Decapitated palm trees jut from concrete in front of a boarded up building.

The Charred Remains of the Palm Springs’ Playground where Marilyn Monroe was Discovered

March 13, 2019, 4 Comments

Tucked away behind a tarp covered chainlink fence sits the remains of what was once one of the most glamorous spots in all of Palm Springs, The Racquet Club. The motion picture industry changed Palm Springs from a sleepy health resort town to a getaway for Hollywood’s elite by the 1920s. In 1934 actors Charles…

A brown sign with yellow letters reads "Moorten Botanical Garden"

Exploring the Desert Wonderland of Moorten Botanical Garden

March 11, 2019, 2 Comments

The annual visit to Palm Springs, which is for Pat’s work, typically means I fill the days on my own – shopping, visiting museums, etc. This year Charles Phoenix recommended I visit Moorten Botanical Garden. And when Charles Phoenix tells you to go somewhere, you go! Home to over 3000 plant varieties, Moorten Botanical Garden…

Exterior of Sherman's, featuring Sherman's spelled out in green diamonds.

Sherman’s – Palm Springs’ Star-Studded Deli

March 7, 2019, 2 Comments

When in Palm Springs dining at Sherman’s Deli & Bakery is an absolute must. And if I’m honest, sometimes I stop here multiple times during our week long stay each March. This classic New York style deli restaurant features the fare you would expect, like pastrami and corned beef, along with a wide selection cakes…

Myself looking at a sea otter through a massive floor to ceiling window.

A Visit to the Aquarium

February 19, 2019, 2 Comments

Over the weekend a group of my friends and I went to the Aquarium of the Pacific. I honestly hadn’t been to an aquarium in ages, so it was a fun diversion for the weekend. I fully intended to really go nuts shooting photos here of the cute seals, brightly colored fish, and other fun…

Myself standing outside the main doors, wearing a straw hat, a white peasant top, and maroon skirt that features gathering in an asymmetrical design.

The Outlet Mall Masquerading as an Assyrian Palace

February 5, 2019, 6 Comments

If you’ve ever driven along Interstate 5 through Commerce, just outside Los Angeles, you’ve likely spied a grand ancient looking palace and perhaps wondered “What on earth is that!?” Well, it’s an outlet mall actually. Yes, an outlet mall, known simply as The Citadel. But it wasn’t always that way. The building was actually built…

Myself, in front of a Peanuts style backdrop of a desert scene, wearing a navy colored patio set with silver ric-rac trim, and a tooled leather belt, purse, and shoes.

Peanuts Celebration 2019

January 28, 2019, 5 Comments

Last year Knott’s Berry Farm introduced a new entertainment offering to its unique seasonal schedule, Peanuts Celebration! Sadly, last year I didn’t have time to visit, but this year I was not going to miss it! As some of you may know, Charles M. Schulz’s beloved characters call Knott’s Berry Farm home, but typically the Peanuts…

Chris and Pitt's resides in a building painted to resemble a log cabin, and features signs along its top reading "Sandwiches, Bar-B-Q" and a large red and black neon sign reading "Chris & Pitt's Bar-B-Q" Along the side in turquoise painted letters reads "Chris & Pitt's" I stand below the large sign in a pair of wide leg jeans, a t-shirt featuring a cowgirl pin-up who has been bucked off a horse, a blue and brown plaid jacket, and a cream cowboy hat.

Find Delicious BBQ Inside this Kitschy Faux Log Cabin of Chris & Pitt’s

January 9, 2019, 5 Comments

My dad has endless stories of growing up in Southern California in the 1950s and 60s. Many of the places in those stories are gone, but some still remain, Chris and Pitt’s Bar-B-Q is one of them. A staple of my dad’s childhood, it was even the location we chose to meet at after my grandmother’s funeral…

The Lost Art of Candy Cane Making at Logan’s Candies

November 27, 2018, 3 Comments

In a world of mass produced everything, hand-made goods are becoming unicorns, but in the little town of Ontario, where they still put up various scenes of the life of Jesus in the heart of their downtown during Christmas, Logan’s Candies is like a beacon of glistening sugar. Since 1933 Logan’s Candies has become borderline…

Myself standing in front of a quartette of black cats of wood, wearing a patchwork print dress of orange, yellow, black and white, as a large straw hat

The Anaheim Halloween Parade

October 30, 2018, 1 Comment

Last weekend Patrick and I finally made it to one of Anaheim’s oldest traditions, the Anaheim Fall Festival and Halloween Parade! Starting in 1923, the parade was started the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce as a way to bring the community together and create a more family oriented Halloween event, and has been a beloved favorite…

Atomic Redhead’s Knott’s Scary Farm Survival Guide

September 28, 2018, 3 Comments

UPDATE: This post has been updated with 2019 Knott’s Scary Farm information. Every fall a heavy fog creeps into Knott’s Berry Farm, transforming it into Knott’s Scary Farm. In a way, Knott’s Scary Farm is an entirely different version of Knott’s Berry Farm, as it offers so much more, and therefore is worthy of its own…