Remember when you were a kid, and you'd watch those toy commercials on TV showing kids playing with…read moresome action figure or vehicle? ...and somehow, those TV kids had managed to turn their backyard into a miniature tropical island, complete with small houses, paved streets, palm trees and rain forest Flora, an actual stream with running water, simulated topography with at least four different kinds of ground cover... and you begged and pleaded for your mom to go out and buy that toy for you, then came home and used it to do jumps off the sofa or coffee table? I think of that every time I come to the fair, and see the garden railroad. It is like one of those toy commercials, hopped up on some kind of genetically modified extraterrestrial steroid. There has to be at least a mile of track, looping and twisting through a scale miniature landscape or tiny buildings, mountains, people, and landforms. And in those tracks run several model trains. During the Fair, the displays are in full operation. During the year, there are regular hours of operation for tours and Q&A with the volunteer staff who keep the garden railroad in good repair. Walk along the western fence line for the best view, and to see the miniature SoCal landmarks from the surrounding area. I'm not into trains the way, say, Huell Howser was I to asking Captain Obvious questions ("Now Carl, is this an actual DESK???" "... Yes, Huell, that's a desk.") But any visitor here can appreciate the countless hours, the painstaking attention to detail, and the sheer number of dateless Friday and Saturday nights that went into making this place. "Can we play with the trains, daddy?" Well, no... In fact, you really can't touch them or even stare at them like you're THINKING about touching them in front of the engineers. But so long as you're on the right side of the 8 foot wrought iron perimeter fence line, you can watch those big-kid senior citizens operate the trains they worked so hard to build, their youthful toy commercial come to life in amazing, terrifying delight.

The Fairplex Garden Railroad is touted as the "oldest and possibly the largest miniature railroad…read moreof its kind in the United States and possibly the world." It first opened at the 1924 LA County Fair and as it grew, it moved from a fair exhibit to a permanent fixture at the Pomona Fairplex. It can be viewed during the annual county fair in September, but is also available year round during special events or on specific days listed on their website (http://fgrr.org/calendar.html). It is located between the Main Grandstand and Fairplex Building #4. If you're here during the fair, I would suggest getting a map to navigate your way around! It is run by volunteers and hobbyists and is free to visit, although they willingly accept donations to maintain it. Even if you are not a huge fan of trains and miniatures, it's still really cool to see and the price is certainly right! From the days of the gold rush and the old west to modern day buildings, everything is miniaturized, even the plants and people. The individuals who create the scenes really pay attention to detail. It almost reminds me of a miniature Disneyland! A great place to take kids and the volunteers there love these miniature trains and towns and will answer your questions and educate you on this mini world! Choo choo!

Always a highlights of the Christmas season. This year we took our God daughter for the first time…read more It's always a blast and the kids love it. It's a 2 mile walk so bring a stroller for the little ones if you're not driving it. Last year we noticed quite a few houses not participating though :(

Little late but boy, this is definitely one of the best light displays in southern california…read more Would absolutely come back. Good for families to enjoy the holiday spirit and light shows. Be prepared for car and foot traffic. In my opinion, it's better to walk the streets and get a better view of each house.

There's no place like home! As fun as Begas was the past few days, I can't describe how joyful and…read morerelieved I feel to be almost home in my beloved Pomona! See attached two videos of the 15South on the way back from Vegas to Pomona!

My Dad used to have a furniture shop with a couple partners in the City of Pomona back in the early…read more1980's. He was in the business of manufacturing sofas aka couches. Later on, they moved the shop to the City of Montclair. As an young teenager, I would help sew pillows at my Dad's shop. My Mom would sew the cushions and pillows. My younger brothers would fill the pillows. It was a family affair. Every time I drive into Pomona, it would bring me back to the good old days with my Dad, Mom, and brothers at the shop. Miss you Dad! Nowadays, I know Pomona as a place I bring my Mom to go recycle cardboard and pilates as there are a couple recycling centers in this city that she likes to go to. There are shops and restaurants on Holt Blvd that I used to visit in the past. Pho Ha on Indian Hill Blvd used to be my parents go-to lunch spot back in the days. There is the indoor swap meet for those who want to snatch some good deals. Hoa Binh is a popular Asian supermarket that's been around for decades. A lot of the buildings are somewhat dated in Pomona. The streets could be better well maintained. Of course, every city has its old and new. Whatever brings us to the city is what we resonate with. Remember, always find good in everything and everyplace.

Another new addition to Asian American Expo, Sneaker Expo!…read more Entry tickets to Asian American Expo, also gave entry to Sneaker Expo along with K-Play Fest and Anime Impulse! This event took place at the same time at exhibit hall 8. For their first year running, it was very impressive that they took over the entire hall and that they had a pretty good crowd going around. To be honest, I am extremely far removed from this kind of culture, but it was still neat to look around. There's lots of, of course sneakers and shoes, of which I assume are high quality and highly sought after and lots of trendy street fashion style clothes. Lots of vintage and anime collaboration clothing which was really neat. Loved how the vendors would decorate their booths as well. There were some cars at this hall, a place to shoot some hoops, and a trading area for shoes too? Perfect if you're a sneaker collector. I didn't think I'd get anything for free here, but I got a free lighter. Nice, thank you ! I also thought it was super funny, but I immediately got hit by a huge wall of vape juice/weed smell entering here haha. Vibes are on point!

Amazing. At The Commons shopping center with lots of restaurants and stores, you will find this one…read moresingle Egyptian Building sitting at the very end of a lot with lots of parking available. Odd place, but worth it for people looking to explore new photo spots. It's just a very small section outside. Egyptian hieroglyphics and feeling like you are someplace abroad for a moment. This is just one odd building in a rare spot. Maybe the developer didn't get funding during and after pandemic to build something else here or expand from the idea. It's unique. There were contractors working inside/maintenance work. Nothing to see other than exterior of building. Good photo spot. The U.S. needs to build more unique spots like this or more local museums would be pretty cool. Free public viewing. Good work of art to appreciate.

Can't go to Egypt right now?? You can.... well, sort of!! This life-size Abu Simbel replica is one…read moreof my favorite Southern California spots for photos because the backdrop makes it look like you accidentally teleported into an archeological expedition!! Super random, super cool, and definitely worth stopping by if you're in the area. Your Instagram followers are gonna swear youre actually in Egypt!!! Pro tip: Prom/Hoco pics look super cool here!!!

*Drive Through Only!!! No walking …read more. *open December 5, 2025 - December 24,2025 *5 pm -11 pm Stay in the slow long line , don't even think of trying to veer off and thinking you can cut in from a few blocks down. The area is blocked off with traffic officers directing traffic. lines will be very long , just breathe deep and be patience take in the holiday festive lights . Appreciate all the neighbors for their dedication to put up the holiday displays for everyone to enjoy . Thank you:)

Thoroughbred has become a family tradition for the past 9 years. Especially during their walking…read moredays. As a a dad of two it's even more amazing seeing your children's face when they see all the decorated houses. My biggest recommendation is to come during a week day and avoid rush hours (6-8:30). The traffic does get pretty bad. If possible visit during the walking days, which are typically the first 4 days of December. We've walked and driven through the street with minimal foot/car traffic and it does make looking at the lights even more special. Benefits of walking is that you are able to take your time and admire everyone's work, benefit of driving is staying warm in your car all while playing some Christmas music. Thank you to all the residents for keeping the tradition alive!!!

Get ready to eat.... a lot…read more As a foodie, I was so excited to attend this event. We went Sunday about a hour after the event opened. You should also to make sure to bring lots of cash because it makes life easier! I had some notable dishes... Including truffle fries from Mangia Mangia (a food truck from San Diego) and some very delicious lobster ravioli in a sauce that was a mix of alfredo and marinara. Next stop.. Desimigo for some veggie samosas! They had the right amount of chutney and spice on these delicious fried indian treats. As my friends were waiting in line for their samosas, I waited in line for about 40 minutes for the Cousin Maine Lobster truck. The lobster was definitely delicious and worth the wait! I ordered the Maine lobster roll and the lobster was cool, delicious, and very very fresh. The staff was also fun and had a great sense of humor. As we were walking around, our attention was caught immediately by HUGE eggrolls. So we ventured over to the MO Eggrolls. They were out of the tuna salad one that I really wanted to try, but their roasted veggie/hummus was very tasty. It came with a hot sauce and a delicious Kosher Dill pickle. Add a couple beers on to the bill and we were literally rolling ourselves out of there.

This is by far the best place to find all of those trucks you hear about on the Food Network and…read moreCooking Channel. I was finally able to try all of the trucks I have been following on Twitter for more than a year. I must-try list is as follows: 1.) Chunk-n-Chip 2.) FrySmith 3.)Waffle De Liege 4.) The Grilled Cheese Truck 5.) Don Chow And if you still have room after that: 6.) Paradise Cookie 7.) Cafe 2 U 8.) Suite 106 Cupcakery Eat well, fellow foodies. Eat well.

How quickly this spectacle was forgotten when the Endeavour tore through town…read more The LACMA Rock, which would later be stuck in place as their "Levitated Mass" and now sits mostly forgotten unless a herd of tourists wants to stand in front of it and take one of those corny perspective pictures of themselves trying to lift or push it, came through Southern California on surface roads. Avoiding freeways because it couldn't fit under bridges or overpasses, it had to go this slow, winding path from Riverside County. Well, the rock, wrapped up in white plastic like a frozen Butterball turkey, stopped for the night around the corner from my house. Honestly, Levitated Mass is far less interesting than the drama it was watching the rock get to LACMA. I ended up going out the night before to watch the damned thing turn a corner in La Mirada. There were 100 people already gathered. City vehicles were around to take down the street lights and make sure the wires were high enough, while police and paramedics parked their cars in the middle of the street to watch. One parked in front of a corner with a big group of on-lookers already standing there. An elderly lady, whose high-pitched voice occasionally rung out, "IS IT HERE YEEEET?!" started screeching from her lawn chair, "EXCUSE ME!! We were sitting HERE. You're blocking my view!!" and proceeded to throw her bedroom slippers at the ambulance. Then there was some drama with a stretch limo trying to come through the closed intersection and the police getting on their loudspeakers to tell it to move, to the roars of the crowd. While we waited for the rock to show up, got to talking with some of the people hanging around. Apparently this wasn't the first time a lot of them had seen the rock, with a few of them saying they'd been following along since Riverside. So yeah, the rock had groupies. It shows up with the biggest rig imaginable, with one truck pulling and two pushing. The rig was really long, with dozens upon dozens of tires. A low hanging tree ended up cracking and snapping as the branches got caught on the rock and ripped out. People ooh'd and ahh'd and then got in their cars to watch it make the next scheduled turn. I went home. Got up the next morning to get some cough syrup, still in my pajamas, and there it was next to the CVS with countless people from all around there to gawk at it as cars went by slowly, one at a time, since the traffic was cut down to one lane. Lots of impatient honking from people trying to get to the 605. It's sort of funny. Was this supposed to be performance art? It sort of inadvertently became such. It seemed like a bigger headache to get the LACMA rock around and yet people complained more abhorrently when the Endeavour came through in less than half the time. Can't wait for the next gargantuan thing a museum acquires for the betterment of the city's people to come rolling through to the tune of everyone's complaints and broadcasted yawns. Good grief.

I went to see the 340 ton rock on its way to the museum. I went on Friday and couldn't find it at…read morethe place it was supposed to be. It turns out they were 2 miles behind schedule and I just missed it when I got off the 71 freeway. On Saturday I found it and enjoyed seeing the truck it is on, but the rock is covered with an enormous trash bag. The museum has staff there passing out bookmarks with rock facts printed on it. Duane Johnson has nothing to do with it but it would be something to have their pictures together, eh?

As I stood staring at a Alfredo Ramos Martinez painting in an exhibition at the Santa Barbara…read moreMuseum of Art, a man approached and whispered to me that I should check out the murals in Claremont. Initially confused but better informed after a quick internet search, I made it a point to visit the murals at Scripps College as soon as possible. The garden is open for viewing only on weekdays and it's a wonderful place to relax. The mural occupies the 100-foot length of the south wall. Martinez began sketching all the images of The Flower Vendors in 1946 but he died unexpectedly in November of that year. What remains is a riveting work-in-progress frozen in time. I think it's a better mural, too, in its unfinished state. My favorite panel: a woman with an elaborate headdress, sketched in red with black accents, stares at the viewer with a seductive gaze. The panels that were completed are richly colored and look incredible (probably benefiting from the conservation efforts in 1994 by the Getty Endowment). Alfredo Ramos Martinez was called the father of the Mexican muralists and it's easy to see the work of Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and (Martinez student) David Alfaro Siqueiros in these images. I'm grateful to the man who whispered the existence of this mural into my consciousness.

I attended Scripps and loved these wonderful murals in Margaret Fowler Garden. It's worth a visit…read moreif you're in the area. It's tricky to find the gardens because they are walled, so ask for the Margaret Fowler Gardens.

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.