Tim Grobaty: The Palace the Lantern

ROCK HALL RECOLLECTED: We are borne back ceaselessly into the past, dealing with the memories of readers who ask us to do a little recollecting of things that have slipped their minds over the years.

[Sam Crowl]

I recall going to the Marina Palace but don't recall the drug scene, stupid me? I do remember some drinking of alcohol going on however, and since I wasn't 21 when it closed I suspect moslty by underage persons.

My first job was for an Oral Surgeon at 6226 E. Spring St and we walked to the Golden Lantern for lunch every couple of weeks. They used to serve the very best freshly carved roast beef sandwiches with dynamite horseradish. It's really the place that made me fall in love with horseradish since my friends all used it.

[Lynn Ava]

Couldn't resist necroposting when I saw this being as I was reminiscing how much fun we had at Marina Palace back in it's heyday. It was located near what is now the Long Beach Marketplace parking lot. I recall it being by oil derricks and the estuary back in that area, the parking lot for it a swamp practically with a rough and edgy personality.
Had great bands playing on a circular turntable stage, three per night, was the place to play and get recognition for garage bands and well knowns alike. One band would finish a set and another rotate into place and start theirs, never a dull moment. Dance floor was HUGE, packed, and usually trash lined. Set of staircases on each side ran up to a loft and if I recall, maybe bathrooms. There was a giant fire pit inside, lousy drinks which even the under aged managed to obtain as they allowed all ages there. For awhile they tried segregating by age, quickly a failure, stamps to identify the difference which also failed, and police loved to spend all their time fighting major crime there... yea. More like enjoyed using this as excuse for hanging around the young skirts as they still do today. haha Seriously... can't recall much controversy or fighting there unless created by the police department.
That quonset hut had every imaginable color of patch paint on it and a very cool sign, looked like a Grateful Dead Electric Kool-Aid bus, couldn't be missed, but in the best possible location for rocking the place off it's foundations because nobody and nothing lived around that area. This is what they need today for kids to have fun and listen to their generation's music in. We weren't hurting anyone, neither are they, but they should watch for drunk driving is all.
If anyone has a photo of Marina Palace, wish they'd post and share it with everyone, it was a huge part of 60's/70's youth and party history! We had ourselves a serious hoot.

[Vickie Hirsch Lucas]

Anyone out there who worked at the Golden Lantern Cafeteria?

[Doug Freeman]

Lynn Ava wrote:

If anyone has a photo of Marina Palace, wish they'd post and share it with everyone, it was a huge part of 60's/70's youth and party history! We had ourselves a serious hoot.

Played there in the mid-'70s with a band called Becket, from nearby Los Alamitos. Other bands playing there at the time included Small Affair, Hot Sauce, and Sway, just to name a few. Here's a pic from the website of Mary Butterworth, a band who apparently played there in '69:

http://home.ca.rr.com/honkytone/marinapalace....

[sheri27]

Lynn Ava wrote:

Couldn't resist necroposting when I saw this being as I was reminiscing how much fun we had at Marina Palace back in it's heyday. It was located near what is now the Long Beach Marketplace parking lot. I recall it being by oil derricks and the estuary back in that area, the parking lot for it a swamp practically with a rough and edgy personality.
Had great bands playing on a circular turntable stage, three per night, was the place to play and get recognition for garage bands and well knowns alike. One band would finish a set and another rotate into place and start theirs, never a dull moment. Dance floor was HUGE, packed, and usually trash lined. Set of staircases on each side ran up to a loft and if I recall, maybe bathrooms. There was a giant fire pit inside, lousy drinks which even the under aged managed to obtain as they allowed all ages there. For awhile they tried segregating by age, quickly a failure, stamps to identify the difference which also failed, and police loved to spend all their time fighting major crime there... yea. More like enjoyed using this as excuse for hanging around the young skirts as they still do today. haha Seriously... can't recall much controversy or fighting there unless created by the police department.
That quonset hut had every imaginable color of patch paint on it and a very cool sign, looked like a Grateful Dead Electric Kool-Aid bus, couldn't be missed, but in the best possible location for rocking the place off it's foundations because nobody and nothing lived around that area. This is what they need today for kids to have fun and listen to their generation's music in. We weren't hurting anyone, neither are they, but they should watch for drunk driving is all.
If anyone has a photo of Marina Palace, wish they'd post and share it with everyone, it was a huge part of 60's/70's youth and party history! We had ourselves a serious hoot.

I started hanging out at Marina Palace (Airport Club) when I was about 15 (1965). I guess I am "necroposting" also. I don't have a picture of it, but I do have my 25 cent token. I was one of the lucky people on "the committee" who got to go to the Saturday auditions and vote on the bands. The tokens were our pay, as it were. Great times! Great days! Anyone remember Strawberry Fields, the head shop on Main St in Seal Beach? Right around the same time.

[sheri27]

I started hanging out at Marina Palace (Airport Club) when I was about 15 (1965). I guess I am "necroposting" also. I don't have a picture of it, but I do have my 25 cent token. I was one of the lucky people on "the committee" who got to go to the Saturday auditions and vote on the bands. The tokens were our pay, as it were. Great times! Great days! Anyone remember Strawberry Fields, the head shop on Main St in Seal Beach? Right around the same time.

[cLoSeD]

Aloha from the Marina Palace
My parents owned the Marina Palace and I did the light shows and cleaned up. Have some few pictures of the building and will post. 60's in Seal Beach was a time of new worlds. Any folks from that time please get back. was in SB when the hill was open field. The tokens were a good advertising and the Sunday auditions. I did all the signs and painted the building. Anyone remember the "freedom sign" That someone would write bomb "nam"?
AH the old dayz

Mahalo
Bob

[MrRay]

Dear Bob,
It would be wonderful if you could post your photos of Marina Palace in Seal Beach, CA.
Thank you!
PS - A few stories to be posted soon.

[cLoSeD]

MrRay wrote:

Dear Bob,
It would be wonderful if you could post your photos of Marina Palace in Seal Beach, CA.
Thank you!
PS - A few stories to be posted soon.

Aloha Mr Ray
had not checked this posting in a while and was glad to see your note. I don't see how to post pictures on this site? Any ideas? Look forward to your stories. My parents started with Dick Dale in 60's and then the Palace in SB. Was a wonderful time.
Mahalo
Bob