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  Halloween is less than two weeks away. Don’t have your costume yet? That’s not a problem in Los Angeles. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best Halloween costume shops in the city. No matter what you’re looking for, they’re sure to have it! 1) Adele’s of Hollywood: One of the Original Halloween Costume Shops Photo Credit: Google User Samantha Zamora Adele’s of Hollywood costume shop has withstood the test of time. They are open year round and have been an Angeleno favorite since their opening back in 1945. Unlike seasonal Halloween stores, they offer costumes year-round and are no stranger to serving up quality costumes for movie studios, commercials, school productions, government agencies, and private individuals. They even have some costumes that were made exclusively to sell in Adele’s of Hollywood including their custom made Santa Claus suits and Easter Bunny costumes. To preview some of their Halloween costumes available for purchase, click on their...

    No, the average Californian doesn’t place an overly inflated importance on their backyard. But if you’ve heard terms like NIMBY or YIMBY, you’d be forgiven for having that impression. These words are simple enough acronyms. NIMBY, the original, stands for “Not In My BackYard.” Therefore, YIMBY, the NIMBY’s arch nemesis, obviously stands for “Yes In My BackYard.” But no one’s literally talking about their backyards. Not in most cases anyway. Rather, these terms have sprung from a conflict of territorialism to an almost tribal level. Historically, pretty much every factor has favored the NIMBY. But some are beginning to see that, in the Golden State, the age of YIMBYism may be upon us.  What is a YIMBY? Photo credit: Pi.1415926535 The clash of the NIMBYs versus the YIMBYs isn’t exactly a fresh story. Rather, the two philosophies have been warring for some time with laws and our very social structure often supporting NIMBY ideals. Perhaps the very...

  It’s time to get into the holiday spirit (Halloween, that is) with these 5 killer cocktail recipes you’ve got to try! Whether you’re looking for a sip that’s hauntingly tasty or just looking to impress your party guests, we’ve got you covered. These TikTok drink recipes will transform anyone into a mystical, at-home mixologist. Haunted Pumpkin Patch Margarita b y @halfbakedharvest Photo Credit @halfbakedharvest on TikTok Starting off with a cocktail recipe that’s sugar, spice, and everything nice! The Haunted Pumpkin Patch Margarita is a fun, tasty take on the classic margarita. If you’re a pumpkin spice lover (or even if you’re not) this fall drink has a festive blend of unique textures and flavors that will make you want to wrap up in a blanket and cozy up to the fireplace. RECIPE For the rim: Combine cinnamon, sugar, and cayenne in a flat bowl. Dip a pomegranate juice-rimmed glass into the mixture and set aside. Pomegranate Juice ...

  Featured image credit: Visitor7 We often talk about the history of Los Angeles on this blog, but today we’re going back to the very beginning. Sort of. Indigenous people lived in the area we call Los Angeles for centuries before the city’s first stone was laid. But if you ask locals to take you to the beginning, most will guide you to a vibrant pocket at the border of Downtown LA called Olvera Street. You may have also heard of this storied pedestrian street under its Spanish name, Calle Olvera . Here you’ll find some of the oldest surviving buildings in the city, along with plenty of kiosks, shops, and restaurants with a decided focus on Mexican culture. Or at least a tourist-approved facsimile of it, depending on who you ask. But the true story of Olvera Street (not to mention El Pueblo de Los Ángeles ) began about a block northwest of its current placement.  The Spanish Settlers That (Sort of) Started It All Under a decree of King Carlos III of S...

  eatured image credit: Ken Lund With a city as sprawling as LA, city planners in days of yore had to get pretty creative when it came to naming Los Angeles area neighborhoods. Sometimes to the point of desperation (we’re looking at you, Beverlywood). All kidding aside, a lot of LA’s neighborhoods have surprising meanings.  When You Wish Upon the Tar Photo credit: Downtowngal Everyone knows the La Brea Tar Pits. In fact, you’ve probably been to the bubbling lake, taken the tour, and mailed your nephew in St. Louis a tank top emblazoned with a mammoth wearing sunglasses and carrying a surfboard. Oddly specific. Nonetheless true.  At one point, the tar pits and the adjacent Hancock Park neighborhood were bundled together as part of Rancho La Brea. Originally Mexican territory, it makes sense that Rancho La Brea is a Spanish name. “La brea” literally translates to “the tar.” So, yes, the La Brea Tar Pits is a bit redundant.  Hop, skip, ...

  The fall season comes with a surge of pumpkin, gingerbread, apple crisp, caramel, hot chocolate, and other delicious fall-themed flavored drinks. Here is our list of popular fall drinks and where you can snatch them up for your slurping pleasure. 1) Pumpkin Spice / Pumpkin Fall Specialty Drinks The Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew fall drinks have risen in popularity – firstly known for being widely available at Starbucks. Now, you can find a pumpkin spice flavored fall drink at pretty much any popular coffee shop chain. Although the pumpkin spice craze seems more recent, it’s actually been around for a couple decades. In fact, Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte turns 20-years-old this fall season. According to Nielsen, the popularity has reached new heights in recent years. The company cites that, as of July 29th, U.S. sales of pumpkin-flavored products reached 802.5 million. “That’s up 42% from the same period in 2019,” according to APNews.com . ...

  Life in LA. There’s nothing quite like it. Love it or hate it, no other city in the world can match the energy of a town that dreams enough for an entire planet. And sure, there are a few nightmares to balance out those dreams. Over the decades, several writers have found an unlikely muse in LA’s shadows. Here are just a few examples of novels that accurately captured the nuanced experience of the dark side of life in LA.  Hollywood by Charles Bukowski Life in LA was so intrinsic to Charles Bukowski’s semi-autobiographical oeuvre that it’s difficult to choose just one novel. We went with Hollywood because it provides a biting examination of the titular dream machine.  But from his very first novel, Bukowski refused to simply observe the dark side of the city. He absolutely wallowed in it. He revealed that, at times, the darker side is also the most addictively mesmerizing face of the LA diamond.  Hollywood finds Bukowski’s analog, Hen...

  At the turn of the millennium, a gameshow started to dominate pop culture in the U.S. due to its lofty promises of wild riches. Today, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire could easily be retitled Who Wants to Own a Home in Los Angeles . Sure, it’s not as catchy. But it pretty much equates to the same thing. The Los Angeles Times summed it up as much in their recent opinion piece about million dollar homes becoming the LA norm. For those who already own homes, this isn’t an urgent issue. But for those trying to purchase their first home and the vast renting population of the city, it’s a red flag that demands change.  A Massive City Primarily Zoned as a Suburb Photo credit: Basil D Soufi California is facing a housing inventory problem. And, as much as we love our city, Los Angeles is easily one of the worst offenders when it comes to stymying housing development.  Initially, the city of Los Angeles was legally zoned for a population of 10 million peo...