Penny Raile

Halloween is almost over so I wanted to post one more entry into the Halloween Family Album.  Thanksgiving just isn't graphically interesting.  An album of turkeys and scarecrows just does not excite me.

Which reminds me, Christmas officially starts when Starbucks serves me my latte with holiday sleeve.  It happened yesterday.

Just got word that my family will be visiting me for Thanksgiving.  I am contemplating cooking Thanksgiving dinner.  I have never done that before.  Perhaps I should put that on my list of 101 Things To Do In 1001 Days.

Shameless Self-Promotion

 

I love Halloween, but I do not like to wear costumes - especially to the office.  So I asked if we could  have a pumpkin decorating contest in addition to the Halloween costume contest.  Notice I said "decorating" not carving.  Pumpkin carving is tedious and messy.  Pumpkin decorating is fun and creative.  Above is my entry.  I did not paint the pumpkin white - it came that way.  I chiseled out the mouth, nose and eyes with a knife and a screwdriver and then painted the recessed surface with black paint.  Wa! La!  Nightmare Before Christmas pumpkin (NBCP).

I was so happy with NBCP that I took him into the studio and strategically placed him so he would appear on MegaTV.  (There are four camera angles.)  Cucuy had invited the staff to dress in costume and there was an interesting parade of creatures and monsters all morning.  Perhaps I should have put a little sign by him saying "Made by Penny."

Festival de la Gente

For someone who likes to be a hermit on weekends, I certainly kept busy last weekend.  After visiting Boney Island on Saturday night, Sunday afternoon I walked over to the 6th Street bridge to check out the Festival de la Gente, the world's largest paper maché calavera (skull) exhibit.  The heat did not keep me from walking the entire exhibit.  I purchased a couple small calaveras and stopped at the pupusa stand for some home-made tortilla's stuffed with cheese and pork.  Check out some of my photos (click here).

When I returned, I made cupcakes for the Cul-de-Sac party we had in the evening.  The first batch had red licorice legs and looked like spiders.  But the licorice wimped out and made the spiders look handicapped.  So I amputated the legs and turned the spiders into aliens. 

The party was fun with six lofts participating. 

Boney Island 2007

Our final trip to Boney Island was made Friday night.  The amazing animated skeleton carnival in Sherman Oaks will be no more after October 31.

Neighbors Phil and Eric and friends Jackie and Jesselyn and I visited the carnival which is set-up in the front and side yards of the producer of The Simpsons.  Check out a few of the photos Eric took (my camera was dead).

Some of my favorite attractions include "The Grinder Man and His Dancing Monkey", "The Hitchhikers" and the "Help Me, Help Me Spiders."  Almost everything is up for auction on Ebay.  Type in "Boney Island" and you can have your very own skeleton. 

Bat Boy

My neighborhood is transforming in amazing ways.  First, neighbor Eric and I walked across the street to Barker Bros. to drink Sangria's, listen to acoustic guitars and eat tiny fancy desserts on the rooftop pool/lounge area.  We took the long way around so we could enter through the front door.  Lucky for us because we discovered several new businesses that have gone up on Hewitt Street. 

First we visited a huge warehouse of an artist who makes gigantic 'Dead of the Dead' paper mache pieces.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven.  I was squealing in delight.

Then Eric and I died together when we visited 'Loft Appeal.'  The owners purchased the entire contents of the prop house from Walt Disney Studios and have set up shop to sell retail.  The two of us walked around with our mouths opened oh-hing and ah-hing.  It took four big warehouses to house everything floor to ceiling with marvelous stuff.  And it is only one block away from me!  This will be better than going to Disneyland for me.

The 'Loft Life' gathering on the roof was fun.  Lots of interesting people including many of our neighbors were chicly mingling.  The view of downtown is incredible from that vantage point. The guy I see in Starbucks who styles his dyed red hair to look like devil horns was there.  (He has a red goatee like the devil also.)  I introduced myself to him and found him to be quite delightful and easy to talk to. 

Big weekend plans:  A visit to Boney Island on Saturday night and a 'Cul-de-Sac Party' Sunday night.

Don't you just love Bat Boy?  He was fun to create.  His expression is just right.

Oscar has lost 450 pounds!

Oscar was discharged from the hospital today weighing 600 pounds.  I met him last September when he was bed bound, and we had to call the firemen to get him out of the house.  He then weighed 1050 pounds.  He can now get out of bed and walk short distances.

I am working with Azteca TV to create a documentary about Oscar as he continues to lose weight.  He is such a great guy and is working so hard to reclaim his life.

Halloween Decorting Complete

My Halloween decorating is complete.  The theme, as you know, is "Playhouse of Evil Spirits and Other Spooky Things."  Click here to see how those spirits play.

As you can see, I have added a few new Halloween touches to the blog.

The Halloween Family Album Is Growing

Such a beautiful witch!  I am quickly filling up the photo album.

I finally finished The American Tragedy.  It was such a thick book.  I read almost every single word except when it got into the all the scientific evidence that not only bored me but surely bored everyone that had to sit through the weeks of testimony.

The book is written after interviewing many from the defense team.  Even from that angle, I came away feeling OJ is still guilty.  However, I can understand better why a not guilty verdict was found.

The saga at work continues with nothing resolved.  One side says one thing and the other side counters with an unexpected action.  And then everyone huddles in the corner and calls their attorneys.  All of this is fine with me.  It means I may be able to work until Christmas.

Here is another entry into "My Halloween Family Photo Album."  I am trying to think of a good last name for this family.  How about Batsy or Pumpkans?  If you have any ideas, let me know.

I had an abnormally good time at the MegaTV launch party last night at The Standard Hotel.  I always dread these type of events, but Lupita, a friend, was there and we had a grand time drinking margaritas and eating fancy appetizers.  The view of downtown is spectacular from the roof (where the party was held).

However, I made sure I left in time to watch "Pushing Daisies."  This show is so smart and fun.

Halloween Spirit

I love Halloween!  Just wait until you see how I have decorated the loft.  I am playing with the theme "Playhouse of Evil Spirits (and Other Spooky Things)"  Have I posted that before?

Anyway, I have an hour before I leave for the launch of MegaTV.  The big party is going to be downtown at The Standard Hotel on the roof unless it starts raining.  Renan's radio show is now also a TV show airing every week day for five hours.  So if you were willing to pay for a subscription, you could occasionally see me on TV!

Do not confuse this TV show with the other TV show that we are going to start filming hopefully next week.  SBS is not happy about this and are trying to stop us. 

I had someone recognize my voice from the national promo that Renan and I did.  How embarrassing! 

This lady is going to be part of a Halloween Family Photo Album I am creating.  It will be part of the loft Halloween decorating extravaganza I am doing.  Again, I must say, I love Halloween!