There are so many things in this world that when paired together create something special. Wine and cheese. Biscuits and gravy. Milk and cookies. Batman and Robin. Romeo and Juliet. You get the idea. Well, here’s one that can stir all kinds of emotions: the automobile and Southern California.

It’s as if the automobile was made for Southern California. Where else in the world can you combine a form of transportation with such iconic beauty and spectacular weather? It lends itself to top-down convertible driving along the beautiful Pacific Coast Highway, Angeles Crest, or the mountains above Glendora and San Bernardino. Cruising Sunset and Hollywood Boulevards, going to drive-ins, and the emergence of drive-through restaurants were all part of many people’s formative years.

The flip side of this seemingly romantic paring is the traffic and smog. The joke is that here in Southern California, we have the world’s largest parking lot, also known as the 405 freeway. But traffic aside, our love affair with the automobile, especially the classics, is here to stay.

A few years ago, Forest Lawn acquired some classic funeral coaches to offer to families looking for something different and special for their celebrations of life. It was a way to connect with Baby Boomers and their love of nostalgia, and being a Southern California organization, classic cars were a great fit.

These coaches include a ’65 Classic Cadillac Silver Spirit, 1950 Meteor-Cadillac «Statesman,” 1959 Cadillac «Park Row,» 1967 Cadillac «Victoria» and 1963 Cadillac «Crown Royale.» Except for the Silver Spirit, these vehicles are available for funerals and are also displayed at area car shows.

Some upcoming shows where you can see these beautifully restored vehicles include July 15 at the City of Glendale Night on Brand Blvd. from 3:30 to 10 pm; August 27 at the San Marino Classic at Lacy Park in San Marino from 9 am to 4 pm., and on September 10 at the Long Beach Belmont Car Show from 4 to 10 pm. Check out one of the shows nearest you and stop by our coaches and say hi.