Phillippe's

Philippe’s is a little place in downtown LA that supposedly invented the French dip sandwich.  And French dip sandwiches are exactly what they serve here.  According to the website, they have been in business since 1908.  That’s especially remarkable when you consider that in 1908, there was nothing in LA.

Philippe’s is all about “no frills”.  You want a sandwich?  There’s a sandwich, some meat, some bread, and some of the sauce from the roasts.  That’s it.

Even if you’re into hot stuff, I recommend that you watch out for the mustard.  Go easy.  Go really, really easy.  Don’t squirt it directly onto your sandwich.  Just wave your sandwich over the bottle.  I even would go as far as to suggest that you don’t look at the bottle too long because you may develop cataracts.  Trust me.

 Philippe’s is the local spot that has been here longer that any of the locals.  Bench seating and sawdust on the floor make this an especially unique place.   Definitely worth a stop.

Downtown Disney - Originally Published 2009

I made an important decision about my future.  If I ever have a son, I’m going to make a big deal about his first trip to Disneyland.  For about six weeks straight, I’m going to get him really excited about the place.  By the time we park, he’s going to float across the parking lot.

But in reality, I’m actually going to just take him to Downtown Disney.  What’s the point?  While it may be a magic kingdom, the last time I checked they’re charging a pretty penny for a piece of that magic.  By having a crappy time a Downtown Disney, my little kidney donor will never ask to go again.  Sure, he may be sullen and end up moving to France so that he can sulk in a café, dear old dad will never have to part with his money.

So what exactly is Downtown Disney?  There are a few restaurants and a few stores.  There is even a House of Blues.  Unlike its two upscale cousins, Disneyland and California Adventure, it doesn’t cost a dime to get in.  It’s a way to get a taste of the Disney lifestyle without parting with the cash.

Now it may sound like I’m negative on this experience.  Maybe I am.  But at the same time, Mickey has done something remarkable here.  He’s provided for a clean and safe place for folks to gather.  Very clever, Mickey.  Very clever, indeed.

Ripley's Believe It Or Not Buena Park - Originally Published 2009

It’s kind of hard to describe who Robert Ripley was.  Basically, he was a cartoonist that traveled the world attempting to document the unusual.  If you ever are in Buena Park, you can stop by the Believe It Or Not Museum and take a look at what he spent his life pursuing.

Located on Beach Boulevard, the museum is almost directly across from Knott’s Berry Farm.

We have driven past this place hundreds of times, dismissing it as some cheesy tourist trap.  That’s Robert Ripley seated on the airplane fuselage.  

You see this?  This is a genuine Papua New Guinea penis sheath.  This is what convinced me that this wasn’t going to be the usual museum.

The first part of the museum is devoted to bric-a-brac that an early twentieth century explorer would collect in Africa and “the Orient”, such as a hippo skull.

 A quick word before you proceed.  This place is not pc.  If you want pc, go jump in the lake.  The old clips use words like “orient”.  Also, a portion of the display is devoted to displaying odd humans.

That’s right, odd humans like this guy who had four pupils.  This is not done in the name of science like The Learning Channel pretends to do.  It’s done because people enjoy looking at the unusual.  Just remember the lessons learned from Todd Browning’s Freaks and you’ll be all right.

There are also a number of other unusual items made by people, such as this picture made from dryer lint.

Or this copy of “The Last Supper” made completely out of toast.

Ripley’s is a great place to go on a lazy afternoon.  As you go through, make sure to count the number of items made out of human hair.

Turtle Bay Exploration Park - Originally Published 2009

Time for another multiple page entry.  If you have the time, I recommend a stop at the Turtle Bay Exploration Park.  Just off of Interstate 5, the park sits on the Sacramento River in the town of Redding.  There is plenty to see here.  It makes a nice stop to stretch you legs and get a little culture.

First stop is the visitor center.  You can pick up a map of the park and buy tickets to the museum exhibitions.  However, it is possible to see some of the park without purchasing tickets so take a look at the map before rushing to invest.

My guess is that this is the oldest part of the park.  The inside of the Paul Bunyon Forest camp doesn’t have a lot going on.  There are some old saws, a few taxidermied animals, and some information on logging.  There is a some renovation going on so maybe the goal is to dress this place up a bit.  Stop in if you have already paid the admission, but it is the weakest section of the park.

This was a great surprise.  During the summer months, the park opens two special exhibits.  In one exhibit, you can wander and feed birds.

This was an especially aggressive parakeet.

 The park imports a collection of butterflies for the second park of the exhibit.  Very nice.

On to The Turtle Bay Museum

The Turtle Bay Museum is a well put together place with permanent exhibits themed around the Sacramento River and two traveling exhibits.

This is a great aquarium featuring fresh water fish found in the Sacrament River watershed.

Luckily, the day we happened upon Turtle Bay, the museum was hosting one traveling exhibit called “A T. Rex Named Sue” and one featuring Lego art.

Aside from being one mean pile of bones, Sue is supposed to be the most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil ever found.

Right next door was a display of art made by using Lego bricks.

Listen up, architecture fans.  Right here in Redding, you can find an example of Santiago Calatrava’s work.

Not familiar with his body of work?  Don’t worry, neither was I.  The important thing is that you don’t have to know who he is in order to appreciate his work.

 The Sundial is a footbridge that spans the Sacramento and joins that northern part of the park with the southern.  One impressive think about it is that is does not make any direct contact with the river.

 Another is that it really is a working sundial.

Shasta Caverns - Originally Published 2009

Lake Shasta is the self-proclaimed houseboat capital of the world.  It is also home to the Shasta Caverns, a privately held set of caves that make for a nice diversion after endless hours on Interstate 5.

 Now, if you go take a look at the website or take a glance at the literature available at the Caverns’ gift store, you will notice that this trip proudly bills itself as “Three Adventures in One”.  The third adventure is the cave.  Two other adventures?  Here is the first.  A ride on a pontoon boat across Lake Shasta.  Guess the pace of life is slower in this part of the world if a pontoon boat qualifies as an adventure.

 You see that bus?  That’s adventure number two.  Yup.  I’m not judging.  Just pointing out that things must be a little slow if a ride on a bus is an adventure.

 Now, before I sound like a stuck up city slicker, I need to tell you that the views from the visitor center are amazing.  The day we went, it was very warm and very clear.  Shasta really is a beautiful place.

 If you have never been in a cave before, this is a great place to start.  It’s pretty user friendly and not overly strenuous.  Aside from that, these caves have some really amazing formations.

 The tour itself really doesn’t take that long, maybe an hour at the most.  Luckily, the tour guide was knowledgeable and had a fair amount of personality.

 I’d like to give you a map with directions, but the website only has GPS coordinates.  Basically, head north on the 5.  You will cross Lake Shasta and there should be some signs along the side of the road after that.