A massive, foreboding, yet elegant building features curling Spanish Churrigueresque architectural details at the top and above the door. Large red letters spell "CVS" both in the middle of the building, and above the three arches at the doorway.

A Look Inside the Fanciest CVS You’ve Ever Seen

March 30, 2022, 4 Comments

Imagine you’re driving down the street and you see this… As the bold red letters spell out, this is indeed a CVS. There are thousands of them, or similar drug stores, across the country. But this one seems a little over-the-top…why is that? Well, once upon a time, this drug store was a glamorous movie…

Myself standing in front of one of the islands.

Long Beach’s Strange Offshore Oil Wells are Hiding in Plain Sight

March 22, 2022, 2 Comments

About a quarter mile off of the sandy shores of Long Beach sit four rather alluring islands, some of which feature futuristic looking curved walls and tall towers. Upon first glance they appear to be condos or part of a resort, but the truth is much, much less glamorous, as they in fact are oil…

Myself standing in front of massive mural featuring a train, bridge, broken down car, and Spike, the cartoon beagle brother to Snoopy.

A Visit to Needles, Home to Spike and the Remains of a Grand Train Depot

March 15, 2022, 3 Comments

Before Interstate 40 arrived through the southwest, there was Route 66, and before that the railroad. And if you traveled any of them to California, Needles was that first city to welcome you to the Golden State. The connection to Route 66 makes Needles proud of its history, but there is much more, much of…

Myself, standing in front of a massive mural of hanging meats and wedges of cheese. Large gothic red letters reads "Alpine Market."

The Unique Old World Charm of Alpine Village

December 9, 2021, 3 Comments

Just five miles east of the sandy shores and fishing piers of Redondo Beach sits a small Germanesque village that looks as if it should be dusted with snow and the Alps peeking above it. This slice of Germany is Torrance’s Alpine Village, a small shopping center and restaurant that opened in 1968. Alpine Village…

Myself standing on the staircase, the opposite staircase visible in the background.

The Sly Bar Tucked inside the Legendary Bradbury Building

December 1, 2021, 4 Comments

To the uninitiated, the Bradbury Building in downtown Los Angeles may not look like much, but step through its doors and you enter into one of the most fantastical buildings in LA. Standing at five stories tall, the Bradbury’s interior is an atrium with two open cage elevators, and swirling wrought iron that cascades around…

Myself, wearing a red maxi length dress with a small print of tiny leaves, standing in front of the Pantages

Inside the Pantages Theatre: Hollywood’s Art Deco Fever Dream Movie Palace

November 11, 2021, 2 Comments

Over the weekend Patrick and I finally had the pleasure of seeing Hamilton, which also meant we got to go to the iconic Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. The Pantages Theatre welcomed Los Angeles citizens on June 4, 1930, becoming the last movie palace built in Hollywood. Designed by B. Marcus Priteca and owned by Alexander…

Exterior of the Aztec, a teal painted structure with various Mayan influenced designs along the corners, edges, and doorways.

A Look Inside the Strange and Haunted Aztec Hotel of Route 66

July 1, 2021, 2 Comments

Sitting along Foothill Boulevard in Monrovia is what a first glance appears to be some sort of ancient temple, but upon further inspection, it’s actually a hotel, the Aztec Hotel. Last week Patrick and I joined other curious visitors for a tour of this Route 66 oddity, hosted by Craig Owens of Bizarre Los Angeles.…

Myself, holding a chocolate donut, standing in front of The Donut Hole.

A Drive Through the Kitsch-tastic Donut Hole

June 22, 2021, 3 Comments

When it comes to architecture I’m of course a sucker for a good mid-century modern, art deco, and even Victorian, but perhaps my favorite style is programmatic architecture, aka “California Crazy” because it’s just plain fun! There are other terms for this style as well, including vernacular and mimetic architecture. This is where a…

Angled view of the tower, red script reading "Sears" is just above the front doors.

Ghost of Consumerism Past: Almost 100 Year Old Abandoned Art Deco Sears of Boyle Heights

June 16, 2021, 3 Comments

“Boyle #1008 1995 Store of the Year Los Angeles District” reads the plaque on a trophy topped with a curvaceous angel. But this trophy doesn’t rest inside a display case, or on the shelf in an executive office. Instead it sits on a dust covered desk along a loading dock of the empty husk of…

The signage for Catalina Liquor, all of which is backlit plastic. Above the door is a sign that is an abstract of various arms intertwined holding martini glasses.

Exploring Koreatown’s Past with the King of Neon

May 26, 2021, 2 Comments

One of my favorite places is the Museum of Neon Art, which saves neon signs in addition to displaying contemporary works by neon artists, and even offering classes to keep the art of neon alive. Additionally, they offer amazing tours, which are typically done via a double decker bus. However, due to COVID they have…

Atomic Redhead

Architecture

A Look Inside the Fanciest CVS You’ve Ever Seen

Long Beach’s Strange Offshore Oil Wells are Hiding in Plain Sight

A Visit to Needles, Home to Spike and the Remains of a Grand Train Depot

The Unique Old World Charm of Alpine Village

The Sly Bar Tucked inside the Legendary Bradbury Building

Inside the Pantages Theatre: Hollywood’s Art Deco Fever Dream Movie Palace

A Look Inside the Strange and Haunted Aztec Hotel of Route 66

A Drive Through the Kitsch-tastic Donut Hole

Ghost of Consumerism Past: Almost 100 Year Old Abandoned Art Deco Sears of Boyle Heights

Exploring Koreatown’s Past with the King of Neon