But nothing in my tenure here has compared to January 2025, when the entire city seemed to be surrounded by fire—and two communities were flattened in the blink of an eye.
I can't even speak to what so many people went through, losing their homes and possessions and all sense of safety. I can only document a little bit of it, and help preserve the memory of some of our public places with the photos I've taken and the stories I've written.
The more time that passes, the more it feels that I have a certain duty to share these stories and spread the word about places in danger of being lost, and places that have been spared and saved (including those from the Eaton and Palisades fires and the Sunset Fire at Runyon Canyon).
Because for as much as we mourn and grieve, we must also pay attention, intervene, and celebrate.
We couldn't manage to hold onto Pacific Dining Car. Or David Lynch. But the building that once housed Corky's returned to its former Googie glory. The Crystal Cave in Sequoia National Park finally reopened. And The Los Angeles Breakfast Club turned 100.
While those all got their own new blog posts, here are the updates I made to older posts in 2025:
- Photo Essay: Powering the Railway to the Clouds [Updated for 2025] - The historic Mt. Lowe Railway power house survived the January 2025 Eaton Fire and the vintage shop that occupies it managed to reopen.
- Photo Essay: The Tiny Trains of Christmas Tree Lane, Upon the 100th Anniversary of Its First Lighting [Updated for 2025] - The Christmas Tree Lane Model Railroad survived the Eaton Fire and reopened for the 2025 holiday season.
- Photo Essay: These Hobbit Houses Are a Long Way from Middle Earth (Updated for 2025) - Considering the new owner also owns the Spadena House in Beverly Hills, I'm considering the sale of the Hobbit Houses a preservation win.
- The Haunt on McLaughlin: A Neighborhood Gem Along Halloween Yard Displays (Updated for 2025) - The creator had previously announced he was moving with his family, but they decided to stay!
- Photo Essay: Preserving and Restoring a Death Valley Mining Camp With A Breathtaking View (Updated for 2025) - Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places!
- Photo Essay: Lunch at the Waldorf Astoria New York, Upon Its Closing [Updated for 2025—Reopened!] - When it closed in 2017, it didn't seem like the Waldorf-Astoria would function again as a hotel, but now it's back!
- Keeping Tabs on Montrose Bowl — Renovated, With New Owners - Montrose Bowl seems to be doing great! I like the updates and the open bowling is a nice touch.
- Photo Essay: Back to the Future's 1955 and 1985 Locations, Upon the 35th Anniversary of Its Release [Updated for 2025] - Universal provided access to Courthouse Square (pictured above) during this year's FanFest.
- Photo Essay: The Jewel Box of the Cosmetic World and Its Pink Powder Puff (Updated for 2025) - Nothing really happened this year, but I was pleased to report that the Mel's Drive-In is still operating in the former makeup studio and wig shop.
- Photo Essay: The Mystic Shrine for the Brotherhood of Ancient Angels [Updated for 2025] - Again nothing happened, but I was pleased to add more photos from a recent tour with Art Deco Society of Los Angeles
- Photo Essay: Blackbird Airpark, Before Open Hours [Updated for 2025—with Joe Davies Heritage Airpark] - No news here, just clarifying my confusion from my first visit
Photo: January 2025, via California State Parks
The Bad
- Photo Essay: A Hollywood Horseman's Legacy at Will Rogers State Historic Park [Updated for 2025-Burned Down] - A devastating loss in the Palisades Fire (pictured above)
- Photo Essay: The Bunny Museum Strikes Back [Updated for 2025—Burned Down] - A heartbreaking victim of the Eaton Fire
- Photo Essay: The Rite of Zorthian Ranch, By Invitation Only [Updated for 2025—Burned in the Eaton Fire] - Partially destroyed by the fire that leveled much of Altadena
- Photo Essay: Mt. Lowe's Inspiration Point to Altadena [Updated for 2025] - Another Eaton Fire loss
- Photo Essay: Royal Hawaiian Motel, Abandoned and For Sale (Circa 2011, Updated for 2025) - They finally tore it down.
- Photo Essay: Buck Owens' Crystal Palace, Home of the Bakersfield Sound [Updated for 2025—Closed] - Terrible news that the Crystal Palace has closed and no news on whether it will find another operator or what will happen to the museum artifacts.
- Requiem for Fry's, The Quirkiest Electronics Stores There Ever Were [Updated for 2025] - The store closed in 2021, but the building was finally demolished this year. Heartbreaking.
- Photo Essay: Derby House, Lloyd Wright's Mayan Fortress of Yucca In Concrete [Updated for 2025] - The Derby House was gutted and is now in disrepair, back on the market for somebody to save.
- Photo Essay: Mosaic Tile House, Venice [Updated for 2025—R.I.P. Cheri Pann]
- Photo Essay: The Stahl House, from Dusk to Night [Updated for 2025—For Sale] - Honestly, I'm worried.
- Photo Essay: 100 Years of Trona (Updated for 2025) - This is old news about the Mexican restaurant in the old movie theater, but I only just found out about it this year.
- Mexican Wrestling In a Mayan Porno Palace [Updated for 2025—Closed] - The Mayan as we know it closed, although it's supposed to reopen as a nightclub.
- Photo Essay: A Brewery Pit Stop at L.A.'s Union Station for the Homeward Bound (Updated for 2025—Closed) - This was news from back in 2024 but I updated this post with some photos of the vacancy.
- Photo Essay: Boney Island Gets Reanimated at Natural History Museum of Los Angeles [Updated for 2025] - Boney Island didn't return to NHMLA this year and took the year off. Will it return elsewhere?
It's Complicated
- Photo Essay: Pasadena's Christmas Neighborhood, Lighting Up For 71 Years and Counting [Updated for 2025] - While Upper Hastings Ranch experienced devastating loss, much of it was saved—enough to turn the lights back on for Christmas 2025.
- Photo Essay: Taking the CBS Out of Television City [Updated for 2025] - The Price is Right, The Bold and the Beautiful, and many others have moved out of this historic TV studio. But maybe the new mixed-use plan will be a great resource for the community?
- The Studio Built By The Little Tramp, Now Home to a Frog Named Kermit [Updated for 2025] - New buyers John Mayer and McG plan to preserve the historic Charlie Chaplin Studios, but the Jim Henson Company has moved out and sent away its most famous frog (pictured above).
- Photo Essay: Wild Wine Safari [Updated for 2025—Closed]
- This 1950s Coffee Shop Is Back, Baby! (Or, The Penguin Lives!) - Updated for 2025 (The Building's For Sale!) - Not sure what the sale of the building will mean for the business.
- Photo Essay: The Aztec Hotel's Mayan Legacy [Updated for 2025—For Sale] - Maybe the future new owner will actually do something with it.
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