Showing posts with label Postcards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Postcards. Show all posts

Jan 30, 2016

Ambassador Hotel Location in Los Angeles

Located at 3400 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, the former Ambassador Hotel was one of the preeminent hotels in the city for decades. After opening in 1921, it was the Cocoanut Grove, the Ambassador's nightclub, that regularly attracted headlines as one of Hollywood's early hangouts. From 1930 to 1943, six Academy Award ceremonies were hosted here.

ambassador hotel location today los angeles


On June 5, 1968 while campaigning for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States, Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in the Embassy Ballroom. Five others were also shot that night, but survived. It was shortly after that the Ambassador Hotel began to decline, accelerated by an increase in crime in the surrounding neighborhood.

By 1989 the Ambassador Hotel had closed its doors, but remained popular as a filming location for numerous productions. After much debate, litigation, and public protest to save the structure, it was decided that the former hotel would be demolished in 2005.

ambassador hotel location today los angeles
One of the original pillars along Wilshire Boulevard still marks the hotel. 
ambassador hotel location today los angelesToday a complex comprised of six schools sits on the location of the former hotel, known as the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools. When viewed from Wilshire Boulevard the school has a similar shape to the hotel it replaced, although with exception to the entrance and east wall of the Grove, it is an entirely new structure. 

Along Wilshire the original pillars to the Ambassador Hotel entrance remain, and the Robert F. Kennedy Inspiration Park was constructed. It's quite something to stand in a location that resembles something historic, but recognize how much has actually changed.      

Entrance to the Ambassador Hotel in the 1950's.


ambassador hotel location today los angeles
ambassador hotel location today los angeles

ambassador hotel location today los angeles

ambassador hotel location today los angeles


ambassador hotel los angeles postcard
Vintage postcard of the Ambassador Hotel.


ambassador hotel location today los angeles

ambassador hotel location today los angeles
ambassador hotel location today los angeles



ambassador hotel los angeles postcard
Vintage postcard of the Ambassador Hotel.

ambassador hotel location today los angeles

ambassador hotel location today los angeles


ambassador hotel location today los angeles

ambassador hotel location today los angeles

ambassador hotel location today los angeles

Jul 17, 2015

Working With Tourism Medicine Hat

You might have thought that with my sizeable library of images from around Medicine Hat, Alberta (and the region at large) that I would've already been working with local tourism. The truth is that it wasn't until this spring, under a brand new contract, that Tourism Medicine Hat brought me into the fold to utilize some of my photography.

They kicked things off this year by purchasing a selection of my images that featured in the 2015 Medicine Hat Tourism Guide & City Map. A number of the spreads feature samples of my photography from Stampede to Red Rock Coulee to the Clay District and a bit of everything in between. The cover of the guide is also made up of my original images, but more surprising to me, it prominently features my silhouette walking through Police Point Park - something I hadn't realized they'd done until I saw a preview of the guide going to print.

A photo posted by Luke Fandrich (@editingluke) on

Also cool, I collaborated with Tourism Medicine Hat to create a special print run of my Around the Hat postcards to sell in the Visitor Information Centre next to the Saamis Teepee. We agreed on 20 variations of the postcards that are available exclusively through them. After expanding my connections with other tourism boards, it feels great to finally be teaming up with the one in my own city. I wouldn't be surprised if this was just the beginning! 

Around the Hat postcards in the Medicine Hat Visitor Information Centre.

Tourism Medicine Hat Travel Guides.


Tourism Medicine Hat banners featuring my images.

Nov 17, 2014

Postcards at the Peacock's Feather

With new framed prints of my Medicine Hat photography for sale at the Peacock's Feather on North Railway Street, I decided it would be cool to add even more variety just in time for Christmas. I've brought back a select collection of just over 250 of my original Around the Hat postcards exclusively for sale in the Peacock's Feather. 


These 4x6" postcards were professionally printed, and have now been individually sleeved and labelled with their specific locations from Around the Hat. If you're looking for something easy to frame or an original piece of stationery to send a message, these postcards are a great option. They're just one more piece of originality that you'll find inside this amazing local shop. 













Feb 10, 2014

Vintage Power Plant Postcard

I purchased this rare used postcard online, which shows the Medicine Hat power plant sometime between 1910-1920. The edges on the back of the postcard have been damaged from being glued into a scrapbook or album, making the postage date unreadable. Those details aside, this Medicine Hat postcard is still a fascinating document of a seldom photographed location. 

Medicine Hat's natural gas and our resulting city-owned gas utility and power generation plant have always been notable features of our community - a point proven by this very postcard. Our cheap energy was the driving force that brought a number of manufacturers to the region in the early 1900s. It was also essential to our burgeoning clay industry. 

The message on this postcard detailed a few of the short stops made in Southern Alberta and was mailed back to family members in Winnipeg. Today the twin bridges of the Trans Canada Highway across the South Saskatchewan River obstruct this view of the power plant - which has grown substantially as well.






Jan 10, 2014

Vintage General Hospital Postcard

This vintage postcard of the former General Hospital in Medicine Hat, Alberta was mailed on August 13, 1914 to Wyoming, Ontario - a small town near Sarnia in the south of the province. Judging by the message it sounds like they were travelling across the country. 

Medicine Hat Hospital Postcard VintageThe postcard reads: "Having a fine time. Wish you were along. Will leave here for Calgary this afternoon and from Calgary to Vancouver." 

The postcard really was the text message of its day, and this one would've made the journey back east on the railway. I can only imagine what a different journey that would've been to take 100 years ago. The general hospital on this postcard has long since been demolished, however when it was built it was noted for being the first civilian hospital past Winnipeg in 1889.

Medicine Hat Hospital Postcard Vintage


Medicine Hat Hospital Postcard Vintage
Medicine Hat Hospital Postcard Vintage


Medicine Hat Hospital Postcard Vintage
Medicine Hat Hospital Postcard Vintage

Medicine Hat Hospital Postcard Vintage