Circle P' Penn Traditional Cache

My grandparents, Frank and Edith Penn came to California from Texas in 1939.  They lived in Culver City where Frank worked at Douglas Aircraft and Edith was a homemaker.  My grandfather worked on large aircraft engines and my grandmother worked many jobs before coming to Cucamonga 1955.  On Foothill Boulevard, my grandparent bought a small Italian restaurant named Lucy and Jon’s.  My grandparents came up with the idea for the genie type lamp and set out to design and build the new restaurant.  They were business partners and friends with John Clearman of the Northwood’s fame and in 1955 opened the Magic Lamp Inn.  Frank and Edith were owner/operators and worked many hours.  Race cars drivers from Ontario Motor Speedway would frequent the restaurant during their Indy events as well as many locals coming to the restaurant for anniversaries and special occasions.  My mother lived in the house above the restaurant from age 10 until age 17 when she had me.  As a child I can remember being upstairs at the resturant waiting for my grandparents to close the restaurant so we could have family Christmas.  I remember running around the restaurant before it would open for the day, stealing the cherries from the bartender as he was setting up.  As a kid the restaurant was a great place for a game of hide and seek.  I loved the food especially the 14 oz baked potatoes.  My grandmother would not buy them if they weren’t just the right size to be served in the restaurant.  The chocolate rum sauce for the vanilla ice cream was just within my reach.

The water fountain in the center of the waiting room was a special treat for guests and in those days the fountain would be changed into a fireplace for the winter.  My grandmother always wore a formal long dress for dinner serve and my grandfather wore a suit and tie.  The Lamp was also the place where MY parents worked, met and fell in love.  Frank and Edith Penn sold the restaurant in the 70’s and continued to live a full life.  They were great people and I loved them very much.

This cache is my fist hide and a tribute to their memories.

Bring your own pen.  Please return just as found or better.  Beware of muggles near by.