An English cottage style complex with an arched gateway reads "The Jim Henson Company" and atop one building is a large statue of Kermit the Frog dressed in Charlie Chaplin's The Tramp outfit, of a black suit, bowler hat, and bamboo cane.

Over 100 years of Entertainment History at the Jim Henson Company Studio

November 28, 2023, 1 Comment

What do Charlie Chaplin, Gram Parsons, and Kermit the Frog all have in common? They have all worked inside this quaint English cottage inspired complex. If it weren’t for the large statue of Kermit the Frog dressed like Chaplin’s “The Tramp” this collection of buildings may be unassuming, but instead he highlights the unique and…

Myself standing outside of the museum next to a pair of large golden arches, wearing a Bill Elliot racing tee, and brown and yellow shorts.

The Delightfully Bizarre Unofficial McDonald’s Museum

September 7, 2022, 2 Comments

Before McDonald’s was the global icon it is today, it was a humble barbecue joint in San Bernardino run by two brothers from New Hampshire. While their first location is no longer standing, it lives on at the First Original McDonald’s Museum, also known as the Unofficial McDonald’s Museum. Here no item is too small,…

Overview of the sales floor from the balcony, high white walls feature arched details of gold on them, the arched proscenium frames a screen, two small arched balconies sit on either side of the screen.

The Surreal Experience of Shopping for a New iMac at an Old Movie Palace

August 12, 2022, 2 Comments

A couple weeks ago my beloved iMac started show signs of age. It could barely keep up with my photo editing, and I knew its days were numbered. So I set out to get a new one. Not too long ago Apple announced they were introducing new colored iMacs. My millennial heart skipped a beat.…

Myself seated on the "Throne of Love" which is painted red and has gold designs around the edge and has various indicator lights reading options such as "Wild Thing, Adorable, Hot Stuff, Sizzling Hot, Hotsy Totsy, Lovable, Passionate, A Sweet Hart, Bombshell"

Revisiting the Coin-Op Delights of Musée Mécanique

July 5, 2022, 1 Comment

Fisherman’s Wharf is an icon of San Francisco, with both the hustle and bustle of the still active fishing community along side tourists who run in and out of the various restaurants, shops, and museums. Nestled next to the iconic Grotto restaurant is my favorite place in all of San Fransisco, Musée Mécanique, an astounding…

A large concrete jukebox frames the door to the diner. In the arch reads "Peggy Sue's DIner"

Eat to the Beat at Peggy Sue’s 50s Diner

April 25, 2022, 2 Comments

I’m always game for a visit to a 50s style diner, and when we went to Calico I knew we had to end our day at the icon of Yermo, Peggy Sue’s 50s Diner. A giant jukebox welcomes hungry patrons at Peggy Sue’s and when they pass through they enter a chaotic but delightful 50s…

A massive, foreboding, yet elegant building features curling Spanish Churrigueresque architectural details at the top and above the door. Large red letters spell "CVS" both in the middle of the building, and above the three arches at the doorway.

A Look Inside the Fanciest CVS You’ve Ever Seen

March 30, 2022, 4 Comments

Imagine you’re driving down the street and you see this… As the bold red letters spell out, this is indeed a CVS. There are thousands of them, or similar drug stores, across the country. But this one seems a little over-the-top…why is that? Well, once upon a time, this drug store was a glamorous movie…

Myself standing in front of one of the islands.

Long Beach’s Strange Offshore Oil Wells are Hiding in Plain Sight

March 22, 2022, 3 Comments

About a quarter mile off of the sandy shores of Long Beach sit four rather alluring islands, some of which feature futuristic looking curved walls and tall towers. Upon first glance they appear to be condos or part of a resort, but the truth is much, much less glamorous, as they in fact are oil…

The tops of some of the trees, which include an antique phone, "Enter Only" sign, and chair.

The Weird and Wonderful Glass Forest of Bottle Tree Ranch

February 23, 2022, 3 Comments

In my Amboy Crater post, I mentioned Patrick and I are intermittently traveling the full stretch (or as much of it that is accessible) of Route 66 through California, with the eventual plan to do a lengthly blog post sharing the unique sights from the Arizona border to the sunny shores of Santa Monica. However,…

Stepping Aboard Angels Flight, the World’s Shortest Railway

January 19, 2022, 3 Comments

When it comes to Los Angeles, often times things can disappear without a trace, and never return, but thankfully that isn’t what happened to the “world’s shortest railway” known by the charming name of Angels Flight. While on railroad tracks, Angels Flight doesn’t travel in a loop or even on flat ground, but rather at…

Myself, standing in front of a massive mural of hanging meats and wedges of cheese. Large gothic red letters reads "Alpine Market."

The Unique Old World Charm of Alpine Village

December 9, 2021, 3 Comments

Lost Places Update: The Alpine Village has been recategorized as a Lost Place. Why? Sadly the land that Alpine Village was on was purchased, and over first few 2023 locations began to close, with the leases for the remaining shops ending in March of 2023. * * * Just five miles east of the sandy…

Atomic Redhead

weird California

Over 100 years of Entertainment History at the Jim Henson Company Studio

The Delightfully Bizarre Unofficial McDonald’s Museum

The Surreal Experience of Shopping for a New iMac at an Old Movie Palace

Revisiting the Coin-Op Delights of Musée Mécanique

Eat to the Beat at Peggy Sue’s 50s Diner

A Look Inside the Fanciest CVS You’ve Ever Seen

Long Beach’s Strange Offshore Oil Wells are Hiding in Plain Sight

The Weird and Wonderful Glass Forest of Bottle Tree Ranch

Stepping Aboard Angels Flight, the World’s Shortest Railway

The Unique Old World Charm of Alpine Village