July'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 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.

NOTE: There will be an important announcement concerning the future of GHOULA at this gathering.

THE DATE: July 13th, 2011 (Wednesday)
THE PLACE: The Basement Bar
(hidden under "The Victorian" -- entrance is around back
at the door with an eye painted on it)
2640 Main Street, Santa Monica (Map)THE TIME: 8:00pm to 11:00pm

THE GHOSTS:
There seems to be two kinds of haunted bars in Los Angeles. The kind that hides their haunted history, and the sort that celebrate their ghosts. Luckily for us, the "Basement Bar" hidden underneath "The Victorian" restaurant in Santa Monica is one of the latter. Not only do they love to talk about their ghosts, they even have a signature drink ("The Delia") named after their most seen spectre.

Before this Queen Anne style Victorian house, known locally as the "Kyte House," was converted into one of Santa Monica's swankiest restaurants, and before this historic home was moved from it's original location at 1003 Ocean Ave (on the corner of Ocean and Washington), it was the residence of Delia. This little old lady was the last caretaker of this stately abode, and little else is known about her. There is a story floating around that shortly after the restaurant opened (then called "The Chronicle"), Delia's relatives came by to find out if anyone there knew where Delia had moved to after the house moved. Whatever became of Delia is any one's guess, but what is agreed upon is that her spirit seems to have ended up at this new address. Sightings of her continue to this day, and have occurred all over the building. By all accounts this elderly phantom seems to be harmless, and minds her own business.

Then, there is the dark form of a man seen lurking in the shadows of this establishment. Nothing is really known about this figure or his connection to the structure, but one can speculate. According to the restaurant's website, the home was built in 1897, though other sources indicated 1900 or 1901. Either way, the then young port city of Santa Monica was a tough and sometimes dangerous place to live. Back then, Angelenos used to joke that passengers of the trolley lines that cut through Santa Monica should be blindfolded until they rode past. Raymond Chandler would eventually immortalize this darker side of this sunny city in his hard-nosed detective novels using the code name "Bay City." Could this shifty ghost be that of a criminal from a past era?

Or, could this restless male spirit be that of the house's original owner, Dr. George I. Kyte, whose obituary stated he was the "Master of the Southern California Masonic Lodge?' Did that secret society conduct secret ceremonies within this innocuous-looking building's walls? Were men in dark, hooded robes practicing possibly pagan rituals in the same rooms where diners eat today? For what its worth, it is also known that his wife's funeral was held inside this home, when those kind of practices were common. Could she actually be the old lady said to haunt this establishment?

Is there a better place to dwell upon these questions than the dark, spooky basement of a haunted Victorian mansion? So come out, have a drink, and maybe bump into a ghost at Santa Monica's Basement Bar... if you dare.

(to see last month's location...)
(to read more about the ghosts of this location...)

REAL GHOSTS with REEL GHOSTS

DATE: July 4th (Monday)
TIME: 8:00pm
PLACE: Silent MovieTheater
611 North Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles(map)
MOVIE: Insidious (2010)
ADMISSION: $10.00

Your chance to see this movie about ghosts in an actual haunted theater! (Note: this event is not hosted by GHOULA, and is just an event our members should know about. Thus, the event staff may not answer any questions regarding their ghosts.)

The Silent Movie Theater is said to be haunted by ghosts in the lobby and projection booth. (to read more about this theater's ghost...)

(for more info on this event...)

Happy 4th of GHOULY!

Every year, GHOULA pays tribute to this great country by profiling a ghost from American pop-culture that has ties to Southern California. This year, we spotlight video game royalty.

Is there a greater icon (graphically speaking) from the 1980's that is more universally recognized than that of Pac-Man, the yellow circle missing a wedge that starred in the enormously popular video arcade game of the same name, as well as numerous sequels and various off-shoots through the decades and various game platforms.

Never far from this electronic superstar are Pac-Man's four colorful villains, commonly thought to be ghosts (or monsters that turn into ghosts), and known by many names, depending on the language the game uses, but in the United States they're called Shadow, Speedy, Bashful, and Pokey. As such, these mischievous spectres may represent the first time a video game tackled the issue of the "after life" in the context of the character's world.

Granted, these complex ground-breaking, and gender barrier breaking, characters in the otherwise monochromatic, and simple world of 1980's video games were created in Japan. It is worth noting the popular Saturday morning cartoon show based of the game (1982-1983), which not only definitively called Pac-Man's enemies "ghosts" and renamed them, using their popular nicknames, Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde, was created right here in Los Angeles at the (now defunct) Hanna-Barbera Studios at 3400 Cahuenga Blvd. (The former site of a "Monkey Island" attraction).

GOD BLESS AMERICA'S GHOSTS! Happy 4th of July, everyone!
(to see last year's ghost from American pop culture...)

Haunted Hollywood Scavenger Hunt

Haunted Hollywood Scavenger Hunt
Date: October 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 29
Time: 6pm to 8:30pm
Price: $25
Age Suitability: 21 and up

Murders, Suicides, Burned Alive- All of these tortured souls still haunt Hollywood Boulevard. Discover these ghosts as you participate in the Haunted Hollywood Scavenger Hunt. Team up to uncover the haunting secrets of Hollywood. The Hollywood Hunt stars the ghosts of the Roosevelt, the Knickerbocker Hotel, many of the theaters and other secret locations revealed during the hunt.

No prior ghost hunting knowledge is required to solve the challenging clues, but a flashlight is helpful. NEW twist this year, the hunt begins in a haunted, hidden Hollywood speakeasy!!!

www.outoftheboxevents.net
For more info: 323.799.1374

Spooky Theater Show

Wicked Lit at the Millennium Biltmore

A Free Night of Ghostly Fun

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES – Ghosts, goose bumps, and laughs are promised at the historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel this week.

An “anti-horror” comedy adaptation of Mark Twain’s A Ghost Story, the performance is free and will run twice on two nights: June 15 at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., and June 16 at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Adapted by Wicked Lit’s Jonathan Josephson and directed by Paul Millet, the story follows a lost college student who stumbles upon an abandoned hotel.

The show will take place inside Bernard’s, a former restaurant located in the hotel. Early arrival is suggested and entrance is on Olive Street.

Although admission is free; RSVP is strongly encouraged.

The Millennium Biltmore Hotel is at 506 S. Grand Ave. For more information or to RSVP, go to wickedlit.org.

Tim Burton Exhibit

Tim Burton is a local boy that made good (or ghoulish).

This Summer (until Halloween), LACMA will be displaying his art depicting Goblins, Ghouls, and yes,... Ghosts!

So, come out and see these paranormal portraits in a museum that has paranormal activity of its own...

It is rumored that LACMA West's 1939 art deco building (formerly the May Co.) is the home to a couple of ghosts, and by "couple," we mean a pair of married ghosts (husband and wife).

The legend is that back in the days when it was a department store, there was a restaurant/tea room for customers upstairs with a view of the city (the windows can still be seen from Fairfax Ave.), one day while a Culver City woman was playing card games with friends over snacks, her husband stormed in, pulled out a gun and shot her at point blank range just before turning the gun on himself. Supposedly, the other women present later asked the police if they could go back into the crime scene to finish their game.

Is there a better place to enjoy Tim Burton's dark art?

Real Ghosts with Reel Ghosts

DATE: April 7
TIME: Various (check show times)
PLACE: Royal Theater
11523 Santa Monica Blvd.West LA (map)
MOVIE: Uncle Boonmee (2010)
ADMISSION: $11.00

Your chance to see this movie about ghosts in an actual haunted theater! (Note: this event is not hosted by GHOULA, and is just an event our members should know about. Thus, the event staff may not answer any questions regarding their ghosts.)

The Royal Theater is said to be haunted by an elderly man. (to read more about this theater's ghost... )

http://www.laemmle.com/viewtheatre.php?thid=1

Highlights from June's SWS

Thank you all who came out (20-30 people) for our SPIRITS with SPIRITS gathering at the historic (haunted) Figueroa Hotel. Once there, almost everyone made the observation that the infamous pool, and the target of past suicide jumpers, is mysteriously shaped like a coffin. Coincidence?

It was also observed by a couple of GHOULA members that the hotel's lobby was very similar to the "lobby" of the ghost-themed attraction, "Tower of Terror," at Disney's California, which also plays with the idea of a "death plunge." Coincidence?

(for this location's ghost stories...)

Tower of Terror "lobby."

Hotel Figueroa's lobby

June'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 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.

THE DATE: June 13th, 2011 (Monday)
THE PLACE: Veranda Bar (Hotel Figueroa)
939 Figueroa Street (Map)
(a couple of blocks from a METRO station)
THE TIME: 8:00pm to 11:00pm

THE GHOSTS:

The Hotel Figueroa is one of the few places downtown that can make one feel that the pessimistic future depicted in the 1980's sci-fi classic BLADE RUNNER might actually come true. With it's elegant, ethnic, and eerie vibe, this historic hotel sits in the shadows of the recently erected glass towers that are covered with tacky neon and billboard-sized TV screens repeating commercials on a loop. One almost expects that film's detective, Rick Deckard, (played by Harrison Ford) to pass through the vintage-looking lobby at any moment, as he searches for renegade androids.

That eternal battle between Man and Machine also seems to play out throughout the hotel and its 13 floors. Legend has it that at times, the electrical appliances and equipment appear to have a mind of their own, lights and TVs turn off and on by themselves, and the elevators travel to floors without be called to do so.

Additionally there seems to be an ominous presence that travels through the halls, some witnesses have even heard footsteps when no one was there. Who (or what) causes this phenomena, no one seems to know.

There have been two tragic deaths that have occurred at this address, as reported by the Los Angeles Times (and perhaps more that went unreported). Both deaths were the result of a guest going to the top of the building, leaping from the fire escape on the back (west) side, and going splat on to the patio that currently is the hotel's Veranda Bar. Interestingly, both cases were declared to be suicides by the police, because both individuals seem to go willingly to meet their maker, although neither left a "suicide note," and both showed no signs of being suicidal. One even jumped half-way through his dinner, as if the idea had suddenly hit him.

Is the weird electro-magnetic energy, causing the machines to malfunction throughout this building, the result of those individuals who took their own lives here? Or, are these strange vibes the actual reason these men did what they did? Modern folklore (and movies) are filled with stories of people going crazy as a result of a "possessed" building. Likewise, experiments have been done that suggest these electro-magnetic anomalies can cause the human brain to act out in unexpected ways, from hallucinations to intense feelings of dread. What causes these anomalies (common in haunted places) to appear outside of a controlled laboratory is still unknown.

Then again, maybe these are just coincidences. Either way, come to the Hotel Figueroa's Veranda Bar and check it out for yourself... if you dare.

http://www.figueroahotel.com/

(to see last month's haunted location...)

May's SWS Highlights

Thank you all for coming out to the far end of the valley for this unique venue. Despite what GHOULA previously reported, the dead remnants of the supposed "Hanging Tree" is no longer on display in the parking lot. The other reputed "Hanging Tree" across the street though, we are happy to report is alive and well (pictured below).

While we enjoying the atmosphere, one of the Catina's security guards shared his own personal ghost experience from the establishment. He said that late one night, after closing, he went into the restroom (pictured above) to relieve himself before leaving to go home. As he stood in front of the urinal (with an unobstructed view of the light switch on the wall), he saw the switch flip to "Off" by itself, leaving him in total darkness. Then, afterward, while he was standing outside the door to the "men's room," an irate female employee came out of the "ladies' room." The same thing happened to her, while she was in her stall. Since he was standing there outside the bathrooms, she assumed he must have done it. Later, he asked other employees about the incident, and discovered the strange "lights off" phenomenon has happen to others there.

Also, as the evening was winding down, and people were wandering over to the "hanging tree," and the haunted adobe next door, GHOULA member Caitlyn took these three photographs (pictured below after the two tree photos). She used her iphone, and was standing in the same place for each picture, and they were shot one right after the other (no flash for the middle one). Notice that a white dot appears in the second photo (the one without the flash) in the second arch from the right, and is not there in the top photo. In the last photo, the dot has moved to the third arch from the right on the balcony. three photos, same spot, with and without flash, and yet it is as if the "light" were floating (from right to left) across the second floor balcony, where the ghost of Mr. Leonis and "the woman in black" are seen.

(to read about this location's ghost stories...)

May's SPIRITS with SPIRITS

HAPPY FRIDAY THE 13th!
GHOULA meets for cocktails in haunted places on the 13th of each month. “SPIRITS with SPIRITS” is a casual 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.

THE DATE: May 13th, 2011 (Friday)
THE PLACE: Sagebrush Cantina
23527 Calabasas Road, Calabasas (map)
THE TIME: 8:00pm to 11:00pm

THE GHOSTS:

The quaint community of Calabasas is probably best known today as the idyllic (bland), suburban neighborhood that serves as the backdrop to the nefarious activities on the TV series WEEDS. However, long before these (ticky-tacky) houses with their cul-de-sacs appeared, this area was known as one of the wildest stage coach stops in Los Angeles.

The Sagebrush Cantina sits on the site of the old jail, and the historic oak "hanging tree" can still be seen in the parking lot. Incidentally, that was not the original location of the hanging tree, it was moved 100 yards from 23517 Calabasas Road to its current position to make room for a Saturn V lunar launch vehicle (used on NASA's Apollo missions to the moon) that had to be shuttled to the secret base in the Santa Susanna pass. There are those that claim that this oak, although known locally as "the hanging tree" for generations (and the site of playful lynching demonstrations/recreations for children during past festivals) was never actually used to hang anyone. Likewise, there are those that claim that the real Calabasas hanging tree is the one at 23504 Calabasas Road (which has a historic marker). The truth has been lost to history. Perhaps, both trees (and others) were used to hang outlaws.

What hasn't been lost to history though (thankfully), is a cowboy, a female shop-keeper, and a former restaurant employee (all from an earlier time) that have been seen within the walls of this establishment momentarily before they vanish. Ghost sighting at this restaurant go back to at least 1974 with the bar area and back portion of the restaurant being the focal points for paranormal activity (the ghostly woman has even been seen in the back bathroom). Also, like other haunted bars in Los Angeles, the mugs and glasses have been known to move by themselves.

As if this place wasn't creepy enough, they also stage puppet shows here on a regular basis for the kiddies.

It is also worth pointing out that the land that the restaurant sits on was once part of the Leonis estate, until this section was subdivided and converted into shops in the 1920s. The historic Leonis Adobe (now a museum), which is adjacent to the restaurant and just a few feet away, is widely thought to be the most haunted house in Los Angeles. Miguel Leonis was one of the most hated robber barrons in Southern California history, and his bloody, bandaged ghost (along with other ghosts) is said to haunt his home. (note: GHOULA co-founder, Richard Carradine's family was the last family to own this house, and live in it as a private residence.)

Is it a coincidence that the neighboring building also has a haunted history? Come out and have a drink here, and decide for yourself. If you dare.

(to read about last month's location...)
(to read about more ghosts at this location...)

http://www.sagebrushcantina.com/

BOOs Alert!

THIS JUST IN: The haunted 'American Idol' mansion is for sale for $12M

http://entertainment.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/05/07/haunted-american-idol-mansion-for-sale-for-12m/

Call for Submissions | GHOULA COMIX Issue # 2

ATTENTION ALL YE BROKEN PROMISES OF LAST YEAR'S SUBMISSIONS---Here is your opportunity to participate in the much anticipated GHOULA COMIX ISSUE 2 !!!



Current roster of contributing artists: ELI PRESSER, AMY HAGEMEIER, RICHARD CARRADINE, MIKE KELLY, JAMES SCHROEDER, VICTOR AVILA, MICHAEL AUSHENKER, KEN BRILLIANT and CAITLYN CARRADINE...

GHOST HUNTERS OF URBAN LOS ANGELES
Call for Comic Art Submissions: Ghoula Issue #2

Deadline: August 13, 2011
GHOULA is seeking contributing comic book artists for issue number one of the Los Angeles Ghost Stories Anthology.

Guidelines are as follows:

· Narrative must take place in Los Angeles County
· Narrative must include a ghost
· Narrative can be fictional or based on local ghost folklore
· Submit artwork in black and white only
· Submit original artwork or digital files at 300dpi
· Standard Comic Book size: Must fit within 7”Wx10”H
· No limit on # of pages!

GHOULA is dedicated to the preservation of greater L.A.'s rich haunted history, and the promotion and celebration of this local lore through ghostly gatherings, paranormal experiments, and events.

Participants will receive a lifetime membership GHOULA button, GHOULA T-shirt, copies of the published work, and most importantly, the satisfaction and secret glory of seeing your comic in print.

Comic scheduled to be released in October of 2010

Highlights from April's SWS

Thank you to everyone one that came out to this first ever joint G.H.O.U.L.A/ SoCal L.O.W.F.I super acronym mash-up event. As with last month, although this bar is known to be haunted, getting the specific story was difficult to obtain by press time. However, on the night of our gathering, the Footsie staff did not disappoint. The bartender shared her personal ghost story with our group. Her story is...

While the bar is empty, and she has her back to the room, she sees a man (in the reflection of the mirror on the wall behind the bar) walk in from the entrance and take a seat at the bar. When, she turns around to talk to the man, there is no one in the room. She said that this has happened to her three times (so far), and each time it is the same man, and he is dressed the same way (in a blue plaid shirt).

It is any one's guess as to the true identity of the plaid-wearing ghost. It has been suggested that maybe it is a former local hipster, or a gang-member, or maybe "he" goes back further. Newspaper articles of the 1940's suggest that even then, this was an edgy part of town, and the bar itself was subject to many robberies.

It should also be noted, since it was brought up that evening, with regard to the centennial lightbulb, which was thrown in the trash by a well-meaning worker, who was unaware of it's significance, that it's longevity may have more to do with economics than anything super-natural. There is a theory that all light bulbs back then were made to last forever. However, the companies that produced them realized they could make more money if the bulbs burnt out and needed to be replaced.

(to read more about this haunted location...)

April'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 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.

THE DATE: April 13th, 2011 (Wednesday)
THE PLACE: Footsies
2640 North Figueroa Street, Los Angeles (map)
THE TIME: 8:00pm to Midnight

THE GHOST:

What happens to the "soul," or consciousness, when one dies? When whatever makes us who we are leaves the body, does it dissipate into the ether, or does it just go somewhere else?

Most religions and cultures around the world have the concept of an "eternal flame." A fire that burns indefinitely, as a way to represent this idea of living on past death, and a way of remembering the spirit of an important individual. Traditionally, these memorials are fueled by flammable oils and gases, but in this modern age, it is not uncommon to use electricity to keep the luminance from ending.

Thomas Edison, one of the first men to harness the power of electricity, believed that after death the soul, or your "energy," stayed intact. Thus, he felt it may be possible to tap into that force and make contact with the deceased. It is known that Edison was even working on an invention to do just that. Ironically, he died before completing it.

However, it seems that ever since Edison's dabblings in this subject, people have tried to draw a line between ghostly activity and the mysteries of electricity. Contemporary paranormal investigators have even measured electro-magnetic anomalies in haunted places. Likewise, ghost folklore is filled with tales of apparently processed electrical appliances, that seem to operate on their own with an other worldly intelligence, or stories of lights that turn on, turn off, or dim by themselves.

Curiously, there are a few electrical "eternal lights" across the country that seem to be powered by super-natural forces. Most famously is Edison's own memorial tower that contained the "world's largest light bulb." Six years after it was built, the tower collapsed. Not only did the bulb survive the 131 ft. fall, but when the wreckage was found, the bulb was still on. Then, there's the "eternal light" at Disneyland that was left on when Disney died. Some claim that sometimes it stays on when its unplugged from the wall.

In Cypress Park, where the Arroyo Secco River meets the L.A. River, sits a little bar that was once the site of one of these strange electrical "eternal light" phenomenas. No one knows how old the building itself is, but there has been a bar within its walls since at least 1936. According to the current staff (of the current bar, Footsies) it was also home to a single bulb that ran continuously for almost a hundred years (before it finally "gave up the ghost" so to speak).

What causes these strange electrical anomalies is unknown.

Does it stem from ghostly activity (or the energy of the deceased) as some believe? Does it have something to do with its location, which is in the shadow of the second oldest surviving railway substation (1906) which the Edison Company used to create the high voltage electricity to power Los Angeles electric trolleys?

Come to SPIRITS with SPIRITS (and listen to "soul" music) and investigate the site for yourself, or share your own theories, or just join us for a drink. Hope to see you there.

(to read about the ghost of this haunted location...)
(to read about SPIRITS with SPIRITS last haunted location...)

REAL GHOSTS with REEL GHOSTS!

DATE: April 7 - ?
TIME: Various (check show times)
PLACE: Chinese Theater
6925 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles (map)
MOVIE: Insidious (2010)
ADMISSION: $12.75

Your chance to see this movie about ghosts in an actual haunted theater! (Note: this event is not hosted by GHOULA, and is just an event our members should know about. Thus, the event staff may not answer any questions regarding their ghosts.)

The Chinese is said to be haunted by a backstage ghost. (to read more about this theater's ghost...)

(for more info on this event...)

REAL GHOSTS with REEL GHOST!

DATE: April 7 - ?
TIME: Various (check show times)
PLACE: Majestic Crest
1262 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles (map)
MOVIE: Insidious (2010)
ADMISSION: $11.00

Your chance to see this movie about ghosts in an actual haunted theater! (Note: this event is not hosted by GHOULA, and is just an event our members should know about. Thus, the event staff may not answer any questions regarding their ghosts.)

The Crest is said to be haunted by a phantom projectionist (to read more about this theater's ghost...)

(for more info on this event...)

Highlights from March's SWS

Sadly, one of the great "only in Los Angeles" landmarks (a bar plastered with minuscule residual checks) has been converted into yet another fake Irish pub, but even still it seemed appropriate to have our St. Patrick's Day celebration there, and thank you all who came out for this event.

Although GHOULA was able to confirm that this bar does have a ghost story (from an overheard telephone conversation between a bartender and the bar's owner), and the unusual location of the haunting was confirmed (the crawl space above the storage room), the exact details of the haunting were never confirmed.

The bartender told us to talk to the owner about the ghost. The owner didn't want to talk about it, and suggested that we talk to the former owner. After several failed attempts at meeting the former owner, we still don't have the story.

With such a wild goose chase, GHOULA would normally reject this venue as haunted, if it weren't for the initial overheard conversation, which involved the bartender (away from the bar) asking the owner if the place was haunted, and then recoiling from the stories told to her over the other end. It's seems unlikely that the staff would stage such an incident in the chance that it would drum up business, especially considering every one's unwillingness to talk about it after being approached.

This just goes to show, that every restaurant/bar/business handles their ghost lore differently, and why for the most part our group does not announce to the venue that we will be coming. You never know what kind of reaction you are going to get.

(for more info on this haunted location...)

March'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 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.

THE DATE: March 13th, 2011 (Sunday "Bloody" Sunday)

THE PLACE: Maeve's Residuals
11042 Ventura Boulevard, Studio City (map)

THE TIME: 8:00pm to Midnight

THE GHOST:

On March 13th, exactly twenty-five years ago this Sunday, "Residuals," a little bar catering to local actors opened its doors for business in Studio City. In the last 4 years, Maeve purchased the bar and gave it an Irish Pub atmosphere, and made it a destination for fans of the mixological arts, particularly on Sundays when gourmet "Bloody Marys" ("the best in the San Fernando Valley") are served for their "Sunday Bloody Sunday" celebration.

Like most neighborhood bars in the San Fernando Valley, it is a dark cave-like environment stuck in the middle of a sunny roadside strip mall. However, supernaturally speaking, there are many things that make this tavern special.

First, Residuals was built (and billed) as an "actor's hang-out." As such, many depressed, rejected, out-of-work, and down-on-their-luck actors have passed though it's doors and wallowed in their misery at this site, which are wonderful ingredients for a great haunted location. The name "Residuals" comes from the term for the reduced payments actors get when their work is rerun on television. Sometimes the checks mailed to them were less than the postage on the envelope. There was a time when one could give the bartender a residual check (valued less than a dollar) and receive a free well drink in exchange. As a result, the walls quickly became plastered with studio checks for minuscule amounts, as the actors themselves got "plastered." Although, these sad souvenirs of the acting profession were removed recently, some can still be seen on the walls of the restroom.

Secondly, Residuals is in the shadow of (and walking distance from) two famously haunted/historic studio lots. To the East, Universal (home to all the famous monsters of filmdom) and to the west, the old Mack Sennett Studios (now known as CBS Studio Center). Is there a better place for a haunted actor's bar to be located than in between these two vortexs of entertainment industry paranormal activity?

Thirdly, the land Residuals sits on top of has history and was part of the original alignment of the old "El Camino Royal," California's first road, dating back hundreds of years to when the Native Americans used this footpath to travel between tribes throughout the state. Later the Spanish Missionaries used it to connect their Missions. Eventually, it was paved over with the invention of the automobile, and this section is known today as Ventura Blvd. Needless to say, many hardships occurred on this well-worn trail thru the decades, and much of it is said to be haunted.

Lastly, the name "Residuals" is also coincidentally a ghost-hunting term for latent (non-intelligent) spirit energy left at a location of significance that manifests as a form that seems to repeat an action over and over again (and is always seen doing that same action).

Thus, is it any wonder that this unique watering hole has its own resident ghost in their attic above the actual bar? To hear more about this and other nearby ghosts come out for a drink this Sunday (Bloody Sunday).

http://www.maevesresiduals.com/

(for more info about the ghost of this location...)

(to read about last month's location...)

REAL GHOSTS with REEL GHOSTS: The AMAZING World of GHOSTS

(This is not a GHOULA Event!)

THE PLACE: The Silent Movie Theater
(611 N. Fairfax Ave.) map

Come out and see a movie about ghosts in an actual haunted theater!
The Silent Movie Theater is said to be the home of a phantom projectionist and a disappearing/reappearing blood stain in the lobby... (read more)

SATURDAY MARCH 26

Phenome-Con 2011!, Day One
(feat. The Amazing World Of Ghosts, The Legend of Boggy Creek, Journey Into The Beyond & The Devil's Triangle!)

The Amazing World Of Ghosts - 7:30pm-ish

Is it accidental surrealism, an arthouse hoax -- or both? The Amazing World of Ghosts holds a special place in our hearts as the single strangest entry in the ‘70s Phenome-con sweepstakes. Comprised out of piles of seemingly unrelated stock footage, glued together with a rambling, Joycean stream-of-consciousness voice-over, the film is a schizo treatise loosely linking the universe’s colorful rainbow of ghosts: Bigfoot ghosts, space alien ghosts, voodoo ghosts, Loch Ness ghosts, wild child ghosts, goat herder ghosts, Chilean earthquake ghosts, bicycle-riding ghosts, and more.

Amazingly, this creation was “directed” by renowned movie historian/experimental filmmaker Wheeler Winston Dixon, and most likely was an influence on a young Craig Baldwin. Like a fuzzy transmission from the heart of the Fourth Dimension, drenched in raw, harsh zonked-out Moog blurps and library record funk cuts, the demented results of this enigmatic oddity make your average paranormal doc look positively -- uh, normal!

Presented in a truly rare archival 16mm print, flown in from Australia!
Dir. Wheeler Winston Dixon, 1978, 16mm, 91 min.



Here's the ticket link! See ya there...and if you go, wear your button so we can come say hi!

Highlights form Feb's SWS

Thank you all for coming out and supporting the (dark) arts!

We had a great turn-out for GHOULA's first foray into the art world, and promoting a local artist that uses ghost lore as her subject matter.

Based on the success of this event, we hope to do more summarily themed art shows in the future.

As a weird footnote to the evening after the exhibit showing, a group of us went Cross's the street to Hop Louie's for a night cap. While conversing, it suddenly dawned on everyone that the interior was filled with boxes coincidentally marked "SWS" (as in SPIRITS with SPIRITS).

How did they know we were coming?

February'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 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.

THE DATE: Februay 13th, 2011 (Sunday)
THE PLACE: The Studio for Southern California History
977 North Hill Street, (Chinatown) Los Angeles (map)
THE TIME: 6:00pm-8:00pm (then across the street to Hop Louie)

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

GHOULA is going to do 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) with the good people at the Studio for Southern California History for a special art show (and reception), featuring the "Haunted Art" of Cathrine Brogger.

This collection of "plein air" style paintings of local haunted sites has never before been displayed in public. Yes, these 13 works of art will be shown for the first time on the 13th, and the reclusive artist, herself, will be present.

This one-night-only event will be in conjunction with SFSCH's current exhibit "Love is Living Large in Los Angeles," their virtual love letter to the "City of Angels."

So, come out and celebrate the eve before St. Valentine's Day, in the historic West Plaza of Chinatown (aka "New Chinatown") as we explore the dark side of our feelings for the city we all call home.

"SPIRIT with SPIRITS" will resume as usual next month.

(to see last month's location...)

Jan's SWS Highlights

This "Spirits with Spirits" elicited one of the oddest responses from our host restaurant. The staff was extremely put-off by the size of our group (about 30), and almost refused to serve us. They apparently were hoping they wouldn't have to work on this quiet Wednesday evening, and enjoy the solitude of an empty restaurant. I guess they don't want/need customers in these slow economic times.

That said, they finally reluctantly took our orders, and brought out lackluster entrees. Maybe the cooking staff was also bothered by our presence in their otherwise quiet establishment.

Unfortunately, our group's members were the only presences present that night. The only ghost stories of note to report, were the ones told at the table.

On the plus side, GHOULA co-founder, Richard Carradine, was shocked when everyone erupted into a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday," as a blase waiter brought out a platter of "Blood Red Velvet" cupcakes (with lit candles) and a large decorative skull in the center to his seat. He was so not-expecting-it, that he was even singing along, trying to figure out whose birthday it was that night. (Mr. Carradine's birthday was actually the following week) It was a nice, and appreciated, surprise. It just goes to show you, you never know what to expect at "Spirits with Sprits."

(to read about the ghosts of this restaurant...)

January'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 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.

THE DATE: January 13th, 2011 (Thursday)
THE PLACE: Antonio's7470 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles (map)
THE TIME: 8:00pm to 11:00pm

THE GHOST(S):
The arrival of a new year is usually a time to wish others good luck and prosperity in the coming year. So, it seems fitting that GHOULA kicks off 2011 with a lucky charm of a location. Antonio's on Melrose has, over the last fifty years, gotten a reputation as being the place that celebrities hang-out at just before they become famous (Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez, etc.) as if this magical Mexican restaurant had something to do with their good fortune.

This urban legend further states that these windfalls occur when the spirits that haunt this eatery favor an individual. Although, the idea these ghosts actually influence the destiny of the patrons seems far-fetched, there does seem to be something super-natural about this establishment. The lights have been known to turn on and off by themselves, a bell in the kitchen rings when there is no food for pick-up, and staff have even felt phantom tugs on their clothes as if some unseen "person" wants their attention. A male ghost has also been seen throughout the building (at the end of the bar, the office, back room, etc.)

When asking the owner, Antonio Gutierrez, who he thinks the ghost might be, he doesn't even venture a guess since it really could be anyone from the restaurant's history (from beloved staff to celebrity customers). Some have even speculated that ghost is ol' blues eyes, himself, Frank Sinatra, since he loved this place, and spent many nights there. Then again, it could also be the spirit of eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes, who ate at Antonio's so much (and spent so much time there) he had a phone installed (which is still there) next to his usual table. Gutierrez also was told when he moved in that when the building was under construction, the builders discovered several caskets in the ground at that site that dated back to when this area was under Mexican rule. Do these long gone Mexicans haunt this Mexican restaurant? Come to Antonio's and find out, and if you're lucky, the spirits might look favorably on you.

http://www.antoniosonmelrose.com/Antonios_on_Melrose.html

(to see last month's location...)

GHOULA's Annual Report 2010

(Alhambran F.E. Ormsby, creator of HAPPY NEW YEAR!

GHOULA has many great things planned for the upcoming year.

But first, let's take a last look back at 2010.

SPIRITS with SPIRITS continued its monthly meetings, visiting 12 new haunted restaurants/bars in the Los Angeles area. Our June "two-year anniversary" was held at the historic Aztec Hotel with tours of the haunted rooms and themed live music all night (over 100 people attended this event). In October, the LA Weekly declared (in their "Best of LA" issue) SPIRITS with SPIRITS was "The best place to toast a ghost." (To revisit the 2009 "SPIRITS with SPIRITS" locations see below)

Last Year, GHOULA continued its "REAL GHOSTs with REEL GHOSTS." As a way to celebrate "Tinsel Town's" film history and Hollywood's haunted history, anytime a movie about ghosts was shown in a haunted local theater, the details were posted on this site. (for an example...)
In 2010, GHOULA began a new feature called "LOST," where ghost stories from long gone haunted buildings were retold, in hopes of preserving this lost and mostly forgotten lore. (for an example...)

Also, this last Halloween, GHOULA attempted the world's largest paranormal investigation with our "Million Dollar Ghost Hunt." Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond our control, it had to be cancelled at the last moment. Because of the positive response to this aborted event, GHOULA will most likely try it again. (for more info...)
2010 was also the year of our "Haunted Films in Haunted Places" film series. In a partnership with the Echo Park Film Center's Filmmobile, a different movie with "haunted" in it's title, was screened in an actual haunted location that corresponded thematically to that film on each Sunday in the month of October. It was so much fun, GHOULA will hopefully make this an annual tradition.

Speaking of partnerships, GHOULA and filmmaker Anthony Deptula teamed up with The Center of Inquiry (Los Angeles' skeptic society) for "See You in a 100 Years: The Houdini Project," an experiment based on Houdini's failed attempt to contact his wife, Bess, with a pre-arranged secret message.

However, the biggest event that happened to GHOULA in 2010 was the creation of GHOULA Press, the publishing arm of our group. Under this banner, two books were released (with plans for many more). The first book was "The Park After Dark: An Unofficial Guide to the Happiest (Haunted) Place on Earth," a collection of the ghost stories connected to Disneyland, which was released in April, and then after a couple modifications (for legal reasons) was re-released in June.

The second book was "GHOULA Comix #1: Welcome to LA," an anthology of short ghost stories in comic form by local artists. The plan is to release a new issue every year in October, so if you (or someone you know) would like to contribute to this project, please submit entries before June 2011. All profits then go towards funding future club activities.

Lastly, GHOULA ended the year with "The 13 Days of Christmas," a daily celebration of the darker aspects of the holiday season from SPIRITS with SPIRITS (on the 13th) to Christmas Day.

2010 was a great year for GHOULA, and judging from the surprises that are in the works, 2011 will be even better.

The SPIRITS with SPIRITS locations of 2010

January - Miceli'sFebruary - Down & Out Bar (Alexandria Hotel)March - Old Spaghetti FactoryApril - The Tam O'Shanter InnMay - The Snow White Cafe
June - The Aztec HotelJuly - Mexico
August - The DerbySeptember - 1642 Temple
October - Gallery Bar (Biltmore Hotel)November - Barefoot Bar (Duke's in Malibu)December - Pickwick Bowl

(To view last year's annual report...)
(For the SPIRITS with SPIRITS locations of 2009...)

Scary Christmas 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 and open door to the other side." ---Mary Beth Crain (from her book Haunted Christmas)

Mondo Xmas (Day #13 of 13)

Note: This event is part of the "13 Days of Christmas." There will be more events for each day leading up to X-mas. (Info on all the upcoming events @ creepyxmas.com)

Mondo Xmas (featuring The Christmas Martian)

THE DATE: December 25th (Saturday)
THE TIME: 8:00pm
THE PLACE: The Silent Movie Theater
(611 N. Fairfax Ave.) map
THE MOVIE: The Christmas Martian (1971)
(plus some twisted holiday short films)
THE PRICE: $12.00

Come out and see these creepy Christmas films in an actual haunted theater!
The Silent Movie Theater is said to be the home of a phantom projectionist and a disappearing/reappearing blood stain in the lobby... (read more)

Macabre Marionettes (Day #12 of 13)

Note: This event is part of the "13 Days of Christmas." There will be more events for each day leading up to X-mas. (Info on all the upcoming events @ creepyxmas.com)

Date: December 24th (Friday)
Location: Bob Baker Marionette Theater
1345 W. First St. (map)
Time: 10:30am
Tickets: $15-$20 SOLD OUT!

Bob Baker’s Nutcracker

How this collection of rambling, psychedelic episodes about a little girl and vermin royalty became a holiday staple is one of the great mysteries of Christmas (perhaps the composer, Tchaikovsky, sold his soul to Krampus). Fortunately, Bob Baker's famous puppet players elevate this uninspired source material into high art. So, come out and experience one of the truly great treasures of Los Angeles.

Creepy Christmas Crawl (Day #11 of 13)

Note: This event is part of the "13 Days of Christmas." There will be more events for each day leading up to X-mas. (Info on all the upcoming events @ creepyxmas.com)

Date: December 23rd (Thursday)
Time: 8:00pm - 11:00pm
Location: Sci-Ti Santa (Starting Place)
Hollywood Blvd. & McCadden Place (map)
(the "Winter Wonderland" in the parking lot)

CREEPY CHRISTMAS CRAWL

Come out and enjoy the "Holiday Spirit, or "spirits" as the case may be, when GHOULA (with creepyla.com) conducts their first ever BAR CRAWL to some of the haunted taverns along the real "Santa Claus Lane" (the one that inspired the song). We will visit with "the ghosts of Christmas' past" where they reside, and even follow the path of a famous drunken ghost that walks the "boulevard of broken dreams" (and not the sugar plum kind).

8:00pm - 8:30pm Meet-up & photo w/ Sci-Ti Santa
8:45pm - 9:15pm Miceli's
9:30pm - 10:00pmMusso & Franks
10:15pm - 10:45pm Snow White Cafe
11:00pm Roosevelt Hotel Lobby Bar