California Trip

  Kelly visits the Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum in Joshua Tree. Purifoy's outdoor assemblages include found items from piles of discarded clutter spread out across this dry landscape. Where others saw junk, Noah saw poetry. An old friend of Noah's, Pat Brunty, walks the grounds with Kelly while sharing personal stories. Her next stop is Pioneertown, a quirky desert community with a Main Street built as an 1880s Old West motion picture set. She spends time with Gwen Barker and Eric Dean, co-owners of Rim Rock Ranch, to talk about the desert and preservation, and rides some horses.   Show Notes: Visit the Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum Help support the Noah Purifoy Foundation. Read more about Noah Purifoy in Voices in Contemporary Art (VoCA) and in the Guardian. Stay at the Rimrock Ranch Shop Rimrock Ranch Merch

  Kelly tours Lotusland with the Executive Director, Rebecca Anderson, to learn more about the eccentric Polish-American opera singer, horticulturist, and fashionista, Ganna Walska, who transformed 37-acres in Montecito, into a world-renowned botanical garden. Lotusland features a wide variety of rare and exotic plants from around the world and is known for its unique and fanciful garden designs.   Show Notes: Visit Lotusland. Read more about Ganna Walska in The New York Times Make a Donation to Lotusland Follow Lotusland on Instagram. Read Lotusland: An Ecological Experiment That Worked Volunteer in various areas at Lotusland. The Remarkable Jewelry Collection of Madame Ganna Walska at Sotheby's Read Ganna Walska's Autobiography, Always Room at the Top Shop more books on Lotusland

  Kelly and Yola Jimenez sip Yola Mezcal at her R.M. Schindler home office, nestled in a residential neighborhood overlooking Silverlake. They engage in a spirited conversation on the traditions of Mezcal, the women who work in Yola Mezcal's facilities, Southern California architecture, and their love of the Golden State.   Show Notes: The women who work Yola Mezcal facilities receive direct pay, fair wages, and childcare. Learn more by visiting Yola Mezcal. Pick up a bottle of Yola Mezcal or if you are local at Silverlake Wine.‍ Read more about the story and process of Yola Mezcal. Follow on Instagram ‍ Learn more about the architect R.M Schindler

  Kelly explores Manzanar National Historic Site, a former Japanese American internment camp from World War II, accompanied by Supervisory Park Ranger Alisa Lynch for a guided tour.  Afterwards, she meets with Bruce Embrey, son of Sue Kunitomi Embrey, a former incarceree at Manzanar. They convene at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo in downtown Los Angeles to discuss Bruce's dedication to preserving his mother's activism and life's work.   Show Notes: Visit the National Historic Site Manzanar. Donate and help preserve Manzanar. You can also donate Artifacts and Archives. If you have items that you would consider donating to the park, or if you have any questions, please contact the site at 760-878-2194, ext. 3310 or e-mail. ‍ Learn more about The Manzanar Committee. Details for Sue Kunitomi Embrey Student Awards Program. Visit the Japanese American National Museum. Support the AAPI Community Fund. Consider following and getting involved: Stop APPI Hate

  Kelly sits down with Kathy Jefferson Bancroft, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer from the Paiute-Shoshone Reservation in Kelly's backyard in Lone Pine. They discuss the role the Owens Valley has played in California's history, Kathy's efforts in preserving tribal traditions, ways to be an ally, and the importance of voting.   Show Notes: Get involved Owen Valley Indian Water Commission. Resources on the Paiute-Shoshone and the Native Heritage Commission. Learn more about Kathy Jerfferson Bancroft's efforts. Check to see if you are Registered to Vote or Sign up to Vote (will take 2 minutes)

Kelly hits the road to Lone Pine, an unassuming High Desert community where she's a part-time resident. Unlike the bustling cities and famous landmarks in California, Lone Pine is a hidden oasis that even native Californians often overlook. Her first stop is Cerro Gordo, a historic ghost town that played a crucial role in shaping modern Los Angeles. She talks with the sole resident, Brent Underwood. Afterward, she meets with author/film historian Chris Langley in the heart of Lone Pine to delve deeper into the area's rich history. Lone Pine's complex and quintessentially American story makes it the ideal place to begin our road trip adventure.   Show Notes: Watch Brent Underwood's Ghost Town Living YouTube Channel. Follow Brent Underwood on Instagram and Cerro Gordo. Read more on Cerro Gordo in the LA Times. Shop the Cerro Gordo website. Visit the Museum of Western Film History. Buy Chris Langley's Books Lone Pine and Lone Pine and the Movies: How Westerns Shaped the American Experience. Learn more about The Metabolic Studio.