There’s plenty of comedy and drama — as well as history — in this episode of California’s Gold, originally aired in January 2000. California’s First Theater in Monterey is part of the Monterey State Historic Park, located along the bay and only blocks from the Old Fisherman’s Wharf. Because this is the original structure, which has undergone several restoration efforts […]
I confess I’m a more than a little bit amazed that I haven’t already featured this particular episode of California’s Gold. It originally aired on October 6, 2000, almost exactly 22 years ago. The California State Library not only holds treasures of the state’s history, it is, itself, a wonderful historic California treasure. Its original building, now known as the […]
The cities of Puerto Varas and Frutillar sit along the shores of Lake Llanquihue, the second largest lake in the country, some 900 km (559 miles) south of Chile’s capital, Santiago. Like the Puerto Montt region, the area was developed by German immigrants in the mid 1800s. Puerto Varas was founded in 1853, and Frutillar in 1856. Of course, the […]
I honestly didn’t expect an episode entitled ‘Cotton’ could be all that interesting, but as usual Huell takes what might be a dull subject and makes it informative yet fun. California grows its share of the nation’s cotton, both Upland/Acala and Pima types, and cotton is the main industry of the town of Buttonwillow, which was founded back in 1895. […]
In trying to prepare this post I’ve been learning quite a lot about the breathtakingly beautiful region of Chile, almost 700 square miles, that forms the Torres del Paine National Park. Most of the images here are from postcards; but I’ve found that, while descriptions of the views are provided in both English and Spanish, they don’t always provide the […]
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 […]
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 […]
I had a really great day yesterday — I spent it all at the deYoung Museum in San Francisco, wandering through the galleries and soaking in all the amazing artwork. There is so much to see that although I spent a few hours, I still missed out on some wonderful stuff — namely, the current showcase, Ramses the Great and […]
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 […]