Motel Monday: Going Back To Miami Beach

This part two of the Motel Monday series featuring the motels of Miami Beach. See the second dozen of these colorful motels after the jump.

Chez Paree Resort Motel

Let's Be Good Citizens at School (1953)

This educational film will help you learn how to be a good citizen.

Storyland, 1957 - Pompano Beach, Florida

Storyland, Florida - 1957, originally uploaded by ElectroSpark.

Pompano Beach, FL. Who can think of another theme park you enter through a castle? Destroyed by Hurricane Cleo in 1964.

1977 Denny's To Go Menu - Largo, Florida

This is a Denny's To Go Menu from 1977. This particular menu was taken from Denny's #1033 at 940 Missouri in Largo, Florida. That Denny's is still there!

Wish You Were Hear: Eden Roc Double

These two Wish You Were Hear postcards keep up with the Florida theme this week. These aren't particularly interesting messages (with the exception of the wish you were hear part of the green backed card) but they are messages from the same place both sent to Pennsylvania oddly enough, one year apart and the backs of the cards have such a great design.

Eden Roc - Miami Beach, Florida

Mailed from Miami Beach, Florida to Miss Ann Beaton of Bristol, Pennsylvania on March 6, 1957:

Dear Ann,

We are having a wonderful vacation. Wish you were here.

Love Alice & Fred

This is the second card. It features a day view of the Eden Roc with the Ocean and pool in the photo.

Eden Roc - Miami Beach, Florida

Mailed from Miami Beach, Florida to Rev. Maric Dittami at St. Leo Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on August 21, 1958:

Dear Father -

We are sure living it up - Having a wonderful time, wish you were hear - I think you need a vac. as Bad as me - Russ

Samia Gamal, 1950

Samia Gamal (Arabic: سامية جمال‎), born as Zaynab Ibrahim Mahfuz), (1924 - December 1, 1994) was an Egyptian belly dancer and film actress. In 1949, Egypt's King Farouk proclaimed Samia Gamal "The National Dancer of Egypt", which brought US attention to the dancer.

In 1950, Samia came to the US and was photographed by Gjon Mili and theses are the pictures from that shoot.

See many more photos and a few videos of Samia Gamal after the jump.

Motel Monday: Miami Beach

Today's Motel Monday theme is the motels of Miami Beach, Florida. These numerous and sometimes sprawling resort motels lined both sides of the streets and beaches of Miami Beach. A lot of these motels were even on the same street, Collins Avenue, which is known as Motel Row. I have so many of these postcards that this will be part one of the Miami Beach motels series. Next week will feature another dozen motels. See the first dozen after the jump.

The Castaways

Motel Monday: You're Movin' In With Your Auntie and Uncle in Bel Air

This week's Motel Monday theme has nothing to do with Will Smith and everything to do with Bel Air. Here, we have a dozen postcard that use varying versions of the Bel Air name to add an air of upscale sophistication to their motel. See if they succeeded after the jump.

Bel Air Motel - Redding, California

Nelson Eddy at The Statler Hilton Empire Room, 1959

This is a showcard (basically a multi-fold postcard advertising shows at night clubs and casinos) for Nelson Eddy and Gale Sherwood's April 30 - May 13 performances at the Empire Room at the Statler Hilton in Dallas, Texas.

Nelson Eddy (1901-1967) was an actor and a classically trained opera singer. He appeared in numerous Hollywood musicals and earned three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Eddy has made 290 recording from 1935 to 1964 and had a successful night club act. This showcard is from that act.