Tuesday, December 29, 2009

BOOOOO-OWLING


When: December 29th @ 8pm
Where: Pickwick Bowl 1001 Riverside Drive, Burbank (map)

A group of local bloggers (and some members of GHOULA) are meeting to bowl and have a good time. All are invited. Although, this event is open to the public, individuals are expected to pay for their own games and shoe rentals if they plan to bowl.

Although Pickwick Bowl has no ghost stories attached to it, at least none that the staff will admit to (update: for ghost story click here.), the historic bowling alley does have a connection to the "ghost culture" of Southern California.

Pickwick Bowl was the inspiration for one of the audio-animatronic "happy haunts" from Disneyland's Haunted Mansion. There used to be a sign in front of this leisure complex that featured a caricature of "Pickwick," the Dicken's character (and this establishment's mascot). It seems that Imagineers that would commute to work at WED enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering) just a few blocks away decided to pay tribute to the cheerful fellow on the sign they past everyday. Thus, in the ballroom scene of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion, a ghost hanging from a chandelier (also known by the name "Pickwick") was created to match the one at Pickwick Bowl.


Sunday, December 27, 2009

THREATENED: Haunted Restaurant


Patrick's Roadhouse, a friend of GHOULA'S (or FOG), apparently may be shutting its doors for good (despite its brisk business) over a landlord/tenant dispute. Unfortunately, time may be running out if you want to experience this haunted SoCal treasure one last time.


If you know any new developements regarding this haunted property, please leave a comment below with the current info.

UPDATE: Patrick's Roadhouse will be allowed to continue for the next year, while the issues are sorted out.
(for more info...)

Friday, December 25, 2009

Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-ghou-la

Happy (Haunted) Holidays from your friends a GHOULA.

The Roosevelt Hotel (pictured in the background of this festive photo) is one of the most famously haunted buildings in Los Angeles, featuring many ghosts of Christmas' past.

(for more info on the Roosevelt Hotel...)

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Highlights from Dec. SWS


Perhaps it was the cold temperatures, but December's meet-up was made-up of a small but loyal group. That is until, a happy-go-lucky gregarious man of mystery joined our group. He was at the Formosa Cafe for a Birthday Party, but was apparently early since we were the only group there. Then as more member's of his party arrived, they joined our table. These new additions were a smart, lively, and fun-loving group, with many ghost stories of their own to tell. When the "birthday boy" himself arrived, he even had a couple of great stories. The waitress, when hearing all the shrieks and laughs, joined in on the fun with her own personal ghost story.

By the way, she claimed to have never experienced anything paranormal at the Formosa (and she works the late shift). However, when we told her some of the stories connected to the place as we were leaving, she did confess that she has felt the "ghostly goosing," but had always thought it was some strange static electricity that was creating the pinching sensation in her posterior.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

December's SPIRITS with SPIRITS


GHOULA meets for cocktails in haunted places on the 13th of each month. “SPIRITS with SPIRITS” is a casual gathering of regional ghost hunters. Open to all, from the curious skeptic to the passionate phantom pursuer. Make friends, and toast a ghost! Let's put the “Boo!” back into “booze.” All those who attend will receive a free G.H.O.U.L.A. button. If you already have, please wear it so others can find you.

THE DATE: December 13th, 2009 (Sunday)
THE PLACE: Formosa Cafe
(7156 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood) map
THE TIME: 8pm to the witching hour

THE GHOST(S):

This famous local landmark has been in business since 1925, when prize-fighter, Jimmy "Your Host" Berstein, turned a decommissioned Hollywood "Red Car" (trolley) into a lunch counter and named it "The Red Spot." (Some sources claim it was actually called "The Red Post.") Eventually, he added a full kitchen and a dining room and changed the name to "The Formosa." In 1945, he became partners with chef Lem Quon, who created the cantonese menu and took the cuisine into a new direction. Incidentally, the "Red Car" is still there.

Because of its proximity to the studio directly across the street, the celebrities who have dined/drank here (and continue to do so) are too numerous to mention. John Wayne is said to have been such a regular customer that he was allowed to sleep off his drunken stupors in the booths and make himself breakfast in the kitchen the next morning. Elvis supposedly used to make special trips there for a simple ham sandwich (the kind Berstein used to make back when it was a lunch counter), and famous gangster Bugsy Seigal used to use the office to conduct business. His personal locked safe is still there. (Some sources claim it was actually gangster Mickey Cohen). As a publicity stunt years ago, a locksmith broke into the safe to reveal its secret, lost contents. Despite a claim by a local psychic, who telepathically looked inside this safe on a previous occasion and had seen "envelopes filled with names, a ruby ring, and two deeds to property in Nevada" it turned out to be empty. Although, over the years, the neighborhood has changed, the clientele has changed, and even the studio has changed (from Hampton Studios to Pickford-Fairbanks Studios to United Artists to Samuel Goldwyn to Warners Hollywood), the Formosa has stayed the same serving up beer, wine, and spirits.

It seems that over these same years, "spirits" of a different kind have also been present. Employees late at night claimed to have experienced all sorts of paranormal activity from seeing "shadow people" darting around to strange noises (without an apparent source) such as voices and the jingle-jangle of crashing silverware. That said, there are two notable ghosts that seem to haunt the bar. There is the phantom man that has been seen sitting in a booth (but only in the reflection of the bar's large mirror), and there is the frisky spirit of Lem Quon who "gooses" and pinches employees that he feels need to get busy (just as he did in life).

But, there is another spirit (aside from booze and boo's) that has been present here... the "spirit of giving." One of the truly remarkable pieces of this cafe's history is that at one time Jimmy Berstein used to pay for a full Thanksgiving dinner for local orphans. It started with 75 orphans the first year, but as the years passed, it grew larger and larger, incorporating all of the local orphanages, until 1500 kids were being fed at the Formosa (and in surrounding tents) on this holiday. Not only did he pay for dinner and entertainment, but also paid for all the buses needed to transport all the kids, and he gave each child a silver dollar to take home with them. Hopefully, that is the kind of good will we will see more of this holiday season.