Myself standing in front of the blacksmith shop, where a giant prickly pear cactus resides, wearing a black dress with silver trim.

How One Book Saved Old Town San Diego

July 11, 2019, 6 Comments

After checking in to the Cosmopolitan, we explored Old Town for a bit, going in and out of the various museums and shops this unique state park has to offer. Old Town San Diego State Park is made up of a variety of authentic buildings from the 19th century and early 20th century, along with…

Myself standing on the outer balcony of the hotel, wearing a black dress with silver trim. A massive white sign reads "Cosmopolitan Hotel" in black letters.

San Diego’s Historic Cosmopolitan Hotel

July 9, 2019, 2 Comments

Each July the company Patrick works for hosts a massive conference in San Diego. Sometimes Patrick attends, sometimes he doesn’t. But this year he did, and like most of his conferences, I tag along to enjoy the sights of the city. This year we chose to stay in one of California’s oldest hotels, The Cosmopolitan,…

The Stunning Art Deco Theatre Hidden Inside Catalina’s Casino

June 5, 2019, 6 Comments

Our main reason for visiting Catalina was to attend Catalinaland, a presentation by Ambassador of Americana, and personal idol, Charles Phoenix. Phoenix was presenting his slideshow celebrating the island in the iconic Avalon Theatre, which is located within the Catalina Casino. When chewing gum king, William Wrigley Jr. opened his “Casino” on May 29, 1929,…

A rounded front building faces the street, atop it a tall spire stretches toward a bright blue sky. Near the bottom red letters spell out "Crossroads of the World." Atop the spire a globe.

The Violent History of LA’s Iconic Crossroads of the World

April 18, 2019, 3 Comments

Sunset Boulevard is synonymous with Hollywood. It’s home to a plethora of iconic buildings and linked to many legendary people. One such building is Crossroads of the World, a bizarre little 1930s shopping center turned office complex that looks like something out of a Disney theme park, with a steamship style building “sailing” past storefronts…

Myself standing in front of the Palomino sign, wearing a blue jean jacket, white t-shirt reading "Gram Parsons and the Fallen Angels" and a dark brown cowboy hat.

The One Night Revival of Hollywood’s Favorite Honky Tonk, the Palomino Club

October 10, 2018, 6 Comments

When people think of Hollywood, they think of searchlights rocking back and forth, glittering movie stars, and flash bulbs popping on a red carpet. But just on the other side of the Hollywood sign is North Hollywood, and the further out you go, it turns heavily industrial, and you begin to feel a long way…

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,…

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…

The main entrance today. White double doors with trim, an arched faux window that is really a mirror is above.

The Remains of West Hollywood’s Kitschy New Orleans Themed LGBT Headquarters

June 28, 2018, 1 Comment

Recently I was out photographing a building for an upcoming post, and as I was shooting Patrick and I began to talk about where to go for lunch. I snapped away as he looked on his phone and said “Well, the place right next door is a New Orleans place. Oh, wait, it’s closed.” And…

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…

Walt Disney Studio Tour

April 10, 2018, 8 Comments

Over the weekend Patrick and I were lucky enough to tour the Walt Disney Studios thanks to our friends Danielle and Anees. Disney offers tours of the Studio in a variety of ways. One is through Adventures by Disney, with their Disneyland Resort and Southern California tour. Another way is through the Disney fan club…

Atomic Redhead

Historic Locations

How One Book Saved Old Town San Diego

San Diego’s Historic Cosmopolitan Hotel

The Stunning Art Deco Theatre Hidden Inside Catalina’s Casino

The Violent History of LA’s Iconic Crossroads of the World

The One Night Revival of Hollywood’s Favorite Honky Tonk, the Palomino Club

The World’s Oldest McDonald’s

Peek Inside America’s Oldest Puppet Theater

The Remains of West Hollywood’s Kitschy New Orleans Themed LGBT Headquarters

Mission San Gabriel

Walt Disney Studio Tour