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…

Portion of the exterior, featuring a pyramid tower and statues over the doorway.

Exploring LA’s 100 Year Old Central Library

June 3, 2026, 3 Comments

Located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles is a true beacon for Angelenos, the Los Angeles Central Library. This year, the iconic Art Deco buildings turns 100. Filled with not just books, but galleries, murals, and unique artifacts, one can learn about its history through free docent led tours, which Patrick and I did…

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…

Full exterior view of Idle Hour, in the center is a large barrel with smaller buildings attached at either side.

Idle Hour: Eat Inside a Giant Hidden Dog at California’s Last Barrel Restaurant

April 15, 2026, Leave a Comment on Idle Hour: Eat Inside a Giant Hidden Dog at California’s Last Barrel Restaurant

As many of you know I’m an architecture junkie, and one of my favorite forms of architecture is programmatic, or fondly known as “California Crazy” that is to say, buildings that are constructed to look like something, which California was wildly known for. Sadly, there are very few examples left, but at Idle Hour you…

Close-up of the neon and bulbs above the marquee reading "The El Capitan Theatre"

Backstage at the Lavish El Capitan Theatre

July 31, 2024, 1 Comment

Los Angeles has many glorious movie palaces scattered throughout, one incredible theatre is the El Capitan, located in the heart of Hollywood. Recently Patrick and I got to go behind the scenes of this historic theatre, and just a few days later returned to see Deadpool & Wolverine, so it should be noted that this…

Angled view of the ten gallon hat sign that is lit up with neon reading "Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich is Delicious" below is the curved roof of the restaurant.

Last of its Kind: 60s Era Arby’s to Meet the Wrecking Ball

June 12, 2024, 3 Comments

Back in 2018 I took a day to drive down Beach Boulevard from the 91 all the way to the beach, photographing various signs and buildings. During that excursion I stumbled across a vintage Arby’s. The massive ten gallon hat neon sign towered over the curved building, emulating a covered wagon. I stepped inside and…

Exterior of the top portion, which features a tower of neon reading "Studio City" below the marquee reads "Bookstar" in neon and "Barnes and Noble" on the marquee.

From Movies to Books: The Studio City Theatre Barnes & Noble

June 5, 2024, 1 Comment

As mentioned before, I love a good small neighborhood cinema, and it’s always sad when one of them goes dark. But it’s even more sad when they can’t have a second life. Many go on to become music venues, but others get a little more creatively repurposed, such as the CVS in East Los Angeles,…

Myself, wearing a green, purple and orange paisley print shirt, copper colored pants, and green shoes, sitting next to the Bob's statue, which is of a boy with swooping black hair, a white shirt reading "Big Boy" in blue letters, and red and white checkered overalls, holding a plate with a burger on it.

Burbank’s Bob’s Big Boy: 75 Years of Burgers

May 29, 2024, 1 Comment

Too often I hear that Los Angeles and the surrounding area is a place that doesn’t care about its history, we demolish buildings left and right, and little heritage remains. I think that’s far from true. Many restaurants have lasted 100 years in the area, and one location in Burbank is well on its way…

A small home with a turret style entry, features steeped roof lines and ivy growing up the walls.

The Tiny French “Gnome” Village Hiding in the Citrus Empire

May 22, 2024, 1 Comment

Redlands is one of the great citrus empires of California, it’s also a city that is filled with gorgeous homes. Most of the houses you’ll stumble upon are grand Victorians, Spanish Revivals, and Mid-Century Moderns, but there is one narrow street that looks like something out of France, this is Normandie Court, and it is…

Overview of the sales floor from the balcony, high white walls feature arched details of gold on them, the arched proscenium frames a screen, two small arched balconies sit on either side of the screen.

The Surreal Experience of Shopping for a New iMac at an Old Movie Palace

August 12, 2022, 2 Comments

A couple weeks ago my beloved iMac started show signs of age. It could barely keep up with my photo editing, and I knew its days were numbered. So I set out to get a new one. Not too long ago Apple announced they were introducing new colored iMacs. My millennial heart skipped a beat.…