Inside the Pantages Theatre: Hollywood’s Art Deco Fever Dream Movie Palace

Over the weekend Patrick and I finally had the pleasure of seeing Hamilton, which also meant we got to go to the iconic Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. The Pantages Theatre welcomed Los Angeles citizens on June 4, 1930, becoming the last movie palace built in Hollywood. Designed by B. Marcus Priteca and owned by Alexander…

Discovering the Hidden Treasures of Sid Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre

Think you’re looking at an ancient Egyptian temple? Well, not quite. This isn’t Egypt, and this wasn’t built thousands of years ago. Try Hollywood, and 1922. This is Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre. Patrick and I have been meaning to take one of the tours offered at the Egyptian for years now, and with the theatre’s future…

The Pacific Cinerama Dome – Hollywood’s Most Uniquely Shaped Theatre

Over the weekend Patrick and I went to see the highly anticipated Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, but we chose to see it at the iconic Cinerama Dome, which is used, albeit extremely briefly, in the film. Across the front of the Dome was a banner advertising the film 1969 Krakatoa: East…

The Stunning Art Deco Theatre Hidden Inside Catalina’s Casino

Our main reason for visiting Catalina was to attend Catalinaland, a presentation by Ambassador of Americana, and personal idol, Charles Phoenix. Phoenix was presenting his slideshow celebrating the island in the iconic Avalon Theatre, which is located within the Catalina Casino. When chewing gum king, William Wrigley Jr. opened his “Casino” on May 29, 1929,…

Project Drive-In

Today I want to talk about something very near and dear to my heart: Drive-ins.  The drive-in really embodies all that was wonderful about mid-20th century America, and it is an icon that is disappearing, but there is something we can do! I love going to the drive-in.  It’s one of the few moments that…