At the grand and venerable Moana Hotel might seem a bit like a cat with nine lives. The gracious hotel was originally built among one and two-story summer residences and small bungalows on the sands of Waikiki at the turn of the 20th century—the first of its kind geared to the newly-hatched tourist trade. Today…
Thirty miles south of San Francisco—and about 100 yards south of the Pulgas Water Temple—is the entrance to Filoli, a magnificent country estate surrounded by stunning formal gardens.It was the retirement home of Grass Valley’s Empire Mine magnate, William Bowers Bourn, and his wife, Agnes. As owner and president of the Spring Valley Water Company,…
Drive south on the I-280 as it passes through Redwood City, and you just may catch a glimpse of a small Grecian-looking temple located near the side of the road below. The structure looks remarkably out of place against the surrounding grasslands rimmed by coastal mountains.This is the Pulgas Water Temple (“pulgas” means “fleas” in…
A while back, I finally did it . . . pulled a U-turn on busy Magnolia Boulevard in Sherman Oaks and circled back to the retro-looking “Horace Heidt’s Magnolia Estate Apartments” sign. Curiosity had finally gotten the best of me. I drove into the dated-looking complex and followed a lane that meandered past small bungalows, two-story…
