May'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: May 13th, 2012 (Sunday)
THE PLACE: INK (Sweet Lady Jane)
8360 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood (Map)
THE TIME: 8:00pm to the witching hour

THE GHOST(S):

Even though it is a given that there doesn't seem to be any set rules for ghosts and hauntings, there are a handful of persistent ghost stories in Los Angeles that seem to defy all reason and logic. The quintessential example of this is the "Houdini Mansion" in Laurel Canyon. Despite there being no proof that Harry Houdini ever even visited this stately manner (or the guest house across the street), people for decades have claimed to see the great magician's ghost wandering around the property. Another such example is the ghost of film director, Orson Welles, sitting at his favorite table at the Sweet Lady Jane Bakery on Melrose...

For a good period of time in the late 1970s/early 1980s, there was no trendier restaurant in Los Angeles than Ma Maison on L.A.'s equally trendy Melrose Ave. The restaurant consisted of a small bungalow house (presumably a hold over from when this commercial area was residential) that contained a kitchen, restrooms, a hostess station, and one table. The patrons were forced to dine in the patio (presumably the original house's front yard), which was covered with a tacky layer of bright green astro-turf to conceal the hard asphalt underneath.  Despite the delicious food created by chef Wolfgang Puck (and the high prices) the outdoor setting had all the charm of a parking lot. However, one of the great quirks of Ma Maison was that when you stepped up to the front door to the hostess station to be seated, on just about any given day, if you looked to your right, you would see (usually seated alone) at the one indoor table, the legendary Orson Welles. Although he is widely considered one of the great film directors to ever come out of Hollywood, at this point in his career he was morbidly obese and better known for the TV commercials he appeared in for Paul Masson Wine ("We will sell no wine before its time").

As the years went by, Welles passed away, Ma Maison moved to another, similar location further east on Melrose, and opened a cooking school, before moving out of the area completely. The original structure where Welles enjoyed countless lunches and dinners was torn down, when the block was redeveloped (and address numbers changed). The Sweet Lady Jane Bakery opened, and over the years employees and patrons claim to see the ghost of Orson Wells at a table in the back, where "his table" was originally located. Or, they smell his cigars (which he used to buy at the long gone Wittners Cigars a few blocks away) in that area.

That is the tale that is repeated in just about every ghost guide book of Hollywood or Los Angeles, as well as many paranormal TV Shows, and its a good story. The only problem is that Sweet Lady Jane is not exactly in the same spot that Ma Maison called home (like they all claim).  Ma Maison was actually pushed back from the street, and covered more ground to the east, so Wells' famous table was not located inside the dinning area of this bakery.

Is it possible, that the ghost of Orson Welles has re-situated himself around another table (and a spot that held no attachment to him in life)? Sure. After years of lunches and dinners, is his ghost seeking out dessert? Maybe. Or, has a ghost at Sweet Lady Jane been mistaken for the ghost of Orson Wells because of the proximity to the site of his favorite eatery? That's also possible.

Unfortunately, Sweet Lady Jane is too tiny (and generally too crowded) a space for our meet up, so we will will be meeting at the bar a couple of doors down, close to where Orson Welles sat for so many years alone. It should be noted that the current management claims that INK is not haunted by his ghost, but it's worth pointing out that this location has had a high turnover of restaurants since the wildly successful Ma Maison left. Is there a certain overweight spirit that sabotages any business that tries to replace his second home just as a psychic that visited a previous incarnation of this location (a sushi place) suggested?

Come out and find out for yourself, peek in on Sweet Lady Jane's Bakery, socialize, have a drink (or a glass of wine that is not sold before its time), and ponder the unpredictable nature of the ghost of one of Hollywood's most unpredictable mavericks.

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

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, 2012 (Friday the 13th)
THE PLACE: The Coral Cafe,
3321 Burbank Blvd. Burbank (Map)
THE TIME: 8:00pm to the witching hour

THE GHOST(S):

"I still get the creeps, I still get a funny feeling driving over to Burbank"
--Tim Burton (2006)

Despite its seemingly benign, 1950's suburban appearance, beneath the sunny surface of Burbank lurks the twisted dark place that shaped the childhood of filmmaker, Tim Burton (which he lampooned in "Edward Scissorhands"). Additionally, it is the unlikely home of Halloweentown and Dark Delicacies. In 1952, the California Crime Commission singled it out as a hotbed of Mafia activity. Plus, due to its ties to the aero-space industry, it probably has had more airplane crashes than any other city in the world. Also, it is home to a few haunted locations...

The most famous of which is probably a neighborhood coffee shop named The Coral Cafe (a fixture of Burbank since 1957), and known locally as the "Haunted Cafe" because of its appearance on the Biography Channel's "My Ghost Story" (and other TV shows) and the rather dubious "security camera" video tape of a supposed ghost following a staff member around the restaurant that has been circulating for the last few years.

That famous "ghost caught on video" footage aside, The employees, and some regulars, do believe that this diner is haunted by a harmless spirit or spirits. Although, there has been a sighting of an "old lady" seated in one of the booths, most of the activity seems to occur in the bathrooms. Invisible hands turn on and off the faucets and open and close the stall doors. Why do ghosts and bathrooms seem to go together like cafeterias and Jello?

Are these disturbances from the same ghost, or is it two separated entities haunting different ends of the same building?

Almost a century ago, alfalfa fields occupied this section of Burbank, and they were owned by Burbank's most famous resident, James J. Jeffries aka "Big Jim" or "The Boilmaker" or "The Great White Hope." Jeffries (the namesake of nearby Jeffries Street) was one of the great Heavyweight Champions of all time, but he is best remembered for his involvement in "The Fight of the Century" where (as an older man) he was lured (with money) away from his Burbank farm back into the ring to fight the first African-American Heavyweight Champ, Jack Johnson. This battle of the races was the only time that Jeffries was knocked down, and Jeffries admitted that even on his best day he was no match against Johnson.

Years later, in the 1950's, Jim Jeffries elderly wife was killed in a car accident not far from their home. A few months later, Jeffries followed her with a fatal heart attack at age 77. All remnants of their farm are now long gone. Incidentally, after his death, the Jeffries barn (pictured below) was purchased by Walter Knott and moved to Knott's Berry Farm where it is still used today as the "Wilderness Dance Hall" (and as a maze for their Halloween Haunt), and where employees still see Jeffries' large ghostly figure. But, what about her ghost? Could the old lady seen at the Coral Cafe be spirit of Mrs. Jeffries?

Lastly, there is a "phantom monk" that has been seen in various locations in the San Fernando Valley, who is always traveling in a north-west direction (presumably repeatedly making the journey between the San Gabriel Mission and the San Fernando Mission). The Coral Cafe sits in his path. Could the restaurant's disturbances be connected to him passing through?

So, come out to the historic Coral (haunted) Cafe, and have some dinner, or dessert, or a drink, or just mingle with ghosts.... See you there!

(to read about last month's haunted location... )
(to see the imfamous Coral Cafe ghost tape... )
(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 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, 2012 (Tuesday)
THE PLACE: The Beverly Hilton, Trader Vic's Lounge (poolside)
9876 Wilshire Blvd. Beverly Hills (Map)
THE TIME: 8:00pm to the witching hour

THE GHOST(S):

When architect Welton Becket designed the "ultra smart" Beverly Hilton in 1954, he used an inspired gimmick to speed along the construction process. The actual hotel rooms were built (and completely decorated and furnished) elsewhere, so that they could be brought to the construction site, hoisted up, and slid into their appropriate place, one next to another (like placing books on shelves).

Walt Disney, who was friends with the mastermind behind this and other futuristic local buildings (like the circular Capital Record building in Hollywood or the spider-like Theme Building at the center of LAX), was so tickled by this trick that he asked Welton to repeat it, when he commissioned him to build the futuristic Contemporary Hotel in Walt Disney World. Becket's sleek, white, automobile-centric designs (entering the Beverly Hilton without a car can be a confusing experience) also influenced Disney's "world-on-the-move" vision of Tomorrowland and EPCOT (Walt's never realized Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow).

Even though this glamorous resort seems to have one foot in the future, luckily it still has the other foot firmly in the past, as evidenced by the ghosts of another era that still linger.

When GHOULA asked a security guard about possible spirit activity, he proudly replied that all the great hotels in America have a ghost story, and the Beverly Hilton is no exception. In addition to the odd electrical anomalies and misplaced objects that are chalked up to mischievous ghosts, there are two prominent apparitions that have been seen by many employees over the years. One is in the Ballroom, and the other wanders the spaces of the 8th floor. The "man" in the Ballroom is believed to be a former electrician, whereas the "woman" of the 8th floor is a guest. Why these two spirits have taken up residency here, as well as their exact identities, is still a mystery.

Although there have been a few well-publicized suicides here as well as a least one murder (involving Howard Hughes' "scientific advisor" and an Israeli war hero), none of these incidents are connected to an electrician or a female guest...

However, ever since movie star Marilyn Monroe died in 1962, conspiracy theorists have attempted to connect her "suicide" with Senator Robert Kennedy. Officially, Mr. Kennedy was in Central California with his wife and family when she died. According to LA's then Chief Deputy District Attorney, the then Mayor, and the then Chief of Police, Kennedy was secretly staying at the Beverly Hilton that day. Unfortunately, other than statements made to the LA Times, no documents or files exist to prove this. FBI files recently declassified due to the Freedom of Information Act, imply a relationship between Marilyn and Robert Kennedy, that he abruptly ended. Did she visit him at the Beverly Hilton that day? Did he give her the bad news there? Was she so distraught over this that she killed herself later that night? Does her ghost now revisit the place where this happened, reliving those moments over and over, or maybe trying to change them? We will probably never know for sure the answers to these questions.

There is also a third ghost that GHOULA has heard rumors about, and those that have seen "him," know exactly who he is and why he's there...

It would seem that this friendly ghost is none other than Merv Griffin (1925-2007), TV talk show host, singer, creator of "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy," as well as the famous hotel's former owner (1987-2003), who lingers to keep an eye on things. It should be noted that critics claim that the hotel's glory faded under Griffin's ownership as expensive maintenance and renovations were deferred.

Regardless, the happy ghost of Merv Griffin is said to stroll around the hotel's pool, past the Polynesian-themed Trader Vic's poolside lounge, which seems appropriate for a man famous for singing "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts"

The Beverly Hills' Trader Vic's, which opened with the hotel in 1955 at a different location on the ground floor, launched the tiki-bar craze of the 1960's, created the tropical concoction known as the "Mai Tai," and is where Trader Vic (Victor Bergeron) would unexpectedly stick an ice-pick into his leg (a prosthesis from a supposed shark attack), closed in 2007. Fittingly, Merv Griffin's post-burial reception was one of the last events held in the historic dining room.

Although the modern poolside redo of the Trader Vic's concept has its haters, where else can you enjoy these historic drink recipes outside in the warm night air... along-side the original masks of the Lone Ranger and Captain America on display? So come on out to this lounge, have a Mai Tai, toast the ghosts, and welcome Whitney Houston's spirit. (The Beverly Hilton is also the site of the pop-star's untimely death.)

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

Also, if you participated in GHOULA'S CHILLING CHALLENGE: THE DOHENY MURDERS, please join us and share any information you may have discovered.

GHOULA's Chilling Challenge...

GHOULA's Chilling Challenge: The Doheny Murders

Calling all ghost-hunters, paranormal investigators, psychics, sensitives, spirit-boarders, Ouija masters, and those interested in getting a glimpse of the "other side." Whether you are acting alone, or in a team, GHOULA wants you! Whether you are a seasoned pro or this is your first ghost hunt, GHOULA wants you! (If you are none of the above, you may also participate. All are welcome)

If you are up for the challenge, come be a part of history, and solve one of Los Angeles' many famous unsolved murders. February 16, 2012 (Thursday), will be the 83th anniversary of the unsolved scandalous murders of Ned Doheny and Hugh Plunket. To mark the occasion, GHOULA is asking the local ghost-hunting community to try to shed new light on this cold case. (For info about this case go to the link below.)

1.) On the day of the actual murders/suicides, we invite paranormal investigators to investigate the supposed crime scene, which is now a quiet city park in Beverly Hills at 905 Loma Vista Drive (map). Or, if you are psychic or have a Spirit Board (Ouija Board), you can tap into the spirit realm from any location that day. Hopefully your skills will uncover a new piece of information to add to the discussion, or perhaps even find the solution to this historic whodunit.

2.) Any other-worldly information you may obtain, we would appreciate it if you shared it with others at our next SPIRITS with SPIRITS, on March 13th (the location will be announced a few days before the 13th). This will be a great opportunity to compare notes with others, and make sure this imfamous case (and these ghosts) are not forgotten.

For more info on the murder case....
For more info on Greystone Park....

Thank you.