The Hobbit's House is just a cute house to see if you are in the area. It is not a must stop. The…read morehouse actually has an owner and there is an apartment there. It was built by a former artist for Disney Studios and the builder, Lawrence Joseph worked on all of it for decades. There are adorable cottages and a view from the street is super. I think some of it may be occupied, I am not sure, so I did not venture far, just the front and back yard and stopped when I saw what looked like an apartment building. It is an LA Historical Landmark and just so cute. It is near Sony pictures. It almost looks like you are walking into a movie set. There is a great garden and a pond and it really does look like a Hobbit house. We were not there long, maybe 15 minutes and did not need to be. So, if you have 15 minutes and want to see a super cool house go take a peek.

When in LA on a rainy bank holiday (dramatically less traffic) do what Angelenos do! See the…read moresights!! These are people's homes aka the Lawrence and Martha Joseph Residence and Apartments, commonly known as the "Hobbit Houses," located in Culver City, California. The structures were designed and built by Lawrence Joseph, a former artist for Walt Disney Studios, starting in the 1940s and continuing construction for decades. Now surrounded by high rises it is difficult to land a parking spot but worth it to get a closer look. For a moment imagine yourself on a walk through emerald green grass & fields of wildflowers. And then look up & see these enchanting cottages.

Randyland is the best! It's unique and beautiful on its own, but to make the experience extra…read morespecial, you'll want to reach out to schedule a visit with Randy in person. Depending on the season and the weather, he'll be able to tell you what time of day is optimal for the best light. In my case, he responded quickly and made it so easy. I'm drawn to quirky people who are compelled to do something, do it well, and keep trying out new ideas simply because they love it. That's Randy in a nutshell, and his enthusiasm and creativity are infectious! You'll leave feeling inspired to see the world a little differently and to make your OWN art more often. Enjoy!

OK, I have had this place on my list of things to do for years. I saw it on Atlas Obscura and then…read moreI saw a video about it on YouTube. It was definitely worth the wait! What an amazing experience! Went with my sister, mom and dad on a Sunday afternoon. Beautiful light in October...beautiful light sculptures and what an interesting interaction with the universe. Randy was just a lovely individual. Like a really interesting, eccentric artist who just is behind what he is proffering 100%. Great talk. GREAT art. Great day. I really recommend it 100%.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about our experience here at Rubel Castle. Our host, guide,…read moreand local "Rubelligent" volunteer, Ms. Kathleen had all the intel about this historical property. She was so knowledgeable and helped set the stage for us to slip into a forgotten era and get a glimpse of how imagination met inventiveness with a DIY charm. ~ A LITTLE BACKSTORY FOR YOU ~ It's not pronounced Rubel as Barney from Flintstones. Rather, it's like Target is to Targét when we are trying to be fancy. So that's Rubel as in "Roo-bell." Unlike modern-day construction, Rubel Castle wasn't built overnight. It was made of collected recyclables and construction rubble that spanned many decades and took several friends and volunteers to build it. For Michael, however, the lifetime inspiration was first sparked at the age of 9. His love for canons was where it started and the rest is history you can hear about on the tour. But don't just show up like we did randomly one day. To book, visit RubelTours.org and make a reservation. ~ OUR TOUR EXPERIENCE ~ It's as if Michael Rubel, the creator and mastermind of this enchanted dominion had intended it to be--magical. Built in the castle period of wood and tin, every corner captured our interests, from antique cars to the 1890's Seth Thomas Tower Clock with a unique backstory (and only six in existence today). There were old vending machines, tools, trinkets, and machinery that time had long forgotten. Did I mention there was a drawbridge? Yes, and a dungeon too. I was just waiting for a dragon to come swoop down on us next. Walk in the footsteps of famous visitors like Alfred Hitchcock, Dwight Eisenhower, Jack Benny, and Bob Hope. It's a feast for the eyes no matter where you glance. I particularly enjoyed the bottle house that Michael built in 1968 as his "home" as a kid. That independent spirit was quite charming to see. ~ WATERCOLOR NATURESCAPE ~ We were fortunate to have our gracious host lead us on a tour and organize a special art crafting experience outdoors. It was absolutely lovely beneath the trees and between rusted vintage cars from the turn of the century. We each got a small canvas to paint our flowers in watercolor. (This particular experience takes place in the Spring and Fall, weather permitting.) We heard the squirrels rattling in the leaves and birds chirped and sang in the trees above. We discovered that peacocks apparently originated from this property, compliments of Michael Rubel. And did I mention that on the far side of the property, a custom garden was in full bloom? BOOK A TOUR Help support the Glendora Historical Society and keep this magnificently unique city-castle maintained. It's worth it.

A castle in Glendora? Yes, your eyes aren't deceiving you--Rubel Castle is real, it's magnificent,…read moreand it's gloriously eccentric. Thanks to the sheer persistence (and probably delightful stubbornness) of Michael Rubel, we now have this quirky, towering State Treasure sitting right in the middle of Glendora like a fairy tale that accidentally took a detour through a hardware store. This place is beautifully done, and part of its charm is that it's a full-on hodgepodge of relics, antiques, crystal trinkets, and "wait... what is that doing here?" moments tucked into every nook and cranny. You'll marvel, you'll laugh, you'll squint in confusion--honestly, it's everything you'd want in a castle built with love, imagination, and a dash of madness. And let's talk about the makeshift cemetery. Quirky? YES. Fun? Absolutely. Slightly spooky? Only if your imagination is over-caffeinated. But it fits the vibe perfectly--like the castle whispered, "You know what I'm missing? A tiny cemetery." The tours are fantastic, the guides are passionate, and the whole experience feels like you're stepping into a living scrapbook of California history and charming chaos. Overall: Amazing, amazing place. Book your tour. They only do tours every first Sunday of the month, so set your alarms, mark your calendars, tie a string around your finger--just don't miss it. Rubel Castle is truly a California State Treasure, and an absolute must-see for anyone who appreciates creativity, history, and a little eccentric sparkle.

Well, its just what it says it is. There is a fork in the road at the fork in the road. As long…read moreas you do not set your expectation too high, if you want to see a fork in the road, definitely go check it out. If you're expecting anything more than that you won't get it. We were on our Route 66 journey from Chicago to Santa Monica and while this was a side trip (not on Route 66) we thought it was worth it.

Cool public art! The fork is separating S. Pasadena Ave and S. Saint John Ave in the City of South…read morePasadena!

Oh my God what a fantastic attraction! I went and not only saw the ghost of the man making the…read morefirst cheeseburger I also got a fantastic massage from holographic ghost that looked like Stevie Nicks! I can't wait to go back! Next time I'm bringing a charcoal grill and some raw meat and I'm gonna burn it right there on the sidewalk and slap some cheese on and relive history!

Don't waste your time trying to find this. I spent 30 minutes driving round and round the block and…read morewhen I finally found the right building, there's absolutely no plaques in the ground or on the wall in the front it might be behind the locked gate however I will never know What a waste of 45 minutes of my life.

This is definitely not my favorite Frank Gehry building, but it's still architecturally interesting…read moreand famous. And if you're in Venice, absolutely drive down Main street and see this. It's stunning. As it is now a Google building, if you're taking pictures of this wonder of architecture, security WILL come out to question you. Because, you know, Google cares about privacy. Theirs.

Do you like spotting the "world's largest" types? e.g. world's largest ball of yarn, world's…read morelargest picnic basket, typically strewn out around rural parts of Kansas or Idaho, places you'll likely never need to visit? If the answer is yes, then boy, this spot is for you! Although not officially named the "world's largest pair or binoculars," it probably could be! Good for pulling over, snapping a photo, and then moving along.

The history is so important. Went to a pop-up event held in a parking lot with my daughter. Only…read morestreet parking is available and we parked about 3 blocks away. The stalls were Filipinos who are small businesses selling their goods: Christmas ornaments, jewelry, clothing, small toys, etc. There was a DJ playing some rocking music. Next door was Hi-Fi Kitchen selling delicious Filipino food. Ube For U Bae was featured selling delicious homemade Ube desserts. We went home with a mini-feast. We had a good time and we even ran in to some friends. I'd highly recommend!

This particular mural is placed prominently on the corner of Beverly and Union. It's colorful but…read moreto use this as a landmark for the Filipino Town in Los Angeles doesn't really make sense to me. Why? The mural doesn't represent anything Filipino about it. It shows an astronaut in it but no Filipinos has ever been in space. There's also what look like a train but not sure what it symbolizes. I'd rather see a mural depicting a small barrio with a nipa hut, a farmer with his carabao, kids playing in the street, or people celebrating a town fiesta.

One of the two tunnels that go under Wilshire (the one closer to Park View Street) connecting the…read moretwo halves of MacArthur Park, is covered in 10 graffiti-style murals promoting education, music, Christianity, clean and sober living, and achieving dreams. Some of the murals are a bit horrific, showing a woman seemingly poisoning her child with drugs and skeletal people chained by poverty. The murals are all vibrant, and most of the people who go through the tunnel tend to ignore the art. When Brandon D. and I walked through and started taking pictures, it was then that others stopped to look. A couple of men remarked that they never really paid attention to the art on the walls before. Since this is a tunnel, the murals can be hard to see, even during the day when bright light floods the passage. The paint that was used is somewhat shiny, so it further makes it difficult to see from certain angles. However, looking down the tunnel from the lake side before sunset is glorious as all the colors pop from that angle. Graffiti art has this stigma attached, and really it's a vivid and versatile form. Glad to see someone's putting it toward positive messages.