Clik here to view.
From Clark Gable to Jim Morrison, Route 66’s Barney’s Beanery Has Seen it All
Hollywood has seen a great deal of changes over its lifetime, and one place that has witnessed it all is Barney’s Beanery. Once a humble California Craftsman home surrounded by poinsettia fields it has...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Exploring the Bizarre Petrified Forest of the Painted Desert
Not long into our road trip we noticed that the Petrified Forest was extremely close to the Wigwam Village, and we decided to visit after we checked into the Wigwam. What we didn’t realize was that the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Deserted Ruins of Route 66’s Two Guns and its Apache Death Cave
When Route 66 paved the way for motorists to make their way to California, all sorts of roadside attractions sprung up along the side of the road. But perhaps none as disturbing as Twin Guns, with its...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Fading Icons of Arizona’s Route 66
As mentioned in earlier Arizona posts, most of our journey took us along the Mother Road, Route 66. The legendary stretch of blacktop is dotted with a combination of still functioning tourist...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Roaring into the 20s
I hope everyone had a lovely and safe New Year’s. Like the past two since we bought our house, we hosted a party, which was full of food, drinks, and wonderfully dressed friends. Like many, we opted...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Ghostly Remnants of the Old LA County Poor Farm
Within the small LA suburb of Downey sits what appears to be a ghost town. A mixture of overgrown, charred, and boarded up buildings sit behind chainlink fences topped with barbed wire, and gates...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Patrick’s Camera Collection Vol. 1
When Patrick and I first started dating he was well on his way to a career as a photographer, and I soon learned he didn’t collect anything. Now, coming from a family of collectors I was a little...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Curvaceous Design: The History of the Coca-Cola Bottle
Few things are as iconic as a bottle of Coca-Cola. In fact, as early as 1949, a study showed that fewer than one percent of Americans could not identify a bottle of Coke by its shape alone. That is a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Long Form: Removal of Confederate Monuments
Unless you are totally new here, then you know that I value history. I love it. I have a degree in it. I live for it. Much of this blog is dedicated to history in one way or another. So…when I hear...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tracing the Journey of Mummified Outlaw Elmer McCurdy to the Long Beach Pike
Last week I talked about the history of Long Beach’s infamous Pike, including the location being used in an episode of Charlie’s Angels and The Six Million Dollar Man. What I didn’t mention was that in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Gifted Donkeys, Raccoons, and Other Bizarre Pets of the White House
With the election of Joe Biden as President of the United States, the White House will once again have pets scampering about its grounds. The Bidens have two German shepherds, Major and Champ, and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Vintage California Christmas Postcards
A couple years ago I started to share my collection of vintage Christmas cards, but there is a various specific part of this collection have decided to share with you this year, vintage California...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Drive Down the 100 Year Old Christmas Tree Lane
Amid this pandemic, there is a strong need for fun, while of course staying safe. And with the Christmas season, I’m even more thankful for festive holiday lights, including Christmas Tree Lane, an LA...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Sights and Souvenirs from the California Alligator Farm
As mentioned before I’ve been watching a lot of TV since I’m not going anywhere thanks to COVID, and I recently binged the entire first season of HBO’s new interpretation of Perry Mason. Early in the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Visiting Merle Haggard’s Home and More at Kern County Museum
Being vaccinated means I feel a bit more comfortable going out and doing some things, and I’ve been itching to get on the road for a little day trip. I recently heard that Bakersfield had a wealth of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Neon Sheep! A Giant Shoe! And More! Exploring Bakersfield’s Americana Gems
As mentioned in my last post, Bakersfield has a lot of vintage neon still out in the wild, plus a few pretty amazing backlit plastic signs, which was one of the reasons we wanted to visit. And boy did...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Exploring Koreatown’s Past with the King of Neon
One of my favorite places is the Museum of Neon Art, which saves neon signs in addition to displaying contemporary works by neon artists, and even offering classes to keep the art of neon alive....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Accidental Icon: How the Hollywood Sign Became a LA Mainstay
Recently Patrick, myself, and some friends decided to conquer the Hollywood sign hike. We hiked up steep dusty trails that wove their way for over three miles through Griffith Park, finally reaching...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ghost of Consumerism Past: Almost 100 Year Old Abandoned Art Deco Sears of...
“Boyle #1008 1995 Store of the Year Los Angeles District” reads the plaque on a trophy topped with a curvaceous angel. But this trophy doesn’t rest inside a display case, or on the shelf in an...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Fairy-esque Wonderland of Ferndell Trail
Griffith Park is perhaps one of Los Angeles’ greatest tourist attractions, as it has so much to offer. From museums to the observatory to the Hollywood sign and the miles of trails it has for...
View Article