On my first visit to California in 1989 to visit a friend living in Los Angeles, upon arriving at LAX I was taken to see the 1935 Pan-Pacific Auditorium, an incredible Flash Gordon-looking historic structure in the city's Fairfax neighborhood.
That night the building burned to the ground.
Photo courtesy Wikipedia
Fast forward twenty years. My wife and I recently returned from a two week visit to San Francisco and Northern California. While visiting friends in Sea Ranch, we were taken to Bones Roadhouse, a wonderful restaurant in nearby Gualala. I don't know what was better at this family friendly "biker bar," its Bar-B-Que or the view from its rear deck of the Gualala River where it empties into the Pacific Ocean. We liked it so much we had lunch there twice in the span of two days, the last visit being on Thursday, September 3rd.
You guessed it. The next day it burned to the ground.
Lunch consisted of pulled pork, beans, cole slaw and corn bread. I rarely eat this kind of stuff but hey, I was on vacation!
View while eating lunch. A sandbar splits the Guala River (bottom) where it then empties into the Pacific Ocean (top).
Bar, pool table and one of the largest flat screen televisions I had ever seen. Note the circular window next to the TV.
After the fire. Note the same circular window. Photo courtesy Flickr.
I've yet to learn what was the cause of the fire. I really hope that owners Mike and Mary Harris will rebuild.
Jerry, I lived in LA between 1979-81, and recall the Pan Pacific Auditorium surrounded by weeds. I thought it was a really cool building then, and heard it had been a major venue for entertainment in LA during an earlier time. Very sad.
www.ppaplayground.ning.com
looking for fans of this once beautiful building