Cut out images of James Dean and Vampira set against a yellow and red background.

The Mysterious Horror Hostess that Reportedly Cursed James Dean

October 18, 2018, 5 Comments

The inside of a “dingy frame house” on Larrabee Street in West Hollywood looked more akin to a “witch-doctor’s shack in the wilds of Haiti.” Scattered were “objects of the kind associated with Black Magic” and stuck to the wall by a small golden dagger were cut-outs of James Dean’s eyes and ears. On the…

To the left, the Babylonian arch/bridge, over six stories in height. A white elephant sits atop a pillar to the right, also towering over five stories tall.

The Shopping Mall Based on the Set of a Silent Movie Flop

August 29, 2018, 4 Comments

Located at what is considered to be the center of Hollywood, among grand old movie palaces and tourist traps is the Hollywood and Highland shopping center, with a Forever 21, Victoria’s Secret, Sephora, and more. But this isn’t just any ol’ shopping center, it’s attached to the Dolby Theatre (formerly the Kodak), the home of…

Old photograph of the exterior of The Pink Pussycat, painted pink and black, including a large mural of a cat rubbing against a fishnet covered leg.

The Pink Pussycat College of Strip Tease Where Yesteryear’s Strippers Learned Their Craft

July 11, 2018, 8 Comments

Imagine you are a woman living the high life in early 1960s Hollywood, you have a great husband, who after working hard as a door-to-door salesman, elevates himself to running a haberdashery in Beverly Hills and then enters the nightclub business. It’s a classy life. Then, one day, your loving husband comes home and tells…

El Mirador Hotel

March 11, 2018, Leave a Comment on El Mirador Hotel

While Palm Springs is extremely well known for its mid-century modern architecture, it should be just as well known for its stunning Spanish revival architecture. No where was this better executed than the spectacular El Mirador Hotel, which operated from 1928 to 1972. El Mirador is a perfect example of Palm Springs’ glorious Spanish styling…

History of Sambo’s Restaurant

February 26, 2018, 19 Comments

So, sometimes I do crazy things. Like drive two hours to go to a restaurant. Yep. When reading Charles Phoenix’s book, Addicted to Americana, he talks about the chain of coffee shops known as Sambo’s. Now, Sambo’s wasn’t totally unknown to me prior to reading the book, as there was one in my home town…

History of the Ouija Board

September 17, 2017, 9 Comments

Recently I was at an antique mall I spied a vintage Ouija board with the price tag of “FREE!” which I simply couldn’t pass up, despite owning multiple already. As I walked out with it, I heard one of the employees say “Don’t use it now!” Over the years I have heard and read a…

Atomic Redhead

History Lessons

The Mysterious Horror Hostess that Reportedly Cursed James Dean

The Shopping Mall Based on the Set of a Silent Movie Flop

The Pink Pussycat College of Strip Tease Where Yesteryear’s Strippers Learned Their Craft

El Mirador Hotel

History of Sambo’s Restaurant

History of the Ouija Board