A place for my photos and thoughts and stuff.
For realz!
This is the Palm Springs Tourist Office. But it used to be a gas station. I mean, look at it. It’s a hell of a thing.
“Hyperbolic paraboloid” seems an appropriately grand description.
This is the view from the parking lot. How beautiful is that? Look at the colors!
Yeah, we’ll be going up to the top of one of those peaks on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which I remembered being insanely steep and close to some craggy cliff faces. I remembered correctly.
On our way to a quick getaway to Palm Springs, we stopped in Riverside to have a look at the glorious Mission Inn.
Some of the Christmas decorations were still up.
The William Howard Taft chair, because he was a large guy and needed a tad more room.
Stained glass windows abound throughout the hotel.
The beautiful courtyard (taken up by an insanely overpriced Mexican restaurant).
It has loads of flying buttresses!
The “Anton clock.” It rotates through a series of five figures: a California Indian and grizzly (shown), St. Francis of Assisi, explorer Juan Batista de Anza, and Father Junipero Serra. No, we did not see it in action. It stayed on the Indian and grizzly the whole time we were there.
The outside of the St. Francis of Assisi chapel. I was hoping it would be open when we were there, but it was not. I played a wedding there once, and it was quite a sight, with its Tiffany stained glass, immense, 18th century gold-leafed altar, and enormous wood beams.
A portion of the Flyers Wall, which commemorates the visits of famous aviators.
The creche was still up.
Lots of lovely plaster-work throughout.
It’s a really spectacular place, with endless nooks and crannies full of surprising , quirky, and delightful details.
Highly recommended if you’re in the area.
One of my favorite local buildings. There aren’t enough Southern California buildings that feature gargoyles.
The ongoing renovations on the Queen Mary have really improved the place. This room looked spectacular.
So much beautiful woodwork everywhere, and nary a squared off corner in sight.
Art deco at its finest.
The Queen Mary is really a very special place. It’s like a real-life time travel.
The food was great and the price included ship admission and parking, so we had the run of the place after.
There were plenty of holiday photo ops!
Beautiful art deco frosted glass panels. Glorious.
It was a nice, atmospheric, foggy day. You could almost imagine you were on a voyage.
My favorite Christmas event of the year!
Little Bridges Auditorium looking good. I loved playing here so much. Now I get to sing here!
We later moved to the upper section because the person sitting behind us decided to show up with a cold.
Using my mom’s copy.
It was *so* much fun.
The lovely city gym/pool building in Huntington Beach.
And this awesome tree in the parking lot.
It’s like a work of art.
Amazing.
The place looks great with the new paint job.
It’s an art deco palace.
The entry to the saddling enclosure and jockey’s room.
George “The Iceman” Woolf, an all-time great, and rider of Seabiscuit in his match race with War Admiral.
This guy’s name is Montana, and he got me a nice payday. Thanks, Montana!
…and down the stretch they come!
The Newland House…
Newland House, 1898, Queen Anne style. Oldest residence in Huntington Beach.
…the kitchen…
…parlour…
The house has a turret, and from the time I was a little girl, I always wanted to know what was in it. It was a sewing/spinning room.
The view from the turret. What a wide open vista would have presented itself in 1898.
My favorite room. This girls’ room. I love the bank of wood-framed windows.
The stairs were…steep.
The barn, now a wedding venue.
I had a great tour, given by the city historian.
The beautiful art deco clubhouse, sporting a lovely new coat of paint. There is no sporting venue like this one.
Old art deco style signage.
He looks…concerned.
I got a Lava Man poster signed by Corey Nakatani (his jockey) and trainer (Doug O’Niell). Lava Man had a glorious Hall of Fame career, then retired to work in his trainer’s barn coaching the young’uns in the proper behavior. He was so effective in communicating with his charges, that he did the job of 2 or 3 people. Unbelievably cool horse.
I love this statue of Zenyatta. She was (and is) magical.
My carefully considered choice. Yes, he was the favorite. Don’t judge me. I made enough money to not dip into my own wallet until the very end of the day.
Thank you, Asada Fries, for your outstanding effort.
I love The Great Race Place!
Is there a more beautiful sports venue in the world?
The reading room. A little touch of Downton Abbey…
The entry to the First Ladies exhibit…
The Craftsman-style periodical room…
Art deco teen reading room…
I like some of Dale Chiluly’s glass installations, but this just looks like a collection of dirty hair nets stuck to the wall…
Entrance to the library, with lovely splash pad and dolphin fountain…
If you haven’t been, I highly recommend it.