Guest contributer! Welcome, Becks!

Former member of the "Imperial House Mafia" (Inside joke!), Becky has been kind enough to share one of her memories of the Impy.  Becks-Thanks so much for sending this in. I had forgotten about this night, but thanks to you the memory lives on.  This was at one of the annual Imperial Tower Christmas parties, which is another whole story I will tackle soon.  And just a sidebar...didn't he run for mayor of San Diego once?  For you to enjoy, "A Warm Cocoon" by Becky...

"Some of my fondest memories of Imperial Tower are the times I'd come home from various trips. I already felt at home seeing the building from the airplane (as mentioned by Peanut)...then taking a cab from the airport. Too tired to go back out and eat, I'd go straight to the bar for a delicious mid-day reuben sandwich and a couple vodka greyhounds. I always felt like I was back in the Sixties, Mad Men-style.

One Christmas Eve, my then-husband and I had just come home from Vegas, and I was so exhausted that I didn't think I could even handle a drink at the bar. He decided to go downstairs, and I remember sitting in the apartment feeling overly-sentimental and crying as I watched some holiday special on TV. It was cold and I felt weird and out of place, not even the holiday lights on the Mr. A's building outside my window were cheering me up. So, I got myself together and made my way down the elevator and into the warm cocoon of Imperial House.

Only a few regulars were there, and David behind the bar. Just being there and seeing the old familiar Christmas decorations made me feel better. I ordered a rum eggnog- and David proceeded to make the absolute best one I'd ever tasted. I was definitely myself again. Then the strangest thing happened- a Santa Claus-for-hire walked in the door. A Magic Santa.

Apparently, he was hired to come in every year to perform for the patrons, so he did...for all 5 of us. As he performed his magic tricks, I felt bad that there was such a small crowd, and then I started to recognize him- he was also a landlord who had shown my husband & I an apartment in Point Loma years ago. I remembered his name- Loch David Crane. It was such a surreal night...a Christmas memory I'll never forget. But I always get a warm safe feeling when I'm there, whether it be the in bar or one of the apartments upstairs, that I've never felt anywhere else. I think it's a mix of the people and the building itself. Impy is definitely one of a kind."

Thanks again, Becky!  And while this was not taken at the Impy, I did manage to find a picture of him as Santa! You've got to love Google!