USS Missouri Battleship, Pearl Harbor

Located at Pearl Harbor in Oahu, Hawaii, the USS Missouri is the site of the official surrender of the Japanese which brought an end to World War II. Commissioned in 1940, this was the last battleship the United States produced. It served in WWII, the Korean War, and the Persian Gulf. 

Today this impressive battleship is a museum, and is docked facing, symbolically on-guard of, the USS Arizona Memorial. The position of these two landmarks also reflects where World War 2 began and ended (certainly for the United States that is). You can view the sunken wreckage of the Arizona from the deck of the Missouri, which combines the narratives of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor with the Japanese surrender that ended the conflict.

It's difficult to describe the scale of this ship, especially its massive guns. You almost can't imagine them firing. Exploring the deck and several of the corridors was eye-opening - not just because of the history, but because it's such an impressive show of strength. Touring a battleship, especially one with such an illustrious record, is a pretty epic experience.

Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri. September 2, 1945.

USS Oklahoma Memorial

Movie Colony Hotel in Palm Springs

One of the things I look for when traveling is a unique, trendy and/or historic property to stay in. I found all of these things at the Movie Colony Hotel in Palm Springs, California. The property is located in the historic Movie Colony neighborhood, named for the numerous homes of movie stars that used to live here in the 1930's to 1960's. Notable residents included Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Cary Grant, Jack Benny, and Bing Crosby to name a few.

Designed in 1935 by famed architect, Albert Frey, the Movie Colony Hotel is a prime example of Desert Modern architecture. It was one of his first projects, and it only seemed to further fuel his love of the Palm Springs area. Among many other notable buildings, Frey also designed both the Aerial Tramway Station and the Palm Springs City Hall.  

The property went on to become a popular hangout for celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. There's even a bit of folklore about Jim Morrison of The Doors leaping off of the balcony of townhouse #29 into the pool here. Today the Movie Colony is a 16 room boutique hotel, and for me, it was my hub for a week as I continued my California photo series and road trip. 

Architect Albert Frey