View of myself on the porch of our room.

Our First Visit to the Kitschtastic Madonna Inn

September 20, 2023, 3 Comments

For as long as I can remember I’ve always wanted to stay at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. Since its opening in 1958, this sprawling complex has become iconic, beloved by generation after generation. And recently Patrick and I had the perfect excuse to stay there, as I was in a wedding in…

Large bulb and neon sign reading "Golden Gate" across the side of the hotel.

Golden Gate: Las Vegas’ Oldest Hotel & Casino

June 12, 2023, 1 Comment

With a wide variety of places to stay in Las Vegas, it can be difficult to choose, but I do love history, so we opted to stay in Vegas’ oldest operating hotel and casino, the Golden Gate. Back in 1906 Las Vegas was a nothing town in the middle of the desert, a train stop…

Recreating Gram's GP cover, myself seated in a chair, wearing a jean jacket, black tee, striped pants, and black boots. Behind are arched alcoves with gold fabric hanging in them.

Celebrating my Birthday at the Infamous Chateau Marmont

April 26, 2023, 8 Comments

For my birthday this year Patrick and I spent the weekend at the famed Chateau Marmont. While the Chateau has become a well known for a variety of reasons, for me it’s important because it’s one more place linked to my favorite musician, Gram Parsons. Built to resemble a French chateau, Chateau Marmont looms alluring…

Myself, wearing a light brown cowboy hat, pink and yellow floral top, squash blossom necklace with green stones, blue jeans, carrying suitcases up to the green trim French doors.

The Olympic Legacy of Palm Springs’ Oldest Hotel

March 15, 2023, 1 Comment

Resting in the shadows of the San Jacinto Mountains sits the eclectic complex known as Casa Cody, said to be Palm Springs’ oldest and longest continually operating hotel. This unique hotel has an interesting history, but perhaps its gold medal winning room is its vintage Olympic Village cottage. Unless you are one of the greatest…

Myself, wearing a dress featuring a colorful psychedelic print with small Mickey heads on it, sitting in an orange chair next to one of the beds.

Howard Johnson’s Latest Suite is a Revival of Long Lost Disneyland Attraction

August 2, 2022, 4 Comments

Beginning in 1957 you could step into the plastic possibilities of the Monsanto House of the Future in Disneyland’s Tomorrowland. Ten years later, in 1967, the House of the Future met its end, and disappeared from Tomorrowland. But just across the street from Disneyland at the Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel & Water Playground you can…

Myself, wearing a red, white and blue stripe shirt, blue jeans, and carrying a vintage cream colored suitcase, standing in front of the motel, which is painted blue with yellow trim, in the background hangs the sign for the motel, a black sign reading "Ocean Park Motel Kitchens Hot Tub No Vacancy" in neon letters.

Staying at San Francisco’s First Ever Motel, the Ocean Park Motel

June 29, 2022, Leave a Comment on Staying at San Francisco’s First Ever Motel, the Ocean Park Motel

After our stop in Santa Rosa it was time to head into San Francisco proper and check into the place I chose for our stay. Like I said before, I love staying at unique and historic places, and when I found out San Francisco’s first ever motel was still standing, I knew we had to…

Myself, standing in front of one of the "cabins" which is a concrete tipi, painted white with a red zig-zag horizontally across the middle. I'm wearing a black peasant top with a tipi brooch reflective of the ones at the motel, and a full red skirt with silver and black trim.

A Night at Holbrook’s Kitschy Wigwam Village

September 18, 2019, 2 Comments

Most of our journey to Arizona took us through the northern part of the state, which is the area that Route 66 cuts through, and no trip to Arizona along Route 66 would be complete without staying at the iconic Wigwam Village. Back in 1938, Chester E. Lewis was driving through Cave City, Kentucky when…

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,…

Myself standing in front of the Pioneertown Motel sign, wearing a butter yellow leather jacket with dark brown fringe, a t-shirt featuring the cover of the Eagles' album "Hotel California," jeans, and a cream colored flat top cowboy hat.

Sleep like Gene Autry at the Pioneertown Motel

March 15, 2019, Leave a Comment on Sleep like Gene Autry at the Pioneertown Motel

After Patrick wrapped up his conference in Palm Springs, we headed to the high desert to spend a couple of nights at the Pioneertown Motel. Long time readers may be familiar with previous visits to Pioneertown, a real town originally built as a live-in backlot of sorts made exclusively for westerns back in 1946. But…

A Sneak Peek at Howard Johnson Anaheim’s Retro Redo

June 19, 2018, 7 Comments

There is nothing I like more than a mid-century business fully embracing their history and running with it, and that is exactly what the Howard Johnson here in Anaheim has done. Recently, this HoJo decided it was time for a renovation, and they looked to the past for inspiration. Located right across the street from…

Atomic Redhead

hotels I love

Our First Visit to the Kitschtastic Madonna Inn

Golden Gate: Las Vegas’ Oldest Hotel & Casino

Celebrating my Birthday at the Infamous Chateau Marmont

The Olympic Legacy of Palm Springs’ Oldest Hotel

Howard Johnson’s Latest Suite is a Revival of Long Lost Disneyland Attraction

Staying at San Francisco’s First Ever Motel, the Ocean Park Motel

A Night at Holbrook’s Kitschy Wigwam Village

San Diego’s Historic Cosmopolitan Hotel

Sleep like Gene Autry at the Pioneertown Motel

A Sneak Peek at Howard Johnson Anaheim’s Retro Redo