Myself, seated at the counter with a mural of a beach with surfboards sticking up in the sand is behind me.

Chili John’s: The 80 Year Old Diner Beloved by Food Critics and Hollywood Alike

April 1, 2026, Leave a Comment on Chili John’s: The 80 Year Old Diner Beloved by Food Critics and Hollywood Alike

I’m not quite sure how to put into words what walking into Chili John’s is like…except it’s somehow magical. There are few places that feel as honest, warm, yet also bit like the Twilight Zone. Chili John’s is one of those places. From its massive murals to its well worn linoleum to its cracked orange…

Angled view of Cold Spring Tavern, a single story ramshackle log cabin building with ivy growing around it.

Stagecoach Stop Turned Biker Haven: Cold Spring Tavern

March 11, 2026, Leave a Comment on Stagecoach Stop Turned Biker Haven: Cold Spring Tavern

Up a winding road, tucked into the Los Padres National Forest is one of California’s oldest places to stop for a bite to eat, Cold Spring Tavern. Long before cars and motorcycles traversed these twisting roads, stagecoaches did, with Cold Spring Tavern feeding wary passengers during the 1860s. Almost 100 years, and various owners later,…

A 74 foot long lunch counter stretches into the distance with mint and white barstools. A large colorful mural of Black people seated at a lunch counter hangs above.

Revisiting America’s Last Woolworth’s Luncheonette

January 14, 2026, 3 Comments

While many may blow by the small town of Bakersfield en route to Los Angeles, it is well worth the stop for a variety of reasons, but perhaps its star attraction is that it is home to the last operating Woolworth’s lunch counter. Woolworth’s first opened in Bakersfield in 1911, but by the 1930s they…

My hand holding the ice cream potato in front of a sign that reads "Idaho Ice Cream potato"

The Westside Drive-In: Home of the Bizarre and Delicious Ice Cream Potato

September 11, 2025, 1 Comment

Idaho is literally famous for its potatoes, so when I heard there was a thing called an ice cream potato, I knew I had to try it. While Boise is Idaho’s capital, it is also home to the Westside Drive-In. Originally built in 1957 and opened by Ralph Caskey, it survived the decades and in…

TWA Hotel: A Time Capsule of Air Travel on the Eve of the Jet Age

July 8, 2025, Leave a Comment on TWA Hotel: A Time Capsule of Air Travel on the Eve of the Jet Age

John F. Kennedy International Airport bustles with millions of travelers coming and going, but amid the chaos is the opportunity to travel back in time, back to the swinging 1960s; the TWA Hotel, the last stop on our New York trip. In the middle of the 1950s JFK, then known as Idlewild, sought to become…

The Long Room, pale green walls with tall windows, and a long dark wood table with spindly chairs. Various plates, cups, and bottles scatter the top of the table.

Fraunces Tavern: The Historic Restaurant Where George Washington Dined

June 11, 2025, 2 Comments

Patrick and I recently spent a week in New York City, and the number one place friends recommended to us was Fraunces Tavern, located at the southern tip of Manhattan. It is here that George Washington, among many others instrumental to the American Revolution not only dined, but made critical decisions to our young nation. What…

Sign above the door reading "Arcade" in script, and "Restaurant" in bold letters.

Breakfast at the Oldest Restaurant in Memphis, the Arcade

May 1, 2025, 1 Comment

After visiting Dollywood, Patrick and I drove across Tennessee to our next stop, Memphis. We hit the hay and woke up bright and early for breakfast at The Arcade, which has the honor of being Memphis’ oldest restaurant. The Arcade, although not initially known by that name, was established in 1919 by Greek immigrant Speros…

A blue, yellow, and white neon sign that reads "Silver Saddle Motel"

The Remnants, Remains, and Random Snapshots of 2024

January 29, 2025, 3 Comments

Back in early 2023 I shared a blog post that was a collection of random photos from the previous year. It was a round up of places and events that didn’t make the cut as a full blog post, but still had merit. The tradition didn’t continue with a round up of 2023 photos because,…

Angled view of the ten gallon hat sign that is lit up with neon reading "Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich is Delicious" below is the curved roof of the restaurant.

Last of its Kind: 60s Era Arby’s to Meet the Wrecking Ball

June 12, 2024, 3 Comments

Back in 2018 I took a day to drive down Beach Boulevard from the 91 all the way to the beach, photographing various signs and buildings. During that excursion I stumbled across a vintage Arby’s. The massive ten gallon hat neon sign towered over the curved building, emulating a covered wagon. I stepped inside and…

Myself, wearing a green, purple and orange paisley print shirt, copper colored pants, and green shoes, sitting next to the Bob's statue, which is of a boy with swooping black hair, a white shirt reading "Big Boy" in blue letters, and red and white checkered overalls, holding a plate with a burger on it.

Burbank’s Bob’s Big Boy: 75 Years of Burgers

May 29, 2024, 1 Comment

Too often I hear that Los Angeles and the surrounding area is a place that doesn’t care about its history, we demolish buildings left and right, and little heritage remains. I think that’s far from true. Many restaurants have lasted 100 years in the area, and one location in Burbank is well on its way…

Atomic Redhead

Eat & Drink

Chili John’s: The 80 Year Old Diner Beloved by Food Critics and Hollywood Alike

Stagecoach Stop Turned Biker Haven: Cold Spring Tavern

Revisiting America’s Last Woolworth’s Luncheonette

The Westside Drive-In: Home of the Bizarre and Delicious Ice Cream Potato

TWA Hotel: A Time Capsule of Air Travel on the Eve of the Jet Age

Fraunces Tavern: The Historic Restaurant Where George Washington Dined

Breakfast at the Oldest Restaurant in Memphis, the Arcade

The Remnants, Remains, and Random Snapshots of 2024

Last of its Kind: 60s Era Arby’s to Meet the Wrecking Ball

Burbank’s Bob’s Big Boy: 75 Years of Burgers