Category Archives: Historic Locations

A Stroll Down Mane Street

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No, that’s not a typo, I really did mean “mane” like a horse’s mane, because today I’m sharing some images from one of my favorite high desert locations, Pioneertown, and it really is Mane Street there.

Just after my family left from visiting for my grandmother’s services, Patrick’s mother came to visit for a week, and when she departed, he and I headed out for the high desert of Joshua Tree for a few nights for some much needed R&R. After checking in at my favorite place to relax, the Joshua Tree Inn, we headed up to Pioneertown for dinner at Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace.

Pioneertown was founded in 1946 a group of Hollywood personalities, but lead by cowboy actors Dick Curtis and Russell Hayden, who decided it was time for a permanent 1880s style town for filming the popular westerns of the day. It was the legend himself, Roy Rogers who broke ground for the first building on September 1, 1946. The town takes its name from western singing group, Sons of the Pioneers, which Rogers was a part of.

 

Outfit
Fringe Leather Jacket & Belt: I don’t remember!
Blouse & Boots: Buffalo Exchange
Skirt: Switchblade Stiletto
Rings: Here and there…

Ghost Towns along Highway 49

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I am sorry to report I don’t have any images from our time spent in Portland. I was incredibly busy constantly visiting with friends and family, and shopping of course! What I do have to show for our trip though are some shots I took of some ghost towns. we visited during our journey back home.

Honestly, I can’t recall when I first fell in love with the old mining towns along California Highway 49. What I do remember though is being very young and marveling at the old buildings the small town of Mariposa, where my great aunt and uncle used to lived (they have since moved to Seal Beach). We visited them every so often during our trips to California, and I always loved returning to that town. California’s gold rush is a unique moment in time, and a driving force in California’s rich (no pun intended) history, much like the Spanish missions and Hollywood. The towns that sprung up from it continue to draw me in whenever I get the chance to drive through them.

After crossing the border between Oregon and California, we peeled off I-5 just before Sacramento and made our way down Highway 49 visiting Amador City, Sutter Creek, Mokelume Hill, Murphys, Angels Camp, and Columbia. Sadly, we didn’t make it into Mariposa (it’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since I was there) but there are still many more gold rush towns I wish to visit, and I know we will make it there one day. But today I just want to share with you some of the images I took during our visit to these quiet and peaceful towns.

A couple of years ago we visited Coloma, where gold was first discovered in California, and you can take a peek at here.

Patrick and I didn’t have much down time after getting home. In fact we are off to Joshua Tree for the weekend! So I better go repack my suitcase! I hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Bob Baker Marionette Theater

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Just a few hours after arriving home from San Diego Comic Con, Patrick and I were off to LA to attend Charles Phoenix‘s show at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, a rare, if not slightly bizarre, gem in Los Angeles. I had heard about this theatre from Charles on a few occasions, but the show he hosted was my first visit to it, and what a treat it was! But more on it in a bit! First let’s take a peek at what I wore…

I wore this cowgirl brooch because her dangly style reminded me a bit of a marionette. She has a boyfriend as well, however, his color scheme didn’t match my outfit as well as she did. So he was left in the jewelry box for the evening.

First off, it should be mentioned that the Bob Baker Marionette Theater runs regularly, Charles Phoenix’s event was a special one (UPDATE: Charles is hosting another event in September at the theater! Learn more here), in which he selected his favorite numbers to showcase, and it was amazing. Seriously, being a puppeteer is an art from, I was blown away by how these performers were able to give life to the marionettes by pulling just a few strings. Plus the marionettes themselves were stunning works of art.

The theater was founded 1963 by Bob Baker, who both made puppets as well as performed with them. Over the decades the Theater was the home of thousands of birthday parties for the children in the Los Angeles area, and a few adults I came to learn. One attendee mentioned he had both his sixth and 40th birthday at the theater. In 2009 the Bob Baker Marionette Theater was designated at Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Landmark. And while Bob Baker passed away in 2014 at the age of 90, his theater and legacy continue to live on. If you’re in the LA area, I highly suggest a visit! They have a Halloween show coming up this fall, which I am looking forward to attending.

Outfit
Patio Dress: Junk 4 Joy, Burbank, California
Pressed Leather Shoes: Olvera Street, Los Angeles, California
Purse & Cowgirl Brooch: Found by my dad
Bangles: Various

Sabado en la Plazita

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Over the weekend a few friends and I got together for a Saturday afternoon at Olvera Street, dining on delicious Mexican food, peeking into the museums, and shopping the unique stalls and shops along the oldest stretch of Los Angeles.

We dined at Casa La Golondrina Mexican Cafe, which opened in 1928, and is located within Los Angeles’ first brick building. Afterward we went into Avila Adobe, which is the oldest structure remaining the LA, built in 1818, and is now a museum reflecting the the lifestyle of the early days of California. I also bought myself another pair of the shoes I’m wearing in these photos, except in green. Seriously, these faux tooled (also known as pressed) leather wedges have quickly become a favorite and go-to shoe for me. They are comfy once broken in, and work with so much of my closet.

Also, can I just gush about my dad’s awesome shopping skills for a moment? He spied this beauty of a skirt at an antique mall and sent me a picture of it and followed by calling me to make sure I got the picture text, and asked me if I wanted it. I was in line to me Kylo Ren at Disneyland at the time, and thankful for his call, because this skirt is beyond amazing. Not only is it a spectacular print, it’s in amazing condition and fits perfectly, oh and has pockets! Thanks, Dad!

Outfit
Peasant Top: Pin-Up Girl Clothing
Painted Mexican Skirt: Found by my dad!
Tooled Leather Purse, Earrings, & Bracelet: I don’t remember!
Necklace: Made by a friend
Pressed Leather Shoes: Olvera Street, Los Angeles, California

Spirit of ’76

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When someone says “Knott’s Berry Farm” a lot comes to mind… Boysenberries of course, fried chicken, the infamous Ghost Town created because of the massive lines for said famous chicken, and perhaps Peanuts characters. What may not immediately spring to mind though is the Liberty Bell or Independence Hall, even though an exact replica of both the bell and the hall exist on the property of Knott’s Berry Farm! With Independence Day tomorrow I thought it was a rather fitting time to visit the perfect recreation Walter Knott built.

Keep reading to learn more about Knott’s Independence Hall and take a peek inside.

Continue reading →

Mission Santa Barbara

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Over the weekend Patrick and I drove up the coast and crossed another one of California’s Missions of the list, Mission Santa Barbara, founded in 1786.

Nicknamed “Queen of the Missions”, and sitting upon a hill that overlooks the town of Santa Barbara, as well as the ocean, Mission Santa Barbara has a color exterior, one that shows little of the horrors it endured during a massive earthquake in 1925, as it was fully restored just two years later in 1927.

Onto the next California mission!

Outfit
Shawl: Found by my dad!
Peasant top: Pin-Up Girl Clothing
Skirt: I don’t remember!
Coral Squash Blossom Necklace & Ring: West of Texas, Redlands, California
Bracelet: A random antique show we went to on a road trip…
Tooled Leather Purse: Retro Rejuvenation, Coburg, Oregon
Shoes: Re-Mix

The Hollyhock House

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Today Patrick and I visited another incredibly icon of Los Angeles architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House.

Originally designed as a residence for oil heiress Aline Barnsdall, the Hollyhock House house began construction in 1919, and was completed in 1921, and was Wright’s second ever project in California. It included a water feature that ran through the house, around the fireplace, and the rooftop was designed as a patio living space, with staircases going up outside, but each of these unique and innovated features played into the house never being used as a residence. Soon after completion, Barnsdall viewed the house as too costly to maintain and donated the house to the city of Los Angeles in 1927, however only if it was given a fifteen year lease to the California Art Club.

Over the years it has been used as an art gallery, and in 2007 became a National History Landmark. Recently went under a massive restoration, and was reopened to the public just this year. And I know what you’re thinking, the house has a temple like quality about it, right? It may be fun to know that the house was as a temple in the 1989 B-movie Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death. You can watch the trailer and see shots of the Hollyhock House here.

Sadly, but understandably, they do not allow photographs inside, which is spectacular. The Hollyhock House is open Thursdays through Sundays, 11 am to 3 pm, and costs only $7 per person for a self-guided tour, though there are volunteers inside to provide you with more information. You can also learn more by visiting their website.

Outfit
Blouse: Thrifted
Pants (yes, they are pants!), Shoes & Bangles: Buffalo Exchange
Hat: Slone Vintage, Burbank, California
Necklace: Rummage sale, Portland, Oregon
Ring: Found by my dad
Purse: Actually a folio from Tanner Leather Goods, Portland, Oregon