Exterior of Pig 'n Whistle, in a gothic font "Pig 'N Whistle" is above a metal awning that reads "Pig 'n Whistle" in neon.

Pigs, Pizza, and I Love Lucy: A Tale of Two Historic Hollywood Watering Holes

August 8, 2019, 6 Comments

2021 & 2022 Updates: Pig ‘N Whistle has closed, and been gutted. Read more on the heart wrenching end of a Hollywood icon from LAist and how the new owner is nothing short of a jerk from L.A. Taco. But you can still enjoy a visit to Miceli’s. In my previous post about the stunning…

The red neon sign outside which reads "El Coyote Mexican Food"

The Kitschy Mexican Restaurant Where Sharon Tate Had Her Last Meal

April 11, 2019, 3 Comments

On August 8, 1969, four people, including young actress Sharon Tate walked into El Coyote and sat down for what would unknowingly be their last meal, for just a few hours later they would be brutally murdered by members of the Manson Family. El Coyote first opened in 1931, on First and La Brea by…

Exterior of Pappy & Harriets, a stucco and wood rustic western building with large agave plants growing on the edge. A large sign rising above the front door reading "Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown Palace"

Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace

March 18, 2019, 1 Comment

I’ve mentioned visiting Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace on the blog before, but never sat down and gave this place the post it so rightly deserves. As mentioned previously, Pioneertown was a live-in western shooting location that thrived in the late 40s and into the 50s when the cowboy was king. But then the western…

Exterior of Sherman's, featuring Sherman's spelled out in green diamonds.

Sherman’s – Palm Springs’ Star-Studded Deli

March 7, 2019, 2 Comments

When in Palm Springs dining at Sherman’s Deli & Bakery is an absolute must. And if I’m honest, sometimes I stop here multiple times during our week long stay each March. This classic New York style deli restaurant features the fare you would expect, like pastrami and corned beef, along with a wide selection cakes…

Chris and Pitt's resides in a building painted to resemble a log cabin, and features signs along its top reading "Sandwiches, Bar-B-Q" and a large red and black neon sign reading "Chris & Pitt's Bar-B-Q" Along the side in turquoise painted letters reads "Chris & Pitt's" I stand below the large sign in a pair of wide leg jeans, a t-shirt featuring a cowgirl pin-up who has been bucked off a horse, a blue and brown plaid jacket, and a cream cowboy hat.

Find Delicious BBQ Inside this Kitschy Faux Log Cabin of Chris & Pitt’s

January 9, 2019, 5 Comments

My dad has endless stories of growing up in Southern California in the 1950s and 60s. Many of the places in those stories are gone, but some still remain, Chris and Pitt’s Bar-B-Q is one of them. A staple of my dad’s childhood, it was even the location we chose to meet at after my grandmother’s funeral…

The Lost Art of Candy Cane Making at Logan’s Candies

November 27, 2018, 3 Comments

In a world of mass produced everything, hand-made goods are becoming unicorns, but in the little town of Ontario, where they still put up various scenes of the life of Jesus in the heart of their downtown during Christmas, Logan’s Candies is like a beacon of glistening sugar. Since 1933 Logan’s Candies has become borderline…

Exterior of Pizza Show. Squares spell out "Pizza Show" with "Pizza" edged in red, and "Show" edged in green. A tall sign to the left also reads "Pizza Show" with a small sun image below. Below the sun it reads "Dining Room Food to Go"

A Slice of Beach Boys History at Pizza Show

September 26, 2018, 2 Comments

When you think about the Beach Boys, you likely think of surfing, hot rods, and perhaps plaid. What you probably don’t think about is pizza. But in the 1960s the original surfing crooners could be found at Pizza Show, a local Italian restaurant in their hometown of Hawthorne. Pizza plus rock-n-roll history? I’m sold! Pizza…

To the right a mural of Snow White seated in the forest, with bunnies and birds around her. To the left a brick wall and a sign reading "Cold Beer Served Here."

Snow White Cafe: Hollywood’s Fairytale Dive Bar

September 11, 2018, 2 Comments

Lost Places Update: Snow White Cafe has been recategorized as a Lost Place. Why? In June, 2024 Snow White Cafe closed abruptly and without fanfare. The murals were seen being dismantled, but as of late June, 2024, their location and future is unknown. * * * In the heart of Hollywood, right next door to…

The sign to The Warehouse, made of wide pylons, the text is in a stencil style, and yellow reading "The World Famous Warehouse Restaurant Since 1969 Lunch Dinner Cocktails Weekend Brunch Great Entertainment"

Marina Del Rey’s World Famous Warehouse Restaurant

August 31, 2018, 2 Comments

Situated right on the shore of Marina Del Rey looking out upon the variety of boats moored on the water, is the Warehouse Restaurant. This weatherbeaten warehouse looks like it has stood on the beach since at least the 1920s, but turns out, it was built to look like that…in the 1960s. In 1969 former…

The building - two tall golden arches flank a slanted flat roof, and red and white tile wrap around the bottom. Walls of glass allow guests to walk up to the window and place their orders. The Speedee sign to the left.

The World’s Oldest McDonald’s

August 22, 2018, 7 Comments

Right here in Southern California, in the LA suburb of Downey (a place my father lived during part of his childhood), is the world’s oldest operating McDonald’s. It’s a unique claim to fame, and one some may pay no attention to, but, like it or not, fast food is an invention of America, and thus,…

Atomic Redhead

Eat & Drink

Pigs, Pizza, and I Love Lucy: A Tale of Two Historic Hollywood Watering Holes

The Kitschy Mexican Restaurant Where Sharon Tate Had Her Last Meal

Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace

Sherman’s – Palm Springs’ Star-Studded Deli

Find Delicious BBQ Inside this Kitschy Faux Log Cabin of Chris & Pitt’s

The Lost Art of Candy Cane Making at Logan’s Candies

A Slice of Beach Boys History at Pizza Show

Snow White Cafe: Hollywood’s Fairytale Dive Bar

Marina Del Rey’s World Famous Warehouse Restaurant

The World’s Oldest McDonald’s