Barbecue or barbeque is a method and apparatus for cooking meat and various other foods, with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of charcoal, cooking gas, or even electricity; and may include application of a marinade, spice rub, or basting sauce to the meat or vegetables. Barbecue is usually cooked in an outdoor environment heated by the smoke of wood or charcoal. Restaurant barbecue may be cooked in large brick or metal ovens specially designed for that purpose. A true barbecue is only cooked slowly and at low temperature by wood smoke.
This Fresh Hot BBQ sign would look great in any kitchen or any mancave. Makes a great gift idea.
Mel’s Drive-In (not to be confused with Mel’s Diner) is the name of a restaurant chain founded in 1947 by Mel Weiss and Harold Dobbs in San Francisco, California.
In October 1963, the Mel’s Drive in chain was picketed and subjected to a sit-in by the Ad Hoc Committee to End Discrimination over the fact that while the restaurant would serve food to African Americans and hired them as cooks, Blacks were not allowed to work “up front” where they could be seen by White customers. More than 100 protesters were arrested. The picketing ended when Harold Dobbs, a San Francisco City Supervisor who had run for Mayor and lost, settled with the protestors and began to allow 
Black workers “up front.”
Mel’s was used as a location in the 1967 film Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn are out for a drive and Tracy pulls into Mel’s and orders Oregon Boysenberry ice cream, then has a minor traffic altercation with an African-American man. The Mel’s was located in the Excelsior district of San Francisco. Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy never actually visited the location.
In 1972, the restaurant was selected as a feature location by George Lucas for his 1973 film American Graffiti. The prominent play given to the location has been credited with saving the company from possibly going out of business. The Mel’s used was located at 140 South Van Ness in San Francisco.
Mel’s restaurants have since been featured in other media such as Melrose Place (1996, Season 5, episode 1), Doonesbury comics (December 18, 1989), and the book The American Drive-in by Mike Witzel.
Some Mel’s Drive-In locations are not actually drive-ins, but rather diners, although the sign still says “drive-in”; none of the San Francisco locations serve food to patrons’ cars.
Universal Studios built a replica of “Mel’s Drive-In” on its lot, pursuant to the restaurant being used in American Graffiti — this must-see amusement attraction also served as a gift shop for years. There are also a number of “Mel’s” located in Northern California that share the same general American Graffiti/nostalgia theme and the similarly styled Mel’s logo. These restaurants are called “Mel’s Original.” Their locations are not listed on the official Mel’s Drive-In website, although an article from the Sacramento Business Journal shows that they are related. A family rift caused the Weisses to part ways and form two chains. The elder Weiss in 1994 sold his company to Larry Spergel, who formed a group of about 50 stockholders that now owns the chain. The Walnut Creek, California location features a history of the original San Francisco Mel’s.
This car hop tin sign makes a great gift. Like I have said before it’s blast from the past.
The kitchen is one of the most-used rooms in any house, and it should be a fun, relaxing space. After all, eating a meal gives you a break from your day, allows you to rest your feet and fills your belly with good food. Warm colors, like golden yellow, work great in kitchens, and you can add other decor to achieve that soothing, down-home feel. Choose a theme for your kitchen, like vegetables, grapes and wine, or picnic food, and look for accent pieces and accessories to sprinkle around your kitchen to tie the room together.
One charming look for any kitchen is vintage 30s and 40s decor. You can decorate your kitchen like an old-time diner or simply an idyllic family kitchen. A great way to achieve this look is to decorate your kitchen with food tin signs that display family favorites like hot dogs, ice cream, eggs, Hostess cupcakes and more. Retro tin signs are fun and stylish, and can even be humorous if you choose. Add some character to your kitchen with tin signs today!