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.…

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, wearing a black cowboy hat, a Koffin Kats tee, and black pants, standing in front of a large banner reading "40 Years of Fear The Evil Dead" featuring the Deadite version of Cheryl.

Cult Classic Evil Dead Celebrates 40 Years with Exhibit at the Mystic Museum

September 23, 2021, 3 Comments

Longtime readers of the blog will know I’m a big Bruce Campbell fan, so when I heard that Burbank’s Mystic Museum was planning an Evil Dead exhibit, I was extremely excited and couldn’t wait to visit! The Mystic Museum spawned from the vintage and oddities shop, The Bearded Lady, and has offered a rotating exhibit…

Myself, wearing a white halter top with red polka dots, and red shorts, holding a red and white In-N-Out cup, standing in front of the replica of the first In-N-Out.

A Visit to the First In-N-Out…Well Sort Of.

August 11, 2021, 2 Comments

When it comes to California history, there is certainly a lot. One aspect of California history that has become a staple of American life is fast food. Yes, one could argue that fast food started right here in Southern California, and while not typically viewed as “important” history, fast food is certainly a cultural phenomenon…

A white washed statue of Jesus with his hands raised, on the base in black text reads "Desert Christ Park."

The Larger than Life Sculptures of Desert Christ Park

July 28, 2021, 2 Comments

In the hills of California’s high desert sits an odd sight, a collection of massive, white washed statues of Jesus and his followers, including a ginormous interpretation of the Last Supper. Known as Desert Christ Park, the small area was the dream of one man, brought to life by another in the 1950s. While I’m…

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.…

A massive sign of Fred Flintstone and and sign reading "Yabba Dabba Doo Means Welcome to You!"

A Visit to the Stone Age at Arizona’s Bedrock City Before it Becomes History

September 12, 2019, 6 Comments

July 2022 Update: The new owners have decided to keep Bedrock City open indefinitely! Visit their website for up-to-date information. Just a few miles south of the Grand Canyon is a place where you can, at least for a few more weeks, step into the fanciful past of the Flintstones, the modern stone age family.…

Myself standing in front of the old west medicine wagon sits in the middle of the parking lot. It is red and reads "Gower Gulch Medicinal Ointment" and has an image of an Indian wearing a headdress, wearing a black peasant top, and a green skirt with western images on it.

The Forgotten History of Gower Gulch, Hollywood’s Western Strip Mall

May 1, 2019, 7 Comments

Gower Gulch. Sounds like a small town in the deserts of Arizona, right? But you’d be wrong. It’s in fact a western themed small strip mall that sits at the corner of Gower and Sunset in the middle of Hollywood. But why a western theme? And just how did this corner get its name? The…

The outside of the Beauty Bubble, a cream building with orange sherbet trim, a large half circle painted turquoise reads "The Beauty Bubble Salon and Museum" with small bubble like circles rising from it. A cartoon of a woman is painted next to it, who does her hair with hair spray while looking in a mirror. Outside sit a blue and a pink chair, and on the left a sauna hair dryer.

Step into the Beauty Bubble, Joshua Tree’s Kitschiest Salon & Museum

March 20, 2019, 1 Comment

Just past the turn to head into Joshua Tree National Park is another national treasure, the candy colored The Beauty Bubble Salon and Museum. Step inside and you’ll instantly want to do something wild and crazy with your hair. Because, how can you not with a plethora of vintage hair goodies across every surface, and…

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…

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weird places to visit

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

A Look Inside the Fanciest CVS You’ve Ever Seen

Cult Classic Evil Dead Celebrates 40 Years with Exhibit at the Mystic Museum

A Visit to the First In-N-Out…Well Sort Of.

The Larger than Life Sculptures of Desert Christ Park

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

A Visit to the Stone Age at Arizona’s Bedrock City Before it Becomes History

The Forgotten History of Gower Gulch, Hollywood’s Western Strip Mall

Step into the Beauty Bubble, Joshua Tree’s Kitschiest Salon & Museum

Sleep like Gene Autry at the Pioneertown Motel