My hometown and the diving lady

When I was younger I wanted nothing more than to escape Mesa, Arizona.  Mesa was the land of cookie cutter houses, uninspiring night life, many o' Mormons, ho-hum shopping, ollllddd people, and lots of Walmarts and Walgreens.

Ok, so maybe not much has changed, but I have.

There is something reassuring about driving by places that I remember from my childhood.  I love the context and meaning behind the history of places.  Like the furniture store that used to be where I took ballet lessons or when my dad shows me the first classroom he taught in that is now a historical site.

Sue me: I am beginning to think roots are kick-ass.

Mesa is not a hip place, I know that and can admit it.  However, there are hip places.

Like this one: the Mesa Arts Center.  (Who's the best board member everrr?)

Some might say that the last time Mesa was cutting edge was back in the 50s and 60s, because of things like this

or this...

and especially this...

I know they are kitchsy, but hot damn do I love these signs--especially the last one.  The diving lady at the Starlite Motel was the coolest!  She is all lit up in that last picture, put each image of her would light up one at a time so it would appear like she was diving.

When my dad worked at Madison Elementary, he would take different routes out to the other side of town to keep things lively.  I loved when we would take Main Street and pass the diving lady.  In the late fall and winter it would be dark out as we made our way to school, and she would always be lit up.

Unfortunately, due to the crazy-ass storms we had last week, she fell down.  So sad.  Even sadder, there is no fixing her due to the fact insurance won't cover it and Mesa no longer allows neon signs.  Pfhhh.

I've always wanted to go take pictures of her, and now it's too late.  I did a search on her and found a local photographer, Chris Halloran, who does a lot of work in Mesa and I asked him if he was willing to sell me a print of his version of the diving lady.  He hadn't heard that she had taken her final dive and was more than willing to do so.  Please follow the link to see his work!  

I got the stormy day shot.  I can't wait to put it up in my new office loft (Oh, what?  I didn't tell you about that...hmmm, I have so much to share).