In the border city of El Paso, Texas, 4301 Leavell is the Casa de Azucar (The Sugar House). The striking home stands out from the other houses in the architecturally undistinguished neighborhood. It is the sole building on a long narrow plot, with houses on two sides and a tall highway embankment on the third. This allowed the owner to build three street-side walls, with an undecorated alley on the backside. Just about every inch of those walls is covered with delicate ornate decorations, looking much like applied frosting (hence the name).

Started in 1973 by Rufino Loya, a retired Levi Strauss worker, it has been growing ever since. The inspiration for the house was a promise he made to his wife that he would make something beautiful for her. Drawing from memories of the churches he saw growing up in Mexico he created a magical corner of the world in El Paso - an oasis of beauty sitting incongruously beside Highway 54. It's a true labour of love.

Shrines to Jesus, The Virgin Mary, Saint Francisco de Asis and scripture are built along the walls. Mild variations within the decorative elements give everything a hand-crafted look. It couldn't be tidier the day I visited, having the appearance of daily cleaning and attendance. As far as I could tell, not a decorative element was broken or cracked, no sign of being tagged, touched or molested. It looked respected.

While named the House of Sugar, the home itself is only modestly decorated and offered no tours. This leaves the exterior walls and shrines to speak for themselves. As one sign stated, "This House is a Little Piece of Mexico." And a lovely piece at that.

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Posted by Robert on November 16, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (1)

Construction on the Chong Hua Sheng Mu Holy Palace was to be the beginning of a grand complex for spiritual rejuvenation, an oasis of calm within the sprawling suburbs of western Houston. But with the US government preventing the group leader's 2001 return from a trip abroad, all work stopped, without much hope of seeing the Tien Tao temple complex completed.

It has the architectural air of Dr. No meets Wernham-Hogg or Dunder-Miflin. The dramatic gold dome looks perfect for housing a doomsday weapon and twin minarets flank either side, but the construction and materials has all the grace and inspiration of a mundane industrial office tower. The entire property is gated and fenced off, but exploration of the north wall may reveal an accessible entrance. Once on the grounds, visitors to the building will find it buttoned up tight with robust security gates around all the main entrances and side doors. With the project stopped before the interior was started, the inside (apparently) has little to offer. Windows are either blacked out or too high to gaze in on, so the simple bizarreness of the building will have to do. The palace, for an abandoned building, remains surprisingly tidy and seemingly maintained. Grass mowed, parking lot relatively free of garbage and graffiti painted over.

That being said, the rarely trafficked streets and expansive grounds are conducive for relaxation. This island of calm may not be what the religious group had in mind, but it does seem to be a perfect retreat to reflect on spiritual fulfilment and the transient nature of this suburban dream.

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Posted by Robert on November 01, 2008 | Permalink

Even if you have never crossed the threshold of Katz’s in person, there is still a good chance you will be familiar with the slightly beaten décor of this fantastic old deli. The simple furniture, or rather one table and two chairs in particular, is famous for co-starring in probably the most famous ‘non-sex’ scene in cinematic history. Today a cardboard sign dangles from the ceiling pointing to the spot where Meg Ryan faced Billy Crystal and writhed in faux sexual ecstasy to confound his character’s scepticism that she could successfully simulate an orgasm. The scene became an instant classic and helped catapult ‘When Harry met Sally’ into movie folklore. Sadly during my visit nobody was 'having what she was having’ so the room remained frustratingly moan free. Indeed visitors seemed particularly keen not to occupy the infamous seats, perhaps fearful they would be obliged to provide an impersonation, and circled around the spot like it was the site of a car wreck. When a couple did finally sit at the table they were soon in the glare of camera flashes as tourists spotted a chance to snap the location complete with stand-ins.

Despite the allure of the Hollywood connection, Katz’s remains a staunchly old school deli. Aside from a nice sideline in t-shirts the sole purpose of this cavernous eating emporium is to fill the bellies of hungry New Yorkers to breaking point. For overseas visitors there is always a strong suspicion that non-American notions of what constitutes large are deemed to be only worthy of diminutive status Stateside. At Katz’s the portion sizes try to squeeze another ‘ex’ in excessive and the main ingredient is meat; lots and lots and lots of meat. I should perhaps warn any faint hearted vegetarians to discontinue reading now because Katz’s is a temple where people pay homage to salad dodging. Its menu is a lentil free list, a bible for beef, a catalogue of carbohydrates, where the only concession to greenery is a side order of pickles and coleslaw. However if you like the sound of a Reuben sandwich (toasted sandwich made with corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian dressing) or a Philly Cheesesteak (thinly sliced pieces of steak and melted cheese on a long roll), then please read on.

For those seeking an archetypal New York experience a lunchtime visit to Katz’s will be highly rewarding. Here, everything the movies have ever told you comes true. Upon entry the deli crackles with energy and attitude. As banter fires off in all directions so the room is filled with a symphony of American accents which range from first generation Hispanic to full on ‘Tony Soprano’. The temptation to say ‘eh, alrightalready’ with a theatrical shoulder shrug is hard to resist and the conversation seems to have only one volume setting - loud. As orders are barked out, a legion of workers zip around, making their own ballet out of what appears to be chaos. At the door you are given a blank ticket and pointed in the direction of a long counter which runs nearly the entire length of the shop. Behind it an army of white capped men await your order with dangerous looking knives in hand. The list of coronary clogging culinary delights is daunting, and while seasoned regulars issue their requests with practiced confidence, the patience of the cutters seems easily tested by hesitant virgins. Indeed, getting served in Katz’s is half the fun as the servers seem to take a disinterest in customers which would please even the surliest of Parisian waiters. Fortunately there is a row of inviting beer taps situated at the one end of the counter so it’s not a bad idea to partake of a brew and take your time deciding. In fairness the bark of the employees is worse than their bite and they are actually quite happy to explain the dishes or provide a sample of the meat. Whatever you order is marked on your ticket for payment upon departure. Given the size of the portions your exit could be somewhat delayed by the demands of your digestion.

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Posted by Maurice on September 26, 2007 | Permalink

Inside the Queen’s Museum of Art in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, New York City spreads out as far as the eye can see. NYC full size is dazzling enough, so who’d have thought a smaller version could be even more remarkable. Words become redundant here – it is massive but also miniscule. The panorama covers 9,335 square metres but to fit the whole New York area in the buildings, all 895,000 of them, are tiny. The Empire State Building is only 15 inches high but that’s not to do it down. The detail is mind-boggling. Every building, park and road is here with New York’s iconic landmarks and bridges perfectly modelled. In the distance there are bridges and gasometers, and even a little tiny plane taking off from La Guardia airport.

As if that wasn’t wonderful enough, when the panorama opened in 1964 for the World’s Fair in what was then the New York Pavilion, 1400 visitors a day were flown over the city in a little car which simulated a helicopter's eye view. These days viewing is from a walkway round the edge but it’s tempting to jump the rail and walk round it like a colossus, peering into windows and frightening the tiny inhabitants.

Conceived by Robert Moses, President of the World’s Fair Corporation, it took a team of 100 people from Raymond Lester & Associates 3 years to build. At the time of its creation it was the world’s largest scale model. The original contract called for less than one percent margin of error. Regular maintenance kept the panorama up to date until 1970 then there was a lull until 60,000 buildings were updated in 1992. Today it is still kept up to date, more or less. The twin towers of the World Trade Center are still standing here with a commemorative plaque nearby.

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Posted by Anne on March 19, 2007 | Permalink

Why would anyone travel hundreds of miles for a cold glass of ice water? You might think thirst is the obvious answer. Actually, it’s much more than just wetting one’s whistle that brings millions of people to the famous Wall Drug Store located in the small town of Wall, South Dakota. The "much more" part consists of roadside charm, friendly hospitality, unique shopping experiences and the opportunity to see unusual memorabilia that decorate this large tourist attraction.

During the depression of the 1930's, Ted and Dorothy Hustead started running a typical small town drug store. Dorothy had a brilliant idea to drum up some much needed business. The idea was to put up clever signs with catchy slogans along the road to bring in weary travelers for free ice water. Ted feeling silly about the whole thing was amazed as car after car pulled in looking for those cups of ice water. Besides picking up the free thirst buster, people started buying food and supplies for the rest of their trip. The Hustead’s found success in the middle of nowhere and all the thanks goes to those "silly" signs. Through the years these signs have been erected all over the world letting future travelers know just how many miles they are from Wall Drug.

If you find yourself traveling in the state of South Dakota you must journey onward to this beloved roadside realm of amazement and experience it for yourself! You can ride a giant Jackalope, see a fake Mount Rushmore, almost get eaten by dinosaur, watch kitchy animals come to life for a quarter (check out the YouTube links below), drink a nickel cup of coffee, listen to some singing cowboys, and even buy a few postcards. Of course give yourself plenty of time, because these are just a few of the fun things you’ll find at this place that’s as big as a shopping mall. Just remember as you drink that free glass of ice water that you’re part of a 75-year-old tradition that has made the Wall Drug Store one of America’s first and great roadside attractions.

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Posted by Todd Franklin on January 28, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (1)

Not many museums are in the attic of a rather crappy antique mall. The Lunchbox Museum in Columbus, Georgia however is not your usual museum. A massive collection of lunch boxes, lunch trays and even production artwork created to adorn lunch boxes, it's a labor of love. While its home in the attic of the River Market Antiques Mall leaves much to be desired, the sheer number of collectibles will distract from their surroundings.

For this trip, the museum was my only destination. So I saw little of Columbus in getting to the River Market Antiques Mall. After arriving, a quick outside tour of the interesting clutter, which included a folk-art covered hearse, I made my way to the door. At the front entrance I was greeted with a menu of odd museum options for my enjoyment.

"WORLD FAMOUS LUNCH BOXES, Lunch Box Museum, Recognized By The Smithsonian Institute - OVER 2000 BOXES. $5.00 VIEWING FEE
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WORLDS HIGHEST SKYLINE - 280 SQ FT. 27 BUILDINGS OVER 1000 FLOORS - 6.7 SQ MILES IN SQ MILES THIS CITY IS RATED 2ND IN THE NATION!! $2.00 VIEWING FEE PER PERSON - 8 YEARS IN THE MAKING
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MEADERS POTTERY MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN STONEWARE - BY APOINTMENT"

Continue reading "The Lunchbox Museum and Empire City, Columbus, GA" »

Posted by Robert on January 13, 2007 | Permalink

It goes against the crowd to stand still in New York's Grand Central Station but if you stop for a minute in the right spot you might find a little bit of magic. Underneath the main concourse, on the way to the historic Oyster Bar, there’s a special place known as The Whispering Gallery where the faintest murmur can be heard 40 feet away across the busy passageway.

There are no signs to the Whispering Gallery but look for a place where two walkways intersect, and a vaulted roof forms a shallow dome. Look up and admire the herringbone terra cotta tiles - designed by Rafael Guastavino and Son and found in some of New York's finest buildings. Take a friend or sweetheart and pick diagonal corners. Then turn your faces to the wall and start talking. It feels a little odd at first, but even though you’re a long way away you should hear every word.

The phenomenon is fairly common, usually found beneath domes or ellipsoid surfaces. Sound "telegraphs" along the line of the curve to reach the other side. Other famous examples are found in St Paul's Catherdal in London and St Peter's Basilica in Rome. I've tried things like this before and stood talking to myself like an idiot, but this one definitely works. It's a popular spot for marriage proposals - word has it jazz legend Charles Mingus proposed here. It can get busy so pick your moment carefully to avoid embarrasment. If he/she says yes, head straight to the Oyster Bar and celebrate in style. It also has Guastavino ceilings so be careful where you whisper your sweet nothings if you don't want the whole place to hear.

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Posted by Anne on December 06, 2006 | Permalink

Eddie Izzard once said of Stonehenge "no one's built a henge like that ever since." As far as a Google search can tell me, he never visited Nebraska. This Americanized henge lies in the middle of a field, mostly isolated but with a few houses in view. A recreation of Stonehenge that used monstrous land cruisers that crossed the highways in the 50's, 60's and 70's as megaliths make up the monument. Cadillacs, Fords and Chevys all have been used, stuck in the earth and painted grey. Creator Jim Reinders was influenced by his time in England, and his automotive monument was built as a memorial to his father on the family's farmland.

The small, nearby town of Alliance has little to see and only a few places to stay, so a visit takes planning. Carhenge signs can be found before coming into town, but missing them can mean incomplete direction, and for us a turn took us far off course. Take care in planning your route. Once there you will find the site has an abandoned and boarded up visitor center and a message board covered with broken plexiglas and faded newspaper articles. Besides the main monument, additional sculptures include a large fish made from car parts, a representation of Summer/Fall/Winter/Spring in the "Ford Seasons", and a car for signing your name, the "Autograph."

But the main purpose for visiting is is to walk the well-worn foot trails that lead to Carhenge. Dragging a pile of large rock many miles made sense to the Druids but here in the states we make our monuments mobile, until they are parked for all time.

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Posted by Robert on November 30, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (1)

Just before Philip K Dick died in 1982 executives at Warner Bros Studios arranged for him to see rough cuts of the film Blade Runner, a project inspired by his novel ‘Do Androids dream of Electric Sheep’. The author had been hitherto suspicious of the movie adaptation but after seeing the rushes he noted that the film would ‘change the way we look at movies’. The prescient Mr Dick was on the money and Ridley Scott’s vision of a dystopian Los Angeles became the cinematic yard stick by which depictions of the future are still measured today. Though a great deal of the film was shot on vast studio backlots, locations in downtown LA were also employed to depict a grimmer, grimier tomorrow. The monumental architecture of Union Station doubled as a police station, while the magically named Million Dollar Theatre formed part of the futuristic streetscape. One of the most memorable scenes takes place in the apartment of prematurely ageing genetic designer J.F. Sebastian whose fictional home was created in the Bradley Building, a superb late nineteenth century office block which, fan of the film or not, is certainly worth a visit.

The reasons why the building was chosen as a sci-fi location are clear as soon as you step through the brown brick Romanesque entrance. Once inside you are presented with a sensational five storey high central court yard topped with a glass roof which allows the glazed brick walls to sparkle in natural light. Directly facing the entrance is a marble stair case lined with ornate railings flanked by two open cage elevators surrounded by wrought iron grills. The French made metal work was also used in the construction of the freestanding mail-chutes and was made to give the illusion of hanging vegetation. Despite being completed in 1893 the fusion of geometric design and exquisite materials allows the building to conjure the neat trick of appearing timeless.

The driving force behind the creation of such an exciting space was local property millionaire Lewis Bradbury who initially tasked local architect Sumner Hunt with the job of masterminding a spectacular office block. Sadly for Hunt his plans did not match the grandiose vision of his pay master, and the frustrated Bradbury unexpectedly turned to draftsman George Wyman for an alternative design. Given Wyman’s total lack of formal training as an architect he seemed an odd choice for such a major project. Stranger still was that his initial refusal to take up the challenge was only reversed following an evening spent dabbling with the occult. The story goes that George received a Ouija board message from his dead brother saying "Mark Wyman - take the -Bradbury building - and you will be - successful".

Continue reading "The Bradbury Building, Los Angeles" »

Posted by Maurice on September 17, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (1)

The small town of Elberton, Georgia's main claim is that it is the "Granite Capital of the World". While that claim may be disputed by other international granite producers, the town does have a quaint museum dedicated to the stone that made the town and one of the most bizarre monuments ever raised. More on that in a moment.

While driving to Elberton (assuming you don't live there already), the closer communities are to the town the more likely you are to see granite signs (not the typical metal ones). People in these parts like their granite and use it for village and business names and even street numbers for private home owners.

Once you get there the Elberton Granite Museum & Exhibit is pretty easy to spot, with the biggest granite sign, of course. The museum's industrial building is home to a collection of quarry equipment, funky sculptures, examples of etched gravestones, and an old man at the desk. Pleased to have some company, he fired up the educational video that we watched while strolling the exhibits. There is something charming about the museum's genuine enthusiasm about what to most would be a mundane subject. Which leads to the most interesting granite exhibit, the model and material about the Georgia Guidestones.

Continue reading "The Elberton Granite Museum & The Georgia Guidestones, Georgia" »

Posted by Robert on September 06, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (2)

When I mention that during a trip to Los Angeles I visited some of the locations featured in the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer the majority of people curl their top lip, flex out one nostril, and utter the word ‘why?’ in such a way that their tone of voice refines the meaning of incredulity to a new level of purity. To a certain extent I guess they are right, most people pack a pair of shorts to enjoy the Californian weather rather than an anorak. Yet despite the inherent geek factor in this expedition we, I was accompanied by my friend and fellow devotee Sebastian, had enormous fun paying homage to officially ‘the best’ TV show of all time. Of course you don’t have to a fan of Buffy to enjoy LA (although it does help) but television and film provides a fascinating vehicle to explore a city which often proves difficult to love.

Roman Polanski quipped that “Los Angeles is the most beautiful city in the world...provided it’s seen by night and from a distance.” It’s difficult to disagree with this assessment. Even if you haven’t witnessed the magical glow of the illuminated street plan in person, you’ve seen the beguiling nocturnal view from the hills a hundred times on the big and small screens. Yet, as Polanski suggests, up close and personal the town appears less appealing. Los Angeles is a sprawling mass, dissected by massive freeways which offer the promise of connection but only serve to isolate and confuse. Frustratingly these rivers of asphalt seem continually congested with cars liable to log jam at any time. The homage to the automobile has allowed the city to seep out over southern California like the contents of leaky paint tin. The resulting lack of density means that LA is one of the least visitor friendly cities in the world.

Despite, or perhaps because of this, Los Angeles remains among my favourite destinations. It possesses an illusive allure and a seedy glamour best described in the works of Raymond Chandler. Indeed, getting to grips with LA requires detective work and there is no better way to play the sleuth than becoming a character in your own tourist screenplay. After all the most recognizable landmark in the city is an old real estate sign which acts as the emblem not only for the multi billion dollar film industry but also the city itself. Away from the self important Hollywood letters there are surprisingly few iconic structures to denote the low rise surroundings. A strange architectural anomaly given that, with over one thousand movies made there annually, LA is the most filmed place on the planet.

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Posted by Maurice on August 31, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (4)

Reading Terminal Market is the hotspot for local and tourist foodies alike. Eighty vendors of every kind of edible goodie imaginable is housed at 12th & Arch Streets, adjacent to Chinatown and downtown corporate Philly in Center City.

Reading Terminal is 114 years old and is a Philly institution for locals and a must-see stop for tourists. Pick up produce from Iovine’s, local honeys and beeswax candles, fresh eggs, Pennsylvania wine (ok, not the wine…trust me.). The freshest meat, chicken and fish are available at excellent prices. Or if you’re in the mood for a quick lunch, check out any of the twenty-plus take out joints. Your food wish can come true at Reading Terminal, from Thai, Chinese, Mexican, Italian, and of course Cheesesteak.

The Philly Cheesesteak is an absolute necessity when visiting Philly. Locals have their favorites, but personally, I have to say that Rick’s Cheesesteaks in the Market has the absolute tastiest cheesesteak on the planet. And the bread is fluffy, but has some tooth. But you’ve got to have it “Wit Wiz”, that is with Cheez Wiz, a salty, orange, fake cheese concoction that is simply divine. Bon Appetit!

One of the big draws of Reading Terminal is the Amish vendors. These old school Christians of German descent who still wear turn-of-the-19th century garb (Seen Witness?) can make you one mean hot pretzel, smothered in butter of course. Butter that’s as close to the cow as you can pretty much get these days. If you want to check them out, however, you need to come to the Market Wednesday through Saturday.

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Posted by Rebecca on June 14, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (5)