Leo Fender Day

Leo was born on August 10, 1909, on his parents’ orange grove, which included a house and a barn. It was located in an unincorporated area not far from Downtown Fullerton, and it was annexed by Anaheim.

We visited the site years ago at Phyllis Fender’s behest. We discovered that there was not even a marker, let alone a monument, to the man who revolutionized the music industry.

Fullerton certainly continues to honor him, as was obvious on Leo Fender Day on Sunday, August 10. The day was filled with high-energy music and a sold-out, exuberant crowd that filled the Museum Center and the entire Plaza.

No room? No problem, fans without tickets took over the top levels of the parking structure, a scene reminiscent of Mark & Brian fans showing up after the KLOS Halloween parade to see the Tubes in the Plaza in October of 2000.

As you can see, young and old showed up in droves, proving once again that music unites us all and that it is possible to drown out all of the world’s trouble, if only for a day. We will let the photos tell the rest of the story.

Coming up on Saturday, October 11th, the movie “AGNEW: The Story of A California Family” will be shown. Details and tickets available at:
www.fullertonmuseum.com

New In Town

Lotteria: Driving by, we spied quite a sight. Rain in mid-August? No, just some sunburn and heat protection being provided by way of shade as eager patrons waited for over two hours at the former KFC location at 150 W Orangethorpe. The draw was to sample some Lotteria fare.

This is the first location in the entire US for one of South Korea’s most popular fast food chains, founded in 1979. Apparently, their signature Bulgogi Burger and a shrimp burger are the star items.

Looks like it’s already a hit. The drive-through is now open, and the lines have dissipated. Shades of Krispy Kreme madness years ago.

Corazon: Revolution has evolved into Corazon, A Taste Of Mexico, at 204 N Harbor. Touted as “a refined yet rebellious culinary experience rooted in the spirit of the 1910 Mexican Revolution”, they have offerings that many will find of interest. For instance, brunch on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and Happy Hour all day.

Enraku Sushi: Chomp, (sorry, no, it was never “Chomps”) opened at the corner of Pomona and Commonwealth back in 2002, but before that, seems like it was called the China Kitchen. Correct us if your memory is better than ours.

It has now become Enraku Sushi, with a large and unusual assortment of Japanese fare in addition to sushi. Eggplant fries? Motsunabe, Uni Pasta, Honey Moon Oysters, and well, you need to go check it out for yourself.

Fullerton Transportation Center

Known to most as “The Train Station”, there have been some major improvements taking place, thanks to an $800,000 grant. Although a recent story in an unnamed publication mentioned painting as one of the projects, fortunately, the exterior of the vintage station retains its multi-colored coat and still looks fantastic. Years ago, the Fullerton Downtown Business Association provided large maps of the area for new kiosks being installed. Now, amazing upgrades to many of the signs make it much easier to navigate schedules, arrivals, and destinations.

Bike racks and many new benches are placed in various locations, and the graphics really make the place look alive and exciting. Hey, Tommy, a red car, a Fender guitar, and even an ostrich appear along with other hallmarks of our town. There will be more going on, and we will certainly follow up in a future issue. Head over there and take in the sights soon. You will be amazed.

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