ATM: Art, Tiles, Mosaics... an adventure in creativity

Mobile Art, BabyCountry Squire station wagon, my favorite of the show.

You want mobile art, baby? Alexander Calder can't hold a spark plug to the Sixth Annual Cruisin' Back to Culver City Car Show held on May 9th, 2009. This show is located just two blocks from my house but until last year I always had plans out of town on that day. Last year I had just enough time to run through like a whirlwind. So this year I planned ahead. As it was my birthday (okay, you missed it again but I don't hold grudges—for more than a few years) I decided to go, on my own, if necessary. But KJ to the rescue!

It was a typical balmy Culver City day, the same kind of day, I'm sure when Harry Culver met up with Thomas Ince filming his western on the shores of Ballona Creek and thereby started the whole film industry in Culver City—but I digress.

1932 Roadster, pure vintage

We walked up to the car show about eleven. By then there was no parking on my street and hordes of people were walking from every direction. Now, I am NOT a car person by any definition of that word. To me a car is merely transportation (with the exception of my beloved Subaru who I think of as more of a chariot than an automobile) but there is something about the love people have for their vintage vehicles that I can appreciate.

Elvira was supposed to be the Mistress of Ceremonies but by the time we left in the afternoon she still had not shown her face—well, daylight is tough on vampires so I can't be too hard on her.

The show consisted of over 400 cars. It was fun to see the old Keystone-cops style Culver City police car and the new SUV I assume the CCPD had painted on non-city time (or as KJ noted, that's where my tax dollars are going!).

This was the first time I had been inside the Culver City Fire Station—and if you've heard rumours about the CCFD they are all true—the hunkiest crew anywhere! KJ wanted to know if they had a calendar for sale—now there's a way to make up the $6 million city deficit pretty darn fast...

Rear end of the Watidiz, wildest of the show.

My favorite car of the show was the red Country Squire station wagon at the top of the blog. It looks a lot like my Outback and I could see myself driving around town in that car. The wildest car hands down, inside and out, was the Watidiz.

But if I was a vintage purist I suppose I would have to pick the 1932 Roadster as best of show. Well, not really. I loved them all, for a non-car person, that is.

So now I've really "done" the Culver City Car Show and next year I don't have to feel so guilty about having other plans. But I may just find myself sauntering up there anyway...

And another kind of art—food presentation—was to be found at Akasha where AB took me for my birthday dinner that evening. Although the food tasted divine (we ate tapas style) we decided the artful presentation was part of the pleasure of eating there. Ya know, art is everywhere if you only stay on the alert for it—which I definitely enjoy doing.

(photos are copyright roslyn m wilkins)