Canter's sign outside, black with yellow letters reading "Canter's" smaller letters read "restaurant, bakery, delicatessen"

Rock ‘n Roll’s Favorite Jewish Deli

July 18, 2018, 4 Comments

Canter’s Deli is borderline synonymous with Hollywood, but it is just as well loved by rock ‘n rollers as it is movie stars, and it was the late night place for the bands of the 1960s, and it’s said to be the only Jewish deli on the west coast to rival one of the east…

Me sitting at one of the gorgeous turquoise and white booths.

Grand Re-Opening of George’s 50s Diner in Long Beach

June 25, 2018, 1 Comment

On December 16, 2016, one of Long Beach’s historic landmarks was in trouble. A fire tore through George’s 50s Diner, leaving the interior of this Googie masterpiece completely gutted. Miraculously the exterior was virtually untouched. But it was still a long road to rebuild, and a year and a half later, this icon is open…

The Hidden Remains of MAS*H in Malibu Creek Park

May 22, 2018, 4 Comments

I watched a lot of the channel TV Land as a kid, and one of my favorite shows was M * A * S * H, which revolved around the 4077th mobile army surgical hospital (that’s what “MASH” stands for in case you were wondering) in Korea during the Korean War. At some point I learned…

Vasquez Rocks: Outlaw Hideout Turned Hollywood Filming Location

May 8, 2018, 7 Comments

What do Westworld, The Wild Wild West, Star Trek, Army of Darkness, and Zorro all have in common? Well, aside from being awesome, they all, at one point or another, filmed at Vasquez Rocks. For me, Vasquez Rocks is a gorgeous natural landscape that is a perfect meld of my favorite things – it is…

Mission San Gabriel

April 30, 2018, 2 Comments

UPDATE: It is important to remember that while California Missions have been hailed as places of peace, they also have deep and complicated histories, including slavery, violence, and forced religious conversion. I recommend reading this article that further describes the problematic history of Mission San Gabriel. I love me a twofer – and that is…

Bronson Canyon – The Batcave and More

February 6, 2018, 1 Comment

Over the years on the blog, I have made my love of two particular TV shows, Batman and The Adventures of Brisco County Jr., very apparent, whether through cosplay, cons, museum visits, or filming locations. One thing these two shows have in common is the use of the Bronson Canyon and Caves as a filming…

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…

Find The Forbidden Zone Tucked Away in Malibu’s Point Dume

August 9, 2017, 3 Comments

It should be noted in advance that this post talks about the ending of the 1968 film Planet of the Apes and contains spoilers. In the ever long list of places to go and things to do here in California, filming locations are one of my favorite things to go out and visit. The Point…

Diamonds are Forever Filming Locations

April 14, 2017, 7 Comments

When Patrick and I decided to stop in Vegas on our way to Idaho, I suggested we stay at Circus Circus, as I am a fan of the James Bond film Diamonds are Forever, as the hotel is featured in the film. I also found two more locations used in the film nearby! I think it’s…

Rock-a-Hoola Waterpark – The Abandoned Waterpark Rotting in the Mojave

April 7, 2017, 3 Comments

When it comes to my passion for photographing abandoned Americana, my love really is with places from the mid-20th century or older. However any place that is abandoned I’ll check out, even if it was abandoned just thirteen years ago, which is the case with Lake Dolores’ Rock-a-Hoola Waterpark off Interstate 15 in Newberry Springs. Originally,…