I didn’t have anything planned for tonight, but then I talked to my friend Dan on the phone and heard trick-or-treaters in the background. I went over to his apartment for a while to see if any other costumed kids might come by, and it turned out he had an extra pumpkin, so I got to help carve it! I came up with the big-mouthed design on the left in the photo — the sad/angry one was Dan’s creation from earlier in the week.

After pumpkin carving, we ended up watching a PBS Nature special about creatures that suck blood. I’ll probably have nightmares forever about the tiny fish that swam up someone’s urethra, but I have to say, vampire bats are way cuter than they looked in last night’s TV movie.

The weirdest part of the night was when we decided to head over to Re$iduals (no link, because somebody let the domain name expire), where a zombie cowboy served our drinks. Just after we got there, the Saloonatics took the stage. Some of the band members were dressed like Kiss, so I half-expected they’d be a Kiss cover band, but instead they played songs by Matchbox 20, Stone Temple Pilots, and the Goo Goo Dolls. I was disturbed that in most cases I couldn’t name the original bands, but I still remember every bad ’90s lyric. I wish something more important was taking up that space in my brain.

If I were a Dodgers fan, I’d be holding my breath, praying to the Baseball Jesus for some kind of good fortune. That might be the most borked organization in Major League Baseball.

Since I am NOT a Dodgers fan, but instead a Red Sox fan, I am cursing the Baseball Jesus for the resignation of moneyball master, Theo Epstein.

Is’t possible that Theo has designs on the West Coast? Hard to say. One thing is certain:

Without Theo, we of the Red Sox Nation would still be crying in our beer over Buckner. If there is a Baseball Jesus, maybe he will grant you Dodgers fans a Theo Epstein for Christmas.

I’d say you deserve it.

Best news of the day: Pluto may have three moons, instead of one. Appropriately enough for Halloween.

A close runnerup, this post on Treehugger: Marmol Radziner: stunning new prefabs Los Angeles architects and builders Marmol Radziner have just launched a new line of modular prefabs built in their own factory (these guys do everything!) with this shot that will be heard round the world- possibly the most beautiful prefabricated building this side of the Pacific. Absolutely gorgeous.

I’m temporarily over posting about the Getty f-ups (unless of course it involves a stoned woman crashing through the gates – then I’m all for it)…continue reading

That picture you’re looking at was taken yesterday at Rite Aid in Echo Park. Can you guess what’s gratingly irritating about it? How about that it’s not (or wasn’t anyway) even Halloween yet and the Halloween stuff is on clearance to make room for Christmas decorations! I know I’ve written about this in the past, so maybe it’s beating a dead horse. But I just wanted to say fuck you to everybody involved in the process of moving Christmas earlier every year at the expense of other holidays.

Santa Monica Blvd is gearing up for the annual Halloween street party tonight under today’s perfect Los Angeles rays. As I drove down it at 10am this morning, I saw stages and booths being set up and cones already in place for the street closing. So it shouldn’t have surprised me to spy a purple-fuzzied tinky-winky in full costume with headpiece. What really caught my eye though, were his purple ass-less chaps. I can only imagine what tonight will be on the street. I’ll see you there.

On his blog, CD13 rep Eric “The Hammer” Garcetti provides some insight into what Mayor Villaraigosa’s proposed $1 billion bond to finance solutions to the housing crisis would get us. MAV’s proposal is the first discussion I’ve seen about what to do vs. just what’s going on. Hopefully some of it will come to fruition.

Wow! It’s hard to believe with this sultry summer weather, that today is the eve of the tides turning to fall and winter. It’s always such a shock that at the end of October, we’re still lolling around in this warm sunshine. To take advantage of it, yesterday my love and I drove out to Malibu in search of a hike overlooking the ocean. I used to live in Malibu and remembered a sweet trek I once took up in Coral Canyon, but couldn’t remember the exact location. So off we went on an adventure to explore. We drove to the top of Coral Canyon, where it dead ended, but that wasn’t the exact spot. I remembered a gate about a block below, so we ended up there. Walkiing down the fire road, we turned a corner to the greatest vista, views that stretched out to the Pacific on one side and warm hills of the Santa Monica Mountains on the other. There were huge rock formations, some with caves in them that we explored. It was wild to think that at one time these huge boulders were in the sea…but there it was, evidence of shells and sea fossils melded into the rocks. A terrific spot and what a place to see the sunset. Just go up PCH past old Malibu Road about two miles and take a right on Coral Canyon….go all the way up and you’re there.

USA Today (well, last week) had a feature on the Los Angeles house of horror-lover Rob Zombie and his wife Sheri Moon. Let’s just say on that bit, I’m jealous and will be making a point of scoping out the outside tomorrow night when he hangs severed limbs from trees. (!!!) But, Zombie listed his five must see movies for Halloween and I wanted to list them before I gave you my other five recommendations to make your Monday Halloween spooktacular.

Rob Zombie picks:

1. Frankenstein (1931). “The one that started it all.”
2. Freaks (1932). “As disturbing now as it was over 70 years ago.”
3. Halloween (1978). “Simple, scary and brilliant.”
4. Dawn of the Dead (1978). “Seen this 200 times and I love it more each time.”
5. The Devil’s Rejects (2005). “Whoever made this film is insane.”

Caryn’s picks:
1. Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things – conjuring up the dead isn’t always the best idea. I just found out that they’re re-making this movie right now. Color me more shocked than if I saw a real zombie! (Image)
2. Monster Club – Vincent Price (vampire) takes John Carradine (writer) to the monster club where he tells three horrifying tales. Monsters rule, OK?
3. The Sentinel – I am one of the Leeee-gion!!!
4. Zombie 2 – a zombie attacks a shark – folks, it just doesn’t get any better than this.

For previous picks click here and here.

abLA contributor Heather writes about Stereomongrel at the Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum…continue reading

Tonight was pumpkin carving night on our street. With ghastly results:

Guess which one I carved. Guess which one Will carved.

I’ve seen a frightening number of girls walking around recently wearing a combo of sweatbands, short shorts and cowboy boots. Please, pretty please tell me these are just isolated idiots and that this isn’t some new trend?

[image ganked from american apparel]

I was bummed to just learn from L.A. Observed that the 32-year tradition of Gary Corb and his family and friends transforming their Studio City home into the Hallowed Haunting Grounds will be coming to an end with this Halloween.

From the website:

Every year the show gets a litle bigger and every year we get a little older. At some point the pain of building the show becomes greater than the pain of not doing it. We are reaching that point and we wish to see what else goes on in October. It saddens us, but an end for anything is inevitable.

I’ve strolled its Sacred Wood several times over the years and let me tell you, this is not just some bargain basement yard haunt. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say its elaborate effects and remarkable presentation rival Disney’s Haunted Mansion. But enough of the sales pitch. It’s well worth the trip ó especially since after tomorrow night it will be no more.

Where: 4343 Babcock Avenue, Studio City
One block west of Whitsett Avenue, just south of Moorpark Street
When: Tonight and Halloween from 7 p.m. – midnight

Via NBC News, we learn that Frank McCourt fired Paul DePodesta:

Asked why DePodesta was let go, McCourt said, “Our high expectations were not met.”

Really, Frank? Are you sure? Will you just get around to selling the team so we can get back to having an owner who knows one fucking thing about baseball?

NBC also tells us that USC “demolishes” Washington.

Washington State never had a chance against top-ranked Southern California in Los Angeles Saturday, losing 55-13 as the Trojans ran their winning streak to 30 games.

The loss was the fifth straight for the Cougars, who fell to 3- 5 overall, and 0-5 in the Pac-10. But it was far more decisive than the other four, which came by a total of 21 points.

A homecoming crowd of 92,021 at the Los Angeles Coliseum watched the two-time defending national champion Trojans improve their record to 8-0 and 5-0 in the Pac-10.

Nice use of “demolishes,” NBC, too bad you couldn’t use “beats the everliving shit out of.”