John Lennon, The Dakota & Strawberry Fields

On December 8, 1980 John Lennon was murdered outside of his home at the Dakota at 1 West 72 Street on the Upper West Side in New York City. The nearby Strawberry Fields and Imagine Mosaic in Central Park were built as a memorial to the iconic musician and Beatles singer, and to this day you'll still find fans and buskers paying tribute to Lennon and his music here. 

 

The Final Days of the Mirage Las Vegas

After 34 years in operation, the Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada closed its doors this week. The former home of Siegfried and Roy, Beatles Love, and the iconic erupting volcano is now set to become another "remember when" on the Vegas Strip as Hard Rock completely transforms the property through 2027.

Over the last few years, following the sale and eventual closure announcement, I've made a point of coming back here a handful of times to explore. It really was a unique place. Even through the cigarette smoke, the Polynesian theme made the Mirage one of the best smelling casinos.

The construction of the Mirage in 1989 would forever change Las Vegas and inspire a lot of future construction through the 1990s. It was touted as the first mega-resort on the Strip and was the brainchild of Steve Wynn. It kicked off an era of spectacular free street shows - which themselves have been largely disappearing.

For me, the Mirage was cemented in my brain because of all the Vegas Vacation reruns on TBS back in the day. What a time to grow up! At least I've now got a lot of embarrassing pictures of myself here as an adult to remember it all. Farewell to the Mirage.

 

Hotel Saskatchewan in Regina, Saskatchewan

Opened in 1927, Hotel Saskatchewan is one of Canada's grand railway hotels and is located prominently on the edge of Victoria Park in downtown Regina, Saskatchewan. Constructed by the Canadian Pacific Railway, Hotel Saskatchewan was the fourteenth hotel in the CPR's nationwide chain and has maintained its standing as one of Regina's most luxurious accommodations. 

On their visits to Saskatchewan, the Royal Suite at Hotel Saskatchewan has hosted world leaders and celebrities like the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, and Queen Elizabeth II. 

Hotel Saskatchewan in 1930.

As a teenager I moved to Regina to attend the film school at the university here. While staying at Hotel Saskatchewan was out of the question back then, on this recent travel shoot back I thought a suite would be a nice way of upgrading my nostalgia for 'the Queen City'.

Archival postcard of Hotel Saskatchewan.

 

Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California

Opened in 1923, the Millennium Biltmore is a landmark hotel and designated historic-cultural monument located across from Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles, California. 

The Millennium Biltmore Hotel has been the setting for a long list of notable moments in pop culture history. Guests over the decades are too numerous to list, but in short they span movie stars, politicians, musicians, and A-listers from Charlie Chaplin to Taylor Swift.

The Biltmore Hotel hosted eight Academy Awards ceremonies throughout the 1930s, it's here that JFK became the presidential nominee during the 1960 Democratic National Convention, and it's where the Beatles came to stay on their first U.S. tour in 1964. 

If some of these locations look familiar that's not surprising either, the Biltmore has been a filming location for movies including Beverly Hills Cop, Ghostbusters, and Independence Day - TV shows like 24 and Mad Men - and music videos for Britney Spears and Ed Sheeran.