it's the great pumpkin(s)!

Sure, I may be too old to go trick or treat, but you're never too old to carve a pumpkin - or two! Last year, with crazy work weeks and everything else, I didn't have time for any pumpkin carving, so this year I vowed, come hell, high water, or a devil boss, I was going to carve some punkins, dammit!

Beer and I made a last minute trip yesterday to one of my favorite pumpkin patches - The Lopez Family, that used to be on Wilshire and is now adjacent to The Grove - to pick up a couple of orange beauties. After a near altercation with a very odd woman who kept sending her six or seven year old daughter over to snatch the good pumpkins we were literally bent over to pick up - I wish I was exaggerating here! - we finally got our hands on a couple of fresh off the truck, glorious gourds.

Today, armed with some Martha Stewart worthy tools and It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown I went to town to get those babies carved up in time for our lone two trick-or-treaters before heading out to Yelpoween.

You may ask, is all that effort worth it for a couple of hours and two neighbor kids? Absolutely!

joan's on third

If you like Dean & Deluca, you'll love Joan's on Third. The space is small (but in the process of expanding!) and jam packed with delectable goodies to delight the palate.

The charcuterie selection is amazing, particularly if you're a fan of cheese. The selection packed into the cold cases will make your head (and your wallet) spin. The sandwiches, salads, sides and condiments are all a little taste of heaven and the cupcakes are not be missed. The peanut butter filled chocolate and the coconut are a couple of my faves and they beat the pants off of Sprinkles any day. The cake is perfectly moist and the icing is never piled too high or sickly sweet - unless you like it that way, in which case you should try the clouds.


Despite the inviting and always busy street side seating, I've never felt compelled to sit and have a meal here, but I can't seem to leave without less than two calorie packed bags, including at least one of their amazing sandwiches.


To state the obvious, yes, the street is crowded, yes, the place is often overrun by beautiful people and their beautiful pets, and yes, parking's guaranteed to be a bitch. So, what? If you can't deal with that, why are you living in LA in the first place? Pack up your purse pup, get off your beautiful duff and head to Joan's!


8346 W 3rd St
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 655-2285


Photo courtesy of Joan S.

universal horror nights

Halloween is one of our favorite holidays, (second only to the consumer extravaganza that is Christmas), but the older you get, the less there seems to be to do short of the odd costume parties here and there. Knott's Scary has been disappointing the last couple of times I went, so we rounded up some friends and headed to Universal for their Halloween Horror Nights.

Considering this is a working studio you'd expect some amazing sets and effects - and that's just what you get. The usual smoke machines and noise-making, chainsaw wielding suspects are out in force around the main entrance, but once past that, every themed area, actor, ride and maze was impressive - and scary. Friday the 13th: Camp Blood and Freddy's Nightmare on Elm Street, were a couple of our favorites.

Don't miss the back lot tour which is decked out to include a creepy killer clown zone, a walk through the War of the Worlds set - complete with plane wreckage - and a jaunt past the Bates Motel, with a very convincing Anthony waiting to greet you.

Buy your tickets in advance online (there are numerous discount deals to be had from Coke and AAA), get there early right when they open (you can do all of the mazes and rides at opening in the time it would take you later to do one or two), and if pressed for time, skip the shows (they were the least interesting of everything there).

If you work up an appetite with all that screaming, they mark down all of the theme park food to entice you to eat affordably without going outside the park.

village pizzeria

If you love Larchmont and you love a thin crust slice as much as I do, you owe yourself a trip to Village Pizzeria.

I've only been in at lunch for pizza and garlic rolls, but both are worth the extremely reasonable price of admission - 3 huge slices, 2 garlic rolls, 2 sodas - 12 bucks! The space is small which can make evening dining a pain in the ass, but at lunch with the outdoor patio, it's perfect.


Try the sausage or the clam and garlic - both were deelish. The veg pizza was just as yum, but a little oily for my taste. They all have the perfect thin crust.

The owner just bought a building in Hollywood near my office. I hear he's a dick, but hey, it's great pizza none the less. Look for a second location to open up on Yucca across from Joseph's as soon as he's done kicking out the rest of the old time tenants...

And PS, if you're local, the pizza will come to you. They deliver.


131 N Larchmont Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90004
(323) 465-5566


Photo courtesy of Joan S.

govinda international imports

This little gem of a store is hidden upstairs in the Hari Krishna Temple (yes, I said Temple) off of Venice in Mar Vista. If you happen to be in the market for a great tunic, sari, pashmina, stacks and stacks of bangle bracelets or that hard to find Krishna prayer candle and incense burner - cheap - this is the one-stop-shop for you. The smell of incense burning will herald you upstairs where they sell clothing and accessories, mostly imported from India, for men, women and children. The quality of the embroidery and the variety of sizes and colors is amazing.

This store really is a find. The jewelry alone makes it worth the trip. All proceeds benefit the Temple. Expect to rub elbows with an interesting mix of devout Hari Krishnas, celebrities, stylists, hipsters and yoga Mommy's.

Tip: Grab some yummy Indian veggie hippy grub at Govinda's, the cafeteria downstairs attached to the Temple. Good stuff even for a flesh loving carnivore, like myself. There's a buffet and a salad bar, and you can pay by the pound or opt for the all you can eat. Wrap it all up with a piece of the surprisingly tasty Buckwheat Codicy Cake.

Hours can be sketchy, so when in doubt, call ahead.

3764 Watseka Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 204-3263