A Right Royal Mess

On THIS episode of ZOOM, I had such a lovely time talking the yucky, icky lives of the Kings and Queens of England with the fabulous Amy Nicholson. It was right royal fun!

The Divine Dolly Green

This is such a special day for me. A few years ago the lovely Stephanie Riggio met me outside a Pasadena storage center with boxes of historic photos, letters and telegrams that once belonged to the effervescent Dolly Green, the mid-century Beverly Hill heiress, socialite and hedonistic mystery. This archive would take me down a rabbit-hole into Dolly’s enigma of a life- and I’d be blessed to talk with some of her wonderful friends and family members. Today, my story about her is in The Hollywood Reporter (a longer version will appear online soon). Cheers to you Dolly, wherever you are- I’ll never stop trying to figure you out.

What's In A Name?

In THIS, my latest for Curbed LA, a brief history of how some of LA’s favorite neighborhoods got their names.

The Streets of Bakersfield

In THIS, my latest for PBS SoCal, a brief history of the Bakersfield Sound, and the dusty town that was the epicenter of outlaw country music.

Ice Cream Kings

In THIS, my latest for LAist, a brief history of the Fosselmans, the very affable SoCal ice cream dynasty. And yes, I had to sample many of their wares...my job is very hard.

Pottery Princess

In THIS, my latest for Our Ventura Blvd, the fabulous ceramic artist Amy Gordon.

Bathouse Beauties

In THIS, my latest for Curbed LA, the magnificent lost bathhouses of SoCal’s shore.

Wild Man, Wild Bunch

In THIS, my latest for Biography, the tale of the most likable criminal I ever did write about - Butch Cassidy. He wasn’t quite as handsome as Paul Newman, but he sure was charming.

The Cooler Betty HIil

In THIS, my latest for Curbed LA, a brief history of Civil Rights leader Betty Hill (no not the Betty Hill who was kidnapped by a UFO) who integrated many public spaces in Los Angeles, including our public pools!

Cookies for the People

In THIS, my latest for LAist: the wacky, wonderful story of Wally Amos, pioneer in the best industry of all- making cookies

A Romance for the Ages

In THIS, my latest for Biography, the greatest story of passion, power and weird sexy mind games in history- the drunken, doomed partnership of Antony and Cleopatra.

Go West Young Man

In THIS, my latest for Biography the surprisingly peaceful story of America’s #1 Manifest Destiny bro’s Lewis and Clark.

First in Flight

In THIS, my latest for Biography, a brief history of the peculiar, passionate Wright Brothers, whose dreams changed the world- and North Carolina license plates- forever.

Murals of Memory

In THIS, my latest for LAist, the magical, disappearing art of California master Millard Sheets.

The Spacey Spacemen

In THIS, my latest PBS SoCal, the wacky origin story of the legendary Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Putrid Palaces

In THIS, my latest for HISTORY, the very icky living conditions of European royalty. This one is not for the faint of heart!

Park La Brea Rising

In THIS, my latest for Curbed LA, the history of Park La Brea, the unavoidable mammoth of the Miracle Mile.

The Gangster’s Moll

In THIS, my latest for Los Angeles Magazine, the crime-soaked tale of Burmah White- LA’s own “blonde rattlesnake.”

The Great Air Raid

In THIS, my latest for Los Angeleno, the wacky, weird saga of “The Battle of Los Angeles.”

A Pilot and a Pioneer

In THIS, my latest for KCET, the inspirational story of early aviator William Powell.