At the turn of the 20th century despite its bustling downtown core Los Angeles still had many agricultural elements and in 1901 Jacob Stern built a little barn on the corner of Selma and Vine, just one block south of what would become the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Over the next century the little barn would witness motion picture history, before being relocated to the site of a police stand off that would eventually result in a little museum that packs a punch, the Hollywood Heritage Museum. A little over ten years after the barn was built, it served a new purpose. Two men, Harry Revier and L.L ..read more

Springtime means it’s Boysenberry Festival time at Knott’s Berry Farm! The berry that made Knott’s Berry Farm famous is being celebrated by being used as the key ingredient in dozens of delicious items. Whether you like sweet or savory, you’re bound to find something you love! It’s also the perfect excuse to come up with a fun purple ensemble. Not only does the festival offer the array of delectable bites, there are games for all ages, the melodrama has returned to the famed Bird Cage Theatre, there is a fabulous musical review, and of course the craft fair! The craft fair is home to one of my ..read more

Recently Patrick’s mother came to visit, who is an avid art lover, so we spent a day at the stunning Huntington Library. The Huntington is far more than a library, it sprawls over 200 acres with multiple art galleries, restaurants, and a diverse variety of gardens. It’s simply massive, and I would say impossible to see all in one day. With railroad money, Henry and Arabella Huntington, who had a passion for art, bought up paintings, sculptures, books, and more until Henry’s passing in 1927. As per his wishes, the collection was opened to the public the following year. Today visitors can explor ..read more

While I grew up in the age of the multiplex, I also went to small, independent cinemas frequently. I saw Disney’s Pocahontas at Eugene’s old McDonald Theatre, which was built in 1925, and I spent many midnight screenings at the Cameo in Newberg, which opened in 1937. So I of course have a soft spot for small, intimate cinemas that have a lot of charm and history, which is why I was thrilled to finally make it to the Vista Theatre which just turned 100 last year! In Los Angeles, with its grand movie palaces, it is easy to overlook the small neighborhood theatres, like the Vista, but if give ..read more

I hope by now I’ve made it apparent that Anaheim is more than just Disneyland. Anaheim is home to the Muzeo, a wonderful little museum in downtown that regularly boasts fabulous exhibits. Last week the Muzeo unveiled new exhibits, including Mapping the Guide Guides and Where We Find Ourselves, both of which I found incredibly interesting. Today many businesses can proudly declare that they are safe spaces for the LBGTQ+ community, but in the mid-20th century that was not the case. Being outed in the first half of the 20th century could be detrimental to ones livelihood, so discretion was ne ..read more

Today I am finally bringing you a look at our bedroom! It should be noted our home is a three bedroom, however one is our gym and library, and the other is our office, which we hope to revamp later this year, so stay tuned! Therefor this is really the only true bedroom in the home, and is the primary bedroom as it features the dressing room and bathroom. While the bedroom didn’t require any major renovation, it just never felt complete to me. It never felt like the homey, warm place I wanted it to be. After the painting marathon of other rooms in the house I knew the bedroom needed paint. Lat ..read more

Driving down La Brea in Hollywood and you might spy a long, snaking line by some vibrant pink murals of hot dogs, if you’re wondering what everyone’s in line for, the murals and the color are exactly it! Pink’s Hot Dogs, and these dogs are a real Hollywood icon, serving movie stars, humble locals, and tourists for over 80 years. In 1939, amid the Great Depression Paul and Betty Pink decided to start selling hot dogs after spying a cart for sale in the newspaper. With a $50 loan from Betty’s mother, and Betty’s secret chili recipe, Paul sold chili dogs from the small cart on a vacant lot th ..read more

In recent years Disneyland has started “after hours” separate ticked parties at the park known as “Disneyland After Dark” with various themes. While some of the themes change year to year, some have stuck around, such as Sweethearts’ Nite, an evening dedicated to love and friendship. Last year Minerva, one of my friends went, and she’s a bit of an autograph hound like me, albeit in a much more creative way, as she sketches characters and then asks the characters to sign by her sketches. She’s so talented and you can check her out on Instagram! I saw she met one of my all-time favorite characte ..read more

I hope you enjoyed a look at how we decorate our home for Valentine’s Day, and today, in keeping with the theme, I thought we would take a closer look at some of the valentines ..read more

After ringing in the New Year it was time to decorate for Valentine’s Day. For most of my life I haven’t much cared for Valentine’s Day, but I have been charmed by the adorable vintage valentines I find at antique malls and now our living room becomes a place bursting with hearts ..read more