Monday, November 30, 2009

Lincoln head plastic Mold-A-Rama

Dear IL Lincoln Highway Association, I'll be traveling the Lincoln Highway today in search of one of these. Please do not disappoint me. Love, Debora

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Superdawg, Chicago, IL

Today, James and I grabbed a bite at Superdawg. It was GOOD! He had the Superdawg, I had a Supercheesie. Then it went from quiet to crazy crowded. I'm going back for night neon. And so Maurie and Flaurie can wink at me some more.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Thanksgiving, day 2

This is Debora's Thanksgiving. (thanks to Sex, Drugs and June Cleaver) Why didn't I bring more. Liquor, Prozac and Ativan???

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Monday, November 23, 2009

Collection of stars

Looking up at the glow in the dark stars I have in my bedroom - I realized that I have many starry things in my life. My Grandma gave me the book, "Goodnight Moon" it's by my bed. I didn't realize the illustrations showed the room slowly getting darker. I just knew the book would make me sleepy and I could fall asleep. I love that the stars in the book keep getting brighter as the room gets darker.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Heartthrob cafe, St Paul, MN

After spending two weeks of being in the sun, seeing new signs and new towns, it's hard to come home. I wrote about leaving and coming back. I forget how much I love to shoot up the neon - into my camera, my computer, my head. I am an addict. And I only want more. I love you neon and I have no idea why.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Crystal Cafe, Raton, NM

Tonight, James and I are here, Raton, NM. I wanted to see how all the neon in town was doing. In 2007, I arrived around 9 pm so I didn't see the restaurant neon signs lit. James and I drove up and down the business route shooting stuff (me shooting, him driving) We're looking at restaurants trying to decide where to eat dinner. Restaurant one, the neon is beautiful but the decor looked bland. The next restaurant - no neon, so no way. The third place, the Crystal Cafe, has great neon and looks like it has character. First off, there's old photos all around - cool. And we can get a beer. The waitress explains that her boss' mom owned the Golden Rule in town. There's old ads and photos and she tells us that it's all still intact. She was so fun to talk to. I believe if you see the words homemade pie on the menu - by law you must have it for dessert. It was peach cobbler and very very good.

Monday, November 09, 2009

New Mexico Route 66


New Mexico poster
Originally uploaded by Debora Drower
Today, James and I are in Tucumcari, NM. We came in last night - and planned to stay one whole day. While I was shooting up a motel (ha ha), we bump into a guy who was forced to stay in Tucumcari because his car broke down and they can't get the parts for it.

We get up today and the sky is grey. Thick grey clouds. My one day of shooting is ruined. I love the blue New Mexico sky. James tells me to be patient - he'd keep saying, "I'm working on it." I'd look outside, grey but with some blue. By the time we get our shit together - the sky has is blue - not one cloud. It worked - he did it! We get in the car and the battery is dead. We get a jump from the lady at the hotel. But I worry what will happen when we stop the car. And what if the clouds come back. We drive up and down Route 66 to charge the battery. We stop at a gas station, turn off the car and the battery is dead again. Shit! No one has any jumper cables. I call the rental car company and ask them what to do. They ask can I drive to my end destination - that would be Denver when we fly out on Friday. And there's no Dollar Rental company in town. Then they give us the o.k. for us to buy a battery.

One really nice guy offers to drive us to the Car Quest for the battery. James has written down the car make and battery model number and the nice guy drives us back to our dead car. We thank him profusely. The battery, technically correct, did not fit. At all. Somehow, James manages to connect the battery at a hideous angle. We drive back to the Car Quest with the hood barely shut. It takes him three tries to find the right car battery that would fit. Luckily, I could get some shots in while James was being Mr Fixit. Finally two hours later, the battery fits, and works and the car starts. And life is good.

We resumed our tooling up and down Route 66 (and also on the main street in town.) We see the guy from last night, and I tell him all our car adventures. I hope he didn't put a curse on us. Actually, if we had this happen out in any of the past spots we've been it - it would've been a hellish nightmare. We made new friends, got to see all the signs and now the car is ready for the next part of our trip

Saturday, November 07, 2009

Dennis' Place for games - Belmont & Sheffield - Chicago

I had dinner with my cousins in Albuquerque and this sign came up. Kudos to whomever found this - and uploaded it. I didn't throw up laughing - but I could've. Only your family can make you laugh that hard.