Oh Sandy, ba-by

Drive-in scene from Grease

A little ways from downtown Los Angeles, just before the mountains, lies a gem. In the vast expanse of strip clubs and food trucks appropriately known as the City of Industry, a sprawling drive-in theatre plays double features to those who brave the 101, the 10, and the 605. Armed with ahi and salmon poke, shrimp ceviche, honeydew, wheat beer, and a chocolate-covered graham cracker for dessert, I propped my feet up on the dash and enjoyed the complete amazing-ness of…THE AVENGERS!! I know, it’s strange, but for some reason I absolutely love superhero movies. Especially ones that involve Tony Stark, Iron Man, and Robert Downey, Jr., the master bad boy of sarcasm.

The Vineland Drive-In Theatre is pretty much a scene out of Grease, with its vintage condiment and popcorn signs and a screen whose backdrop is the moon and the silhouette of machinery. Although it’s not the original Grease theatre (Pickwick Drive-In Theatre in Burbank closed down in 1989) and there aren’t any dancing hot dogs on the screen, there are the dusky mountains and the thunderous roar of the commuter train every half hour.

All in all, pretty magical and plenty authentic for my first drive-in experience.