Recommended by Duncan Hines

Duncan Hines was born on March 26, 1880 in Bowling Green, Kentucky. During his many years as a salesman he traveled all over the country - he averaged 40,000-60,000 miles of car travel a year – he ate most of his meals in restaurants. Hines soon knew the best place to get a great meal in cities and towns all over the country. At the age of 55, Hines and his wife Florence compiled a list of recommendations for their favorite places to grab a bite and sent it to friends as Christmas gifts. In 1935, Hines self publishes, "Adventures in Good Eating", an expanded list of recommended restaurants. The book was a big success and in 1938 he released a companion book, "Lodging for a Night", which featured a list of  the finest motels and hotels.

According to the Duncan Hines website:
After being featured in the Saturday Evening Post, Hines' popularity grows. Soon most Americans have food and lodging books in their cars for quick reference. "Recommended by Duncan Hines" becomes a nationally recognized seal of approval. Businesses that were included on Hines' list were allowed to post a "Recommended by Duncan Hines" seal on their signs and in their windows. (A few examples here, here, here, and here.) After being added to the list, businesses were expected to maintain their quality or they would be taken off of the list. 
In the 1950s Duncan Hines sold the rights to his name to a newly formed company called Hines-Park Foods, Inc. At one point there were more than 250 different products featuring the Duncan Hines label.In 1956, Hines-Park Foods became part of Procter and Gamble. Shortly after, Duncan Hines introduced their now famous cake mixes, which were marketed nationwide along with several other items under the Duncan Hines name.

Duncan Hines died on March 15, 1959.

Side note from Mental Floss: A 1946 profile in Life touched on Hines’ penchant for drinking neat gin or whiskey, but he also enjoyed “Mrs. Hines’s cocktail.” The ingredients: the juice of a watermelon pickle, a whole egg, cream, gin, grenadine, orange-blossom honey, and lime juice.

Here you read a copy of "Duncan Hines: The Man Behind the Cake Mix" by Louis Hatchett
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YouTube video of the Day: Duncan Hines 
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In The Heart of Downtown's Motel Postcard of the Day

Smith's "Uptown" Motel - 
Sioux Falls, South Dakota 

Then:
9 blocks west of business district on Hiway #16, Sioux Falls, S.D. Air conditioned, free TV in rooms, individual phones, wall to wall carpeting. Combination tub and shower. Beverage rooms. 24-hour service. 37 units including kitchenettes. AAA Approved. Recommended by Duncan Hines.

Now:
The building is still standing and now it's called Nite's Inn. The basic frame of the sign is there but the charm is gone. The clock, the Phones-TV-AAA sign, and the awesome SALESMAN STOP sign are absent. The reviews aren't terribly kind. My favorites lines are "yes its clean gzzzz" and "NO DO NOT STAY HERE unless you are a lot lizard!"
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All Hail the QSL!

Her name is TEENY CHATEAU. That is a glorious name. It sounds like something someone would name their manifesto shack in the woods. By someone, I mean me.
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What Makes The Pie Shops Ticker: A family in Ohio found around 700 old baseball cards in their attic and they might fetch upwards of $3 million...I'm a big fan of 500 Tasty Sandwiches and I could really go for a sandwich right now....I love this photo from 1940....This isn't exactly old but it makes me giggle...This World War II poster warns you to Stop Needless Noise to aid in your "War Nerves"....The New Aero Willys - Almost Like Flying....Pretty cool shot of New York City, 1971....On this day in 1914, Babe Ruth made his professional baseball debut. The SI tumblr has a cool photo of a young Bambino from 99 years ago...A Ray gun, ham, a grocer and Cryovac all in one strange ad...Love this photo of Wanda Jackson at a recording session at Capitol Records in the 1950s...and it just get any better than gifs of the gorgeous Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief.
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