The 70s at 7
Before Chuck E. Cheese's; before the lavish, opulent catered affairs for toddlers... if you had a child growing up in the 70's or were a child growing up in the 70's, locally you would have celebrated yours or a friend's birthday at Farrell's Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlour.
In the Valley, we had two: one in Van Nuys on Van Nuys Blvd., and in Northridge on Reseda Blvd. Man, oh man, those were the days.
Pig Trough, anyone? Or how about The Zoo; the multi-scoop ginormous metal bowl filled with ice cream scoops and rimmed with plastic animals?
I'm suddenly craving ice cream.
In the Valley, we had two: one in Van Nuys on Van Nuys Blvd., and in Northridge on Reseda Blvd. Man, oh man, those were the days.
Pig Trough, anyone? Or how about The Zoo; the multi-scoop ginormous metal bowl filled with ice cream scoops and rimmed with plastic animals?
I'm suddenly craving ice cream.
Labels: 70s at 7, Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour
Posted by Debbie @ 5/23/2008 07:00:00 PM
8 Comments:
Yes, these kiddy parties today are absurd: they have to last exactly two hours so as not to bore anyone, but must either be at some expensive rented venue or if it's at your home, you'd better have a zoo and circus or pro magicians, don't dream of pizza and cake! And don't forget the gift bags that cost more than the gifts your kid is gonna get (rich people can be real cheap with recycling stuff their kids didn't want).
When we used to get dressed up and go to the ice cream parlor or have a cake party at our house in The Day, we didn't know any better and actually entertained ourselves with games. That's the worst thing, kids today expect to be entertained not learn to entertain themselves.
Oh, and if we went to someone's house and "got bored," and pouted and blamed the hosts like kids do today, we'd be shown the door (and a spanking to learn manners).
My recollection is that there was a Farrell's on DeSoto in Woodland Hills between Ventura Boulevard and
the Ventura Freeway. Clang Clang Clang.
Greetings Mayor Sam!
Farrell's was one of my wife's and my favorite restaurants too! Did you know there is a Farrell's in operation, VERY NEAR to you? It's true. Only because you rock, I'll pass this along.
There's been a recent trend that some companies have taken up names of former companies that once existed and had established a good reputation with customers for many years, but went out of business.
Or, original owner's of companies that shut down (like Farrell's, other than their San Diego restaurant still in operation) have restarted after years of being shut down. Once again, there's a Farrell's close to you.
It's located within a Family Fun Center, and inside it looks the same, all the way down to the same wallpaper, tables, menus and the food they serve. They even have the drum for birthdays along with all the bells and whistles.
It's located within the Mountasia Family Fun Center in Santa Clarita. It's a little drive from LA, but worth it:
http://www.mountasiafuncenter.com/MHome.asp
Also, though it's in the Family Fun Center, if you don't want to partake of the arcade games, batting cages, etc., you can go just go straight into the restaurant. Don't be misled that because it's within the fun center that it's only a weak rendition, because it's a full restaurant large enough to hold 80-100 people, the same size as the originals.
It's 10:30 PM right now. You have 30 minutes to get there for a Pig Trough if you need it.
Chris
We're really dating ourselves now...but I remember the good 'ole days when Farrell's in Sherman Oaks was such great fun! Sigh! I'm just thankful my kids have those wonderful memories! And the schools were great, too!
If we had Farrell's today...it would probably be called El Farrelito's!
10:21 said: If we had Farrell's today...it would probably be called El Farrelito's!
Hey! That's what my abuelita called it back in the day! :)
xoxo
Chris,
Maybe we should think of having a "Mayor Sam Ice Cream Social" there?
I wanna hear the "clang, clang, clang" again!
xoxo
ahfbroadway:
You're close: it was on Canoga Avenue, btwn Ventura blvd and the freeway. There's a burger king there now.
parties there were always great fun!
You know what's scary:
that Farrell's employee announcing the kid's birthday is probably 50 yrs old now.
Heck, that 6 yr old having her birthday probably has kids of her own.
My God, we're all getting old!!!
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