April's SPIRITS with SPIRITS

GHOULA meets for cocktails in haunted places on the 13th of each month. “SPIRITS with SPIRITS” is a casual social gathering of regional ghost hunters and those that just like ghost stories. 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 (square) G.H.O.U.L.A. button. If you already have one, please wear it so others can find you, without asking the staff about our group.

THE DATE: April 13th, 2013 (Saturday)
THE PLACE: Chimney Sweep Lounge
4354 Woodman Ave, Sherman Oaks (Map)
THE TIME: 8:00pm to the witching hour

THE GHOSTS:

"There's the whole world at your feet.
And who gets to see it but the birds, the stars, and the chimney sweeps."
--Bert the Chimney Sweep (from "Mary Poppins")

Although not as common today as they were in an earlier era, the profession of "Chimney Sweep" (one who cleans chimneys) still exists. In earlier times, these duties were carried out by poor (mostly orphaned) children, who could climb up the tiny openings. It was a dangerous job, and many children died as a result, prompting Britain to create a holiday to honor these kids on May 1st (in a couple of weeks). As a further reward for their important talents (preventing houses from being set ablaze as a result of creosote build-up) these beloved figures were elevated to folk hero status, and became symbols of good luck.

That aside, no one today is sure why in 1960, the then owner of "The Chimney Sweep Lounge" chose this quirky profession as the establishment's theme. One theory is that its a reference to the fireplace with the exposed flue in the middle of the bar room. The kitschy chimney sweep portraits that decorate the wood-paneled walls came shortly after the theme was set, and according to legend were painted by a regular patron, who wanted to immortalize the other regulars. Even though the Mary Poppins books (which celebrated chimney sweeps) had been around since the 1930's, the Walt Disney film adaptation that really brought these original "men in black" into the 20th century pop-culture was released four years after the bar opened. The bar even pre-dates the production of this feature film developed on the other side of the valley by a couple of years. So, why chimney sweeps?

Perhaps this traditional European figure with his top hat and brush was chosen because it appealed to the World War II veterans, who had settled into the San Fernando Valley in large numbers (in the same way that those returning from the Pacific Rim where attracted to the "Tiki" bars.) If that is the case, it would explain the "The Sweep's" resident ghosts...

According to employees ( as well as an article in the Los Angeles Times), a group of four ghostly men in military uniforms sit around a table drinking in the far (North-East) corner of the bar room. Witnesses to these apparitions are definite about the uniforms, but are unsure about what era (or war) they may be from. Nothing else is really known about these four drinking buddies from the after-life, or their relationship to this site.

Could they be connected to this neighbor tavern's only tragedy, the seemingly senseless murder of a man, who was followed by an unknown assailant when he left the bar, and shot in the head a block away? Probably not, but who knows...

It should also be noted that despite there being many haunted bars in Los Angeles (with many different ghosts), there are very few bars that have a ghost that actually engages in the act of drinking. As strange and ironic as that may seem, not only does this bar have one if these spirit-drinkng spirits, it seems to four of them. Now, that deserves a toast!

So, come out to an old valley landmark that prides itself as being your "living room away from home" and enjoy a round of what the phantom patrons are drinking... if you dare.

(to read about last month's haunted location... )
(to see a map of previous SPIRITS with SPIRITS locations... )

SPIRITS with SPIRITS 5th Anniversary Bash!

GHOULA meets for cocktails in haunted places on the 13th of each month. “SPIRITS with SPIRITS” is a casual social gathering of regional ghost hunters and those that just like ghost stories. 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 (square) G.H.O.U.L.A. button. If you already have one, please wear it so others can find you, without asking the staff about our group.

May 13th will be GHOULA's 60th SPIRITS with SPIRITS, and as such, it will mark 5 years of our humble group meeting once a month to explore this great city, and to tell ghost stories over cocktails. Help us celebrate this milestone at one of the most enchanted places in Los Angeles.

RSVP REQUIRED: This meet-up will be in the Oviatt Penthosue, with a full-service (no host) bar set up just for us. The good people at Truly Yours Catering have arranged for GHOULA to get special access into this famously haunted building's inner sanctum (not normally open to the public), so come out for this rare opportunity to see one of the great hidden gems of Downtown. Since there are occupancy limitations... Please RSVP here.

THE DATE: May 13th, 2013 (Monday)
THE PLACE:The Oviatt Penthouse (at the top of the Oviatt Building)
617 S Olive St, Downtown, (map)
(Instructions on how to enter penthouse will come later.)
THE TIME: 8:00pm - ?
ADMISSION: FREE (with RSVP)

THE GHOST(S):

"We're at Nineteen Moonbeam Terrace
Overlooking Starlight Square
We're the couple in the castle
Way up high in the air!
On the corner there's a cloud bank
and we bank our millions there
We're the couple in the castle in the air."
---from the song "We're the Couple in the Castle" (1941)

No one knows for sure if this song, written by Los Angeles-based songwriters, "Hoagy" Carmichael and Frank Loesser, for the animated feature, MR. BUG GOES TO TOWN, about an art-deco "castle" on the top of a skyscraper in the middle of a city, was inspired by the Oviatt Penthouse, but it seems likely.

In 1928, the Los Angeles Times called this Romantic penthouse the "Castle in the Air," and it is every bit as magical today as it was back when James Oviatt, his wife, and their son lived there (even if the rooftop beach with imported sand from the French Riviera no longer exists). It is thought to be the first Art Deco residence in Los Angeles. Also, the penthouse is 13 stories up, and has a tower with three neon clock faces that are 13 feet in diameter each. Coincidence?

James Oviatt opened his haberdashery (men's apparel) at this address in May of 1928 (exactly 85 years ago), and occupied the first three floors of this building until 1966. When his business ended, he continued to live in the penthouse until his death, a few years later. Although haberdasheries have largely disappeared from Los Angeles' landscape, some believe that one haberdasher lingers on...

In life, James Oviatt was an avid pipe smoker, and there are claims that the strong smell of pipe tobacco will inexplicably waft through the rooms of his former home as well as the areas in the building where he used to work, especially the ground floor (now the smoke-free Cicada Restaurant). By all accounts, Oviatt was a perfectionist, and obsessed with keeping a tidy workplace, so is it any surprise that those who work at Cicada and the Penthouse feel that the shadowy figure that watches over them, or the disembodied footsteps that follow them, is just the former owner keeping an eye on things, in an attempt to maintain the standards of excellence he originally set.

Additionally, there seems to a secondary spirit that acts as the "yang" to the orderly Oviatt's "yin," a mischievous "prankster," who playfully creates disorder, moving objects, throwing up papers, and tugging/pushing the staff. Since some have seen (or heard) the ghost of a small boy, who disappears into the walls, these unruly phenomena are generally blamed on Oviatt's son, Jimmy, who in life, used to raise hell, and try to scare the staff by jumping out from behind display cases. Does his energy still engage in such childish thrills? It is said that one former security guard got so spooked in the penthouse, he ran down thirteen flights of stairs to avoid waiting for the elevator ("Feet don't fail me now!")

Although the ground floor (Cicada Restaurant) and the Penthouse are the real hot spots for activity, it seems that this spooky duo, do not apparently limit themselves to those two locations. Just about every tenant within this office building have had their spectral brushes with Oviatt and his son.

Perhaps the old song's lyric should be updated to..
"We're the couple (of ghosts) in the castle in the air"

So, come out to Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #195, have a cocktail under Downtown's only weather vane, and celebrate 5 years of toasting ghosts... if you dare.

The Oviatt Penthouse
(to read about last month's haunted location... )
(to see a map of previous SPIRITS with SPIRITS locations... )

March's SPIRITS with SPIRITS

GHOULA meets for cocktails in haunted places on the 13th of each month. “SPIRITS with SPIRITS” is a casual social gathering of regional ghost hunters and those that just like ghost stories. 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 (square) G.H.O.U.L.A. button. If you already have one, please wear it so others can find you, without asking the staff about our group.

THE DATE: March 13th, 2013 (Wednesday)
THE PLACE: Akbar
4356 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles (Map)
THE TIME: 8:00pm to the witching hour

"Playful ghosts have interrupted our tour"
-Haunted Mansion, Disneyland

GHOULA is doing something a little different this month (we just couldn't resist this unique opportunity). Instead, of the normal "SPIRITS with SPIRITS," we will be celebrating local ghost lore (with libations) while taking part in another local Wednesday tradition.

Since at least 1931, alcohol has been served at this address, 4356 Sunset Blvd., which is not only at the center of the movie industry's early days (the gigantic "Babylon Set" from D.W. Griffith's "Intolerance" with the giant plaster elephants was just a block away), but this neighborhood is arguably ground-zero for the gay rights movement with one of the first large civil demonstrations in 1967 (2 years before the Stonewall Riots). In the years since then however, it seems the gay community has moved west to West Hollywood, and the hipsters have moved in, changing the complexion of life (and night life) in this hood. thus, Akbar is notable as one of the last "gay" bars left here (however most nights the crowd appears mixed), serving as a reminder of a bygone era like the the old Mabel Normand Studios (used for silent movies) directly across the street.

Even though some believe Akbar has a ghost (or should have a ghost) rattling around inside its historic walls, probably connected to a murder that occurred within this tavern when a "piano bar" (playing show tunes) named Joly's occupied this location, the real reason GHOULA is descending on this neighborhood watering hole is their spooky "Craft Night."

For the past 11 years (6 years at Akbar), Julianna Parr (aka "The L.A. Craft Captain") has been providing a creative outlet for this city's thirsty citizens. How big is Craft Night? If you type "Craft Night" into the Google search engine, not only will it suggest "craft night akbar," but the event's web page comes up first. Additionally, this local craft celebrity is responsible for "Gothtober" (an annual online advent calendar that counts down the days to Halloween), and was part of easily the best (macabre) moment of "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHF_SLlTz34)

Remember, it is said that Walt Disney came up with his ideas for Disneyland while sitting in a bar, so here's your chance to have a drink and create something equally as wacky (or wonderfully spooky)... if you dare.

(to read about last month's haunted location... )
(to see a map of previous SPIRITS with SPIRITS locations... )

SPIRITS with SPIRITS 5th Anniversary Bash!

GHOULA meets for cocktails in haunted places on the 13th of each month. “SPIRITS with SPIRITS” is a casual social gathering of regional ghost hunters and those that just like ghost stories. 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 (square) G.H.O.U.L.A. button. If you already have one, please wear it so others can find you, without asking the staff about our group.

May 13th will be GHOULA's 60th SPIRITS with SPIRITS, and as such, it will mark 5 years of our humble group meeting once a month to explore this great city, and to tell ghost stories over cocktails. Help us celebrate this milestone at one of the most enchanted places in Los Angeles.

RSVP REQUIRED: This meet-up will be in the Oviatt Penthosue, with a full-service (no host) bar set up just for us. The good people at Truly Yours Catering have arranged for GHOULA to get special access into this famously haunted building's inner sanctum (not normally open to the public), so come out for this rare opportunity to see one of the great hidden gems of Downtown. Since there are occupancy limitations... Please RSVP here.

THE DATE: May 13th, 2013 (Monday)
THE PLACE:The Oviatt Penthouse (at the top of the Oviatt Building)
617 S Olive St, Downtown, (map)
(Instructions on how to enter penthouse will come later.)
THE TIME: 8:00pm - ?
ADMISSION: FREE (with RSVP)

THE GHOST(S):

"We're at Nineteen Moonbeam Terrace
Overlooking Starlight Square
We're the couple in the castle
Way up high in the air!
On the corner there's a cloud bank
and we bank our millions there
We're the couple in the castle in the air."
---from the song "We're the Couple in the Castle" (1941)

No one knows for sure if this song, written by Los Angeles-based songwriters, "Hoagy" Carmichael and Frank Loesser, for the animated feature, MR. BUG GOES TO TOWN, about an art-deco "castle" on the top of a skyscraper in the middle of a city, was inspired by the Oviatt Penthouse, but it seems likely.

In 1928, the Los Angeles Times called this Romantic penthouse the "Castle in the Air," and it is every bit as magical today as it was back when James Oviatt, his wife, and their son lived there (even if the rooftop beach with imported sand from the French Riviera no longer exists). It is thought to be the first Art Deco residence in Los Angeles. Also, the penthouse is 13 stories up, and has a tower with three neon clock faces that are 13 feet in diameter each. Coincidence?

James Oviatt opened his haberdashery (men's apparel) at this address in May of 1928 (exactly 85 years ago), and occupied the first three floors of this building until 1966. When his business ended, he continued to live in the penthouse until his death, a few years later. Although haberdasheries have largely disappeared from Los Angeles' landscape, some believe that one haberdasher lingers on...

In life, James Oviatt was an avid pipe smoker, and there are claims that the strong smell of pipe tobacco will inexplicably waft through the rooms of his former home as well as the areas in the building where he used to work, especially the ground floor (now the smoke-free Cicada Restaurant). By all accounts, Oviatt was a perfectionist, and obsessed with keeping a tidy workplace, so is it any surprise that those who work at Cicada and the Penthouse feel that the shadowy figure that watches over them, or the disembodied footsteps that follow them, is just the former owner keeping an eye on things, in an attempt to maintain the standards of excellence he originally set.

Additionally, there seems to a secondary spirit that acts as the "yang" to the orderly Oviatt's "yin," a mischievous "prankster," who playfully creates disorder, moving objects, throwing up papers, and tugging/pushing the staff. Since some have seen (or heard) the ghost of a small boy, who disappears into the walls, these unruly phenomena are generally blamed on Oviatt's son, Jimmy, who in life, used to raise hell, and try to scare the staff by jumping out from behind display cases. Does his energy still engage in such childish thrills? It is said that one former security guard got so spooked in the penthouse, he ran down thirteen flights of stairs to avoid waiting for the elevator ("Feet don't fail me now!")

Although the ground floor (Cicada Restaurant) and the Penthouse are the real hot spots for activity, it seems that this spooky duo, do not apparently limit themselves to those two locations. Just about every tenant within this office building have had their spectral brushes with Oviatt and his son.

Perhaps the old song's lyric should be updated to..
"We're the couple (of ghosts) in the castle in the air"

So, come out to Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #195, have a cocktail under Downtown's only weather vane, and celebrate 5 years of toasting ghosts... if you dare.

The Oviatt Penthouse
(to read about last month's haunted location... )
(to see a map of previous SPIRITS with SPIRITS locations... )

Seance this Sunday!

Forget the Oscars this Sunday, and do what Lincoln would have done if he were around (even if it was only hinted at in the Oscar-nominated movie)...

Go to a seance!

What: Jill Tracy's Musical Seance
Where: Dibble House, Historical Monument 157
3110 North Broadway, Lincoln Heights (map)
When:9pm (Doors open at 8pm)
Admission: Free (suggested donation $10)
Website: http://jilltracy.com/jt/

On June 18, 1896, the usually jovial, soft-spoken Horace P. Dibble went to his job at the Pacific Crockery and Tinware Company. Before the day ended, he stabbed a shipping clerk to death in a violent skuffle. He lived in this odd Queen Anne style house, which is now simply known as Historical Monument 157 in Los Angeles.

Join chanteuse, pianist and storyteller Jill Tracy and violinist Paul Mercer for a very rare evening inside the Dibble House, with a full concert, tales of ghosts, and their acclaimed Musical Seance.

Hailed by LA Weekly as “the cult darling of the Underworld,” Jill Tracy’s dark cinematic elegance pairs with Mercer’s eerie improvisational style which summons the aid of various centuries-old violins and violas. Since joining forces on Halloween 2007, the duo have become widely known for their astonishing channeled duets on piano and violin. The pair affectionately refer to their collaborations as “spontaneous musical combustion.” Their uncanny ability to conjure unsettlingly lavish compositions has led to spellbinding results, transporting the room into “a musical seance.”

Audience members are asked to bring small objects of special significance, such as a photo, talisman, jewelry, toy, token. This is a very crucial part of manifesting the music. Every object holds its story, its spirit. Energy, resonance, impressions from anyone who has ever held the object, to the experiences and emotions passed through it.

The duo have conjured music in such unusual locales as abandoned asylums, caves, haunted castles, decrepit gardens, and were special guests at Anne Rice’s famed Halloween Ball in New Orleans in addition to working on film scores and touring internationally.

For more info...
http://jilltracy.com/jt/

February's SPIRITS with SPIRITS

GHOULA meets for cocktails in haunted places on the 13th of each month. “SPIRITS with SPIRITS” is a casual social gathering of regional ghost hunters and those that just like ghost stories. 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 (square) G.H.O.U.L.A. button. If you already have one, please wear it so others can find you, without asking the staff about our group.

NOTE: check the bar's website about details concerning the dress code.

THE DATE: February 13th, 2013 (Wednesday)
THE PLACE:The Edison (at the bottom of the steps)
108 W 2nd St, Downtown,
(enter from the alley behind the building) (map)
THE TIME: 8:00pm - ?
(Happy Hour 5pm - 7pm)

THE GHOST(S):

So, if the popular image of "Heaven" is a peaceful environment high above Earth amongst fluffy white clouds, then it would seem "Hell" is the opposite. One could imagine Satan's domain as a dark, subterranean lair with giant industrial machinery and crowded with the damned (strippers, musicians, posers, etc). Strangely (or maybe not so strangely), this description also matches The Edison (Bar) in the heart of Downtown, under the Higgins Building. As if that weren't enough, the bar, itself, makes subtle allusions and references to Satan, and Satanism.

First of all, the bar's namesake, Thomas Edison, has long been rumored to be a Satanist, and theories of his Satanic connections can be found all over the Internet. Additionally, there is a large mural of Prometheus as one descends into the bar. Prometheus also has connections to Satanism and the Occult. Prometheus (generally depicted holding a torch or fire) in Greek mythology was an immortal that was punished by Zeus for tampering with the humans (possibly making him the inspiration for the Christian "Devil").

Likewise, one of the Devil's nicknames is "Lucifer," which roughly translated means the "bringer of light" not unlike the illuminated Prometheus. It is also thought that animal sacrifices, commonly associated with Satanism, started as a means of worshiping Prometheus (a ritual that Thomas Edison used to record himself doing with the then-new invention, the movie-camera). It should also be no surprise that the Edison Building, a couple of blocks away from this night club, also has artistic renderings of Prometheus at its entrance.

Anecdotally, in 1913, an anonymous prankster, took out an ad falsely announcing that the Higgins building was a refuge for any unwanted cats, a place where they would get good care. In the days that followed, people began dropping these feline creatures off in the lobby, until the building became over run with cats (also an animal associated with the Occult and Satanism).

Even if The Edison (Bar) is a recreation of "Hell," it seems that there is only one soul damned to spend eternity here. The staff says that the spirit of a well-dressed man seems to linger near the restrooms, and is seen most often late at night, after the bar is closed to the public. The identity of this man is a mystery, but there is an often repeated story associated with him. The claim is that before the basement (containing the original 1910 "power apparatus") was converted into a bar, is was flooded with water. When the dirty water was drained, a skeleton was found at the bottom. Were these the remains of the man that haunts the bar? No one knows how long those bones were down there.

So, come out to one of Los Angeles' truly underground bars, have a cocktail, .and check to make sure that well-dressed gentleman standing near you is really there .. if you dare.

www.edisondowntown.com/
(to read about last month's haunted location... )
(to see a map of previous SPIRITS with SPIRITS locations... )

Highlights from Jan's SWS

Thanks to all those who came out to enjoy Taix's atmosphere as well as their "French Toast" (stand-up comedy night). However, it saddens GHOULA to report that a psychic-healer has announced that she cleansed the restaurant of all spirits recently, so unfortunately (according to her), it is no longer haunted.

However, it must also be noted that she admitted that ghosts can be very tricky, and sometimes they sneak back inside the places, where they have been asked to leave.
So, who knows for sure.

GHOULA would like to believe that Taix's ghost is one of the tricky ones.

(to read about the ghost of Taix...)

January's SPIRITS with SPIRITS

GHOULA meets for cocktails in haunted places on the 13th of each month. “SPIRITS with SPIRITS” is a casual social gathering of regional ghost hunters and those that just like ghost stories. 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 (square) G.H.O.U.L.A. button. If you already have one, please wear it so others can find you, without asking the staff about our group.

THE DATE: January 13th, 2013 (Sunday)
THE PLACE:Taix (at the bar)
1911 W. Sunset Blvd, Echo Park (map)
THE TIME: 8:00pm - ?
(Kitchen closes at 9pm)

THE GHOST(S):

Taix (pronounced "Tex") first appeared on to GHOULA'S radar a few years ago, when a strange story was reported to us involving mysterious voices heard in the bar area. According to a witness, on one of the nights when live music can be heard in the bar, disembodied, cryptic phrases came out of the speakers, as if someone were whispering into an unseen microphone. Although, the sentence fragments were in whispered tones, those present felt it was a male voice. Everyone just assumed it was interference from a police radio or a walkie-talkie, so the periodical messages were just ignored, while the performers did their best to continue playing. At the end of the night however, when all the sound equipment was off and unplugged, the (unamplified) whispering continued, and sounded like it was coming from within the room (and was not heard outside of the room). Even though a search for the source of the faint whispers commenced, it was never found.

Taix is one of the few local restaurants that GHOULA occasionally get inquires about (When is "Spirits with Spirits" going there?). Even though, GHOULA first heard about it because of the story mentioned, the ghost that everyone knows about is the full-bodied apparition of a man in a white shirt. This male figure is only seen in the kitchen and basement, and is generally seen in the mornings before the restaurant opens. Who this "man" is (or if its the same ghost whispering in the bar) remains a mystery. Who could this ghost that seemingly shows up to work at the start of the day be?

Could it be a member of the Taix Family? This historic restaurant is not only one of the oldest in Los Angeles, it is one of the few in that group that is still owned by the same family. Originally, Taix opened in 1927 at 321 Commercial Street in downtown, when Marius Taix took over a speak-easy, and turned it into a simple restaurant, serving one thing each day, and using long "family-style" tables. These "pot-luck" dinners, where everyone rubbed elbows, was an instant success. In 1963, the next generation opened a second location in Echo Park and called it Les Freres Taix ("The Brothers Taix"), but most called it "The New Taix." Although they denied the new location was part of a plan to move the beloved business out of downtown, within two years the original landmark restaurant was torn down to make way for the Harbor Freeway. Could the ghost be a guardian from the family, keeping an eye on the place?

Maybe its the ghost of Noah Botwin, the man who owned "Botwin's Cafe" at this Echo Park location before the Brothers Taix moved in. Botwin and his restaurant seemed to always be plagued with problems, from expensive battles with unions to a corruption scandal involving pay-offs for an illegal liquor license, so it would kind of make sense that this notorious figure would be cursed to spend eternity here.

Then again, perhaps the spirit is a former employee still reporting to work from beyond the grave. When the new Taix opened, restaurant reporter, Art Ryon wrote that the Echo Park location had young waitresses, instead of the old men at the downtown location. That said, the new location currently has three men who have each worked there for over fifty years. Could the ghost be one of the long line of old men, who have dedicated decades of service toTaix. Or, is it the cursed bartender...

There is a probably apocryphal story of a bartender (in the early 1950s when it was Botwin's Cafe), who bought Mr. Botwin's former car at a cheap price because Botwin felt it was unlucky. Botwin had lost a (then) "20 dollar" gold coin inside the car, and could never find it. Shortly after the bartender bought the car, he drove it off of a bridge and died. It is said that when the tow-ruck lifted the mangled wreck, the gold coin dropped out.

So come out and toast one of Los Angeles' oldest bars, and if you are lucky, and you listen carefully, you may find out who haunts it... if you dare.

http://taixfrench.com/
(to read more about the ghost of this haunted location... )
(to read about last month's haunted location... )
(to see a map of previous SPIRITS with SPIRITS locations... )

Huell Howser - R.I.P.

Although TV personality, Heull Howser, had no involvement in the local paranormal community (as far as we know), his influence on GHOULA was undeniable.

The ideals behind GHOULA's mission to explore different corners of Los Angeles, celebrate the history and folklore of local establishments, and get the personal stories of individuals can be directly traced to the KCET programs "California's Gold," "Visiting," and "Videolog."

Those shows had a tremendous impact on GHOULA co-founder, Richard Carradine, and as a result, the concept of observing and documenting this part Southern Californian life (and/or after-life) became a big part of what GHOULA would become.

An underlying theme of Huell Howser's shows seems to be that as much as you think you know your city (or state), there is always more to learn, discover and experience. For this reason, Huell's recent retirement and death are shocking and feel sudden, as if there was still more work to be done, and even more territory to cover.

GHOULA, in its own small way, will honor Huell by doing our part to continue to share our local discoveries with others, and hope that others will do the same.

Meet a Ghost Buster!

Come out and meet the last remaining, living GHOST BUSTER, the legendary Bob Burns (Tracey the Gorilla). The Ghost Busters was a 1970's children's show, which in addition to being great, and a local creation (shot in Los Angeles), has two claims to fame. First, it was the first TV show about ghost-hunting, where the investigators used equipment and devices to track ghosts. Secondly, it is where the successful 1980's movie staring Dan Ackroyd got the its name.

When: Saturday, 2 p.m.
Where: Dark Delicacies 3512 West Magnolia Boulevard Burbank

Dark Delicacies presents "Men in Suits" (DVD) with Bob Burns (Ghost Busters), Tom Woodruff Jr (Alien 3), Doug Jones (Pan’s Labyrinth), Michelan Sistiand (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Brian Steele (Predators), Camden Toy (Buffy), Misty Rosas (Congo), William Malone and John Goodwin. Beast Wishes (DVD) signing with Kathy Burns, Bob Burns, Frank Dietz, Trish Geiger, Dana Gould, Joe Dante, Steve Wang, William Stout. Bob and Kathy Burns signing their models.

GHOULA's Annual Report 2012

(Alhambran F.E. Ormsby, creator of the 13 month calendar, 1929)

HAPPY BOOOOOOOOO YEAR!

GHOULA has many great things planned for the upcoming year. It is 2013, after all.

But first, let's take a last look back at 2012.

"SPIRITS with SPIRITS" continued its monthly meetings, visiting 11 new haunted restaurants/bars (and one possibly haunted bar) in the Los Angeles area. (To revisit the 2012 "SPIRITS with SPIRITS" locations see below)

Last Year, in addition to letting Angelenos know about ghost-themed events that are happening in their own back yard, GHOULA also continued its other usual features like...
"REAL GHOSTS with REEL GHOSTS," where anytime a movie about ghosts was shown in a haunted local theater, the details were posted on this site, and "BOOs Alert," where a link is posted to a news site that mentions a local ghost story.

GHOULA also started two new features...
"(Haunted) Haunted Attractions," where the true ghost stories are revealed about local Halloween attractions. Plus, "BOO-ook Club," where GHOULA provides a forum for people to discuss local ghost-lit.

We also brought back our "Haunted Films in Haunted Places" film series in October. In a partnership with the Echo Park Film Center's Filmmobile. For a third year, we screened a movie with "haunted" in the title in actual haunted location that corresponded thematically with that film. We showed "Tormented by the She Ghost of Haunted Island," which is about an haunted lighthouse on a screen next to the haunted Point Fermin Lighthouse in San Pedro.

GHOULA also hosted it's first (and maybe last) "Haunted VCR Movie Night," where a ghost-themed move (on VHS) was played on (according to claims) a haunted VCR, while participants used a "spirit board" painted on the VCR to communicate with the spirit(s) that haunt the machine. The event took place in a secret underground location in Chinatown thanks to our friends at Beta Level.

Last Year, we created the "GHOULA Challenge," where we asked the paranormal community to help assist in solving some of our city's great "unsolved" murders, by (paranomally) investigating the "crime scenes" on the actual anniversary of the the murder, in hopes that perhaps some spirit communication or ghostly evidence could shed new light on these old cases. We chose the Ned Doheny Murder of 1929, and the William Desmond Taylor Murder of 1922. On the 90th anniversary of the Taylor murder, GHOULA held a meet-up at the 1920's bar, The Prince, to discuss the case. The evening was even mentioned on the BBC News.

Along these lines of marking certain days connected to local ghost lore, we initiated last year, what we hope will be an annual event, the "Peg Entwhistle Memorial Hike" to the Hollywood Sign, on the anniversary of her suicide (jumping off of the "H"), along the very same trails that hikers claim to have seen her ghost.

Because of our groups interest in local history and the folklore of this city, GHOULA was invited to participate in the annual Heritage Day event (in April) held at the very historic (and haunted) Pico House on Olvera Street, along with all of Los Angeles' Historical Societies

With protecting our local history on our minds, in 2012 GHOULA launched a "para-preservation" program to help raise money and awareness for haunted, historic properties in need of funds. We were able to set up access for paranormal investigators to investigate a historic property that had not been previously available. Ghost hunters were charged a fee and all money raised went to the historic property.

We also celebrated the arts, by participating in a "Ghost Night" celebration of storytelling and music at the Hyperion Tavern, participating in "Halloween at the Barn," an evening of Hollywood ghost stories, and hosting a "Ghost Night" at the EVE Gallery with storytelling and a ghost-themed art show.

Speaking of combining art and storytelling, Last year we released issue #2 of GHOULA Comix with a number of local comic book artists. (check it out here...)

Last October, GHOULA also began it first in a series of ghost-themed walking tours with our "Haunted Red Line Tour," where we took groups along the Metro's Red Line. stopping at various stations to talk about the ghosts and haunted sites at that location.

2012 was a great year for GHOULA, and judging from the surprises that are in the works, 2013 will be even better (now that we don't have to worry about the end of the world anymore).

The SPIRITS with SPIRITS locations of 2011.

January - Frolic Room
February - Barney's Beanery
March - Beverly Hilton
April - Coral Cafe
May - Ink/Sweet Lady Jane
June - Hyperion Tavern
July - One-Eyed Gypsy
August - Townhouse
September - Yamashiro
October - Intelligensia Coffee
November - Bar 107
December - The Redwood Bar and Grill

(To view last year's annual report...)

A Scary Christmas to Everyone!

"There'll be parties for hosting
Marshmallows for toasting
And caroling out in the snow
They'll be scary ghost stories
And tales of the glories of
Christmases long, long ago"

(from the popular Christmas song
"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year")

"We're all familiar with Dickens's A Christmas Story, and the three ghosts who visit Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas Eve. But few know that Dickens did not pluck this idea of a Christmas haunting out of thin air - that, in fact, he was continuing the age-old tradition in England of telling ghost stories on Christmas Eve, a period of time believed to provide an open door to the other side." ---Mary Beth Crain (from her book Haunted Christmas)

In the beginning, yule-tide activities revolved around ghosts, demons and other weird creatures that dished out punishments to the naughty as a way of co-opting the pagan winter solstices ceremonies in place before "Christmas." As the Christian holiday gained popularity, these more sinister traditions were pushed back to autumn and became the basis for today's Halloween. So, tonight turn back the clock to a simpler time when darkness ruled the winter, and enjoy a truly traditional Christmas with a horror film, or a simple ghost story.

FA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-GhouLA

Highlights from Dec's SWS

(Picture above is a painting at the Redwood Bar of a ghost ship)

Thanks to everyone who came out this Christmas season to participate in the time honored , yule-tide tradition of telling ghost stories. GHOULA would also like to thank the staff members, who shared their own personal spooky tales of this location...

Namely, the silhouette (and shadows) of the man seen downstairs in the basement area, where the bar stores items. One waitress told a tale about a loud shrieking sound echoing the halls when she once stepped into the elevator to go down there. She leaned back out before the elevator doors closed to see if she could tell where the noise was emanating from, when a security guard turned a corner, and appeared. When she asked about the noise, the guard had heard nothing unusual at the other end of the hall.

(to read more about the ghosts of this haunted location...)

BOOs Alert!

THIS JUST IN:
Stay Puft Marshmallow Man Invades Hollywood.
(for the full story, click the link below.)

http://creepyla.com/blog/2012/12/13/yes-ray-there-is-a-stay-puft-marshmallow-store/

December's SPIRITS with SPIRITS

GHOULA meets for cocktails in haunted places on the 13th of each month. “SPIRITS with SPIRITS” is a casual social gathering of regional ghost hunters and those that just like ghost stories. 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 (square) G.H.O.U.L.A. button. If you already have one, please wear it so others can find you, without asking the staff about our group.

Note: This Thursday is Downtown's Art Walk, so parking/traffic may be an issue, but this location is walking distance to the galleries,(for those that also want to check out some culture before having a drink and hearing a ghost story).

THE DATE: December 13th, 2012 (Thursday)
THE PLACE: Redwood Bar and Grill
316 West 2nd Street, Downtown (Map)
(near METRO Red Line's Civic Center Station)
THE TIME: 7:00pm - ?
(Happy Hour 3-8pm)

THE GHOST(S):

"Haunted houses are a hobby of mine...
If a house is haunted, I'd like to hear about it...
What do you hear - moans, groans, squeaking steps at night?"
-- Perry Mason (from "The Case of the Worried Waitress" by Earle Stanley Gardner)

Although Raymond Chandler's private-eye, Phillip Marlow, seems to get the most attention of the many LA-based literary investigators, Erle Stanley Gardner's fictional lawyer, Perry Mason, is certainly no slouch with 84 novels, movies, and a successful TV series. What the Mason novel's lack in poetic descriptions of Los Angeles, they more than make up for with their fast-paced plotting through familiar neighborhoods. Like Chandler, Gardner also seemed to disguise specific localities, leaving the reader to try and decipher the actual places being described in the books.

One reoccurring location in the Perry Mason novels is a small, dark restaurant located near the courthouse, which the famous lawyer frequents while a trial is in progress. As such, the staff know him, and give him the back room where he can discuss his case privately with his staff and/or a client. Despite never being mentioned by name, it seems pretty clear that this fictional hole-in-wall tavern frequented by lawyers, defendants, reporters, politicians, and city workers (with a back room for legal strategy sessions) is modeled after the real-life Redwood Bar and Grill.

The Redwood opened in 1942 at 234 W. 1st Street, moving one block to its current location at 316 W. 2nd Street in 1970 (which formerly housed offices for the DWP). It's name is a result of the owner's shock that he was able to score a shipment of redwood for the interior when, due of the then war, resources were scarce. Because of its proximity to the civic center of our city, The Redwood has always catered to those that have business and/or work in this part of town.

With so many people patronizing this watering-hole over the decades, is it any wonder that there are also ghost stories attached to the establishment. There are claims of shadows moving along walls (seen in the reflection of the mirror of the men's restroom), as well as phantom fingers that tap on the backs of those sitting at the bar (as if to get their attention). Additionally, the ghost of a man has been seen around the building's lobby (near the barroom). Could this male spirit be the same one in the men's room, or the one tapping female patrons?

Who could this brazen male ghost be? Is it the original owner, Samuel "Eddie" Spivak, who may be keeping an eye on the place? Is it Bill Eaton, a former bartender (old location), and later owner (new location), who used to hand out "Bill's Pills" (vitamins) with the cocktails to keep the drunks healthy? What about long-time fixture, Lou "Nightly" Wilson, whose steel-trap mind could recall any song ever written even if his rendition was off-key? Then, there is local celebrity, Art Ryon, who wrote a popular restaurant column for the LA Times from the front booth. Also, in 1920 at this address, a man was arrested for "trying out" women, who answered an ad about employment in the motion picture business. Perhaps, this pervy spirit still lingers on to "touch" others.

In recent years however, the bar has become known more for its pirate decor than its patrons (and past patrons). If a pirate-themed bar seems out of place in Downtown Los Angeles, remember California's (and possibly Los Angeles') connection to legendary pirate/privateer/patriot, Sir Francis Drake, who patrolled the waters up and down our coast in 1579. Yes, the British were in California long before they ever set foot on the East Coast (before Plymouth Rock).

So come out and toast Los Angeles' legal, literary, and larcenous history at the Redwood Bar and Grill... if you dare.

(for more info about this ghost, check out "Gourmet Ghosts" by James Bartlett...)

(to read about more ghosts of this haunted location...)
(to read about last month's haunted location... )
(to see a map of previous SPIRITS with SPIRITS locations... )

The "Haunted VCR Movie Night" Results...

The results are mixed...

First of all, thanks to all those who came out to participate in this odd experiment, and thanks the Beta Level for providing a space to conduct this demonstration.

At the start of the evening, technical problems seemed to plague the set-up, forcing our screening to be pushed back an hour. Was the Haunted VCR, affecting (or infecting) the other electronic devices in the room? Probably not, but who knows?

Once we were up and running, the Abbot and Costello film "The Time of Their Lives" was projected on one wall, while the distorted pictures from the VHS copy inside the Haunted VCR were projected on another wall. A night-vision camera was placed over the VCR to record any movements of the planchette across the painted Ouija-like design on the top of the machine, which was then broadcasted on a TV screen. All of this went on while a couple of volunteers from the audiences placed their fingers on the planchette, and asked questions.
(to see video of this set-up...)

So what happened? After some slow and/or confusing movements of the planchette in response to initial questions, the following exchange occurred...

"Did you know the previous owner of the VCR?
YES

This was followed by more slow and/or confusing movements.

"Are there multiple spirits here?"
YES

How many spirits are present?
(the planchette pointed to the space between the ""8 and the "9")

"Are the spirits connected to the VCR?"
NO

"Are the spirits connected to the building?"
NO

"Are the spirits connected to someone here?"
YES

When trying to isolate who the spirits were connected to or what message, if any, they had for that individual, the planchette keep moving to the bottom right hand corner with half of the planchette sliding off of the machine.

This is the corner with the word "GOOD BYE." But, given the large size of the planchette (a standard Parker Brothers model) and the small surface area of the VCR, when the planchette is over "GOOD BYE" it may also be pointing to Y, Z, P, or O. All of these letters meant nothing to anyone present. Any further attempts to communicate were met with the planchette, sliding back to the "GOOD BYE" corner. So, the participates gave up, and everyone watched the rest of this wonderfully strange movie in peace.

Thus, if we ever attempt this again, we will need to get a smaller planchette. Also, we may try a more experienced team of Ouija practitioners, instead of volunteers from the audience. However, there is the question of enviornment. Since the VCR's last home was a haunted apartment building, we may have to attempt this in a haunted space to bring out the ghosts. Then again, maybe it worked originally because of a specific ghost in that specific location that liked/disliked old movies. Like the "gliding rocks" of the Devil's Racetrack, the magic might stop once you remove the object from it habitat. Then again, the man that GHOULA obtained the Haunted VCR from had, himself, obtained it from Goodwill, so who knows what its history was before him.

Although, GHOULA feels this was a noble attempt to test the Haunted VCR, unfortunately the results are inconclusive as to if the machine, itself, is haunted.

GHOULA will continue to keep everyone updated on any future/further developments in the saga of the "Haunted VCR"...

(to read about the first "Haunted VCR Movie Night"...)
(to read about "The Tale of the Haunted VCR"...)

The Tale of the "Haunted VCR"

The following was written by Richard Carradine
(founder of GHOULA and proud owner of a haunted VCR)

"A couple of months back, I was goofing around on Craigslist, when I typed in the word "haunted" just to see what would come up...

Among the entries, there was one for a "Ouija VCR." According to the write-up, the owner lived in a haunted apartment building in Hollywood, and he noticed anytime he watched an old movie in his VCR, strange things would happen in his apartment. So, he painted a Ouija board-like design on the top of the VCR, and when the ghosts got active during a movie, he would communicate with them. He was asking 40 dollars for this spirit-talking/video-playing device.

I immediately sent him a message, inquiring if he still had the VCR, and if it still worked. The response was that it was still available, and the picture quality was not very good, but (as an explanation) it is haunted (so what did I really expect). I offered $5, and the response was "Sold." My assumption was that the owner was moving away from Los Angeles, and thus motivated to sell. A time was set for the exchange...

I showed up at the "haunted" apartment building (which is indeed an old building), and waited about a half hour. The owner (a tall, lanky 20-something, unshaven and disheveled) finally appeared, holding the VCR. He stepped up to me, slammed the VCR down in front of me, and screamed (in a panicked tone), "JUST TAKE IT!!" With that, he ran back into the building (as if running away from the machine), and slammed the door behind him.

He never took my five dollar bill. Seemingly, he just wanted to be rid of the machine. For a couple of moments, I stared at the old VCR, and wondered if there was some kind of curse attached to it, before picking it up and taking it home. Any further info about the history of the machine, and/or the paranormal activity possibly connected to it, is unknown. A planchette did not come with the machine, and judging from the photo on Craigslist, this guy used a triangular shard of glass with one tip inked over with a red sharpie. Also, a closer inspection of the VCR revealed a price tag from Goodwill ($7.99). 

It now sits in my apartment (in my "haunted" apartment building) as a conversation piece, until I decide to fire it up, and see what happens..."

(to read about the first "Haunted VCR Movie Night"...)

Haunted VCR Movie Night!

In a partnership with our friends (or is it fiends) at BETALEVEL in a secret location underneath Chinatown, we are pleased to present this paranormal movie night using GHOULA's "Haunted VCR." So, come out and hear the amazing true story behind this bewitched video cassette recorder. As well as a public demonstration (or should we say a demon-stration) of its super-natural abilities. Yes, not only will this mechanical relic play a spooky film for your amusement, but it will also enlighten you with messages from the spirit realm, or perhaps even provide its own ghostly commentary of the movie we are screening that night.

(ADDED 11/25/12 - CLICK HERE TO SEE THE RESULTS OF THIS EVENT...)

Date: November 24 (Saturday)
Time: 8:00pm
Movie: The Time of Their Lives (1946)
(This title was generously supplied by the Frederick Rappaport VHS Archive)
Admission: FREE! (all welcomed, so tell your friends)

Place: BETALEVEL
Directions:
1.Find yourself in front of “FULL HOUSE RESTAURANT” located at 963 N. Hill Street in Chinatown. [Map to Full House]
2.Locate the alley on the left hand side of Full House.
3.Walk about 20 feet down the alley (away from the street).
4.Stop.
5.Notice dumpster on your right hand side.
6.Take a right and continue down the alley.
7.Exercise caution so as not trip on the wobbly cement blocks underfoot.
8.The entrance to Betalevel is located 10 yards down on left side, behind a red door, down a black staircase.

(ADDED 11/25/12 - CLICK HERE TO SEE THE RESULTS OF THIS EVENT...)

BOOs Alert!

THIS JUST IN: Local ghost mentioned on the Tonight Show.
(for the full story, click the link below.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R39i2ohhwXM

Highlights from Nov SWS

Thank you to everyone that made it out to Bar 107, considering the short notice of the venue change. However, the good news about the last minute craziness is that we were able to maintain our uninterrupted streak of never repeating a ghostly location, making Bar 107 the 52th haunted bar/restaurant we have visited.

While socializing, and telling stories, another ghost story concerning this tavern was discovered...

Once, while a maintenance man was working in the main bar room (when the bar was closed), he looked up at the mirror behind the bar and saw a man (in the mirror's reflection) standing in the room with him. Startled because he thought he was alone, he turn to face the visited and discovered that the room was indeed empty just as he thought. According to the tale, this maintenance man never again did any work inside this room.

(for more ghost stories about this haunted location...)

Also, for those unfamiliar with Elfego Baca (former patron) and the "Elfego Baca" TV show discussed that night...