Pop in to Peggy Sue's, for fun film decor, diner food served with flair

Peggy Sue's diner is a classic '50s diner, with fine food and a treasure trove of  movie memorabilia collected by its owners.
Dine with Elvis, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne and many others from the movie glory days of the 1950s. 

 

Peggy Sue Gabler was a Hollywood actor in the 1950s. Her husband,
Champ, worked nearby at Knott's Berry Farm, Los Angeles. The couple
developed the diner as a colorful way to share their extensive memorabilia.

MOVIE MEMORABILIA
SPICES UP THE LONG DRIVE BETWEEN
L.A. OR SAN DIEGO
AND LAS VEGAS

   

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

Actor James Dean leads the way to the colorful restroom.
Behind the Dean manikin are photos of him with
Marilyn Monroe, and other classic Hollywood portraits. 

IF YOU ARE old enough to remember the colorful diners and coffee shops of the 1950s, you'll find yourself in nostalgia heaven at Peggy Sue's '50s Diner, an original roadside attraction built in 1954.
Turn your mental clock back 60-plus years, to the movies, fashions, food and fads of the day.
Prepare your taste buds and sharpen up your sense of humor. Hit the I-15 and take the Ghost Town exit near Yermo. You'll be at Peggy Sue's, where friendly smiles and speedy service begin your journey into the past.  Take your pick from nine counter stools and three boths. Have a look at the hot pink menu, place your order, then enjoy the ambiance and a pleasant overload of movie memorabilia.
PERHAPS YOU'LL choose the Marlon Brando mushroom cheese burger, or the Buddy Holly bacon cheese burger. Maybe you fancy a Patti Page tuna melt or John Wayne's barbecue sandwich. Gary Cooper's ham and cheese on rye is tasty and Fabian's French dip charmed photographer Keller, who wandered around the place with his cameras for over an hour. Peggy Sue's is pure fun, with a capital "F."
Set in the shadow of the Calico Mountains, the diner was built from railroad ties and held together with mortar from the nearby Union Pacific Rail Yard.

Portraits of many Hollywood stars -- most of
them signed -- cover the walls at Peggy Sue's.

Our planned "quick stop" turned into a two-hour journey down Memory Lane with a leisurely lunch and enjoyable self-guided tour.

A fun little gift shop sells all manner of memorabilia,
posters, signs, and many fun road-trip souvenirs.

Peggy Sue's waitresses greet you in colorful pastels reminiscent of the
1950s diners where a good burger and piece of pie were standard fare.

The place induced such a happy reverie that we plan to return each time we drive through the desert on our frequent forays to and from Las Vegas. The imaginatively decorated diner is a love song to the 1950s,  crafted by a California couple whose enthusiasm for Hollywood and show business is contagious.

The Duke has plenty of wall space at Peggy Sue's.

The ladies restroom offers this
surprise! A mural, all in good fun.

CHAMP AND PEGGY Sue Gabler came to Yermo from Southern California in 1981, and rescued the diner which was falling into disrepair. After careful restoration, they opened it in 1987, using their memorabilia, imaginations and elbow grease. The result is a kitschy "not to miss" place to stop for fine fare and  nicely preserved movie  souvenirs and effects. Peggy Sue's Diner is a 10,000-square-foot '50s fantasyland with Tinseltown memorabilia and many famous customers.  For us, it livens up the tedious drive between Los Angeles or San Diego and Las Vegas.
IT'S A THROWBACK to another time.  This '50s style diner entertains with remarkable memorabilia, friendly service and fine fare. And yes, chicken fried steak, great burgers and meatloaf appear, along with homemade pie and sodas fresh from the fountain. This treasure is in Yermo, California. peggysuesdiner.com 
***************************************************************************************BEST BET: "How the Other Half Loves" is funny, sexy well acted diversion on stage at North Coast Rep

The ensemble in "How the Other Half Loves" at North Coast
Repertory Theatre in San Diego: front, L-R: Benjamin Cole,
Noelle Marion, Sharon Rietkirk; Rear, L-R: James Newcomb,
Jacqueline Ritz, Christopher Williams.--Aaron Rumley photo

Cookie (aka Christene Meyers) prepares for an assault on LEGOLAND with
her niece, Amarylla Ganner, and great-niece and nephew, Peny and James Ganner.

FANS OF WITTY British comedies will delight in a charming production at San Diego's North Coast Repertory Theater. Sir Alan Ayckbourn's "How the Other Half Loves," is a fast-paced farce featuring a gifted ensemble. Three married couples and clever tricks of time and place, tell of an adulterous affair between a married man and his boss’s wife. Precise timing, clever dialogue, skillful direction are in store, plus a dinner scene to amuse. Head to Solana Beach for intrigue, irony, jealousy, misunderstanding, humor and forgiveness. A  crack cast and Geoffrey Sherman's fine direction deliver Ayckbourn's vintage stagecraft with flying colors. northcoastrep.org
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UP NEXT: Get ready for LEGOLAND! Rest up folks, because it's going to be a hectic, lively ride. We took to the famous amusement diversion recently, with our niece and her two enthusiastic youngsters. We rode rides, admired all the Legoland characters, stayed in the lovely nearby Hilton Garden Inn, walked miles and came back happy -- and exhausted. Tips on taking kids to the engaging site, and more. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays when we post a lively look at travel, the arts, family and nature.