That Vintage Girl

A spectacular botanical event occurs when the desert regions of California receive the right amount of autumn and winter rains followed by cool and sunny springtime days with just a whisper of wind.  The dormant seeds of wildflowers awaken from a long dream and begin to grow and blossom simultaneously, transforming the barren landscape into a spectacular display of super blooms. Depending on the region, the blooms can peak between February to May.  Some common wildflowers include poppies, daisies, lupine, verbena,  and primrose. However, due to the unique combination of weather events that must occur, the super blooms do not appear every year, but when the do they are a majestic reminder of nature's beauty and resilience.  Popular Super Bloom Locations in California Channel Islands in Ventura County Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve in the Antelope Valley Carrizo Plain National Monument in San Luis Obispo Figueroa Mountain in Santa Barbara County Diamond Valle...

In the high-desert region of Navajo County in northern Arizona, there is a small quiet town called Winslow.  It was once a thriving community along Route 66, but today it might be missed in the blink of an eye by the average traveler driving along Interstate 40.  However, for the nostalgic traveler, Winslow holds a grand history and many treasured remnants from its glorious past.  Winslow, Arizona was founded in the early 1880s as a divisional terminal for the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad to serve as an operating headquarter and maintenance center for the growing railroad industry.  In 1930, the town celebrated the opening of La Posada, a beautiful hacienda style luxury hotel that was designed by Mary Coulter and built by Fred Harvey for the Santa Fe Railway to serve the surge of train passengers traveling to the Southwest.  In the same decade, America celebrated the opening of U.S Route 66 that connected Illinois to California. The new highway transformed ho...

If you dream in cinematic monochrome, long for the whispered secrets of Hollywood's early days, and appreciate the architectural charm of 1920s Los Angeles, you will enjoy reading The Castle on Sunset by Shawn Levy.  The book is a biographical novel about one of Hollywood's most famous haunts, the elegant and romantic Chateau Marmont.  Built in 1929, in the style of a French Gothic castle, the Chateau Marmont has stood majestically on one of California's most famous streets, Sunset Boulevard. It has silently witnessed and adapted to the changing scene on the Sunset Strip from a quiet urban neighborhood outside the city limits of Los Angeles to the glamorous playground of Tinseltown's movie stars.  Due to its proximity to the major Hollywood studios, it became a sanctuary for Hollywood legends who sought refuge and privacy, but was also a place where the lines between art, love and tragedy often intertwined. The author unveils decades of tales from passionate rom...