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  Featured image credit: Warner Bros. At the end of August, our sister site covered the residential sale of the home memorably used in the 1982 horror classic Poltergeist . At the time, we assumed it was simply a residential transaction. But new information reveals that the Poltergeist house was actually purchased as an investment property with the idea of marketing it as a themed short-term rental. And though it’s still got a long road of renovation ahead of it, it’s already shaping up to be a sound investment. How to Sell a “Haunted” House   The Mandela Effect may leave you swearing that Steven Spielberg helmed 1982’s Poltergeist . However, the Jaws director was only responsible for the film’s story and co-authoring its screenplay. Director Tobe Hooper ( The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ) took on directing duties for the film about a suburban family plagued by apparitions from the netherworld. And everything in the film leads back to the house its...

  Featured image credit: Alexander Migl It’s not quite the Hotel California, but it’s still allegedly quite difficult to check out of the Roosevelt Hotel Hollywood. At least if you believe the rumors. The ones about haunting melodies carrying down corridors from unidentifiable sources. Or shadows moving in ways that shadows shouldn’t move. Even the occasional account of incorporeal cads getting a bit handsy. It’s nothing new for haunted Hollywood. But what sets the Roosevelt apart from other alleged hubs of paranormal patronage is that a few of its rumored revenants are quite famous… even decades after their demise.  The Halcyon Days of the Roosevelt Hotel Hollywood Photo credit: Andy Gnias In the early 1920s, a group of notable investors including Douglas Fairbanks, Sid Grauman (yeah, the Chinese Theater guy ), and Mary Pickford raised $2.5 million to bring Hollywood’s swankiest hotel into being. That figure would be over $45 million today, but these ...

  Featured image credit: Jim Heimman from his book California Crazy & Beyond – Roadside Vernacular Architecture It’s understated to be sure, but there’s something special about the autumn in Southern California. You wouldn’t think our arid, sunny, and often sweltering atmosphere would be particularly welcoming of cinnamon and spice. And, sure, you won’t find many trees changing their colors. And you’ll definitely sweat through your first few pumpkin spice lattes if you don’t get them iced. But people in the Greater LA area tend to love Halloween. You can feel it in every lengthening shadow and scorching Indian summer afternoon. Perhaps this gives us some clue into the giant pumpkins that have punctuated SoCal’s landscape over the decades. Yes, that’s right, enormous pumpkins. And we’ll give you a moment to recover from your giggling fit before we clarify that we’re not speaking in euphemism.  The Burbank Pumpkin Building: The Oldest of SoCal’s Giant Pump...

  Featured image credit: Russ Allison Loar The Queen Mary has quite the reputation. No, we don’t mean a disgraced monarch. We’re talking about the ocean liner RMS Queen Mary permanently moored in the Port of Long Beach . You know, the allegedly haunted Queen Mary? She ferried the world’s ultra-wealthy across the globe’s blue highway for nearly three decades under the Cunard banner before dropping anchor for the last time in 1967. And during that time, she’s said to have picked up around 150 seafaring souls with enough poltergeist power to earn a spot on Time Magazine ’s list of most haunted places in America in 2008. But are the haunted Queen Mary claims more solid than the ghosts they claim? Or is some high-seas hornswogglery going on behind the scenes?  From Luxury Liner to Grey Ghost Photo credit: Jezzred On September 26, 1934, the Queen Mary set sail on her maiden voyage. Queen Mary (not the haunted Queen Mary, the human one) was there to christe...

  Few cities highlight the bond between humans and animals quite like Los Angeles. Have you really been to LA until you’ve stood behind an influencer cradling her Frenchie in the line at the Trader Joe’s on Vine? No matter where you turn in this city, people are treating their dogs, cats, and even the occasional parrot, like exalted deities gracing our lives. And rightfully so. It only makes sense that we’d seek their comfort in death as well. You’ll find hallmarks of the importance of animals in virtually any Los Angeles cemetery you visit. Today, we’ll look at a few unusual examples of animals standing at the veil between life and death.   The Pink Tiger of Evergreen Cemetery Photo credit: emilyd10 A tiger is an understandably startling sight in a Los Angeles cemetery. Now, a pink tiger? There can’t be any other graveyard in the world with one of those. Yet, it’s the crowning glory of the Pacific Coast Showmen’s Association plot in Boyle Heights’s Evergr...

  Featured image credit: Altadena Historical Society It seems like everyone grew up with tales of a gravity hill. And if you didn’t, maybe you just heard it under another name, like “mystery spot” or the popular “spook hill.” They’re common enough that it seems every town that isn’t flat as a pancake has one. Yet, they’re still rare enough to maintain an eerie sense of mystery. In Los Angeles, our closest gravity hill is in Altadena, though we’ve got others nearby in Whittier and Sylmar. Wikipedia even has a list, by no means exhaustive, of gravity hills across the globe, indicating seven confirmed gravity hills across the state of California. Not too shabby if you’re looking for a cheap thrill on a spooky night. What is a Gravity Hill? For the uninitiated, your first brush with a gravity hill can be a mind-bending experience. Basically, a gravity hill or spook hill is an incline in which items appear to defy gravity, rolling upward instead of downward. Put your ca...

Feature Photo Credit: Envato Elements As the chilly autumn air sweeps across SoCal (or so we hope), there’s no better way to kick off the season than by exploring the best pumpkin patches around! From u-pick fields to fun and festive attractions, and delicious snacks, these local gems offer the perfect excuse for a cool fall outing. Whether you’re on the hunt for the perfect jack-o’-lantern or simply looking for some seasonal fun, let’s explore some of the best pumpkin patches that Southern California has to offer. Underwood Family Farms Photo Credit: Courtney Weber (Google) Located in beautiful Ventura County, Underwood Farms is a beloved destination among Southern California’s farms and pumpkin patches. Spanning over 100 acres, this working farm offers seasonal u-pick fruits and vegetables, farm tours, and a charming petting zoo, making it a perfect spot for year-round fun! This season, from September 28th to October 31st, Underwood Farms is hosting its 27th Annual F...

  Featured image credit: Warner Bros. At the end of August, our sister site covered the residential sale of the home memorably used in the 1982 horror classic Poltergeist . At the time, we assumed it was simply a residential transaction. But new information reveals that the Poltergeist house was actually purchased as an investment property with the idea of marketing it as a themed short-term rental. And though it’s still got a long road of renovation ahead of it, it’s already shaping up to be a sound investment. How to Sell a “Haunted” House   The Mandela Effect may leave you swearing that Steven Spielberg helmed 1982’s Poltergeist . However, the Jaws director was only responsible for the film’s story and co-authoring its screenplay. Director Tobe Hooper ( The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ) took on directing duties for the film about a suburban family plagued by apparitions from the netherworld. And everything in the film leads back to the house its...

  Featured image credit: Lake Lou When searching for that perfect paint color for your front porch, someone somewhere may have suggested the color “haint blue”. If that somewhere was in the southern United States, the probability of the suggestion goes way up. Never heard of haint blue? It refers to a range of color shades rather than a clear-cut color itself. But you can count on it being a pale combination of blue and green. You may have noticed haint blue paint liberally applied to porches… particularly the ceilings. It’s a tradition harkening back to a tumultuous time in America’s history. And while believers thought haint blue was a protection from otherworldly spirits, it did little to stave off the real monsters. A Tradition Steeped in Gullah Culture Photo credit: Public Domain To truly understand the cultural significance of applying haint blue paint to southern porches, you first need to understand the Gullah. The Gullah are a regional subgroup of African...

  Featured image credit: Netflix For being such a gorgeous, in-demand neighborhood, Los Feliz sure has its shadows. We examined the Sowden House , rumored to be the actual site of the notorious Black Dahlia murders. We explored the ancient curse allegedly levied against Griffith Park . But we’ve yet to discuss the Los Feliz murder house. We know what you’re thinking: “The Sowden House isn’t the Los Feliz murder house?!” No, there’s actually a home at the perimeter of Griffith Park even more steeped in urban legend. And thanks to some ace investigative journalism conducted in 2015 by writer Jeff Maysh , there’s now more truth to the legend than ever before. Since then, the house has even sold… a few times. And for a home that largely sat vacant for half a century, that’s big news.  Update – October 2024: According to public records, the Los Feliz murder house went into default at the end of 2023 with over $3 million past due. Since then, a Notice of Sale was issued...