Many believe that Delta bluesman Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads Blues” is a recounting of a Faustian bargain, giving his soul to the Devil in exchange for extraordinary musical talent. The story goes that Satan granted Johnson amazing abilities but as the guitarist was enjoying the benefits of his newfound powers two years later, el Diablo reached out and snatched his … [Read more...] about The Reign of the Red Rocker
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Randy Reinstedt Makes History Fun
It seems that being a newspaper delivery boy can have a profound effect on a man’s avocation. Warren Buffett and Sam Walton both began their business careers as paperboys. And Pacific Grove’s Randall “Randy” Reinstedt gained a lifelong fascination of the history of his native Monterey Peninsula while running a route for the Monterey Peninsula Herald. Eventually that passion led … [Read more...] about Randy Reinstedt Makes History Fun
California Highway 1
Among the world’s most famous thoroughfares is the 100-mile,two-lane blacktop that snakes along the Big Sur coast from Carmel to Cambria. It offers up some of the most stunning views anywhere, regularly popping up on travel writers’ bucket lists and at the head of top driving destination lists. Its official name is the Big Sur Coast Highway, but it was originally the Carmel-San … [Read more...] about California Highway 1
The Good Old Days, Every Day
No other Monterey Peninsula city has as many nicknames as does Pacific Grove. A sampling: “Butterfly Town, USA,” “Pagrovia,” “A Piney Paradise,” “God’s Kingdom by the Sea,” “The Last Hometown,” “A Dreamy Seaside Sanctuary” and “The Most Romantic City in the U.S.” Those are the Chamber of Commerce-style monikers…most local residents refer to the cheerful town simply as, … [Read more...] about The Good Old Days, Every Day
The King of Cool
Just like car designs, movie stars come and go. Some are destined for the bone yard of obscurity like the Chevrolet Vega, AMC Pacer and the Yugo. Others, such as the Mercedes 300 SL gull-wing, the Shelby Cobra and the Porsche 911, live on and gain fame, popularity and cache as the decades pass. Steve McQueen sits firmly in the latter group. He’s an American icon, a true … [Read more...] about The King of Cool