Happy Thanksgiving! Shared traditions.

Just listening to the horns honking down at Ralph's--a holiday tradition here as shoppers go mad the days before every holiday.  At dinner, my family has a tradition of each person saying what they are thankful for.  Here's my thanks in advance: I'm thankful for my health, my sons who are in excellent health, my family, my friends, my boyfriend, my happiness and my sense of humor, which I'm proud to say I've passed down to my kids.  Work is certainly slowing down but adversity presents opportunity. I'm happy to be here! Let's feast!

Ghettogloss presents the Bronx Zoo

Fiora Boes at Silver Lake's Ghettogloss is the princess of artsy and entertaining art events. Tonight a showcase of art created at her summer event, the Bronx Zoo opens. As pictured, it was cha-cha ladies in peek-a-boo bikinis or spangly showgirl outfits plus rather intimidating gorilla masks. Ferocious faces + supple girly-girls, people went ape-shit for this drawing class with a sexy twist.  Dozens of artists have submitted their work: sketches, photos and some crazy collages. 

Worth a peek tonight thru Dec. 1st at 2380 Glendale Blvd. 

Voting for happy chickens, high speed trains and equal rights.

If my polling place at the Silver Lake Recreation Center is any indication, voting percentages will be historic today.  I was happy to see so many friends and neighbors and our ubiquitous council member Tom LaBonge all in line and hopefully voting for the Democratic candidate, happier chickens via Proposition 2, high speed trains and equal marriage rights.

Los Angeles celebrates Day of the Dead

Growing up in Florida we never celebrated "Dia de los Muertos" or "Day of the Dead"--Nov. 1 is All Saints Day, a holy day of obligation for Catholics.  After living in Los Angeles I've come to like Day of the Dead--a holiday with its own set of unique rituals (sugar skulls, hanging out in cemeteries, folk art pieces) and mini-industry of events. I went to the first Day of the Dead event at Hollywood Forever Cemetery nine years ago (photos are from 2006). Since then, the event has amplified with more music, vendors homemade altars and an admission charge.

I'm hoping to go to Self-Help Graphics 35th annual event. Artist Leo Limon promised he'd be in a booth as the Kiss of Death.

Halloween special: Haunted L.A.

Tis the season for numerous blog posts on hauntings a timely subject and always fascinating due to lack of empirical evidence but a certainty by those who have been haunted or "felt something" that can only be described as a dreadful feeling. A nice piece from Jessica Wakeman on haunted hotels in America.  I was intrigued to read paranormal expert Dom Villella's explanation on "residual energy," the idea that because so many people pass through hotels, and engage in some crazy and deadly activity on occasion, there's a possibility that they leave these energy footprints. In Los Angeles, there's definitely that vibe at the Biltmore Hotel downtown (allegedly haunted by a former manager--ex-employees are frequently cited as possible ghosts at allegedly haunted hotels).  Another possibility: the Standard Hollywood where its prior incarnation as an old age home has meant apparitions of elderly customers in the coffee shop (who disappear) and funny stuff like tops popping off liquor bottles on their own. Crazy, undocumented activities reported to me, however, I've been to a haunted house in Tennessee which served as field hospital in the Civil War, a theme explored in Wakeman's piece. And I was recently at the Huntington Gardens and Library and walked (alone) to Henry and Arabella Huntington's mausoleum. (They are buried on the grounds is this neo-classic white marble tomb (above) by architect John Russell Pope who also designed the Jefferson Memorial). There's definitely some "residual energy"---Mrs. Huntington was known to be stern and strong-willed--a visit with an infrared camera may be in order.

Halloween special: Queen Mary scares up ghosts

Do you feel the scary vibe? Hallway (above) is a corridor on the Queen Mary, a classic luxury ocean liner, now permanently berthed in Long Beach's harbor (also scary, because of polluted runoff--but that's another story). The ship promotes its haunted history via a rather cheesy Ghosts & Legends tour that for all its silliness does provide some scares and takes you way down into the bowels of the ship.  Scariest of all is a night on the ship: it creaks and makes odd noises and the corridors tend to bring up memories of "The Shining." 

Cleverly utilizing the ship's grandeur and spooky rep, a recent episode of "Ghost Whisperer" filled it with soggy, wicked ghosts and took full advantage of the glorious Art Deco grand salon. Whether it's truly haunted or not,  the ship is indeed a legend and is worth a visit. You can decide for yourself about the paranormal extras. 

In LA theaters: "Secrecy" from Rob Moss and Peter Galison

The first film selected for the Sundance 2008 Film Festival, per festival honcho Geoff Gilmore, "Secrecy" is the kind of film that gives thoughtful audience members nightmares.  The amount of money spent on keeping things secret (an estimated $8 billion annually) and the sheer numbers of documents and information deemed top secret are really disheartening, if not plain dumb.  Directors Peter Galison and Robb Moss dissect the thorny subject which is really an issue of control and power.  (Moss directed an excellent documentary "The Same River Twice"--idealist rafters in 1978 and where they are today; very watchable.) "Secrecy" is not a history of U.S. secrecy but rather a weaving together of examples that expose how bureaucratic secrecy is a real threat to democracy and a free and open society.  Bloggers and googlers take note. Where does all Google info go?  One of the many provocative ideas raised in the film now playing at Laemmle Music Hall.