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Atomic Redhead

Unique Destinations, Weird History and More…

  • Places to Explore
    • Filming Locations
    • Roadside Americana
    • Bizarre & Unique
    • Abandoned
    • Architecture
    • Historic Locations
    • Sleep & Eat
    • Museum Visits
    • Natural Beauty
  • Amusement Parks
    • Disney
    • Knott’s Berry Farm
    • Universal Studios
    • Unique Amusements
  • History Lessons
    • The Wild West
    • California Dreamin’
    • Strange Tales
  • Tips, Guides, & Reviews
    • Travel Guides
    • Books, Movies & TV
    • Home & Decor
    • Product Reviews
    • Shopping Tips
    • Wardrobe Tips
    • Vintage Beauty
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion & Style
    • Our 1954 Home
    • Holidays
    • Found Treasures
    • Cooking with Vincent
    • Cosplay & Cons
    • Activism
    • Life
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historic preservation

Bob's, a large, long flat roof building, with a jutting pointed sign reading "Bob's Big Boy Broiler"

The Bob’s Big Boy that Almost Never Was

January 8, 2020, 3 Comments on The Bob’s Big Boy that Almost Never Was

As I’ve said before, and as many of you know, I love visiting places that let you feel like you’ve stepped back in time, and one of those places is Bob’s Big Boy Broiler in Downey. But this place wasn’t always a Bob’s Big Boy, and it almost never was… It is no secret that…

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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 on The World’s Oldest McDonald’s

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,…

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The building, with its white low pitch roof, peeked in the middle, walls of glass, and flagstone at either end.

Mel’s Resurrects a Googie Masterpiece in Santa Monica

August 7, 2018, 4 Comments on Mel’s Resurrects a Googie Masterpiece in Santa Monica

Imagine traveling Route 66 in 1959, perhaps in a brand new stunning Chevy Impala. After days on the road you finally roll up to the intersection of Lincoln and Olympic (the true end of the Mother Road) in the beach city of Santa Monica, and you are greeted by a dapper looking penguin in a…

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A Return to the Orchid Tree Inn

March 11, 2015, 8 Comments on A Return to the Orchid Tree Inn

In 2013 during a visit to Palm Springs I shared images of a vacant (and at the time, for sale) hotel and adjacent church. It was The Orchid Tree Inn and the Community Church of Palm Springs, and you can view the first visit here. When we returned to Palm Springs in 2014, the hotel we…

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Preserving the Past

February 2, 2014, 3 Comments on Preserving the Past

Recently I was contacted by fellow blogger Hannah, of Just Peachy Darling, about a project she was working on. She was asking several people to express why they are interested in history and how they are preserving the past. Since this subject is so near and dear to me, I was eager to get on…

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Janey Ellis

Atomic_Redhead

Janey 🍊 California Blogger 🌵 Cosmic American Fashion, Amusement Parks, Unique Destinations, & Weird History 🗺

Well finally I have six dog bone Hey-Wake chairs. Well finally I have six dog bone Hey-Wake chairs. I started my dining room set journey with eight motel model chairs purchased back in high school. Which we moved to California with, as seen in picture 6. Then I found one lone dog bone chair at a thrift store (picture 5) and my dad soon told me he purchased four dog bone chairs, seen before cleaned up and reupholstered in picture 4. He later drove down with them, and took away my motel chairs, selling them at the antique mall he has space at, and I reupholster them in green. Then near the tail end of 2019 I found another dog bone chair at a flea market. But I only just now got around to reupholstering the thrift store and flea market finds! Colonel Whiskers was a big help, you can tell.
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#vintagehome 
#heywoodwakefield 
#fleamarketstyle
{PRE-COVID PHOTO!} ArcLight is peace’ing out of {PRE-COVID PHOTO!} ArcLight is peace’ing out of the Cinerama Dome. It is a unique piece of architecture and movie history, and I hope another cinema company moves in. Thankfully it’s designated as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Landmark, giving it some but not total protection. Snaps from when we went to see Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood there and a screencap of how it appeared in the film. For more search “cinerama” on the blog. 📽 Link on profile.
Paul Revere Williams is one of my all time favorit Paul Revere Williams is one of my all time favorite architects. He had an incredible eye for design and did not limit himself to just one style. Over the last few years LA has lost many works by Williams, and that is not just sad on an architectural level, but also one of representation. Williams was a pioneer, becoming the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects, and went on to influence others. To highlight the importance of his life, work, and legacy @laconservancy and @socalnoma have teamed up to offer virtual tours of sites relating to Williams and a virtual panel featuring Williams’ granddaughter. The tour is offered four times, with the first one tomorrow! Visit the link in my bio to learn more and buy tickets for this unique event!
Jumping on the Character/Cosplay/Cosplayer bandwag Jumping on the Character/Cosplay/Cosplayer bandwagon. Yes, I cosplay. It’s been awhile, and this cosplay photo is YEARS old. I want to reshoot it in Pioneertown or somewhere... Anyway, in case you’re unfamiliar, this is Dixie Cousins from the Pilot of my fav TV show The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. If you’re unfamiliar and into @shemp_malone then you’re really missing out.
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#theadventuresofbriscocountyjr
BLOGGED! Our patio revamp is done!!! See more on t BLOGGED! Our patio revamp is done!!! See more on the blog! 🌵 Link on profile! 
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#vintagehomedecor 
#vintageliving
#fleamarketstyle
Before the pandemic I used to spend a weekend each Before the pandemic I used to spend a weekend each month with the lovely people of @greenbirdanaheim picking up trash. Since the pandemic I started taking walks and it didn’t take long to notice trash in the gutters, alleys and parking strips of my own neighborhood. So I grabbed some tongs (only $1.50 at @target !) and an old bucket and got to work. Today, in about a mile loop Patrick and picked up a whole bucket full of trash. Shocking, right? April is Earth Month and I strongly encourage you to get out there and help clean up your own area! It’s a nice way to stay active, soak up some vitamin D, and keep your streets clean. I still miss the people from @greenbirdanaheim especially @kevinandjody ! They always had something to teach me and are some of the kindest most passionate people when it comes to Anaheim. Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay green! 💚♻️💚
On the blog: how you can help the AAPI community. On the blog: how you can help the AAPI community. Link on profile.
BLOGGED! We have been working on revamping our bac BLOGGED! We have been working on revamping our backyard patio including getting some swellegant garden gear from @missgardenglory . 🌵 Link on profile.
Don’t want to go to the store to get Easter card Don’t want to go to the store to get Easter cards? Visit my Etsy shop where you can buy and print at home a variety of vintage Easter cards! 🐰 Link on profile!
{PRE-COVID PHOTO} Last night Patrick and I receive {PRE-COVID PHOTO} Last night Patrick and I received our first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. How? We spent the last couple of days running around to various CVS and Walgreens locations between 4 and 5 pm, asking if they had any doses left over from no-shows at the end of the day. We were told no several times, we were put onto wait lists, we were told to call back, and then at one location we were told to return at 6:15. We returned and received the last two doses that were left over. These are doses that would have gone to waste. We did not “jump the line.” We did not lie about work or medical issues. This is a reasonable and ethical way to receive the vaccine prior to the April 15 opening for everyone 16 years and older here in California. I can honestly say I was on the verge of tears, but also in shock. I couldn’t believe this was finally happening. I have barely left our house in a little over a year. But even with the vaccine I’m still going to be extremely cautious. Vaccines aren’t 100%, and we still haven’t reached heard immunity. I have several outings planned, once our second dose as kicked in, that are outdoors, and probably won’t involve being around a whole lot of people. I don’t know when I’ll feel comfortable dining inside again or going to an indoor cinema. It’s going to be slow going but it’s movement! 🎉
Today’s prompt for #StandUpForAAPI : Favorite bo Today’s prompt for #StandUpForAAPI : Favorite book(s) by AAPI authors. 

Gram Parsons is my favorite musician and former Rolling Stone editor Ben Fong-Torres wrote a biography on him. He also wrote an autobiography called The Rice Room: Growing Up Chinese, From Number Two Son to Rock ‘n Roll. Which is currently on my reading list. George Takei is known for his role on Star Trek and being an active member of the LGBTQ+ community, but he also spent part of his childhood in an internment camp during WWII. He recently wrote about his experience in the form of a graphic novel, which I highly recommend. 

If I am completely honest when it comes to books, I mostly read non-fiction, biographies, history, culture. And this week has shown I am greatly lacking in works by AAPI authors. I would like to change that and try to find books about the AAPI experience, especially here in California.
Today’s prompt for #StandUpForAAPI : Call to Act Today’s prompt for #StandUpForAAPI : Call to Action. Slides by @travelling.the.pages 

Support AAPI businesses and creators. Listen to AAPI voices. Learn about the AAPI experience and learn how to safely intervene in racist situations.

EDIT NOTE: I have tried to share this multiple times with tags in the slides. Each time it failed to post. I also just tried to edit it and tag people and it failed to save the edits. I may try to do small edits tagging a few people at a time.
This week AAPI authors and bookstagrammers have cr This week AAPI authors and bookstagrammers have created a series of prompts to raise awareness around the violence and hate crimes targeting the AAPI communities. 

Today’s prompt: Take a selfie holding a sign with the hashtag #StandUpForAAPI and tell us why you support the AAPI community. 

Why do I support the AAPI community? Why not? No human should suffer or be judged based on their race or heritage. My friends and neighbors should be able to be able to walk the streets without fear. There is literally no reason NOT to support the AAPI community.
I miss all of this. I miss exploring. I miss stepp I miss all of this. I miss exploring. I miss stepping into history. I miss the weird. The bizarre. The abandoned. The museums. The filming locations. This is my biggest passion. Not doing this is like asking a painter to survive a year without access to paint or paint brushes. I must keep reminding myself to be thankful for my privilege and situation. I am thankful for my health. I am thankful for Patrick’s job that has continued through this. I am thankful for my backyard. I am thankful for my home and that I do not have to share walls, hallways, or facilities with neighbors. But here we are a year later, and I face massive depressive episodes more frequently. Seeing people being vaccinated is a double edged sword. The end is in sight but more people are going out. And it’s adding to my depression. I will be spending less time on social media until being vaccinated. I was good. I did my part. I stayed home. I’ve filled the last year with sewing projects, painted the kitchen, revamped the office, reopened my Etsy shop, made custom cat houses, landscaped the front yard, cleaned out my closet, we are currently revamping the backyard, and I have binged show after show. But nothing, absolutely nothing brings the joy that being out in the world did. I can’t wait to be vaccinated. I know I’m at the bottom of the list, as I should be. But it’s rough.
At the turn of the century Los Angeles had an Alli At the turn of the century Los Angeles had an Alligator Farm where you could ride the scaly creatures, watch them “shoot the chutes” and more. In the 1950s it moved to Buena Park. See and read more of this unique tourist destination on the blog! 🐊 Link on profile!
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#weirdcalifornia 
#losangeleshistory
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