Monroe Ave. decked out for Xmas, Late December 1964

Beautiful. Random observations... Division was a one-way. Monroe Ave was a street before they converted it to a walkway and then back to a street. Those giant, red glowing signs on top of buildings! The Pantiland Hotel down at the end, which the Amway Grand Plaza would later be added onto. There's Herpolsheimer's, later to be City Centre/Mackie's World/Police station.

The Great Daryl Nathan Christmas jam!

Trying to think of some good holiday stuff to drop in here and this clip first came to mind!
This might require a bit of explanation for for folks unfamiliar with the GR phenomenon known as The Great Daryl Nathan.
I was one of the original production crew behind "The Great Daryl Nathan Entertainment Show" that mystified viewers of GRTV public access back in the mid 90s. If you were around GR back then, you very likely already know what I am talking about. The guy created quite a buzz while he was on. I'd go so far as to say he was the closest thing GRTV had to a celebrity.
I really NEED to do a dedicated entry about Mr. Nathan when I get back around to it, but this will have to do for now.
This particular clip was one of two Christmas Specials I produced and it's a little different than most of Daryl's shows.
At this point, it seemed like Daryl was ready to part ways with GRTV and wasn't fully into it. His songs were mostly without lyrics and he didn't dress up with his signature snazzy suit and long, flowing hair.
I recruited a few friends to come in and be "dancers" and they really delivered!
Also, you may notice an abundance of Josta cola! A decked out Josta truck dropped off a pile of the stuff to GRTV that afternoon and we were all buzzing on Josta for a couple months!
A real grass-roots effort, this show. Some of the holiday decorations on the set a friend of mine had apparently "borrowed" from a local Taco Bell earlier that day.

Now get ready for some holiday spirit, GR mid-90s style....

Interestingly-named places to buy fish in Grand Rapids!

I always take notice of this little place on Leonard and Plainfield both because of its appearance and its name.
The Flying Bridge Fish Market seems really retro-looking to me with all the wood and groovy signage...

So... "Flying Bridge?"

At first, I thought the name was just weird and random but the oracle of wikipedia says:
"A flying bridge is a (usually open) area on top of, or at the side of, a ship's pilothouse, or closed bridge, that serves as an operating station for the ship's officers in good weather or when maneuvering in port, where good views along the ship sides are important. It is also a raised, usually second story cockpit on a smaller boat, such as a sport-fisher."

Anyway, it looks cute and old and one day I will check it out.



Then there's this place a little ways down Plainfield that I'd totally overlook by its appearance...

But then you notice the unfortunate name...  "Sanitary Seafood."

I'd really like to try some fried fish at the Flying Bridge, word is it's pretty awesome!

I'm also really curious to find out if the seafood at Sanitary Seafood is truly sanitary.

I don't know, that's kind of a bold claim, guys! :)

Dirty vintage Grand Rapids Milk ad

Mr. Fabulous Burger via The Filling Station

So I woke up this morning with the old Mr. Fables commercial song playing in my head. If you grew up in GR I bet you'll remember "People like Mr. Fables! People Like yooooou!"  This led me to getting into some Mr. Fables facebook reminiscing with some people, which in turn led me to craving a Mr. Fabulous burger!!
Well the last Fables went out of business in the late 90s-- but I remembered hearing people say there was a place out on Alpine that still makes "authentic" Mr. Fabulous burgers.
After 3 months of being on a pretty disciplined (and boring) diet, I decided today was a good day to eat some totally unhealthy food and find out about this place called "The Filling Station."

 

So the Filling Station is a ways down North Alpine, out in Comstock Park.  The building looks a lot like an old Fables building but it is actually a former Red Hot Inn.

The interior is covered in license plates and vintage signage, it has the same Fables cafeteria-style layout and yes, lots of old people.

 

I ordered a Mr. Fabulous and onion rings. There's a little bit of a wait until they call your number but not annoyingly long. 

I'm not a professional reviewer of food so I'm not really going to try and get too detailed here but was it f-ing awesome? Yes!  Especially the onion rings, I mean look at that....

I am not ashamed to sit in a restaurant alone, photographing my food, but perhaps I should be.

The Mr. Fab olive burger was pretty great too. I'd say the 2 beef patties seemed more substantial than at the other closest-place-to-Fables, Mr. Burger.

Was it an "authentic" Mr. Fables meal? Well... maybe.  The last time I'd have eaten at Fables might've been 15 years ago. That, and the way nostalgia tends to enhance things, I couldn't really say how it measures up to the real thing anymore. 

It was a dang good burger and onion rings though and a fun place to eat and people-watch.  You should totally go.

Does anyone know if there was supposed to be something "special" about the Fables sauce or was it just room-temperature mayo?

Also, if you know a link to the old Fables tv commercial, lay it on me bro!