Motel Zero and the Horndog
November 21, 2008
In part one of this exciting two-part post, co-explorer Kara and I opted not to go into the green crackhouse. Instead, we went into this motel, where I'd glimpsed people inside when driving by the previous afternoon. Makes perfect sense, right?
Don't worry; we didn't stay long. It looked like a refurbishment attempt had been aborted.
It also looked like someone or multiple someones spent enough time there to generate bags of garbage.
We'd attracted a lot of attention on this quest, biking while accompanied by a trotting chocolate Labrador on a leash. On one residential block we led our own slow Pied Piper parade of kids down the street, and each kid had about 100 questions about Miss Lola Mae.
"Why didn't you cut her tail off?"
"Because she isn't the kind of dog whose tail you cut off."
After departing the motel (as a neighbor asked us if we were going to buy the place) we made another pal who joined our procession. A little wiggle puppy!
He was so friendly and cute (this picture doesn't do him justice), and had no collar, so Kara considered taking him home.
Unfortunately, the scamp was extremely prone to getting aroused at the slightest provocation, like while being petted, and so he remained where we found him, north of Florida Boulevard.
What a prevert.
We approached from behind a former drive-thru bank building.
The main building facing Florida was still in use.
But...but...
WHAT!?
Photos aren't great due to losing light that day, but hopefully you can see that what probably began as a decorative plant has grown wild and is well on its way to completely filling up the foyer. I think this is a prime opportunity to direct your attention to a new category I added to the blog, "plants taking over." I added this because the PLANTS ARE RECLAIMING THIS WEIRD-ASS CITY.
Last stop, a building that's now one of my favorites in Baton Rouge, a former prosthetics and orthotics building.
Know how I know that? (Besides the sign?)
Orthopedic shoes and a Rascal in a darkened waiting room for nobody. Not pictured, though they've got to be in there somewhere: prosthetic limbs.
Despite the potential high creep factor, I really wish I had an office in this building, if only to enter through that glorious entryway each morning, coffee in hand (I've thought about this every day since).
So, uhm... did the Rascal work?
Did you say that the plant-controlled building was still in use?
Posted by: Apollo | November 21, 2008 at 09:44 AM
Not sure about the Rascal, Apollo, I couldn't get inside.
And it did in fact appear that building is in use. I just called the number on the sign out front and they are in business.
The sign says, "Where Patient Care is Our #1 Priority."
Know what's not their #1 priority? It has to do with plant maintenance.
Posted by: cokane | November 21, 2008 at 11:40 AM
In my home town there was a building with a very similar plant growing in the lobby in an equally squished-against-the glass/going-to-take-over manner. It always weirded me out that some one would 1)plant something indoors that has the potential to grow that big and 2)not trim a giant plant that is taking over the lobby. That being said, I love this blog and would like to thank you for my new found fascination with abandoned buildings.
Posted by: beliefunwrought | November 21, 2008 at 02:59 PM
Your comment on the dog made me LOL. "What a pervert!"
And wow is that plant insane. You really are on another planet.
Posted by: Julie | November 22, 2008 at 10:00 AM
When plants attack! At some point that plant is going to punch through that window and escape. Just wait.
Posted by: kartek | November 23, 2008 at 04:28 PM
FEED ME, Seymour!
Posted by: Evelyn Arrows | November 24, 2008 at 05:57 PM
I just love your blog. But I have one quasi-blog question: what type of cool looking green bike is that?? One more: did you ride all the way to that area from south BR?
Posted by: Randall | November 26, 2008 at 10:24 PM
The cool green bike looks like an old Schwinn Varsity from what I can see in the photo.
Posted by: Darren | November 26, 2008 at 11:03 PM
Awesome site! Love the plant foyer and agree that the office entrance is wonderful! Keep up the good work and thanks for the link.
Posted by: Tom Baddley | December 19, 2008 at 12:16 PM
Hey Randall-- sorry for the uh, 3.5 year delay in responding! It is in fact a Schwinn Varsity as Darren said. Also, I rode from Mid City that day.
Thanks all!
Posted by: cokane | June 28, 2012 at 03:14 PM
I’m sad you didn’t rescue the pervert😔
Posted by: Elizabeth P. | February 13, 2018 at 10:22 PM
@Elizabeth P., I did rescue another dog from that part of town while I lived in BR, and I still have her today! She's 10.
Posted by: Colleen Kane | February 14, 2018 at 10:19 AM
The prosthetics place is now Parris Cardiovascular Center.
Posted by: Brandi | April 02, 2018 at 08:56 AM