Thankfully, Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas feasts all seem to include the trifecta of goodness — pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, and now, my new obsession with turkey made entirely out of butter.
The customer service team at Keller’s, who make the turkey-shaped butter blobs to bring to Thanksgiving, gave me a list of its stores in California that were expected to have the kitschy dairy delight in stock.
But to my disappointment, the first five stores I called denied any knowledge of the product. That is, until I called the WinCo Foods in Lakewood, where a clerk confirmed over the phone that not only were the turkey molds in stock — but they would only cost me $3.98 a piece.
I felt like I had located the holy grail of holiday feast delicacies.
A sampling of turkey-shaped butter on sale at WinCo Foods in Lakewood. (Photo by Jo Murray).
A sampling of turkey-shaped butter on sale at WinCo Foods in Lakewood. (Photo by Jo Murray).
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A sampling of turkey-shaped butter on sale at WinCo Foods in Lakewood. (Photo by Jo Murray).
I filled my cart with a dozen turkeys — plus a can of cranberry sauce, a can of peppermint whipping crème, a Santa PEZ dispenser, and a variety of other must haves — and headed to check out.
The lines were long, and when I finally made it to the check out, I learned that WinCo only accepts debit cards and cash.
All I had was my credit card.
Luckily, I was able to return with cash (thank you, Chase Bank), and complete my transaction.
I left with not only the thrill of scoring the buttery birds — but a feeling of gratitude for how WinCo staff and customers treated my lack of cash.
Now, armed with my arsenal of buttery turkeys, I’m ready to kick off this new Thanksgiving tradition and dole out the dairy goodness to anyone who will have it.
Route 66 centennial
Next year, the iconic “Will Rogers Highway” will celebrate its centennial — marking 100 years of road trips from Chicago to Los Angeles.
Roadside attractions, eateries, and mom n’ pop shops on the journey are actively preparing by painting and sprucing up in preparation of the many travelers that will be making the 2,278-mile trek.
One location has a deep Long Beach connection.
Long Beach residents Roy and Helen Tull built a Route 66 landmark in 1961. The duo developed the 40-acre property in East Amboy, about 200 miles from Long Beach, in the California Mojave Desert where they created the Road Runner’s Retreat diner, and a Standard Oil station.
Duke Dotson’s family purchased the property from the Tulls in 1962 and ran the business 24/7, even going so far as to add a duck lake and employee housing to the property.
The filling station and the diner were a popular stop on the “Mother Road.” Elvis Presley, for example, bought gas for his motorhome from the “Googie” style architecture station — and Robert F. Kennedy and his entourage stopped there for a bite to eat during his 1968 presidential campaign, according to Dotson.
The I-40 segment of the highway, meanwhile, was completed in 1973.
“It was just like in the movie “Cars” — overnight it went from a steady stream of motorists to none,” Dotson said.
The iconic RRR sign on Route 66 flickered back to life last weekend. (Photo by Jo Murray).
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The iconic RRR sign on Route 66 flickered back to life last weekend. (Photo by Jo Murray).
As a result, the Road Runner Retreat closed just a year later. Its iconic neon sign was shut off for good, and the property later sold, marking the end of an era on Route 66.
William Murphy later purchased the land as a private family camping destination. And over the past few years, his grandson Ryan Anderson has been working with Route 66 California Association President Beth Murray to restore the RRR for the centennial.
That hard work finally came to fruition last Saturday, Nov. 8, when the neon sign finally flickered back to life, the roadrunner sitting atop it moving its feet once more. The 12-foot tall by 30-feet wide sign, after 50 years in the dark, can now be seen by travelers even as far as 20 miles away.
More than 300 people, representing all eight states along Route 66 from Illinois to California, attended the relighting ceremony.
Some notables included Mark Hall-Patton, nicknamed “The Beard of Knowledge” from the show “Pawn Stars;” authors Joe De Kehoe and Steven Reyes; “Mr. Mojave Guy” Bill Inglehart; Karla Claus, Ms. Centennial Route 66 Princess; rockabilly band Hot Rod Trio; and a large contingent of The Clampers — a fraternal organization dedicated to the preservation of the heritage of the Western United States.
Book worms
Barnes & Noble located in the Marina Pacific shopping center is finally set to reopen on Wednesday, Nov. 19 — after being closed since May to undergo renovations. The previously two-story store has been redesigned, and will now feature just one story, though the store will still carry all its usual offerings.
The store’s ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the changes will kick off Nov. 19 at 10 a.m., and will feature a book signing with Salina Yoon, author of “Kat & Mouse: I Like Cheese.”
Andrade’s Cafe by the Bay opens
Andrade’s Cafe, serving authentic Mexican and classic American cuisine, has officially opened as of Saturday, Nov. 8.
Andrade’s Cafe, serving authentic Mexican and classic American cuisine, has officially opened as of Saturday, Nov. 8. (Courtesy photo).
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Andrade’s Cafe, serving authentic Mexican and classic American cuisine, has officially opened as of Saturday, Nov. 8. (Courtesy photo).
The café, owned by Jorge and Nancy Andrade, serves coffee, pastries, and a complete breakfast menu. They also offer wine and beer on their lunch menu.
The cafe is located on the Peninsula at 76 1/2 62nd Place.
Awards
Several businesses are set to be recognized for their contributions to the local and regional community during an upcoming South Bay Association of Chambers of Commerce luncheon, scheduled for Friday, Nov. 14.
“Honorees will be recognized for their leadership, community impact, and contributions to regional growth,” SBACC wrote in a Monday, Nov. 10 news release about the event.
This year’s honorees include a Long Beach favorite. Alley Cat Deliveries will be recognized as the Small Business of the Year, according to the news release.
Other honorees will include Nonprofit of the Year AltaSea and Large Business Manufacturer of the Year Vercro MFG Corporation. PBF Energy’s Betsy Breen will receive the Sean Lumachi Business Advocacy and Leadership Award, while the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce’s Donna Duperron will get the John Parsons Leadership Award.
Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Jeremey Harris, the news release said, will also be installed as chair of the SBACC for 2026 during the event. Outgoing chair Kimberly Caceres will also be honored.
“When we come together to advocate for our businesses, our cities, and our region, we strengthen the entire Southern California economy,” Harris said in the news release. “I look forward to continuing that work alongside my colleagues from every corner of the South Bay.”
Information about the event is available at shorturl.at/Kuxt1.
Bowled over
California Fish Grill, the casual seafood eatery at 3801 Lakewood Blvd., is expanding its menu with new sustainable protein bowls, featuring up to 56 grams of protein.
There are five new bowls including a Cajun-spiced everything protein bowl and a wasabi salmon bowl.