16 ABUNDANTLY CHARMING PICTURES OF DEAN MARTIN — YOU CAN'T LOOK AWAY!

Hey pallies,  likes they sez that a picture is worth a thousand words, and in the coolest of cool case...our Dino it's truer then true pallies!  And, likes with the marvelous millions of millions of incredible intriguin' images of our Dino circulatin' on the ol' world wide web they speaketh of unendin' awesome adulation of our Dino.  Today we met up with Mr. John Farr (pictured 'bove) who holds forth a his amazin'  all thin's movie blog "BEST MOVIES by Farr."  Mr. Farr describes himself as an "Independent film advocate and movie curator for discerning viewers." His remarkable resume includes that he graduated "from Princeton" and pursued  "a long career in advertising" before settin' " out to follow his dream: to research, compile and promote the best films available, with a special emphasis on "hidden gems” which even the most passionate movie lover may have overlooked or forgotten about."

Likes we are totally totally thrilled today to share his delightful Dino-centric post tagged "16 ABUNDANTLY CHARMING PICTURES OF DEAN MARTIN —  YOU CAN'T LOOK AWAY!"
Beginnin' with a ton of wonderfully wise words 'bout our most beloved Dino....sweetly swank scribin's that speak virtual volumes of Farr awesome adulation of our main man.  It's absolutely obvious that John "gets Martin" and that truer then true Dino-truth...."His family and closest friends all recognized that Dean held something back from the world, that there was a part of him that was unknowable."

Followin' this exceptional exposé, Mr. Farr shares sixteen primo powerfully perfect poses of our King of Cool....each with a beautifully brief, but powerfully potent coolest of cool caption for each.  It is truly a deeply delightful Dino-feast of irresistible images of our one and only Dino, and we indeed as John sez, they are "abundantly charming" & "You can't look away."  We expresses our deepest of deep Dino-delight to Mr. John Farr for this deepest of deep devotion to our Dino that invites Farr's readers into delvin' deeper and deeper into Dino-adulation themselves.  To check this out in it's original source, likes simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-report.

We Remain,

Yours in Dino,

Dino Martin Peters

16 ABUNDANTLY CHARMING PICTURES OF DEAN MARTIN — 

YOU CAN'T LOOK AWAY!   

Posted on by John Farr

One quality about Dean Martin you had to admire: he never played second banana to anyone. Not to Frank Sinatra, not to Jerry Lewis — both complicated men with big egos.

What made him so cool was the fact that he sought and required no one’s approval. And he knew how to use his abundant charm to make you love him for it.

The Ohio-born Dean began as a crooner, but really broke through playing the foil to Lewis’s infantile clown in a series of pictures starting in 1949. It must have worn him down. When the duo finally split for good in 1956, conventional wisdom said that Jerry had the better chance of making it as a solo performer.

Wrong. In the years ahead, Dean developed into a surprisingly skilled actor and an unsurpassed entertainer. He created a solid film career for himself before moving on to conquer television. He was soaring long after Jerry Lewis’s exposure was confined to telethons.

He ended up earning three stars on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame: one for movies, one for TV, and one for his recording career. He had over 40 singles make the Billboard charts over the years, with three soaring to number one: “That’s Amore” in 1953, “Memories Are Made Of This” in 1956, and “Everybody Loves Somebody” in 1964 — all frequently heard standards today.

In later days, he cultivated the image of the bemused, lovable souse. It was just that: an image. What appeared to be whiskey onstage was really apple juice. And the real Dean was much less the late night carouser than his close friend Sinatra. Much to Frank’s chagrin, Dean’s favorite activity after a show was going up to his room and watching television. Westerns were his favorite.

His family and closest friends all recognized that Dean held something back from the world, that there was a part of him that was unknowable. They accepted it readily; there was so much to admire and enjoy about the man. On- and off-stage, he was engaging, relaxed, and very, very funny.

The following pictures capture the different public sides of Dean Martin: heartthrob, singer, funny man, and serious actor.  Most will bring back how he made us all feel — happy.

Baby, I just don’t care!

Dean always drove the ladies wild. Surprised?

Only he could make that jacket look good!

The essence of hip, with that upturned collar.

He sounded just as good as he looked.

With former partner Jerry Lewis. Their movies don’t hold up today, but were wildly popular back then.

Teeing off. Dean loved golf.

Watch your step, sonny.

Who me?

Dean showed the world he could act in the classic “Rio Bravo” (1959).

Rat Pack fun, with Sammy and Frank. Those were the days!

Dean was Marilyn’s last co-star. On the set of the unfinished “Something’s Got to Give” (1962).

Dean goes for the corner pocket.

Three crooning legends on-air in the mid-’60s: Frank, Bing, and Dean. What a powerhouse!

Get a shave, Dean!

On one of his legendary comedy roasts, early 1970s. I dare you not to laugh!

.....and after telling of his immense Dean Martin LP collection, he was given the nickname "Dino".....

Hey pallies, likes welcome back today to our humble little Dino-pad where we will swankly  share incredible information on Mr. Steve "Dino" Donikian, who so openly and affirmatively took on Mr. Mick LaSalle lack of Dino-appreciato.  Likes below is powerful prose from the pad of Radio Station KALB in San Francisco that intriguin'ly introduces us to "Dino" Donikian who is "KABL morning show producer extraordinaire.

Likes beside the station's beautifully biographical info, it is followed by a fantastic feature on Donikian tagged ""Dino Might!" by Mr. Chad Jones, ANG Newspapers Staff Writer.  Both of these perfecto pieces share his awesome adulation of our most beloved Dino, and we were particularly taken with words that Mr. Jones scribed statin', that "(Donikian's) grandmother, from Istanbul, Turkey, never missed Dean Martin's show,''  and likes on "Thursday nights, Channel 4. She didn't speak any English, but she loved Dean. I grew up feeling like he was a favorite uncle who came over once a week. Dean Martin came on screen and you just laughed and smiled along with him.''

We are marvelously moved to learn of Mr. Steve "Dino" Dinoikian's awesome adulation of our Dino, who we proclaim a remarkable role model for all Dino-holics to emulate.  It is pallies like "Dino" that are makin' sure that the name of our most beloved Dino keeps bein' lifted up and that our Dino's life and work continue to be remembered and shared.  To check this out in it's original format at KABL, simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-report.

We Remain,

Yours in Dino,

Dino Martin Peters

Dino Donikian

KABL Music & Movie Minutes

Steven "Dino" Donikian, KABL morning show producer extraordinaire, got introduced to radio as a Mass Communications major at Chabot College in Hayward. This San Leandro native visited Magic 61 on a class assignment, and after telling of his immense Dean Martin LP collection, he was given the nickname "Dino" and hired on the spot. Dino worked with Bay Area legends Russ "The Moose" Syracuse, Don Sainte-Johnn and Dan Sorkin before starting his nine year on-air relationship with Jim Lange.

Dino's expansive record collection includes thousands of albums by his favorite artists including Dean Martin, Nat Cole, Don Ho, Bobby Darin and Frank Sinatra. This record collection is the inspiration of the "Off The Wall" segment on the Jim Lange Show. This segment includes rare songs by artists that you wouldn't expect to sing, including Telly Savalas, Clint Eastwood, and Ted Knight.

Dino's favorite actors include Sean Connery, Audrey Hepburn, Jennifer Connelly, Naomi Watts and Red Skelton. Dino's professional motto can be summed up by the words of Red Skelton:

"And if by chance, someday you're not feeling well, and remember some silly little thing I've said or done before, and it brings a smile to your face or a chuckle to your heart, then my purpose has been fulfilled."

His favorite TV shows are "The Wild, Wild, West", "Hawaii 5-0", "The Family Guy" and "The Odd Couple." His favorite movies include "Some Came Running", "Oceans 11" and "From Russia With Love."

Dino is also an avid sports fan. His sports idols include A's legend Ken Holtzman, who was a guest on the Jim Lange Show, Bernard King and Bjorn Borg. Inspired by Carter B. Smith's T-shirt collection, Dino has a vast international soccer jersey collection. To date he has jerseys from more than 125 different countries.

Read more about Dino...

"Dino Might!"

By Chad Jones ANG Newspapers Staff Writer

Aptitude tests indicated that Steven Donikian should be a marine biologist, which would have made him San Leandro's very own Jacques Cousteau.

Heading into Hayward's Chabot College, Donikian didn't feel that aquatic wonders were his life's calling, despite the aquariums full of exotic tropical fish he kept at home.

When Donikian set his career course, he opted for mass communication and ended up focusing on radio.

"Something involving music made sense,'' says Donikian. "I was listening anyway.''

Indeed he was. Born to Armenian parents, Donikian is first generation Armenian American, and one of his primary youthful memories is watching TV variety shows in the 1970s starring the likes of Tom Jones and Glen Campbell.

"My grandmother, from Istanbul, Turkey, never missed Dean Martin's show,'' Donikian explains. "Thursday nights, Channel 4. She didn't speak any English, but she loved Dean. I grew up feeling like he was a favorite uncle who came over once a week. Dean Martin came on screen and you just laughed and smiled along with him.''

With a record and CD collection that numbers in the thousands, Donikian has just about everything ever recorded by Martin and his Rat Pack cohorts Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. as well as other vocalists such as Nat "King'' Cole and Bobby Darin.

The older he got, the more Donikian learned about pop music. He moved beyond variety shows and discovered the Beatles, U2, the Who, Sting and many others. But in high school, he found himself drawn back to Martin and the classic crooners.

With his passion for pop music from the 1940s to the present, Donikian says he felt radio would be a good fit for him.

When, at age 21, he had to complete a class project at Chabot, Donikian decided to interview a program director at Magic 61, an AM radio station in San Francisco that broadcast the golden oldies Donikian loves so much.

"I interviewed Brian Rhea, the assistant program director, and I asked him all the questions I had prepared,'' Donikian recalls. "Then he asked me what I listened to, and I told him about collecting Cole, Sinatra and Martin.''

When Rhea confirmed that Donikian wasn't kidding, he asked the young man if he could start work on Monday.

"I rearranged a few classes and started as a substitute producer for Russ `The Moose' Syracuse,'' Donikian says. "Doors started opening.''

Because there were already a number of Steves in the building, Rhea re-christened Donikian as Dino in tribute to the young man's enthusiasm for all things Dean Martin. The nickname stuck.

That was 13 years ago, and now Donikian is a full-fledged producer. He works the 6 to 10 a.m. shift on KABL 960 AM with on-air personality Jim Lange, former host of "The Dating Game.'' In addition to producing the show, Donikian is becoming more and more of an Ed McMahon to Lange's Johnny Carson.

If you tune in, you'll hear Lange and Donikian bantering like old friends. They talk about what they did over the weekend, what movies they've seen recently or what they've eaten at Scoma's, an old-fashioned San Francisco seafood restaurant and stalwart sponsor of the morning show.

"This format, what we call 'America's best music,' has the most loyal following in radio,'' Donikian says. "They care about the music and they develop an attachment to the people at the station. They call up and start talking to you like they're your aunt or your mom. If I call in sick one day, I receive dozens of get-well cards.''

Sometimes the power of the broadcast medium surprises Donikian.

"I had to go to a funeral recently, and Jim mentioned it on the air,'' Donikian says. "Suddenly my parents in San Leandro are getting all these concerned calls asking who died. You have to watch what you say on the air.''

Listeners frequently hear about Donikian's passion for sports; he's been an A's and Warriors fan since childhood; and about his burgeoning collection of soccer jerseys from around the world.

Sitting in production booth at KABL headquarters near Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco, Donikian sports a red-and-white jersey from the Tunisian team. Several listeners have pledged their help to acquire hard-to-get jerseys from the Ivory Coast and Kenya.

"Another cool part of being on the radio is that I'm able to wear soccer jerseys to work,'' Donikian says.

As if the job and his various collections didn't keep him busy enough, Donikian also spends time cooking (but not cleaning up). Fully fluent in Armenian, he, like his father, is a sub-deacon at St. Vartan, Oakland's Armenian church. Donikian still expresses disbelief that he works in a medium he loves and is surrounded by music he adores. That helps him roll out of bed at 4 a.m. and head from San Leandro to the radio station.

"What I do doesn't feel like work,'' he says. "I love my job. Radio can be an uncertain business, and you don't know what will happen day to day, but I like the people I work with. The music is a huge part of what keeps me there. That and there's no heavy lifting.''

Reprinted with permission from ANG Newspapers.

So for all the years I’ve been touting some of Dean Martin’s greatest roles, you’ve never even seen them.

Hey pallies, likes while our most beloved Dino didn't need or want pallies to stick up for him, we can't help by gets primoly psyched out anytime we read of one who is deeply deeply devoted to our Dino darin'ly defend the life, times, and teachin's of our King of Cool.  Likes such is the cooler then cool case this very Dino-day as we take youse to the scribin's of Mr. Mick LaSalle(pictured to the left), movie critic for The San Francisco Chronicle.

Recently in his column for the Chronicle," Ask Mick LaSalle," deeply devoted to Dino pallie, Mr. Steve “Dino” Donikian (pictured on the left below),of San Leandro took LaSalle to task for his apparent lack of apprecation for our one and only Dino and below is "Dino" Donikian's quire and Mick LaSalle's reply.

We awesomely applaud Mr.  Donikian's publicly challengin' Mr. LaSalle's attitudes toward our Dino and for Mr. LaSalle's willin'ness to not only print Mr. Donikian's quire, but to respectfully respond to it.  While, of course, we are in complete agreement with Donikian's deep devotion to our Dino, we also appreciate Mr. LaSalle's honest response to Mr. Donikian.  It's a lovely liftin' up of the name of our Dino and will surely help many of LaSalle's readership to be drawn into the Dino-fold, if for no other reason than curiosity.

Likes who is Mr. Steve "Dino Donikian's and how did he get the tag Dino?  Well, we're answer those questions on the 'morrow with 'nother Dino-centric post, so stay tuned pallies!  To check out's today's Dino-sharin' at it's original source, likes simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-gram.

We Remain,

Yours in Dino,

Dino Martin Peters


Ask Mick LaSalle: Don’t ignore huge story arc connecting all ‘Avengers’ movies

By Mick LaSalle  May 9, 2018

So Mick: So for all the years I’ve been touting some of Dean Martin’s greatest roles, you’ve never even seen them. As a film critic, that is pretty weak. When I reviewed films, I often saw movies that had actors I didn’t care for, but still saw the films and tried to give an honest review. Please don’t see the classic “Rio Bravo.” Better forget about seeing “Some Came Running” — it has that other guy you don’t care for, Frank Sinatra. Also, don’t bother with “The Young Lions.”

Steve “Dino” Donikian, San Leandro

So Steve: I’ve seen “Some Came Running” — it’s a great movie, and I’ve written about it and have shown it to students. I’ve seen “The Young Lions” (1958) and liked it, though I forgot Dean Martin was in it. Maybe that’s for the best. As for seeing movies with actors I don’t care for, that’s practically the job description. Yet most of the time, when forced to see people over and over that I don’t like, I gradually end up liking them, either because a certain Stockholm syndrome kicks in or because, like Adam Sandler, they actually get better with the years. But obviously, none of this can apply to dead actors from 60 years ago. They’re not getting any better. And if I don’t like them, I sure am not going to make them the focus of my leisure hours. I certainly will not turn my living room into “A Clockwork Orange,” strap myself into a chair and watch Dean Martin movies with my eyelids taped open. You’ll be amazed, but that doesn’t sound like fun to me. So, no, I’m not a fan of Dean Martin. I do like him in a few things, and I like some of his recordings. But to me he will always be a smug buffoon with a variety show, either drunk or making believe he’s drunk and laughing all over himself at those mirthless celebrity roasts. That was the Dean Martin I grew up with. Plus, I find the whole Rat Pack thing repulsive.

Danny G's SPECIAL Memorial Day Sunday Serenade with Dino: "Love Me, Love Me"

Welcome, my friends! 

Happy Memorial Day weekend 2018!

 Man o man...can't believe 'nother year has come & gone since I was pickin' a GREAT GREAT Dino-jam for this VERY important holiday! 

Where do the days go, pals?! 

Hey, guess what? 
No biggie. 

We is just sailin' through this life with a song & a prayer, pallies.

 Singin' some Dino & prayin' for the best. 

That's all we really can do! 

Just do our best...appreciate EVERY day we is here & make SURE to 'member those who helped get us here! 

That's what this day is actually ALL 'bout, pals!

 'Memberin' those TRUE heroes who fought the good fight to preserve this GREAT GREAT country of ours! 

Past & present...we owe them a special prayer.

 It's ALSO a day to appreciate those PERSONAL heroes who make, or made, our lives better. 

Moms, Dads, family & friends...they too deserve some praise!

 After all, mi amici...MANY sacrifices have been made to help us gets where we is! 

I can thinks of MANY today, who help/helped me, in some way, live a better life!

 Now, pallies...who more than Dino...helps us on a day to day basis...to live a better life? 
Few, if any!
 Haha!!

 It's true, my friends!

 A song from Dean gets my day started & keeps me sailin'... 'til my head hits the pillow 'gain!
 Yes, mam!
 Ha!

 He's the REAL deal, pals. 

One of my true heroes.

 Let this week's Serenade, "Love Me, Love Me", remind us ALL...that CERTAIN people...our REAL heroes... will love us & support us no matter how crazy we gets!
 Haha!! 

And though they may have come & gone...they will REALLY be with us ALWAYS! 

They need to be 'membered & honored, ALWAYS! 

We owe them a lot!

 Enjoy the day, mi amici!

 Have a fun & safe weekend & keep on sailin'!!!

Love me, love me
Love me with all your heart
Kiss me dear while I hold you tight
Make this evening a magic night
Love me, love me

Promise me we'll never part
You can make all my dreams come true
If you'll love me as I love you

Darling I love you, I love you
More than you ever could know
Daytimes I spent dreaming of you
Nightimes telling you so
Yours is the softness of spring to me
Your is the beauty of fall
Heaven is mine when you cling to me
You I adore overall

(Love me. love me)
(Love me with all your heart)
Kiss me dear while I hold you tight
I'll make this evening a magic night
(Love me, love me)
(Promise we'll never part)
You can make all my dreams come true
If you'll love me as I love you
If you'll love me as I love you
If you'll love me as I love you

Dean Martin shows those characteristics for a hero, and I respect him for them.

Hey pallies, likes today we share a reverent reflection on our most beloved Dino from a amazin' educational site called "My Hero."  Accordin' to information contained on the site, "The MY HERO Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education organization that works to empower people of all ages to realize their own potential to create positive change in the world.   Since 1995 myhero.com has provided millions of visitors a safe  online venue to discover and share essays, art, audio and films that celebrate heroes around the world. Our website features positive role models from diverse backgrounds who work for peace, human rights, and to protect the environment. MY HERO hosts a website, salons, festivals and media arts workshops to further our mission."

Likes today's Dino-post was placed on "My Hero" on April 7, 2007 and we just recently uncovered it when we placed the terms Dean Martin and Hero into the ol' Google search engine the praisin' prose below on our Dino is simply tagged "Dean Martin" and saw sweetly scribed by "Ashley from Ohio."  We find it super special that Miss Ashley hails from our Dino's home territory of Ohio.   From the style of the writin' and from what we have learned of this educational site, our guess is that Miss Ashley was in middle or high school when she probably wrote this for a class assignment on "My Hero."

While we are not sure that our Dino's family woulda been classified as "very poor," all the other major details of this short essay are right on the Dino-mark.  Miss Ashley most likely was a Deanager when this was written and we share it 'cause it is 'nother extraordinary example of 'nother of today's youth who awesome admiration and amazin' adulation of our one and only Dino.  Our hearts soar when we read Miss Ashley conclude her most Dino-honorin' prose with these wise words.......

"Heroes show loyal and bravery; they show perseverance and they also show dedication. Dean Martin showed all these characteristics when he came from a poor family and became a big singer and actor. Dedication was shown when he was young and loved to sing and listen to music, and pursued his life to be one. Dean Martin shows those characteristics for a hero, and I respect him for them."

We are totally totally thrilled to be sharin' such touchin' 'n tender thoughts from such a wise young woman!  Hats off to Miss Ashley wherever you are!  Our only sadness is that we didn't uncover your Dino-essay to now...but as the ol' sayin' goes, better late then never!  To checks this out in it's original source, likes simply clicks on the tag of this Dino-gram.

We Remain,

Yours in Dino,

Dino Martin Peters


Dean Martin
by Ashley from Ohio



Dean Martin

Dean Martin was a singer and actor who was very poor and eventually made something big out of himself. Now Dean Martin is a legend for all the accomplishments he made.

During Dean Martin’s life he had some bumps in his road, on his way to stardom. Dean Martin was born on June 7, 1917 and died on December 25, 1995. He was born in Steubenville, Ohio just east of Canton and south of Cleveland and Youngstown. His father was Gaetano Crocetti, who was a barber, and his mother was Angela Barra Crocetti. During his childhood Dean Martin enjoyed listening to music and loved to sing. Sadly he grew up in a poor family and dropped out of school in his sophomore year. After he dropped out of high school, he worked as a filling-station attendant at a steel mill. This job seemed to bore him; he had no interest in that particular job. Later he got interested in pursuing Steubenville’s nightlife.

Later in his life, he began to start his career that he always wanted to do. Dean Martin first sang publicly in 1943, after his friends dared him to take the stage in Youngstown, Ohio. After that time he sang regularly at clubs and community centers, mostly in Steubenville and Youngstown, Ohio. His career hit it big in 1939 when he sang in a band led by Ernie McKay, and billed him as “Dino Martini” (after a popular singer named Nino Martini, for his romantic music). In 1940 he joined a popular band with Sammy Watkins, and Americanized his name to “Dean Martin” again.

Heroes show loyal and bravery; they show perseverance and they also show dedication. Dean Martin showed all these characteristics when he came from a poor family and became a big singer and actor. Dedication was shown when he was young and loved to sing and listen to music, and pursued his life to be one. Dean Martin shows those characteristics for a hero, and I respect him for them.

 Page created on 4/7/2007

DINO'S LODGE MEMORABILIA from Miss Alison Martino

Hey pallies, likes our post on Wednesday of this Dino-week 'bout the Ebay sale of DINO'S LODGE marbles reminded us of 'nother post on DINO'S LODGE memorabilia that we shared on July 2, 2015 supremely scribed by Miss Alison Martino tagged "Alison Martino’s Saving a Candle From Rat Pack Hangout Dino’s Lodge."  The original post can be located  HERE, and it is also reproduced below.  We deeply dug her story back in '15 and we dig it the mostest this very Dino-day as well.

Likes at the end of Miss Martino's potent prose is a wonderful picture on her coolest of cool collection of DINO'S LODGE treasures that she has collected.  Enjoys pallies, and be sure that we will continue to be on the Dino-lookout for other Dino-treasure from the days that Dino's eatery doors were open.

We Remain,

Yours in Dino,

Dino Martin Peters


Hey pallies, likes recently while goin' through the google Dino-'lerts sent our way we came 'cross this gem of  Dino-historical importance that is the focus of today's Dino-devotion.  From the on-line "Los Angeles Magazine," comes Miss Alison Martino's personal  prose  tagged "Alison Martino’s Saving a Candle From Rat Pack Hangout Dino’s Lodge."

Miss Martino "is a writer, television producer and personality, and L.A. pop culture historian."  And, we thought her tag rang a bell with us, so we researched her name in the ol' ilovedinomartin archives and found her other Dino's Lodge post that we featured  HERE in November of 2013.  As you will discover in  Alison's scribin's shared here, she is a collector of Dino's Lodge Dino-memorabilia, and her most prized piece of said Dino-treasure is a candle featurin' the Dino's Lodge Logo.

In fact, as the tag of this Dino-gram shares, that if 'nother quake of the earth comes to L.A., this candle woulda be the first thin' that she would grab for.  It's totally totally thrillin' to know how much Dino-love musta be in her heart to be rememberin' Dino's Lodge in such a huge huge way!  We salute
Miss Alison Martino for sharin' her Dino-devotion with the readership of "Los Angeles Magazine" and sharin' her prized Dino-possessions with the larger Dino-world.  To checks this out in it's original source, simply clicks on the tag of this here Dino-gram.  Dino-delightedly, DMP

Alison Martino’s Saving a Candle From Rat Pack Hangout Dino’s Lodge

The storied souvenir traveled from Hollywood to Australia and back again

June 29, 2015 Alison Martino Dining, L.A. History 

I was recently asked what I would grab in an earthquake, and it took me mere seconds to reply: my vintage candle from Dino’s Lodge. In the late ’50s and ’60s, candles just like it sat on every table in the long-gone restaurant. I’ve seen several menus and matchbooks that feature the same illustration of Dean Martin—the showbiz legend owned Dino’s Lodge—but never another candle. The restaurant’s Sunset Boulevard driveway was featured in the 1950s show 77 Sunset Strip, so I feel the need to snap twice when admiring the souvenir.

I paid less than $20 for it when the candle popped up on eBay a few years ago. Now that the restaurant’s old structure has been demolished, it would likely list for upwards of $500, but I’m not looking to make a profit. I bought the candle from a woman in Australia whose father had brought it home from Hollywood during Dino’s heyday. I’m glad it’s back in Los Angeles where it belongs. When the earth’s not shaking, I keep the candle next to other rare Dino’s Lodge treasures that I’ve collected over the years, including an original menu, two ashtrays, two sugar cubes, two plates, and a Zippo lighter. Ain’t that a kick in the head?

Alison Martino’s Dino’s Lodge memorabilia

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY ALISON MARTINO

---

Alison Martino is a writer, television producer and personality, and L.A. pop culture historian. She founded the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles in 2010. In addition to CityThink and VLA, Martino muses on L.A’s. past and present on Twitter and Instagram