Myself standing outside of the museum next to a pair of large golden arches, wearing a Bill Elliot racing tee, and brown and yellow shorts.

The Delightfully Bizarre Unofficial McDonald’s Museum

September 7, 2022, 2 Comments

Before McDonald’s was the global icon it is today, it was a humble barbecue joint in San Bernardino run by two brothers from New Hampshire. While their first location is no longer standing, it lives on at the First Original McDonald’s Museum, also known as the Unofficial McDonald’s Museum. Here no item is too small,…

Overview of the sales floor from the balcony, high white walls feature arched details of gold on them, the arched proscenium frames a screen, two small arched balconies sit on either side of the screen.

The Surreal Experience of Shopping for a New iMac at an Old Movie Palace

August 12, 2022, 2 Comments

A couple weeks ago my beloved iMac started show signs of age. It could barely keep up with my photo editing, and I knew its days were numbered. So I set out to get a new one. Not too long ago Apple announced they were introducing new colored iMacs. My millennial heart skipped a beat.…

Myself seated on the "Throne of Love" which is painted red and has gold designs around the edge and has various indicator lights reading options such as "Wild Thing, Adorable, Hot Stuff, Sizzling Hot, Hotsy Totsy, Lovable, Passionate, A Sweet Hart, Bombshell"

Revisiting the Coin-Op Delights of Musée Mécanique

July 5, 2022, 1 Comment

Fisherman’s Wharf is an icon of San Francisco, with both the hustle and bustle of the still active fishing community along side tourists who run in and out of the various restaurants, shops, and museums. Nestled next to the iconic Grotto restaurant is my favorite place in all of San Fransisco, Musée Mécanique, an astounding…

Myself, wearing a purple psychedelic print long sleeve dress with a gold scarf at the neck, and a purple scarf in my hair, standing in front of the lake that sits in the middle of Hollywood Forever.

Touring the Hauntingly Beautiful Hollywood Forever Cemetery

April 18, 2022, 5 Comments

Hollywood. The home to the stars – both living and dead. While Hollywood and the surrounding areas have multiple cemeteries where Hollywood’s elite have been laid to rest, none is perhaps more notable than Hollywood Forever. Smack in the middle of Tinsel Town, and butting right up against Paramount Studios, this is the final resting…

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…

The tops of some of the trees, which include an antique phone, "Enter Only" sign, and chair.

The Weird and Wonderful Glass Forest of Bottle Tree Ranch

February 23, 2022, 3 Comments

In my Amboy Crater post, I mentioned Patrick and I are intermittently traveling the full stretch (or as much of it that is accessible) of Route 66 through California, with the eventual plan to do a lengthly blog post sharing the unique sights from the Arizona border to the sunny shores of Santa Monica. However,…

Stepping Aboard Angels Flight, the World’s Shortest Railway

January 19, 2022, 3 Comments

When it comes to Los Angeles, often times things can disappear without a trace, and never return, but thankfully that isn’t what happened to the “world’s shortest railway” known by the charming name of Angels Flight. While on railroad tracks, Angels Flight doesn’t travel in a loop or even on flat ground, but rather at…

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, wearing a white halter top with red polka dots, and red shorts, holding a red and white In-N-Out cup, standing in front of the replica of the first In-N-Out.

A Visit to the First In-N-Out…Well Sort Of.

August 11, 2021, 2 Comments

When it comes to California history, there is certainly a lot. One aspect of California history that has become a staple of American life is fast food. Yes, one could argue that fast food started right here in Southern California, and while not typically viewed as “important” history, fast food is certainly a cultural phenomenon…

Atomic Redhead

Bizarre & Unique

The Delightfully Bizarre Unofficial McDonald’s Museum

The Surreal Experience of Shopping for a New iMac at an Old Movie Palace

Revisiting the Coin-Op Delights of Musée Mécanique

Touring the Hauntingly Beautiful Hollywood Forever Cemetery

A Look Inside the Fanciest CVS You’ve Ever Seen

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

The Weird and Wonderful Glass Forest of Bottle Tree Ranch

Stepping Aboard Angels Flight, the World’s Shortest Railway

The Unique Old World Charm of Alpine Village

A Visit to the First In-N-Out…Well Sort Of.