San Simeon State Beach

They Sleep All Night And They Work All Day

Earlier this month residents of Hermitage Arms* were notified the property had been sold. The new owners have wasted no time in addressing long-neglected issues. Unfortunately one such issue is tree root damage to sewer lines and walkways, requiring the removal of this magnificent dendroid. There goes our afternoon shade, along with a thriving microclimate, home to innumerous creatures (insert sad face here).

 

*New name TBD. A flyer was posted soliciting suggestions

 with a $500 prize going to the winning resident.

 However, the new name was supposed to be announced

 a week ago so there is some mystery regarding the outcome.

The Restaurant(s) At The End Of T̶h̶e̶ ̶U̶n̶i̶v̶e̶r̶s̶e Soda Lake Road

(Disclaimer: These are actually located about 2 miles from the end of Soda Lake Road where it intersects with CA 58)

Several years ago the owner of the California Valley Motel (née Lodge) got what he thought was a deal on a couple of modular Rally's/Checkers drive-in restaurants. ($50K a piece). His fast food dreams came to a screeching halt after he discovered the price of permits and attendant infrastructure came to over a million smackeroos. So now the derelict drive-ins sit forlornly (can a modular building be forlorn?) behind the motel, gradually succumbing to the elements.

One Of Our Cooler Posts

"The Barn" Antique Store / Santa Margarita CA

Vintage Hotel Postcard Category: Pete Townshend Stayed Here.

Casual fans might be aware of the song "Sheraton Gibson" from Pete's first solo album. The Valencia Hotel (below) probably doesn't ring a bell unless you're a TSG regular and saw our earlier post "Townshend Tales: Goings-on at the La Valencia Hotel".

 

TSG'S Road Trip Dessert Treat Of Choice

Talk about rich chocolatey goodness! First encountered on offer from a hotel vending machine in Fredericksburg TX, Little Debbie's Cosmic Brownies are our go-to pick whenever we're on the road.

Now We See The Violence Inherent In The System

Alternate title: The Fremont Theater Boo Boo

Restoration work on the facade of  SLO's Fremont Theater came to a halt earlier this year due to storm damage. A large chunk of the marquee fell off which resulted in a section of the main drag being shut down. The folks in charge had a sense of humor about it though.

View From Room 209

Morro Bay CA

Grasshoppers @ The Zoo

Seen in the window of the artsy-craftsy Tessuti Zoo shoppe in Pacific Grove CA. Unfortunately they were closed, otherwise we would've added one to the TSG collection.

86'd In The Park Crest Parking Lot

We're taking this as a good sign that everything's under CONTROL and KAOS won't be erupting in town this weekend.

The ̶M̶o̶t̶e̶ Spiderweb in ̶G̶o̶d̶'̶s Dennis' Eye

El Estero Park / Monterey CA

(Apologies to Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven)

Rare Bird Alert

No, we're not talking about the 2011 album by Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers

The bird in question today: a ring-necked pheasant, spotted wandering around the complex this morning. In over 30 years living in Willow Glen, this is a first for us, although sightings have been reported in the area on local birding sites

Baja Remix 2026

As usual this didn't come out quite the way I had in mind, but when AI is involved sometimes you just have to go with what it gives you. 

The Flipbook Experiment

TSG has long been interested in the flipbook format as an alternative to slideshow videos. There are a number of online options for creators so we decided to take advantage of a free trial*. These are mostly from the May 1954 edition of The Wide World Magazine, so don't get too excited if you see something you want.

 

*Editor's note: reading the terms and conditions of the trial, 

it is unclear if the flipbook will be accessible after 14 days.

 Stay tuned for further developments.

The BB* Graveyard

 *Badminton Birdie

A heap o' discarded shuttlecocks seen in the parking lot of Can-AM Elite Badminton Club. We felt the original images lacked a certain je ne sais quoi so we threw in a couple of spiffed up-versions created with the google photos "remix" tool. 

Allergy Warning: This Post Contains NUTmobile

Like the Wienermobile, the NUTmobiles (there are 3 of them) make promotional stops all over the country, spreading their message of peanutty goodness. Yesterday's stop in San Jose was at the Winchester Mystery House. 

Where Grasshoppers Fear To ̶T̶r̶e̶a̶d̶ ̶ Hop

According to their website, Menahga, MN is "a hidden gem in central Minnesota that offers the perfect blend of natural beauty, rich history, and small-town hospitality."

 

But...for certain members of the animal kingdom, there's a dark, dangerous presence one encounters upon entering the town. 

St. Urho Statue in front of Menahga Area Museum

From the plaque beneath the statue:

 

THE LEGEND OF ST. URHO
ONE OF THE LESSER KNOWN, BUT EXTRAORDINARY LEGENDS OF AGES PAST IS THE LEGEND OF ST. URHO-PATRON SAINT OF THE FINNISH VINEYARD WORKERS.
BEFORE THE LAST GLACIAL PERIOD WILD GRAPES GREW WITH ABUNDANCE IN THE AREA NOW KNOWN AS FINLAND. THE WILD GRAPES WERE THREATENED BY A PLAGUE OF GRASSHOPPERS UNTIL ST. URHO BANISHED THE LOT OF THEM WITH A FEW SELECTED FINNISH WORDS...

"HEINASIRKKA, HEINASIRKKA. MENETAALTA HIITEEN" (TRANSLATED: "GRASSHOPPER, GRASSHOPPER, GO AWAY!")

 

 The town celebrates St. Urho's Day on March 16th every year. It's one festivity we don't plan on attending.

 

 
 

TSG Bootleg Series #1: Greg Kihn @ Embarcadero Plaza 1978

Please excuse the mediocre sound quality (do those drums sound like cardboard boxes or what?) The audio source is an almost 50 year-old cassette ripped using a tape deck of similar vintage. 

Poptart Predator: Penny Pac-Man

The cessation of penny minting does not bode well for this time-honored tradition. 

Vertical-Axis Wind Turbines, Somewhere In The Mojave

We encountered these 20-odd years ago on (we think) Red Rock-Randsburg Road between CA 14 and US 395.  There doesn't seem to be any info available online, but inquiries have been made. Possible update to follow. 

Not Your Typical Music-Related Souvenir

Confetti from KISS Concert Finale. Oakland Coliseum, August 22, 1976

Moment Of Zen (Zion Edition)

Last Year's Photo Highlights

A tiny sampling of something like 11,000 images taken/scanned in 2025