Documenting my pocket of Los Angeles
Had a wonderful time touring through the Ocotillo Lodge, my third time since the mid-century-modern-motel-turned-condo-complex was added to Modernism Week festivities in 2023. You see, my mom stayed at the Ocotillo Lodge for a week in October 1961 while on assignment for Sunset’s cover story on Palm Springs. Mom even made the cover of that... Continue Reading →
Since the Eaton and Pacific Palisades fires began three weeks ago, I have been struggling to find the words to express the profound heartbreak over this indescribable destruction. When talking about the fires with friends and family, I’ve used words like “gutted” and “devastated” but, frankly, these adjectives just don’t convey the gravity of what... Continue Reading →
I’ll never get tired of walking through these LAX mosaic tunnels! One of my favorite sites at LAX! ✈️ The LAX mosaic murals (1961) were designed by Janet Bennett, under the supervision of Charles Kratka, and implemented by tile artist Alfonso Pardiñas. As designer Janet Bennett explained (on Louise Sandhaus' Tumblr site), her idea was... Continue Reading →
This is a Pacific Dining Car appreciation post as I’m still heavy-hearted about the fire that tore through the historic restaurant on August 3. While the owner closed the restaurant during Covid and sold off all the interior furnishings, I still held out hope that this beloved eatery would make a miraculous comeback. Or at... Continue Reading →
Five years ago, I had the unique opportunity to step into the shoes of Tessa Kelso, an 1890s librarian in Los Angeles, as part of the Los Angeles Public Library’s "Historical Portraits Project" video series created by Standard Vision. Recently, the library revisited this project, sharing the video of my Tessa Kelso portrayal (on Facebook,... Continue Reading →
The next time you’re in the Central Library be sure to head up to the Children’s Literature Department to see a handful of paintings and sketches by artist Leo Politi (1908–1996), a children’s book artist known for his whimsical scenes of Los Angeles. Politi painted this particular series to memorialize the people, landmarks and stories... Continue Reading →
This week, I had the pleasure of digging into the delicious history found at the intersection of Southern California's architectural and culinary heritage. To celebrate its sixth season of the Lost LA series, KCET hosted an evening at the historic Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank before screening the Lost LA episode “Fast Food and Car... Continue Reading →
The doors of Bullocks Wilshire swished opened the last weekend of July for an annual open house, a summer affair held once Southwestern Law School students have emptied the building. Though I’ve been fortunate to tour the Art Deco gem many times under its current management, I still take every opportunity to explore the historic... Continue Reading →
I had the opportunity to visit the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve recently and admire these "cups of gold" in their natural surroundings. In honor of the occasion, here's an 1893 poem written by poet Grace Hibbard, a prominent California writer in her time. Wild Poppies THE STATE FLOWER OF CALIFORNIA BEAUTIFUL, golden wild poppies,That nod... Continue Reading →
On March 11, I joined about 100 people on the soggy San Francisquito Creek trail to trek towards the site of the St. Francis Dam. As many know, this dam collapsed just before midnight on March 12, 1928. With the exception of the last few Covid years, the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society hosts an... Continue Reading →