Hawthorne Feedback

Name: Enza Nicocia ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Feb 20, 2007, 4:15 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1972
City & State: San Pedro Hill, CA
E-mail
Message: Bonnie, the Warehouse Restaurant in the Marina opened up a bunch of memories of 'restaurant row' all along the water front there. How many of you dined after the Prom or other dances at 'Pieces of Eight and other restaurants, that names escape me at the moment (old timers?). Hungry Tiger and the Velvet Turtle on the hill was also a popular place. Chart House was good too in Redondo. I remember ordering frog legs once, we thought we were so sophisicated back then...'taste just like chicken'..ha! Anybody else remember the names of the places you and your date went after the formal dances? And, regarding The Red Onion, I still compare chips and salsa to that place....they had the best! Acapulco and El Torito come close. Can't resist a cadillac margarita (or two :))to wash 'em down with...mmmm, mmmm! Although, I still haven't found a taco like Andy served at Taco Tio. Anybody out there know the secret to his recipes? The fried burritos were great too. Darn, now I'm hungry for Mexican. :))

Name: Bonnie Lou Cozby ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Feb 20, 2007, 3:48 pm - HHS Time

Maiden: Simmons
Class: 1971
City & State: Ocean Park, WA
E-mail
Message: JTC...is that you John Crotty? Thank you for coming up with Bob Elmer's full name. I almost didn't write the post because I couldn't remember his last name. A very nice guy and very tall which was good, since I was over 5' 8" since 6th grade. Some boys used to call me "Chamberland". One thing that happens with age, you shrink, just when you need the height to offset the horizontal expansion.

Name: Jill McFarlane ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Feb 20, 2007, 3:18 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1977
City & State: Mission Viejo, CA
E-mail
Message: Is anyone ready for a different topic? Wade, Bud and I are planning to get together real soon to discuss the 4th Annual Cougar Golf Classic! So dust off those woods, polish your putter and stand by for more information. We are planning some really fun stuff this year.Another topic. The responses for the class of 77's reunion has all but stopped. Please don't tell me we only have 27 people going! I will be mailing out reminders and stuff. For those who have sent their money to me, thank you. We are working really hard to out do the 76ers reunion of last year!

Name: Bob Jensen ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Feb 20, 2007, 3:12 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1971
City & State: Los Angeles,
No E-mail
Message: House of Raymond was originally owned by John Phillips (Phillips Plumbing which was next door) and it was called The Blue and Tan. Mel Raymond purchased it from the Phillips and renamed it in the 50?s. When I was in college I was dating Gail Galvin from West High. Gail had this goal to eat for the least amount of money possible. She and I would look for all of the happy hours specials around the South Bay. Buy a drink and scarf up the free food. We use to hit the Cockatoo, Red Onion, Buggy Whip, etc. One Friday evening we decided to go to Raymond?s. We sat down and the waitress served their famous tray of condiments and bread. We had not ordered dinner yet as Gail could not make up her mind what to order but we had already polished off the bread, butter and condiments when Gail said ?I?m going to pretend to go to the bathroom but I am going to go out the back door because nothing looks good on the menu?. So off she went. I sat there looking stupid and after about 5 minutes I said to my self ?I have to go to the bathroom too? and off I went out the back door. My evening was ruined. We never did have dinner. The following Saturday I went in and told the waitress what we had done and offered to pay for the items that we ate. She thanked me for my honesty and said, ?If I had a buck for every person who came in and ate our bread and relish tray without paying I could retire?. I guess lots of people use to do just as we did. The last time I ate there was for my sister?s wedding rehearsal dinner and that was 23 years ago. Time does fly.

Name: Kyle Jokela ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Feb 20, 2007, 2:21 pm - HHS Time
Class: 1971
City & State: Irvine, Ca
E-mail
Message: Aloha Keith. I'm new to Cougartown, and I got the impression that this was a feel good type of website where people here posted fond memories of their childhood days in Hawthorne. Then all of the sudden there is this feuding and name calling here centered around you. Did this just start now, or has this type of behaviour been going off and on here over the past?There are people here who don't seem to believe some of your stories and have found inconsistencies in them. I haven't been here long enough to read many of your stories, but quite a few people here enjoy them, including myself. Over the years, memories can become faded and this could contribute to the inconsistencies. Just because someone doesn't believe a story of yours, doesn't mean that they are necessarily calling you a liar, or that you are one. You don't like being called a liar, and it would make sense that you would not post something here that would add fuel to their fire. A liar is dishonest. So is someone who would steal. This is why it somewhat dismays me now to read a message by you about how fun it was to rip someone off. You said that you don't do this type of thing anymore because you are "grown up now." Then you finish your message by saying to travelers that "It is easy to dine and dash at the Houston Airport." How did you find this out? Did you dine and dash there once when you were grown up? I saw your name listed in the notable alumni of Hawthorne High School in the Wikipedia Encyclopedia. You've met the likes of "the greatest" Muhammad Ali. The list goes on. You are a business owner yourself, opening a fantastic gym in Hawaii. How would you like it if someone sneaked into your gymnasium and "pumped, then dumped" without paying? I believe it's true what they say, and it's been said here. "What goes around, comes around." By the way, do you have a sister named Debbie who attended HHS?

Name: Armand Vaquer ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Feb 20, 2007, 1:25 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1972
City & State: Tarzana, Ca
E-mail
Message: John, I think Mike Kratz meant to say "recipe" for Pina Colada.

Name: Michael Kratz ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Feb 20, 2007, 12:36 pm - HHS Time

Class: 1971
City & State: VEGAS
E-mail
Message: Dine & Dash , a lot of that was done here this weekend in Vegas. This Town was totaly DISRESPECTED, not by a few but by a lot of Folks who came out here for the NBA - ALL STAR WEEKEND. As a long time Vegan and speaking for most Vegans, we don't want the NBA - ALL STARS Back. Sharon you are right but it's OK, what comes around goes around.

Name: Sharon MacDonald ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Feb 20, 2007, 12:01 pm - HHS Time

Maiden: Badger
Class: 1963
City & State: Bruceville, Texas
E-mail
Message: Any Dr. Pepper fans can visit the Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco, Texas where the drink is reported to have originated. Keith's stories as well as all the tales we tell on this site are a wonderful continuation of the almost lost art of oral tradition. Stories that are told and retold from one person to another, from one generation to another are sometimes embellished, sometimes changed, sometimes unbelievable, but are always fun and should be treasured.

Name: Steve Fraser ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Feb 20, 2007, 11:08 am - HHS Time

Class: 1966
City & State: Laguna Woods, CA
No E-mail
Message: The Palm Hotel across from Big Mac's as well as one next to the new fire station on El Segundo were residential hotels. They were single rooms with one community bathroom on each floor. Rental was weekly or monthly but there were a lot of permanent residents. The firemen and police got to know some of them all too well. Many by name and room number. In those days 60's - 80's, most of the hourly room rates were found on Imperial Hwy. Another area where fire and police rigs could just set the "auto pilot". Always nice to find a cheap new restaurant. Next time I'm in Houston, I'll check out the airport. Thanks Keith

Name: Michael Kratz ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Feb 20, 2007, 11:08 am - HHS Time

Class: 1971
City & State: Vegas
E-mail
Message: John, you make a good point but you have to excuse me here. The early part of my Vegas life from 77 to 87 was much like Jonny Depp's portrayal of Raoul Duke in the "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas". So along with my psychadelic escapades of cruising The Strip and many cold nights at Mt. Charleston and all those HOT Vegas days by the pool, it's very easy for me to get my life history wrong.

Name: jtc ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Feb 20, 2007, 11:00 am - HHS Time
Class: 1969
City & State: Hermosa Beach
E-mail
Message: Bonnie, that "tall guy" was Bob Elmer......

Name: Sharon Stowe ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Feb 20, 2007, 10:59 am - HHS Time

Maiden: Ritch
Class: 1972
City & State: Lawndale, CA
E-mail
Message: I can't for the life of me imagine why anyone would brag about stiffing a poor wattress out of a check. Sharon

Name: Steve Fraser ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Feb 20, 2007, 10:23 am - HHS Time

Class: 1966
City & State: Laguna Woods, CA
No E-mail
Message: The House of Raymond had the best liver and onions ever. My cousin Tim Hood worked there during high school doing dishes. There was another dishwasher named Harold who was older and was known to drink the dishwater when thirsty. The last time I was at Raymond's was early one rainy January morning when workers supposedly tossed the Christmas tree into the fireplace in the bar. When we (HFD) left, Mel's House of Raymond was history.

Name: Keith D. Jones ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Feb 20, 2007, 10:13 am - HHS Time

Class: 1976
City & State: Kona, HI
E-mail
Message: Sorry but I can't help myself to telling stories when I read something that triggers one. House of Raymond story: Myself, Greg Staffon and Paul Dallons decide to go to House of Raymonds to Dine & Dash. Since we are going to do this Paul decides why not go all out and order the most expensive meal. If I remember right it was lobster and steak. Well while we are eating and getting ready to order dessert two cops walk in. Now we are thinking oh no how are we going to do this now. None of us had any money. Well Paul decides to order another dinner and I think me and Greg ordered something else too. We were really nervous. We ate really slow and everything. Finally the cops leave and we are stuffed. Now it comes time we have to get up and run. If I remember right they had a back door to the parking lot. I'm not sure how we got outside but I do remember employees starting to run after us. Me and Greg hid under a car I remember and watched as employees ran by chasing Paul. We didn't get caught so I guess thats all that counts. We did that Dine & Dash things allot back then. I am grown up now so I don't do those things. By the way, for those who travel. It is easy to dine & dash at Houston Airport.

Name: Dave Keller ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Feb 20, 2007, 10:12 am - HHS Time
Class: 1981
E-mail
Message: Anyone recall what the deal was with the "hotel" or "apartments" across the street from McDonald's? As a youth, they appeared to be regular, run-of-the-mill apartments or residential hotel units. But, as an adult, I would think they were day rooms used by professional ladies. Anyone know?
On a side note, which might be of interest primarily to John Baker, former Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (Lomita) Deputy Tom Mareina has just retired from the Plumas County Sheriff's Department. He also had been assigned to Lennox, Hawthorne (as support for the HPD), Lawndale and Palos Verdes on various occasions.

Name: Jerry Miles ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Feb 20, 2007, 9:03 am - HHS Time

Class: 1966
City & State: Fair Oaks, CA
E-mail
Message: Mel?s House of Raymond was always one of our family?s favorite places to eat. If I remember right they served dinner in about five courses starting with bread and ending with dessert. I can still remember saving a little milk for my bread pudding at the end of a very satisfying meal. But I think the Mexican restaurant you are thinking of was the Little Onion. It had wonderful food too but my mother worked at the original Red Onion and the only small one. It was located near the main Post Office in Inglewood. The owner?s sons started the chain beginning with the one on Century.

Name: Michael Kratz ~~~~~~~~~~ Tue-Feb 20, 2007, 8:50 am - HHS Time

Class: 1971
City & State: Vegas
E-mail
Message: Another storie for THE HOUSE OF ROMONDS Bonnie. My dad was a professional Gambler and traveled to the Bahamas a lot. I remember in 70 or 71 when he came back from the Bahamas and he told all us kids around the house(we had so many kids over and my DAD was away alot, that he sometimes forgot which ones were he's)that he came upon a nice drink while in the Bahamas, called "Pina Colada". I still have the orignal receipt in one of my very old bar books, anyways he gave the Bartender at THE HOUSE of RAYMONDS the Receipt and the rest is history.

Name: Bonnie Lou Cozby ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Feb 19, 2007, 11:09 pm - HHS Time

Maiden: Simmons
Class: 1971
City & State: Ocean Park, WA
E-mail
Message: Regarding House of Raymonds...Michael K. I loved that place too and have been trying to remember its name for the longest time. They brought a tiered relish tray to the table after you ordered and I remember feeling very posh and grown-up every time we went there. The Red Onion was just down the street from it, another favorite and nothing like the large ones that came later. This has got me thinking about my first high school dance date. It was the Backwards Dance and I asked a really tall guy named Bob ???, shoot can't remember, but he was a friend of Tim Cook and Tom Woodward. Anyway, we all went to the Warehouse at the Marina. I ordered Lobster Louie and it was served in the whole shell. Tasty I believe, but when I had almost finished I noticed that one eye seemed to be missing and I was certain I had eaten it. Gives me the creeps to think about to this day.

Name: Jessie ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Feb 19, 2007, 12:59 pm - HHS Time
Maiden: Corral
Class: 1974
City & State: Los Angeles, CA
E-mail
Message: Yes!! That's exactly when you were suppose to drink Dr Pepper to give you pep!! I knew the answer...I was just wondering if anyone else did! Thanks guys for responding!

Name: Laura Anderson ~~~~~~~~~~ Mon-Feb 19, 2007, 12:28 pm - HHS Time

Maiden: Twitchell
Class: 1979
City & State: Hemet, CA
E-mail
Message: Regarding Greg Hetson and Bad Religion...yes...he is in the band still and came out to our 20 year reunion at the House of Blues....Dan was talking about punks at HHS...while he didn't look like the ones I saw in England a few years later, Scott Brown, Class of '76 (I believe) introduced me to the Sex Pistols at a Cougar or El Molino party....he was pretty into the punk music scene.