THE PAST AND NOW Travel and Social Media – News

After his success with the Egyptian Theatre, Sid Grauman turned to Charles E. Toberman to secure a long term lease on property at 6925 Hollywood Blvd. Toberman contracted the architectural firm of Meyer & Holler (who had also designed the Egyptian) to design a “palace type theatre” of Chinese design. ... Read More »

Appearance was very important to women during the 1950s. Ladies always looked their best when they stepped outside their homes. Home movie video of the SS Homeric sailing to Castro’s Cuba in 1959. Cruise fashions on display. It didn’t matter whether they were going to the grocery store, the airport, to ... Read More »

Over 900 German-Jewish passengers had purchased return passage in Cabin Class and 3rd Class on the Hamburg-America Line MS St Louis. On May 13, 1939, eighty-three years ago, they sailed from Hamburg, Germany to Havana, Cuba. M.S. St. Louis The liner had gained an excellent reputation in the service from ... Read More »

Star of Alfred Hitchcock’s PSYCHO, Janet Leigh is ready to board the famous SUPER CHIEF and Virginia Leith, star of A KISS BEFORE DYING shows us the all-Pullman train during the 1950s in a promotional film. Even the characters from TV’s MAD MEN may have been aboard the train all ... Read More »

Does Madonna know that two passengers ships were named after Eva Peron (Evita)? The Argentine liners were called the T.S.S. EVITA and the T.S.S. EVA PERON. The “Eva Peron” liner/cruise-ships…  They were similar in design to the T.S.S. JUAN PERON. (Our thanks to Timetable Images for these great photos: www.timetableimages.com). The ships ... Read More »

Other trains may have been more luxurious but none could compare to the California Zephyr in the way of friendly service and breathtaking scenery. From 1949 until 1970, the California Zephyr operated daily during the 1950s and 1960s between Chicago and San Francisco. Over two days and nights, across prairies, through canyons, ... Read More »

The Steamboat Gordon C. Greene cruised round-trip from Cincinnati to New Orleans on the Ohio and Mississippi with over a hundred passengers on a 21-Day river journey via Cairo, Paducah, Evansville, Memphis, Baton Rouge. When times were much different. The speed of the boat – was about that of the ... Read More »

The Southern Pacific Railroad was a major element in the development of Palm Springs. At one time the SP offered passenger service on over eight daily trains. The SP, Union Pacific, and Santa Fe Railroads brought thousands of visitors to Palm Springs. Palm Springs was a retreat for movie stars ... Read More »

Zim Lines began passenger service connecting Israel with Mediterranean ports began after the State of  Israel was established in 1948 and for 20 years they operated an excellent sea transportation fleet of ships In the early 1950s, Zim became a member of the North Atlantic Passenger Conference and bought Home ... Read More »

When Ernie Byfield opened The Pump Room in the Ambassador East Hotel on October 1, 1938, he undoubtedly had little idea that he was beginning an enterprise that would still be thriving to this day. Today, The Pump Room remains highly acclaimed restaurant and Chicago landmark. Located in Chicago’s Gold ... Read More »