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From Flame to Flicker: Inside a Working Neon Shop

You walk into a neon shop expecting nostalgia. You leave thinking about chemistry, electricity, municipal zoning codes, and 1940s craftsmanship. That’s what happened when I toured Morry’s Neon, a family business opened in 1985 by Morry and his son Glen, a business built on a neon legacy that began in 1946 when Morry first started bending glass. Established the same year America decided diners, drive-ins, and optimism were perfectly reasonable things to mass-produce, Morry’s has

Route 66 at 100: Why the Centennial Is Igniting a New Era of Retro Road Trips

As the Route 66 Centennial approaches, something interesting is happening. This isn’t just an anniversary tour or a nostalgia lap. It’s a full-scale reawakening of interest in the American road trip—one rooted in history, preservation, and the lived experience of the road itself. The centennial is acting like a spotlight, illuminating not just the highway, but the stories, architecture, roadside culture, and communities that grew up along it. And people are paying attention. Travelers want

Los Angeles Potteries: A Whimsical Walk Through Mid-Century Ceramic Dreams

From our retro coffee table to yours comes a great book – an awesome gift or something to pour over in our own home! Suppose you’ve ever spotted a cookie jar shaped like a hamburger or a canister set with tropical fruit motifs and thought, “I remember that design!” or “I have to have that design!”. In that case, you’ll want to get your hands on Los Angeles Potteries: A Collector’s Journey through Artistry, Craft,

El Cortez Hotel: Where Vintage Vegas Still Lives

Opened in 1941, the El Cortez Hotel & Casino is one of Las Vegas’s oldest operating casinos — and one of its most authentic. In a city obsessed with reinvention, the El Cortez is a rare survivor, maintaining its vintage spirit while still feeling alive and relevant. Preservation That Matters In 2013, the El Cortez earned its place on the National Register of Historic Places, and it’s easy to see why. The building’s Spanish Colonial

Women’s Day 50’s interior

Welcome to Mid-Century Photo Friday – if you’ve never found it before, this is a great time to join! My post is a follow up to last week’s post about a $7600 3 bedroom house featured in this 1958 issue of Women’s Day – and here (drum-roll please) is the interior: I adore the chairs and the colors are great – your favorite part? Now here’s the fun! I’ve searched forever to find a way

Cool products and artisans from our Facebook page

We love our Facebook page followers and some of the neatest things we see are art pieces and products that are post their great creations and products on the page. These often get overlooked over in the sidebar, but we see them! Here are a couple of our favorites (we found so many, we might have to do multiple posts!) Higgins Glass: The Higgins Studio, home of “modern miracles with everyday glass” was founded in

Century 21 domed theater is worthy of being listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

We’ve written about the endangered domed theaters in California in the past, and a small victory was won this April by the State Historical Resources Commission agreed that the former Century 21 theater in San Jose is worthy of being listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In an article from the Eichler Network, the owner of the Century 21, however, has opposed the listing and wants to tear the dome down. Being named

Preserving a Piece of American History: Inside Las Vegas’ Mob Museum

Tucked away in downtown Las Vegas, The Mob Museum—formerly known as the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement—offers more than just a glimpse into criminal history. It’s also a powerful example of historic preservation done right. Housed in a striking 1933 neoclassical courthouse (originally a U.S. Post Office and Federal Courthouse), the building is a rare survivor from an era when clean lines, bold function, and civic pride defined public architecture. Its marble