September 10, 2018

The Cemetery in Terlingua, Texas

I have loved cemeteries all my life, and I still struggle to articulate what it is about them. I know when I was a child there was a romance to graveyards . . . to tragedy and mortal separation. But that can’t be the heart of it, because I’ve been both a writer and a human long enough to know…

September 5, 2018

Rooftop Cinema Club (Los Angeles)

Last Sunday night, I watched L.A. Confidential on the roof of the former CBS building in Hollywood, because that’s a thing you can do in Los Angeles. This particular rooftop movie experience was through Rooftop Cinema Club, a company that creates rooftop movie experiences at venues in multiple cities. When I’m left to dig up my own entertainment, I tend to…

August 27, 2018

Honu Coffee (Newhall, CA)

Honu Coffee 22722 Lyons Avenue Santa Clarita, CA 91321 661-373-9704 Open Daily 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.   Honu Coffee is a winsome little coffee joint in Old Town Newhall. Wait. Let’s zoom out a moment for those who have no context for the phrase “Old Town Newhall.” In the northern part of L.A. County, there’s a city called Santa…

August 13, 2018

Beagle and Wolf Books & Bindery (Park Rapids, MN)

Beagle and Wolf Books & Bindery 112 3rd Street West Park Rapids, MN 56470 218-237-2665 Beagle and Wolf Books & Bindery is located in a charming brick building in Downtown Park Rapids, Minnesota. Park Rapids, if you do not know, is a little town near Itasca State Park that boasts a few blocks of tourist-friendly shopping as well as an…

July 23, 2018

The Three Clubs in Hollywood

The Three Clubs 1123 Vine Street Los Angeles, CA 90038 323-462-6441   The Three Clubs is a bar located in Hollywood, though I couldn’t tell you exactly where, because I’ve only been once and my brother drove, so I definitely was not paying attention. I went on a Wednesday night, which meant the main bar was exactly as I wish…

July 9, 2018

LA County Arboretum & Botanic Garden

LA County Arboretum & Botanic Garden 301 North Baldwin Avenue Arcadia, CA 91007 626-821-3222 Hours: Open Daily 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (non-members) 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (members)   When you first walk onto the grounds of the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, you are promptly not-greeted by gorgeous peacocks who appear to be just a little…

July 2, 2018

Placerita Canyon State Park in CA

Placerita Canyon Nature Center 19152 Placerita Canyon Rd. Newhall, CA 91321 661-259-7721 Website Placerita Canyon State Park is a historical landmark, protected to preserve the location of the discovery of gold in California in 1842. Based on park descriptions and photographs and the testimony of my brother, there is a lot of great hiking in Placerita Canyon. In fact, if…

June 24, 2018

Angels Flight Railway in Downtown Los Angeles

  Angels Flight Railway is the world’s shortest railway at just under 300 feet long. But I’m not sure why I opened with that detail, because the the history is what really draws a person in. That and the Angels Flight cameo in La La Land. Angels Flight first opened in 1901 as a way for commuters to travel between…

June 21, 2018

Tyler Pounds Regional Airport in Tyler, TX

Tyler Pounds Regional Airport 700 Skyway Blvd. Tyler, TX 75704 One of the greatest things about landing Tyler Pounds Regional Airport in Tyler, Texas is that the bathroom is easy to find. In fact, I’ll just tell you so you know: it’s in the left-hand corner of the wall you’re facing. That’s true no matter what your arrival gate is,…

June 17, 2018

Castaic Lagoon (a guest post by my nephew)

That’s a big river. That’s a big mountain. I climb up it. You can dance here, Aunt Abi. You can dance here, too. That’s duck poop. That’s a big, big spider. Pinecone, Daddy. Pinecone in the trees.