During my recent visit to San Francisco I was surprised to learn about the remnants of an historic cemetery sitting in the midst of the Lincoln Park Golf Course, less than half a mile from the Legion of Honor art museum. The story behind this memorial site is fascinating and still ongoing, and I’ll be writing more about it before […]
I spotted this seriously faded sign in August 2022 on the site of the Key Klub, first opened in the late 1940s or early 1950s, Lower Nob Hill. The name has recently been brought back to life in the guise of a new restaurant space — temporarily at least, as the building is due to be razed for redevelopment. This […]
The Mojave Desert doesn’t seem like an especially welcoming place to be — especially in the summertime — but it would be a mistake to think there’s nothing to be found there but dirt or sand and cactus plants. As a rule, California’s desert regions are home to some very colorful history, and this remote spot is no exception. Since […]
Last Monday my top image was a photo of the Beagle Channel; however, I failed to mention this stretch of water actually played quite a fascinating part in 19th century exploration and science. The channel, lying just south of Ushuaia, is one of three navigable passages around the tip of South America. And you may have guessed that the channel […]
This half-hour episode sees Huell visiting the community of Winters in Yolo County for yet another of his many series, this one called California Communities. I’ve passed through Winters via Highway 128 a number of times, on the way to Lake Berryessa, but I must confess I’ve never stopped to really see what the town is all about. It does […]
One of life’s sadder sights has got to be a once-proud ship lying neglected and rusty, overtaken by the waters it once sailed upon. In this 1998 episode of Visiting, Huell takes a trip to Ensenada, Mexico, to learn about the “Great White Steamer.” From 1924 until 1975, she cruised back and forth between Los Angeles (not Ensenada) and Avalon […]
This week, we continue exploring Buenos Aires with three postcards and a few photos. The first postcard, above, shows an aerial view of the upscale Recoleta neighborhood. One of the main attractions of the area is the huge and very historic cemetery, covering 14 acres and containing nearly 5000 tombs. These include mausoleums of notable people, including literary figures, Argentinian […]
I’m not too sure about blaming the sea otters for the disappearance of the famous Pismo Beach clams — but the good news is that the clams seem to be making a comeback these days! While the truly big specimens have yet to be found, the population is now being carefully monitored, and hopefully will continue to thrive in the […]
Sadly, the friendly folks (and their pets) who guided Huell during his visit back in 2004 are no longer around; and although the Masonic Caves are still there, they are certainly not the huge tourist attraction that other nearby caves are, like the nearby Black Chasm Cavern National Landmark or, a bit further south, California Cavern State Historic Landmark, not to mention the Mercer Caverns near Murphys. These smaller caves just outside of the town of Volcano are quite easy to miss. But this episode is a perfect example of the sort of “serendipity adventure” that makes Huell’s shows so much fun to watch. I especially love the way the cat and the dog tag along during the tour! Huell’s off to Amador county and the town of Volcano. It was once a thriving, gold mining town in the 1850s and 1860s, but Huell has set off to discover the mysterious cave in this mountain community which served as a Masonic lodge. (Click on the linked image below to see the video.)