Tag: Orange County

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Chicken Boy and Bacon!

themuglytruth
Today’s episode, “Chicken Boy and Bacon,” is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

It’s SEPTEMBER. There are officially 21 days til Fall, 61 days til Halloween, 87 days til Thanksgiving, 116 days til Christmas, and, perhaps most importantly, 122 days til we can slam the damn door on 2020. People were shaking their heads saying, “What a year!” starting in March, we’re pretty sure, but now humankind is getting super close to closing it out for good. Has anyone checked the Mayan calendar to be SURE they weren’t actually talking about 2020? No? Could…you…you know…could someone do that just to be sure this isn’t actually the year we blow to smithereens?

But we’re getting way ahead of ourselves. Today, it’s still September, and only just, so we’re kicking off the month with a slew of subjects you can celebrate each and every day of the month. September kind of puts August to shame in its American and International days of observance, tbh. In today’s podcast, we mention some of the more quirky days such as No Rhyme or Reason Day, Lazy Mom’s Day, multiple Pizza Days and National Cheeseburger Day. But National Food Bank Day, World Beard Day, National Read a Book Day, National Ants on a Log Day, and National Teddy Bear Day are runners up if you’re interested in observing the off-beat. You can find the entire list of fun, sublime, and serious topics at nationaldaycalendar.com.

Although there were tons of days to talk about, Kym and Kris chose one day each to discuss in-depth, and you can’t get more adventurous and fun than CHICKEN BOY and BACON. As we said in the show, it really sounds like a fantastic premise to a new comic book and if anyone decides to do it just give us credit for the concept ya’ll!!

CHICKEN BOY

The statue of Chicken Boy in Highland Park, Los Angeles, CA. Photo by Marilyn Nix. License info here.

Today, September 1 is National Chicken Boy Day. We’ve never heard of it, and it’s got its roots here in California! For more information about Chicken Boy, and even better…how to observe this amazing day (including that link to the downloadable art to color and hashtag), go here or click on the sub-head above for the Wikipedia page.

But the place to be for all things Chicken Boy is at chickenboy.com where you can buy your fill of souvenirs, tee-shirts, and really geek out reading the blog. We seriously don’t understand how we’ve never known any of this before.

Talking about the Chicken Boy statue prompted a whole discussion about the various statues we’ve grown up with here in Orange County, CA:

Bob’s Big Boy

How many of our listeners and readers ate at a Bob’s Big Boy restaurant growing up? We miss that good old burger and fries diner experience. There are a few left in Southern California, but not many (5 to be exact). You can get a complete list of the restaurant’s locations throughout the United States here.

Photo of Big Boy, from a Bob’s Big Boy restaurant, courtesy Wikipedia (public domain).

Jack’s Chicken Broaster

As we discuss in the episode, the rooster that used to be in front of Jack’s Chicken Broaster in Orange, CA, is now sitting atop the same building, but with a new eatery called Taqueria El Nuevo Perico #2. That broasted chicken and potato wedges dinner was the best we’ve ever had.

The rooster is still atop what used to be Jack’s Chicken Broaster, and is now a Mexican restaurant in Orange, CA. Photo courtesy Kris Core. All rights reserved.

Hitch-N-Post

And just up the street from the rooster (literally, they are about a mile and a half apart on East Chapman Ave as you head for the hills), you’ll see the Red HP Horse standing proudly on top of the old Hitch-N-Post tack and feed store.

The red horse atop the Hitch-n-Post tack store in Orange, CA. Photo courtesy Kris Core. All rights reserved.

Western Exterminators

Apparently the Western Exterminators statue (named, ironically, “Little Man”) that we remember seeing on the 55 Freeway South (in Santa Ana, CA) is well documented along with it’s fellows in other locations throughout California. Roadside Architecture’s website is devoted to, well, roadside architecture, and they have a nice history about Little Man toward the bottom of the page, with dates and statue locations.

The 17′ tall Little Man statue in Santa, Ana, CA. Photo courtesy Roadside Architecture at roadarch.com

Truly Nolen

Kym brought up the yellow, mouse-costumed cars we see zipping around and we got half the name correct. The company is Truly Nolen, and while their cars are not the same as the huge fiberglass statues we discussed, they have an honorary place in this discussion because CUTE!

There’s something odd about being a pest exterminator riding in a car disguised as a mouse. Very meta. Photo is courtesy Wikipedia and is in the public domain.

BACON

There was almost as much to talk about bacon as there was Chicken Boy. Literally, we’re still hungry from all that good food talk. International Bacon Day is celebrated worldwide the first Saturday of September, so this year it’s September 5th. And because bacon is so perfect, it is celebrated TWICE a year in America, with NATIONAL Bacon Day on December 30! Here is a list of all the things we discussed about bacon (and a couple Kris forgot):

  • WHATEVER Day. Do you really need to know whether it’s international or national? Just remember….SEPTEMBER 5 and DECEMBER 30 are BACON DAYS. Here is the website with more information about this week’s day of baconalia.
  • Chug-a-Lug! Kris was going to discuss bacon-flavored drinks, but forgot. So here’s maple-bacon flavored coffee, bacon-flavored soda, and bacon-inspired cocktail recipes. You’re welcome.
  • Time to Pig Out. (Sorry not sorry). Today.com has a list of recipes to cook up for bacon day and foodformat.com has weird recipes with bacon. This should tide you over til December 30.
  • Do You Smell That? Bacon perfume. It’s real. In the 1920’s, John Farginnay, a Parisian butcher, perfected a secret formula to happiness and it smelled like bacon. The formula was lost in a fire, but apparently years later someone has figured it all out and now you can buy the scent, aptly named “bacon” (with a line above the o that we can’t add, because stupid editing software), which you can buy at farginnay.com
  • Pucker Up! Click here for bacon flavored lip balm.
  • Mouthwatering Bacon Facts. Website bacontoday.com has the article, 17 Mouthwatering Facts About Bacon.
  • More Bacon Facts. And more information at fee.org in this article, 15 Economic, Historical, and Health Facts about Bacon.
  • And…More Bacon Facts. Website littlethings.com brings us Bacon Facts: 10 Things You Seriously Never Knew About the Delicious Strips.

ALL THE OTHER THINGS

This is where we clarify, correct, and generally eat crow for the things we say without actually knowing what we’re talking about.

  • Private Label. This is what the “Private Label” is that Kris has never heard of. It’s NOT the name of a company, but refers to a third party manufacturer. Hey, we aren’t business majors, so pffffffft.
  • The Rabbit Didn’t Die. Apparently Welsh Rarebit was originally called Welsh Rabbit, but changed to Welsh Rarebit because no rabbits were ever harmed in the making of it and it was misleading to name it as such. Good to know! Actually, it sounds yummy.
  • Shout of Dolores. Wow. We had no idea. Mexican hero Miguel Hidalgo is credited with the battle cry for independence in the town of Dolores. Shout of Dolores Day is September 15, followed on the 16th by Mexico’s official Independence Day. Cinco de Mayo, on the other hand, is NOT a day to celebrate Mexican independence, but in fact is in remembrance of one battle during the Franco-Mexican War. It’s not celebrated so much in Mexico, but is very much a thing here in the states.
  • Psychological Disorder. Pica is a psychological disorder, and is outlined here. AND yes, eating ice is considered part of this disorder, and is called pagophagia.
  • What’s Yours? My Strange Addiction is the TLC show Kris was referencing. Do you have a strange or weird addiction? Let us know!
  • Ewwwww! So if you’re interested in seeing that pimple popping, um, toy (?) featured on Shark Tank…here you go. And EW.
  • If You Haven’t Lost Your Appetite. Hopefully we haven’t crushed your soul with that last entry. For that Weinerschnitzel restaurant offer for pumpkin spice goodies, check out their specials page. Apparently they had a coupon for last year for a free dipped soft serve, but we can’t find one for this year. It’s worth following them on their Twitter account if you’re interested!
  • True Crush All The Time. If you’re into true crime, you’ve got to give True Crime All the Time and True Crime All the Time Unsolved podcasts a listen. The production for both shows is great, the hosts (Mike Ferguson and Mike “Gibby” Gibson) have great charisma and charm, but most importantly they really sincerely honor the victims and their families as they tell the stories. Just don’t tell Gibby Kris is crushing on him. SHHHHHHH. It’s our secret. ShhhZIPIT.

Ok, that’s it. Whew!

Check out The Mugly Truth Podcast’s episode “Chicken Boy and Bacon” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or (almost) anywhere you listen to podcasts. Then all you need to do is 1) subscribe 2) download and 3) listen! AND!!! 4) If you enjoy what you hear, please leave a rating and a review (pretty please?). The more subscribers and reviews we get, the more opportunities we get to grow this podcast!

Don’t forget to follow us here at themuglytruth.com (click that blue WordPress Follow button on the right side of your screen) so you get notifications every time we post an episode blog! You can also follow The Mugly Truth on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Please also follow Kym on Tiktok at kymtok.

© The Mugly Truth 2020 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2020. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso, Inc. through premiumbeats.com.
Featured photo Chicken Boy Statue by Marilyn Nix, from Wikipedia.

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Control Is An Illusion

themuglytruth
Today’s episode “Control Is An Illusion” is on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Hello 2020! SO much to…uh…unpack in today’s episode! Yes. Yes, we just said “unpack.” But it’s kind of true. We are bringing 2020 in like spiritual giants today! None of this namby pamby “I want to lose 10 pounds” or “I’m going to quit yelling at people in traffic!” resolution nonsense to start off the new year and new decade. (For the record, Kris already tried the second one and it’s just NOT happening folks. As for the first…we’re both working on it.) Nope. We get straight into beastmode as we go over two very deep topics: Letting Go and Signs of Maturity.

Tee hee. Don’t mind us. We’re just over here on top of the mountain, sitting cross-legged and sh*t talking to butterflies with our minds. Just kidding. We’re probably sitting at our desks drinking coffee cussing someone out under our breath and immediately feeling guilty for it. Because not mature, for sure.

Moving on.

Today’s episode is inspired by an amazing 12-step program called Al-Anon. If you aren’t aware of what Al-Anon is, it’s an offshoot from the 12-step program Alcoholics Anonymous. It was co-founded by Lois Wilson, wife of Bill Wilson who co-founded AA. As the wife of an alcoholic, Lois needed her own support group, and thus was formed Al-Anon…a group where family and friends affected by loved one’s drinking (or drugging, or any addictive self-destructive behavior, frankly) can find fellowship, guidance, serenity, and sanity.

Two readings we reference today are “Letting Go” (just google “letting go checklist Al-Anon” and you’ll see images pop up…mostly in Pinterest), and “A Checklist for Evaluating Our Maturity” (same, except, here’s a link to a blog which has it written out). There are some real gems in helping us realize just how much the idea of control is an illusion, actually, and that true serenity comes from “going with the flow.” As for that maturity thing…tsk…sigh…ugh…well, as much as Kris thinks she’s got a long way to go, it’s safe to say we’re both actually doing ok in the adulting department. Some would argue otherwise. Those some can kiss our butts. NYAHpffffffffffffffttt!

They’re GOALS….we never said we accomplished them all. TSK.

Now before we get into the fact checking and the links to topics we mentioned in the episode today, it’s very important for us to take a moment to get a bit serious and encourage anyone who has a friend or family member in the throes of alcoholism and/or addiction of any kind to contact Al-Anon as a starting point to help YOU get YOUR life back into the land of the living. It’s a scary thing, watching friends or family suffer from addiction, but on the sideline you don’t realize you, too, are suffering from the effects of the disease. If you need help to cope, you can start here. Give it a go…there is hope.

Alright. Now let’s get down to correcting ourselves. Six minutes into the episode and there’s already SO MUCH to fix. Sigh.

  • Is it realllllllly a new decade? If you’re like Kris’ dad, Kym’s former co-worker, and this article, you’ll be on the “NOPE WE AIN’T” side. If you’re like us, you DGAF. BUHbye moving on, there’s more important things to worry about, like Australia (pray for more rain. Right now. If you’re reading right now, stop and just read this out loud: “Dear God please rain water down on Australia”. Don’t care if you don’t believe in God. You can be an atheist. Just do it this one time…don’t even need to say the “G” word, just say, “HEY YOU UP THERE RAIN ON AUSTRALIA.” Thanks. And thanks skydaddy!)
  • Ok. Geography lesson. The mountains we refer to as Saddleback Mountains are actually the Santa Ana Mountains; the mountains we refer to as “north of us where Mt. Baldy and Big Bear are”….well, Mt. Baldy (also known as Mt. San Antonio) is in the San Gabriel Mountains which were spectacularly covered (and still are) in snow last week. Big Bear, however, is in the San Bernardino Mountains. We’ve lived here all our lives and yet we still can only dopity-dope over the purty snow on the hills off yonder without knowing what the heck we’re actually looking at. Whatever. Now we ALL know. Class dismissed.
  • Mr. Geography: Excuse me, Kris, please hang back a mo. Kris: But Mr. Geography, the rest of the class is leav… Mr. Geography: Mt. Whitney is in Sequoia National Park which is nowhere near where you live. No. Where. Near. Hundreds of miles away. Still in California, yes. But you can’t see it. Because…Far. Away. Not. Near. You. Kris dismissed.
  • CFL…ohKriskriskriskris. You talk so much. So fast. You make so many mistakes. #eyeroll. It’s CSF. Cerebrospinal Fluid. Sniff.
  • Morf = Mike Morford, whom we interviewed last season, is producer of Scene of the Crime podcast, cohost on Criminology and Three Men and a Mystery podcasts, and host of The Murder in My Family podcast. Thank you Morf for your shoutout on Twitter. We’re still gobsmacked you listen to our show.
  • Naptime Nancy: Another kickass podcaster whose episodes can be and should be listened to immediately. Go here to do so.
  • Morning news items. Time to change the lock screen settings on the ol’ iPad to something more relaxing. Not like this creepy crap: We killed an Iraqi General and have maybe started WWIII; why you shouldn’t ever write “20” for the year 2020 on checks and documents (always write 2020); and those nutty mysterious drones over Colorado.
  • Anjelah Johnson. Kym was mostly right. It’s Anjelah NICOLE Johnson. OHMYGAWD if you don’t know the nail salon sketch, you need to edumacate yourself now.
Photo by Evie Shaffer on Pexels.com

And with that, we’ll say, “welcome 2020, you’re doing your best to test us mere mortals first week in, but guess what. You’re not in control. We choose zen.” And coffee. We always choose coffee. Clink!

Thank you for joining us. Check out The Mugly Truth Podcast’s episode “Control Is An Illusion” on  iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Then all you need to do is 1) subscribe 2) download and 3) listen! AND!!! 4) If you enjoy what you hear, please leave a rating and a review (pretty please?). The more subscribers and reviews we get, the more opportunities we get to grow this podcast and bring you richer content.

And don’t forget to follow us here at themuglytruth.com (click that blue WordPress Follow button on the right side of your screen) so you get notifications every time we post an episode blog! You can also follow The Mugly Truth on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

© The Mugly Truth 2020 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2020. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com.
Featured Photo of Illusion Face in Mirror by Ismael Sanchez on Pexels.com

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Leveling Up

themuglytruth
Today’s episode “Leveling Up” is on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

We’re back! We’re open for business again! Our October hiatus was much needed, but we’re happy to be back and recording again. Today’s episode covers a little bit about what went on during the month of October, but mostly it’s about the results of those events that make up most of the episode. In a nutshell Kym had a major spiritual awakening. So, we talk about how having a spiritual awakening is no picnic. It ain’t no bed of roses, sun rays, and butterflies. It’s chaos, pain, disturbance…and a wee bit of insanity. The end result is a new self-awareness and inner knowledge that you could never have otherwise, which is amazing. But damn, the process is a corker. We’re all for change and personal growth, but sometimes the Universe has other plans. Sometimes the Universe says, “Miss Kris, Miss Kym, your wake up call is here” and then hits you in the head with a cosmic two-by-four. It’s leveling up in ways the Mario Brothers could only dream of.

Check out “Leveling Up“ episode on  iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Then all you need to do is 1) subscribe 2) download and 3) listen! AND!!! 4) If you enjoy what you hear, please leave a rating and a review (pretty please?). The more subscribers and reviews we get, the more opportunities we get to grow this podcast and bring you richer content.

And don’t forget to follow us here at themuglytruth.com (click that blue WordPress Follow button on the right side of your screen) so you get notifications every time we post an episode blog! You can also follow The Mugly Truth on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

© The Mugly Truth 2019 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2019. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com.
Featured Photo of Spiral Stained Glass courtesy of Matthew T Rader on Pexels.com.

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San Juan Capistrano: History & Hauntings

themuglytruth
Today’s episode “San Juan Capistrano: History & Hauntings” is on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Happy First Day of October everyone! Can you believe Fall is here? Football games are in full swing, baseball is winding up, leaves are turning…even in wacky Southern California we have had glimpses of Fall weather here and there. We’re ringing in the eerie days of October bright and early for you with today’s episode. We met up with our favorite local ghost tour company, Haunted Orange County, for another fun evening filled with rich history and lots of haunted stories replete with bandits, banshees and faceless monks. Our amazing guide, Charles (you’ll remember him from last year’s episode “Haunted Orange“) was in splendid guide mode as we walked through the quaint and über-historic town of San Juan Capistrano.

If you don’t live in this area, chances are you may still have heard about San Juan Capistrano. It’s famous for two things: 1) Mission San Juan Capistrano and 2) the swallows returning to town every year in March. If you live in Orange County – or even Southern California – something’s for certain: you either took a school tour of the Mission in elementary school and/or you had to do some kind of report on the Missions of California that probably included some form of construction project you proudly (or not) carried into your classroom to display along all the other renditions of Missions of our lovely state.

Let the adventures begin! Haunted Orange County’s Ghost Walk Tour of San Juan Capistrano. Photo courtesy Kris Core.

Having lived in Orange County, CA, all our lives, we never thought beyond the Mission when San Juan Capistrano is mentioned. Pity, that. It’s a fantastic town so full of history we could do a month or two of podcasts on downtown alone. We are grateful to Charles and Haunted Orange County for helping us see beyond the mission walls.

We showed up for our tour about an hour early and tried to get a “quick” bite to eat at Trevor’s by the Tracks restaurant. We waited in line for almost 10 minutes before hearing the hostess tell the couple ahead of us there was an hour wait for first available. Rats. While there are other less crowded restaurants in the same space, we trotted ourselves over to our old stand-by: Starbucks. After coffee and a sous vide egg bites (YUM), we headed back to the meeting point, checked in with Charles and after the (very loud) train pulled away, we crossed the tracks into another world. In fact, this is the interval sound effect we used in this episode. It was very exciting to experience the train pulling in and then departing. The energy of people going places…travelling…IT’S SO COOL!

Hummingbird House Cafe, San Juan Capistrano. Photo courtesy Kris Core.

If you haven’t been to Los Rios District of San Juan Capistrano, and you’re in the area, you must make this part of your adventure. Park in the parking structure next to the tracks (or in some of the other lots across the main street near the park), and as you walk toward the tracks, notice the tiny building which used to be the home of a very stubborn young woman.(Charles told this story, but you’ll have to hear it from him in person, since we only include highlights of his tour in today’s episode). It is now the Hummingbird House Cafe (Kris can attest to their delicious food from previous trips). As you cross the tracks, feel yourself melt into the past in this magical, relaxing street (which happens to be a working residential street so do watch out for cars which seem very incongruous in this setting). This street is the longest-occupied residential street in California, with houses dating back to the 1700’s. The oldest continual residence since then – lived in by the same family – is the Rios Adobe, now home and law office to Mr. Stephen Rios, Esquire. It is also, according to Charles, quite haunted.

Rios House. This home is still occupied by direct descendents of the Rios family who have lived here continuously since 1700s. Photo courtesy Kris Core.

Turning to your right, there are many little homes converted to businesses – mostly cafes and colorful shops bursting with trinkets and artsy wares, and a tea house if you want to get your high tea on. But be sure to visit the Montanez Adobe with it’s lovely butterfly sanctuary out front. It’s not a walk-in tour, so you’ll have to call the museum ahead of time to go inside. Even if you can’t tour the interior, there are benches all around for you to sit and marvel at the peaceful loveliness of the garden.

The beautiful garden and butterfly sanctuary of the Montanez Adobe in the Rios District of San Juan Capistrano. Photo courtesy Kris Core.
Ramos House Restaurant; the “newest” house Charles talked about on his tour. Built in the 1800s – and vurrrrrrry haunted, as told by Charles in today’s episode.
View down Ramos Street in San Juan Capistrano. This is the longest-continuously occupied street in California. People have been in residence here since the 1700s.

Next to the Rios Adobe is Old Mr. Tree, a gigantic ancient pepper tree. If you look up, you’ll see a skull or two hanging from the branches (can you spot one in the photo?). To the left is a coffee shop called Hidden House Coffee; when we went back the next day for photos and a walkabout, the joint was hoppin’! If you don’t mind a bit of a wait, you can grab a bite and a cup of coffee before heading over to the Zoomars Petting Zoo.

The Old Mr. Tree of Ramos Street.

You don’t have to go into the petting zoo…you can walk along the outer edge and get a nice visual (and sniff) of the animals they have inside: chickens, emus, llamas (alpacas?), goats, horses…there’s more, we’re sure. Right now they are decorated for Halloween, and will be having their Pumpkinpalooza event all October, so if you have littles, take them on down! Haunted Orange County is also hosting a Sugar Skull Workshop on October 19, so sign up soon because they sell out fast.

Do the emu dance at the San Juan Capistrano Petting Zoo. Photo courtesy Kris Core.

Although Charles told us a story about a local “la llarona” (a child killing banshee, basically) who is said to wander the creek at the end of the path near the zoo, he assured us it’s all just an urban myth. (No, the movie is not about this la llarona legend. We don’t think it is anyway…)

Our tour took us past the petting zoo to the O’Neill Museum. This is the oldest wooden structure in the area, built in the 1870s by saloon owner Jose Dolores Garcia as a gift for his wife Refugio Yorba. Garcia was murdered, and his despondent wife sold the home to a Mr. Albert Pryor, and then it passed to the Cornwall family who donated the home to the Historical Society of San Juan Capistrano in the 1970s. The home was moved across the train tracks to its present location and is open to the public for a very fair requested donation of $1. To walk through this tiny home and see the furnishings (and the wallpaper incarnations), the artwork, and just feel the atmosphere and energy of the past within its walls is a must-do on your visit to the district. For Halloween, the Society is conducting their own Ghosts and Legends Tours on Friday, October 25, and Saturday, October 26, 2019. Please check the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society website for this and other events year ’round. We include Charles’ story of Mr. Garcia’s murder, and the hauntings of the building in today’s episode (including Mr. Pryor rocking in a rocking chair on the porch. As you can see below, there’s no rocking chair there…)

Exterior of San Juan Capistrano Historical Society O’Neill Museum. Photo courtesy Kris Core.
  • The parlor (front room) of the O’Neill Museum.
  • Original wallpaper of O’Neill Museum.
  • Kitchen of O’Neill Museum.
  • Art in the hallway of O’Neill Museum.Photo courtesy Kris Core.
  • Bedroom of O’Neill Museum. Photo courtesy Kris Core.
  • Tub goals; bathroom of O’Neill Museum. Photo courtesy Kris Core.

One of the highlights of the ghost tour, and of our day trip, was visiting the “second jail cell” of San Juan Capistrano. It’s literally an iron-work cage sitting in front of one of the museum’s buildings on property, and is open for anyone to go inside and get a feel for the eerie. Charles spoke of suicides and other horrible events related to this tiny little holding cell, and honestly, when we tried to get a photo of Kym going into the cell that night, the photos were streaked with all kinds of what looks like backscatter. Oddly enough, there was no wind or breeze, there were no bugs, no flurries, no mist to speak of that evening, not even people hurrying in and out of the frame of the camera. Yet every photo had issues with the quality. When visiting the next day, we both went inside the cage together but all we felt was cramped. But hey, look for yourself and see what you think:

Kym ready to go to jail. This was the clearest photo Kris got that night. Photo courtesy Kris Core.
Strange mist when taking photo of haunted jail cell at night. There was no wind, were no insects, no pollen, no mist and no one walking in front of the camera, or anything in the air that night. Yet every photo had these weird streaks. What do you think it is? Photo courtesy Kris Core.
Next day, Kym’s still ready to go to jail. Photo courtesy Kris Core.

On our night tour, we went to the El Adobe Restaurant for more haunted stories. Passers-by leaving the restaurant kept saying how delicious the food is and so the next day we tried to go to lunch, but we were too early as the El Adobe was closed (it was just past 11 am). Disappointed at first, we were pleasantly uplifted by the offerings of Ellie’s Table across the street. At first glance it looked to be just a bakery and coffee shop, but they had a full menu and their display cases were packed with some nicely colorful and tasty looking premade sandwiches, salads, and of course baked amazingness. We each ordered an eggwhite burrito and cappuccino and sat on the terrace outside to eat. Coincidentally the restaurant was once the home of “Judge” Egan (who wasn’t really a judge) and was part of the tour (we realized once we sat down). In today’s episode, we share Charles’ story of the “Judge’s” not-so-legal construction endeavours. It’s a beautiful house (THE FLOORING!), shady history and all, and is definitely a nice eatery with reasonable prices.

We ended both tours in the same spot…in front of the majestic Mission San Juan Capistrano. We include Charles’ touching story of Father John O’Sullivan in our episode. O’Sullivan is credited with “saving” the mission, as he was responsible for creating the look of the campus as we see it today – taking it from ruins back to its (humble) glory. The Mission had been passed along for many years from governments to (rich) private owners where it fell into disrepair. Thankfully, Abraham Lincoln returned all missions to the Catholic church shortly before he was assassinated; if it wasn’t for President Lincoln, and then Father O’Sullivan, it’s likely we would only have blocks of masonry to study, rather than the beautiful heritage site we can explore now. Charles also talks about the earthquake that killed parishioners attending mass in the cathedral, and of the young woman who’s death caused a mysterious tolling of the mission bells, even though no one knew she had died, and no one had been in the bell tower when the bells pealed their mournful goodbye to their loyal servant.

The Mission in 1889, prior to restoration. Photo courtesy Wikipedia Commons.
Father O’Sullivan on the grounds of the Mission San Juan Capistrano. Photo courtesy Wikipedia Commons.
View of part of the original wall of Mission San Juan Capistrano from the street – part of this structure collapsed in an earthquake killing over 40 people attending mass at the time. Photo courtesy Kris Core.

If you can’t tell, we love San Juan Capistrano. There are many shops, restaurants, and parks to visit. We highly recommend you spend at last a day there, walking in Los Rios district, enjoying the local park, perusing the antique shops, and definitely visit the mission. You could even cross the 5 freeway and search out the private (and closed) cemetery Charles spoke of in the episode…we know where it is and we may just have to go back to see if we can sneak a peek somehow. Until then, we’ll have our photos, our memories, and definitely this episode to tide us over.

Many thanks again to Charles Spratley of Haunted Orange County. Charles has been conducting tours for 18 years; he is a history aficionado – his love of all things paranormal, antique, and teaching comes through on every tour. He’s our favorite guide and we hope to join him in future events! Be sure to take some cash to tip him at the end of the night. It’s well worth it.

Keep your eye on hauntedoc.com for additional tours (Black Star Canyon is on our radar!!!). You can also keep an eye out for similar events at https://www.santaanahistory.com/.

So. If you haven’t already listened, check out “San Juan Capistrano: History & Hauntings” episode on  iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Then all you need to do is 1) subscribe 2) download and 3) listen! AND!!! 4) If you enjoy what you hear, please leave a rating and a review (pretty please?). The more subscribers and reviews we get, the more opportunities we get to grow this podcast and bring you richer content.

And don’t forget to follow us here at themuglytruth.com (click that blue WordPress Follow button on the right side of your screen) so you get notifications every time we post an episode blog! You can also follow The Mugly Truth on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

© The Mugly Truth 2019 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2019. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com.
Featured Photo of Mission San Juan Capistrano courtesy Wikipedia Commons.
All other photos on this page courtesy of Kristen Core, all rights reserved.
Uncategorized

Who’s the Fairest Food of All?

themuglytruth
Today’s episode “Who’s the Fairest Food of All?” is on  iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

In case you didn’t hear us in our last episode: IT’S SUMMER TIME! This time of year hits and most people think of pool parties, barbecues, camping trips, and goin’ to the local fair. (TBH, we also think about air conditioning and how soon Halloween will be here.) And when you think of fairs, you think of… Rides? Weird people beckoning you to throw balls at things? Petting baby goats? The world’s biggest horse? Blue ribbons for best in show livestock, crafts, pies, and art? Yes, yes! Yes to all that amazing stuff. But one of the biggest draws to boogie on down to carnival-town for is the fantastic, fabulous, fried FAIR FOOD! (They have healthy options as well, but, CHYAA, AS IF! #eyeroll).

In case you were wondering.

If you are particularly interested in the marvel that is carnival food, and you have saved up a wad of cash and have prepared by fasting for two days, one of the most fun (we refuse to say funner…ew) things to do is eat your way through the fair. We would advise a well thought out plan for your day of stuff-n-play. Let us help with this: In a nutshell, do not eat your way around the fair and THEN go on rides. No one wants to deal with that. No. One. Ever. Don’t do it. Ride first, eat after. Morning = rides, afternoon into the night = fry coma. Stay hydrated. Take your acid relief medicine with you. Pro tip: SHARE. Do not try to go into that platter of Fries/Tots Brick topped with Jalapenos, Bacon and Cheese Dip solo. Split that foot-long dog drenched in four kinds of weirdness with a buddy or six. Share, people. There you go. Plan complete.

Get your Zyrtec® ready. Photo by Jer Chung on Pexels.com

Our local fair – The Orange County Fair (12 July – 11 August 2019) – has been around a lonnnnnng time (129 years to be exact) so their list of foodie-goodness is equally long. With the help of foodbeast.com we go through 125 OC Fair Foods you may or may not have heard of. Cotton candy? Check. Fried Pickles? Check check. Kettle Corn? Check Check CHECK! Fried Slimfast Bar? Where’s our pen…we can’t…there’s…no check-marking implement here. *looking…for…pen* Nope. No checkmark for Fried Slimfast Bar. Nope.

We also go through foodnetwork.com’s not-in-chronological/alphabetical-order list of many (sorry, Kris may have missed a couple) of the state fairs in the US with the food they’re most famous for. We throw in dates and locations from travelawaits.com for your convenience. There are some states we’re on board with (Hello Ohio, Vermont, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Utah, and Tennessee…winkwink) and some we will be avoiding. Sorry Nevada, you just keep your Basque Fries to yo’self.

Basically, if you’re hungry, this episode is gonna make you want to drive to your nearest fairgrounds and dig right it. If you don’t have time for that (or the extra cash…because we don’t know about YOUR fair, but OUR fair is not cheap) we’ve got this handy-dandy link to foodiecrush.com with 25 fair food recipes you can replicate right in the air-conditioned, Netflix-blaring comfort of your own home.

Photo by Lalu Fatoni on Pexels.com

But before we cut you loose to check out this fair foodgasmic episode, here are some links to people and restaurants we mention:

  • Go check out listener Jill’s and her daughter Ruby’s prize winning table decorations at this year’s OC Fair!! Check out Jill’s Instagram page with photos from their Blue- and Red-ribbon tables.
  • The tiny Nathan’s Hot Dog champion Kris mentioned is named Sonya Thomas – nicknamed The Black Widow – and she is a Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Hall of Famer!
  • To see two people eat a Depression Era-style sandwich mentioned in our episode – pickles and peanut butter – watch this YouTube video with Ali Spagnola and Shira Lazar. Let’s just say Kris might give it a go after seeing these two naysayers finish their sammich with nums and yums and much disbelief at the goodness.
  • Wikipedia does a much better job than Kris in describing the lovely Basque region and peoples.
  • What’s a Bierock? This is a bierock.
  • What’s a Koolickle? THIS is a Koolickle.
  • For chicken and waffles in Old Towne Orange, CA, (and other various locations in California, Las Vegas, NV, and SEOUL, KOREA) go to Bruxies. Be prepared to stand in line awhile with a bunch of 20-something hipsters nice Chapman College students.
  • For the best lobster roll on the west coast (according to Kym…well, she didn’t say THAT exactly…anyway, keep reading…), try Provisions Deli & Bottle Shop in Old Towne Orange, CA. It’s a bit pricey at $16 but…hey…it’s LOBSTER.
  • If you’re in the mood for an amazing dessert after gnoshing on a lobster roll or chicken & waffle (or both if you’re trying to beat Sonya Thomas), pop into The Aussie Bean – get your coffee while you’re there – and plant your lips around a scrumptious ice-cream cookie sandwich from Chunk-N-Chip.
  • If you’re going to the OC Fair, take Kym’s advice and get your Ten Pound Buns while you’re there because according to their Facebook page, they’re only available “at the fair.”
  • And if you’re a fan of the T.V. show The OC, please check out a great podcast called “Let’s Talk OC” where three friends – obsessed fan Michelle, Liss who has seen the show once, and Ingrid the newbie – get together to discuss each episode of The OC. If you loved that show and miss it, this is the podcast for you! Follow along as you stream on Hulu.

CORRECTION We erroneously cited the devastating news that multiple children died from Salmonella after visiting a petting zoo or other animal area at the San Diego County Fair in June. Sadly, one 2 year-old child did die after being infected with the E.coli bacteria after visiting the petting zoo. Four other children were infected after visiting the same animal areas, but thankfully are recovering. All five children visited animal areas between June 10 and June 22. Our sympathies and condolences go out to the family of the child who passed. Please read this full article which lists symptoms of E.coli and ways to prevent becoming infected.

Check out “Who’s the Fairest Food of All?” episode on  iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Then all you need to do is 1) subscribe 2) download and 3) listen! AND!!! 4) If you enjoy what you hear, please leave a rating and a review (pretty please?). The more subscribers and reviews we get, the more opportunities we get to grow this podcast and bring you richer content.

And don’t forget to follow us here at themuglytruth.com (click that blue WordPress Follow button on the right side of your screen) so you get notifications every time we post an episode blog! You can also follow The Mugly Truth on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

© The Mugly Truth 2019 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2019. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com.
Featured Photo by Amanda Cottrell on Pexels.com