Myself standing outside the main doors, wearing a straw hat, a white peasant top, and maroon skirt that features gathering in an asymmetrical design.

The Outlet Mall Masquerading as an Assyrian Palace

February 5, 2019, 6 Comments

If you’ve ever driven along Interstate 5 through Commerce, just outside Los Angeles, you’ve likely spied a grand ancient looking palace and perhaps wondered “What on earth is that!?” Well, it’s an outlet mall actually. Yes, an outlet mall, known simply as The Citadel. But it wasn’t always that way. The building was actually built…

To the left, the Babylonian arch/bridge, over six stories in height. A white elephant sits atop a pillar to the right, also towering over five stories tall.

The Shopping Mall Based on the Set of a Silent Movie Flop

August 29, 2018, 4 Comments

Lost Places Update: Hollywood & Highland has been recategorized as a Lost Place. Why? Ovation Hollywood, formerly known as Hollywood and Highland, underwent a $100 million remodel after being purchased for $325 million in 2019 by Gaw Capital, a Hong Kong real estate investment firm. The remodel began in 2021 with the removal of the…

Inside the Redondo Fun Factory - wearing a vintage red shirt reading "Have a Coke and a smile" and wide leg blue jeans. In the background a variety of 80s arcade games, behind them a ton of vintage signs.

A Revisit to the Enigmatic Fun Factory

August 24, 2018, 5 Comments

Lost Places Update: The Redondo Beach Fun Factory been recategorized as a Lost Place. In October of 2019 the Fun Factory closed. * * * Last year we visited the Redondo Fun Factory located on the Redondo Beach Pier after hearing news it would be closing. Over a year later the bizarre Fun Factory, with its…

Standing next to one of the traveling theaters, where puppets sit.

Peek Inside America’s Oldest Puppet Theater

July 20, 2018, 1 Comment

Recently we visited The Bob Baker Marionette Theater for a friend’s birthday. It was our second visit to what is the oldest puppet theater in the United States, and it was just as trippy and wonderful as the first time. For the afternoon we got the party room all to ourselves before the show, and…

Art Installation - a faux billboard reading "The Last Stop For The Bombay Beach Resort" but with most of the letters fallen off, so it reads more like "The Last Resort"

Abandoned Resort Town of Bombay Beach Now Weird Artist Paradise

June 5, 2018, 1 Comment

Over the last couple days I have been entertaining one of our friends visiting from Portland. It was a whirlwind few days hitting up various tourist and not-so-tourist spots. We spent Sunday in the desert including a visit to the Salton Sea. I’ve been several times now, but it’s always worth revisiting as it is…

Shields Date Garden

March 12, 2018, 5 Comments

Shields Date Garden has been on my radar for sometime, but there was always something else I wanted to do in and around Palm Springs more every time I was there! But this time I was hellbent on going and getting my hands on a famous date shake! Okay, so first, what is Shields Date…

Paramount Ranch: Set to Screen

February 2, 2018, 5 Comments

Lost Places Update: Paramount Ranch been recategorized as a Lost Place. On Friday, November 9th, 2018, Paramount Ranch fell victim to the Woolsey Fire that tore through the Malibu, Thousand Oaks and Agora Hills areas. Paramount Ranch was reduced to cinders with only the train depot from Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman and church built for…

The Weird and Hidden Figures of Old Trapper’s Lodge

July 31, 2017, 7 Comments

Los Places Update: Old Trapper’s Lodge has been recategorized as a Lost Place. Why? Following the outbreak of COVID-19, Old Trapper’s Lodge began to have restricted access. In October of 2021 the Pierce Collage Round Up published an article saying the removal of Old Trapper’s Lodge was in progress. In March of 2022, some of…

The Abandoned Movie Ranch of Corriganville

March 6, 2017, 7 Comments

Over the weekend Patrick and I visited Corriganville Park, the former location of Corriganville, a western backlot and amusement park of sorts from 1949 to 1965. Corriganville was built by movie and TV actor Ray Bernard, but better known as Crash Corrigan. After going on a hunting trip in Simi Valley with fellow actor, Clark…

Redondo Beach’s Bizarre Fun Factory

February 15, 2017, 3 Comments

Lost Places Update: The Redondo Beach Fun Factory been recategorized as a Lost Place. In October of 2019 the Fun Factory closed. * * * Recently I found out that another SoCal institution will only be a memory, the Fun Factory at the Redondo Beach Pier, which has been an oceanside attraction since 1972. Much like…

Atomic Redhead

Bizarre & Unique

The Outlet Mall Masquerading as an Assyrian Palace

The Shopping Mall Based on the Set of a Silent Movie Flop

A Revisit to the Enigmatic Fun Factory

Peek Inside America’s Oldest Puppet Theater

Abandoned Resort Town of Bombay Beach Now Weird Artist Paradise

Shields Date Garden

Paramount Ranch: Set to Screen

The Weird and Hidden Figures of Old Trapper’s Lodge

The Abandoned Movie Ranch of Corriganville

Redondo Beach’s Bizarre Fun Factory