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…

Exterior of the Aztec, a teal painted structure with various Mayan influenced designs along the corners, edges, and doorways.

A Look Inside the Strange and Haunted Aztec Hotel of Route 66

July 1, 2021, 2 Comments

Sitting along Foothill Boulevard in Monrovia is what a first glance appears to be some sort of ancient temple, but upon further inspection, it’s actually a hotel, the Aztec Hotel. Last week Patrick and I joined other curious visitors for a tour of this Route 66 oddity, hosted by Craig Owens of Bizarre Los Angeles.…

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…

A Song for You

September 20, 2016, 1 Comment

Patrick and I didn’t have much down time after leaving Portland, because I had booked the weekend at the Joshua Tree Inn months ago, as the weekend marked the anniversary of Gram Parsons’ death at the Inn, and I was lucky enough to secure room eight, the very room in which Parsons passed away in.…

Coral Sands: Your Bubble Gum Pink Paradise of Palm Springs

March 12, 2016, 3 Comments

Lost Places Update: Coral Sands has been recategorized as a Lost Place. Why? In February of 2020 the Coral Sands was purchased and remodeled by the iconic drag queen Trixie Mattel. After a delightful televised renovation, the Trixie Motel opened in 2022. We hope to stay there in the near future, in the meantime book…

Atomic Redhead

unique places to stay at in California

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 Look Inside the Strange and Haunted Aztec Hotel of Route 66

San Diego’s Historic Cosmopolitan Hotel

Sleep like Gene Autry at the Pioneertown Motel

A Sneak Peek at Howard Johnson Anaheim’s Retro Redo

A Song for You

Coral Sands: Your Bubble Gum Pink Paradise of Palm Springs