Saturday, May 30, 2009

Pink Saturday - Pink Cadillac

Pink Saturday - Beverly, at the blog "How Sweet the Sound" hosts Pink Saturday. Let the color pink inspire you!

Ventura Boulevard in the San Fernando Valley is an eighteen mile stretch of commerce. There are strip malls, Gallerias, tall glass towers, gas stations, nurseries, and supermarkets. There are so many businesses that sell the same kind of things, people will do anything to stand out and get noticed. The Valley is full of weird buildings - shaped like Donuts, sporting giant statues, shaped like chateaux or Chinese temples or giant honeycombs.

This building, at 19611 Ventura Boulevard, is designed to look like the front grille of a 1971 Cadillac Fleetwood. Its origins are unknown, lost in the mists of history - at least, the forty or so years that means ancient history in Los Angeles. I would love to know what inspired it. Was there originally a car dealership here? Did the architect drive a Caddy? Or was it simply an homage to the mystique of the Cadillac image, prestige, and power?

According to its sign, it's called Fleetwood Square, and other than its crazy look, it's just like any other strip mall in the Valley. There's a couple clothing shops, a medical office, and a salon and nail shop. There's a nail shop in every strip mall in the Valley. We stopped by and I took a few photos. Then we got back in the car and continued on our way.

And then it happened. As we passed the parking lot just beyond Fleetwood Square, a gleaming hot-pink Fleetwood Convertible pulled into the boulevard behind us.

It was a mile long, it was wide, and it glided down the road, the hot California sun shimmering on its sleek flank. I don't know my Cadillacs, but I think it was a 1975 Fleetwood Eldorado, one of the most massive vehicles ever made, at 225 inches long with a 126 inch wheelbase, 5,000 pounds of hot pink Seventies glamor.

We took this shot of its massive grille behind us as the car with its powerful engine gained ground on us.

It pulled alongside so we could see the driver. A mysterious blonde spared not a glance for us as she steered the giant car past the rows of palm trees, hands firm on the wheel, hair blowing in the sun from beneath her white baseball cap.

Then it shot past us, crested the hill, and was gone.

Was its appearance a coincidence? A magical vision? A visitation? You tell me. In the Valley, I'll believe anything.

25 comments:

The Quintessential Magpie said...

What a delightful post! And that building is such a treat! How fun is that! And the mysterious blonde lady in the pink caddy: who is she??? Enquring minds...

Happy Pink Saturday!

XO,

Sheila :-)

Tristan Robin said...

omg - I want that car!!! And you actually had a real, true, honest-to-goodness, actual American Graffiti event?! Maybe it was the ghost of Suzanne Summers!!

g. said...

Thanks so much for stopping by! Gread blog.

KBeau said...

That is one big car. So appropriate that it as being driven by a blonde with her pony tail blowing in the wind.

Anonymous said...

The mall sure doesn't look like a mall. And yes it does resemble the front of a car :-) How cool is that.

Now for that lady in a convertible. Wow, she must be really driving that fast to pass you just right by. And she really must have enjoyed that ride with her hair blowing against the wind.

Happy PS

Li

♥Mimi♥ said...

With our little PINK SATURDAY having a birthday this week, I am on "pink overload" and that is difficult to do to me! I'm lovin' it like crazy!

What lovely pinks this week you have, my dear. The better to see your through my rose colored glasses!☺

Have a great weekend. Not all that warm up in my neck of the woods but the sun is out and that makes the day good. I hope you are surrounded by those you love and that you, too, are bathed in sunshine.

Glennis said...

I swear its true. There I was, playing with my little camera, taking pictures of the building, and when we were all done, and pulling out of the parking place, her car was right there, ready to pull onto the boulevard.

Gabriela said...

Happy Pink Saturday!

How cool is this post? Love it!



~ Gabriela ~

Anonymous said...

Yeah, it's Pink Saturday's 1 Year Celebration!

Great post - that car is sure pink, and the blonde is sure blonde! Gotta love CA.

Today I've got Part II of For a Princess (with Part I recapped) - and as it is centered around a celebration, it fits perfectly what with all of the little princesses in their pink tiaras; ) I hope you can come by - I know you'll enjoy it.

xJ
MaidenShade.wordpress.com
MaidenShade.com

Char said...

and I can't help but wonder who she was....happy pink saturday, Char

cactus petunia said...

That was awesome!
And only in California would you find a strip mall in the shape of a Cadillac, named Fleetwood Square!

black eyed susans kitchen said...

Super cool pictures. Happy pink Saturday!

Marina Capano said...

Fantastic car! Lovely post!Happy One Year Pink Saturday Birthday!!!
xoxo.

Nancy said...

Wonderful post - your words just flow so easily, G. I love your style and how perfect this was for PS.

Thank you so much for the Crinum Lily info. You hit the nail on the head. I really think these were planted at least 70 or 80 years ago and the description fits them perfectly and finally I know what they are.

Have a wonderful weekend. xoxo Nancy

Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer said...

I would love to drive that car for awhile! Happy Pink Saturday ~ I hope you have a great weekend ~ Susan

shrink on the couch said...

I can't decide what is cooler, the cadillac storefront or the pink caddy driving past at just the right moment.

Woman in a Window said...

That is one cool car! Fun!

jeanne said...

Hello g, your Fleetwood Cadilac story is terrific. The store front is unusual to say the least. The photo with the girl flying by in her Fleetwood pink is a great shot. I love you PS post today. a real Pinkie story to be sure.

Hugs...Jeanne

Claudia said...

Love this post! The building is such fun - designed like a Cadillac and then the appearance of the pink Cadillac! We need some Twilight Zone theme music here! Happy Pink Saturday!

Robin said...

Crazy building.....

Happy Pink Saturday!

JCK said...

Amazing Pink Saturday. And SO L.A.!! Too fun. I've never seen that building.

Anonymous said...

G....I am on the east coast and when I think of L.A. that photo of the blonde in the pink car is what comes to mind. What a fabulous post. My "neighbor" (1/2 mile away) lives here 6 months of the year and in L.A. the other six months. I plan a visit with her when she returns to the West Coast. I can't wait to see all the fun and interesting things you post on your blog. Happy Belated Pink Saturday. ~ Lynn

Beansieleigh said...

The mysterious blonde? It looked like Barbie to me!.. but being the doll collector that I am, is THAT any surprise?! I'd say maybe she's on her way to pick up Ken, but the rumors floating around suggest they're not the happy couple they once were! (Gasp!) Only time can tell where THAT'S all going!.. But "enquiring minds want to KNOW"! (0; Happy Pink Saturday, and have a wonderful week!

suesueb said...

love it!! both the building and the car! hope you get back to new orleans to see more-it's always interesting!! happy pink week!

Beverly said...

Wow, how cool is that?!!!! This is an awesome Pink Saturday subject. The stars were aligned.

Happy Pink Saturday, Glennis. Thank you for being such a loyal participant, and for every single one of your interesting posts.