Before Hedy, There Was Barbara Lamarr

God, we’re a sucker for a woman like Barbara La Marr. She was one of those rare cases in which someone is so utterly charismatic, they can get away with almost anything. Constant embellishing of her life’s story, deliciously reckless behaviour, a tangled string of fiery romances — she ticked every box with flying colours,…

What the Movies Don’t Tell Us We’re Hearing

Sometimes, you hear what you wanna hear. Especially in Hollywood, where a coconut steps in for the hooves of a horse, and squishing canned dog food is meant to mimic the sounds of aliens and monsters. It’s all a part of “Foley” making, a term coined after Jack Foley, who pioneered post-production sound effects for…

The Vault

Hollywood Ghost Diner

I‘ve been on the lookout for a truly authentic 1950s diner since I arrived in California. I finally found it, driving down Wilshire Boulevard and screeching to a halt as soon as I locked eyes on its mighty mid-century neon facade. Only one problem: Johnie’s Coffee Shop isn’t serving any coffee and waffles today … or tomorrow. At a closer look through…

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The Jim Morrison Ghost Hangouts of LA

The year was 1969 and The Doors were gearing up for the release of their fifth album, Morrison Hotel. Driving around Los Angeles in a VW van, as only Jim Morrison would, the band and their photographer were location scouting for the album’s cover shoot when they came upon the Morrison Hotel at 1246 South Hope Street…

Meet the Oldest Elevator Operator in Los Angeles

Ruben Pardo operates one of the last manual elevators in Los Angeles and he’s been in his job that dates to the late 19th century for 40 years, nearly half his life. Six days a week, eleven hours each weekday, nine hours each Saturday, Pardo welcomes patrons to 5514 Wilshire Blvd in Downtown, never failing to brighten…

A Night on the Town in Bygone LA

Where were you on a hot summer night in West Hollywood, circa 1948? Or ’78? Pulling up an animal print stool at the Zebra Room, or sitting poolside at the Ambassador Hotel? Whether it was on the heels of Hollywood’s Golden Era or the époque of Joan Didion cool, Los Angeles’ hotels and restaurants have…

California Dreaming in Thumbelina’s SoCal Mansion

There are architects and designers, and then there’s Chris Toledo. For the past two years, the miniatures artist and professional perfectionist has been creating the Spanish Revival home of our dreams, complete with glossy, red-tiled floors and Juliette balconies; vaulted ceilings, hand carved beams, and 1920s-inspired furnishings. He’s crowned it “Casa California,” and it’s the ultimate…

And the Award for Most Fashionable UFO Cult Goes to…

Ruth Norman, hands down. The gilded leader of “Unarius,” a UFO cult founded with her husband Ernest in 1954, Ruth was not only a figurehead for “interdimensional understanding” but a master at putting together looks fit for an intergalactic space queen. So let’s throw on our tiara and refuel our rocket to explore some of…

A Brief Compendium of Vintage Hollywood Test Shots

Ah, the pressures of Picture Day. Who can’t relate to the anxiety of getting that perfect shot for a yearbook, driver’s license, or, in this case, beloved Hollywood classic? For actors like Audrey Hepburn and Liz Taylor, sitting for test shots was all in a day’s work. We wish we could travel back in time…

Paradise Lost at the Botanist’s Mansion

For as long as I can remember, this strange and beautiful house above the sea has fascinated me — and this may be the last time I ever see it. Scheduled for complete demolition in a matter of months, it might not be the most ostentatious of old buildings, but it captured my childhood imagination.…