Myself standing in front of Independence Hall, wearing a shirt with Sam Eagle on it and reading "semiquincentennial"

America’s Semiquincentennial

July 8, 2026, 1 Comment

To celebrate America’s Semiquincentennial (250th birthday) Patrick and I headed over to Independence Hall. No, not the one in Philadelphia, although I would love that one day! But the one at Knott’s Berry Farm. That’s right, Knott’s Berry Farm has its very own full scale replica of Independence Hall, and the great thing about it…

View of the a grand staircase in the lobby with a fountain at the top of the staircase.

Step Into the Hauntingly Beautiful Los Angeles Theatre

June 17, 2026, 1 Comment

As mentioned in my Orpheum Theatre post, Patrick and I attended another night of Last Remaining Seats, hosted by the Los Angeles Conservancy, this time we got to step inside the Los Angeles Theatre to see one of my favorite films, LA Confidential, complete with author of the book, James Elroy, in attendance. We also…

Night time of the Orpheum marquee, a multi-colored neon sign with a LED screen advertising the LA Conservancy event. Above is a long blade style sign also reading Orpheum.

Behind the Curtain of LA’s Century Old Orpheum Theatre

June 10, 2026, Leave a Comment on Behind the Curtain of LA’s Century Old Orpheum Theatre

Downtown Los Angeles was once home to dozens of theatres, often grand movie palaces that look like they are right out of a fairy tale. As the decades went on, these once glittering monuments to the silver screen fell by the wayside, abandoned, bulldozed, or converted into stores. Today a handful cling to life, typically…

Angled view of Johnie's Coffee Shop, a blue and stripe butterfly roof hangs low, with red letters reading "Johnie's Coffee Shop and Restaurant"

Step Inside the Googie Masterpiece Johnie’s Coffee Shop Thanks to Artist Gary Baseman

May 21, 2026, 2 Comments

Every time I would visit the Petersen Automotive Museum or the Academy Museum I would gaze longingly at Johnie’s Coffee Shop. The red, white, and blue Googie masterpiece has sat empty since 2000, and I longed to step inside. Well, I finally got that chance, thanks to artist Gary Baseman. Baseman was born in LA…

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…

Inside Greystone Mansion: Money, Murder, and the Movies

March 25, 2026, 2 Comments

Looming over the luxurious city of Beverly Hills sits Greystone Mansion, a sprawling estate built by Los Angeles’ first oil tycoon family, the Dohenys. It is also home to one of Beverly Hills’ earliest scandals. Typically Greystone keeps its doors closed, with only a handful of exceptions. Thankfully my friend, Kristen, was able to secure…

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…

Overall view of the Liberty Island with hundreds of people outside.

American Reflections: A Visit to the Statue of Liberty

June 25, 2025, Leave a Comment on American Reflections: A Visit to the Statue of Liberty

In November 2001 I made my first trip to New York City. Just two and a half months after the attacks of September 11 (we had booked our trip back in July), it was a surreal experience, as my dad and I attended the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Rockettes Christmas show all amid…

Exterior view of the Ryman, a multi story brick building with white details and a peaked roof.

Behind the Curtain of the Ryman, the Mother Church of Country Music

May 19, 2025, 3 Comments

Running through Nashville is the Cumberland River, and in the 1880s it meant Nashville was a rough and tumble river town with saloons, gambling, and of course riverboats. Thomas Ryman was a man of the river, owning a successful riverboat company, and not exactly a man of God, but all that changed on May 10,…

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…

Atomic Redhead

Filming Locations

America’s Semiquincentennial

Step Into the Hauntingly Beautiful Los Angeles Theatre

Behind the Curtain of LA’s Century Old Orpheum Theatre

Step Inside the Googie Masterpiece Johnie’s Coffee Shop Thanks to Artist Gary Baseman

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

Inside Greystone Mansion: Money, Murder, and the Movies

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

American Reflections: A Visit to the Statue of Liberty

Behind the Curtain of the Ryman, the Mother Church of Country Music

Breakfast at the Oldest Restaurant in Memphis, the Arcade