Warner Brothers Studio Tour

September 28, 2015, 1 Comment

Warner Brothers Studio is the powerhouse behind some of the greatest classic films of all time. Casablanca being at the top. But they also produced James Dean’s three major motion pictures, East of Eden, Rebel without a Cause, and Giant, along with some wonderful television series. And today the Warner Brothers continues to make great and…

Universal Studios

September 10, 2015, 5 Comments

After living in California for nearly a year (seriously, where does the time go, but I’ll reflect on that in a later post), Patrick and I finally made it to Universal Studios yesterday. I hadn’t been since I believe 1997, and Patrick had never been. With the Wizarding World of Harry Potter opening in spring…

Giant Rock

April 25, 2015, 2 Comments

When I told my dad we were headed out to Joshua Tree for my birthday he suggested we visit Giant Rock. Giant Rock is pretty much exactly how it sounds, an enormous rock out in the middle of the Mojave, and accessible only by dirt roads with small, wooden, hand written markers to point the…

That Thing You Do in Orange

February 26, 2015, 9 Comments

Since our decision to move, we have been asked a lot of questions. One was “Why Orange?” Often followed by “Why not LA?” There are a lot of answers to that question, some practical, and others rather superficial. First off, I adore Orange. During my many visits to California over the years we would often…

Hollywood Costume Exhibition

February 8, 2015, 11 Comments

Yesterday Patrick and I went to the Hollywood Costume Exhibition in LA. I really had no idea what I was getting into when we visited, I just saw that is boasted a great number of costumes, and the website showcased the first shot we see of Kate Winslet as Rose in Titanic, and I was sold!…

Pioneertown: The Town Built by Celluloid Cowboys

December 18, 2014, 7 Comments

During our stay at Hicksville we visited a place that could only exist in California, Pioneertown. I had visited in Pioneertown back in March (though did not blog about it) with my dad, who grew up with heavy doses of the western TV shows in the 50s, which is all how Pioneertown began. Western stars…

Treasure Island

August 26, 2014, 4 Comments

After visiting Mission San Juan Bautista, we took a very quick detour to visit another filming location, the Treasure Island Administration Building, located on Treasure Island between San Francisco’s downtown and Oakland. The building is one of the most accessible filming locations from one of my favorite films, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. While Petra…

Mission San Juan Bautista

August 24, 2014, 12 Comments

UPDATE: It is important to remember that while California Missions have been hailed as places of peace, they also have deep and complicated histories, including slavery, violence, and forced religious conversion. After securing our apartment and spending time in Disneyland, we headed back north, stopping at Mission San Juan Bautista. I had visited this mission back…

“Tell ’em Howard Hughes Said So”

June 23, 2014, 17 Comments

Over the weekend one of my favorite movies showed at The Hollywood, Disney’s The Rocketeer. It was an early afternoon screening, so I decided to go for a more casual look, instead of getting gussied up. The Rocketeer remains one of my favorite films over the years for its endearing characters and great story, and while…

La Carlotta

June 5, 2014, 11 Comments

Well, I’m home from Florida! Sadly, I didn’t get that much shopping in, but I did have fun seeing the sights and lounging around on the beach. Just before I left something absolutely delightful came in the mail, which I am so happy to finally share! It’s no secret that I’m a fan of the…