was the tour host, and it was obvious how excited she, Larry, John, and the various staff members were to show the place off for several Fullerton Loves Food fans.

If you still don’t know about Fullerton Loves Food, that Facebook page is inhabited by locals who have discovered a new place or dish or want to tell everyone about a great experience they just had at their favorite Fullerton restaurant. You can go there and ask where to get a particular food item, too, and there are always several replies to guide you.

After seeing the transformation, it was hard to imagine this was the same place where our event had occurred every January for many years. We mentioned that Kenny Loggins played one of our events (yes, of course, he did “Footloose”), and everyone on the tour also learned that Fats Domino played the ballroom.

It’s All Here

A certain phrase oft-mentioned here means everything this holiday shopping season as many of our small businesses are still struggling to recover from the down COVID years coupled with the high rents mentioned in our last issue, plus intense competition from easy online shopping. If we don’t make a point of supporting our local merchants, they will fade away.

That’s why Small Business Saturdays are crucial for our town and all other towns that think the in-person shopping experience is worth the effort. It’s even fun, and you get to see actual humans in person.

On Saturday, November 25th, things also kicked off with the “Fullerton Flea,” and many of our local shops had a good first round of Holiday shoppers. By now, you have caught on- SHOP FULLERTON FIRST. It’s good for everyone, including you, and why not purchase something for yourself while you rediscover the many shops downtown and all over Fullerton?

Downtown in a Pickle?

Development of the Union Pacific Park was outlined in the early November Observer. Updated info regarding design elements included a playground, swings, a walking trail, a community garden, outdoor exercise equipment, and basketball and pickleball courts. Over 3 million American enthusiasts are estimated to have picked up the fastest-growing sport today. So, will the pickleball courts be excised?

There are eight places to play in Fullerton, including the Community Center, Community Park on West Wilshire, and the Sports Complex. Some other parks also have courts, but with so many local players, it seemed another park to have fun with friends while getting some exercise was a no-brainer. It’s an inexpensive all-ages sport; one does not have to be a super athlete to try their hand at something that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping pong- games almost all of us have played at one time or another.

Why would there be an issue at Union Pacific Park on Truslow? At the Tuesday City Council meeting, we found out that the park plan passed 4 to 1 (Whitaker abstained).

Photo Quiz

Send answer to Mike at AllMedia@sbcglobal.net

Last time: Steve was the first to recognize the screen at Amerige Park that keeps baseballs from leaving the park

This time: Where is this, and what the heck is going on?