Author: Rodeo Realty Media Team

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Agent Story: Betty Galvan

Our very own Betty Galvan is hosting her seventh annual blood drive to honor her brother, Felipe Ramirez on behalf of the City of Hope Hospital. Felipe received blood transfusions every day for one month, due to these generous donors her brother lived a longer, healthier life. Every month, the City of Hope patients use an average of 3,200 blood products. Due to the severity of the illnesses treated at City of Hope, the patients here need more platelets than any other major hospital in Southern California. Most patients at the City of Hope are being treated for cancer and heavily rely on frequent transfusions. The goal of this blood drive is to receive 50 pints of blood by the generosity of the community. Typically, the blood drive receives 40-45 pints however, this year the organization has set the bar higher to help save more lives. Each year, the number of individuals diagnosed with cancer is rising; that is why City of Hope holds this blood drive every year to bring the community together in order to save lives, together.  Betty Galvan has been a licensed real estate agent since 2006 and joined Rodeo Realty on February 1, 2010.

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LA Eats: Best Spots for Late Night Eats

Los Angeles is filled with late night and 24-hour dining experiences that let locals stay up all night and keep the party going until breakfast or beyond. From Thai staples in the Valley to Korean comforts in Koreatown, there’s no denying the breadth and depth of late night dining in greater LA. Here now are the city’s best places to grab a bite around the clock.

1. Krua Thai Restaurant

Location: 13130 Sherman Way North Hollywood, CA 91605

This late night spot in the northern-most part of North Hollywood serves one of the best pad Thais until 3:30 a.m. every night. The menu has practically every Thai dish one could want, which works well for large groups with varying tastes.

2. Crawford’s Pass

Location: 259 N Pass Ave. Burbank, CA 91505

Crawford’s has found a home in Burbank, filled with neon lights, red leather booths, and fried chicken. Add weekend hours that stretch to 2 a.m., $3 Budweisers, and a pool table, and there’s all the makings for a great time.

3. White Horse Lounge

Location: 41 S De Lacey Ave. Pasadena, CA 91105

Old Town Pasadena’s White Horse Lounge’s menu skews Southern with gumbo, fried chicken, and jambalaya in Old Town. Until the late hours, it’s entirely possible to hear live music while sampling from White Horse’s serious whiskey and scotch selection from the U.S., Ireland, Scotland, and Japan.

 4. 101 Coffee Shop

Location: 6145 Franklin Ave. Hollywood, CA 90028

The retro-cool vibe at this Hollywood favorite might have the best late night diner food in the city. The ingredients are thoughtfully chosen and the menu looks surprisingly small for a restaurant of this kind. The breakfast items are great and so is the burger. Open until 3 a.m. daily.

5. Ruen Pair

Location: 5257 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90027

This Thai Town favorite serves up tasty dishes at reasonable prices. The stewed pork leg, pad prik king (chicken preferred), turnip omelet, crispy pork belly with morning glory or broccoli, green papaya salad with raw crab, and stir-fried chicken dishes are all worth getting. Normally closed around 3 to 4 a.m. nightly.

6. Jones Hollywood

Location: 7205 California State Route 2 West Hollywood, CA 90046

Jones has one of the coolest interiors in all of LA, thanks to a rock-and-roll sensibility and plush leather banquettes that gives it that old East Coast Italian restaurant feel. The spaghetti and meatballs are a fantastic entree while the apple pie, served hot in a bubbling pool of caramel, is a legendary dessert.

10. The Original Pantry Cafe

Location: 877 S Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90017

This cash-only, tried-and-true greasy spoon grills up solid steaks and griddles ideal pancakes all day and all night. Don’t skip the fried potatoes, which are quite possibly the perfect hangover cure.

11. Izzy’s Deli

Location: 1433 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90403

The four decade-old Izzy’s in Santa Monica does classic deli fare, from heaping sandwiches to matzo ball soup, any time of day or night. Rumor has it, the owner doesn’t even bother keeping a key to the place, because the doors are never locked.

12. Mao’s Kitchen

Location: 1512 Pacific Ave. Venice, CA 90291

Open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, this restaurant dedicated to the eponymous communist leader offers exactly the type of crave-able Chinese American fare everyone wants after a night on Main Street.

14. The Kettle

Location: 1138 Highland Ave. Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

After a night of drinking up and down Manhattan Beach Boulevard, one is likely to end up at The Kettle, one of the South Bay’s limited 24-hour restaurants with an extensive menu, from salads to chicken tenders to nightly meatloaf platters.

Source: LA EATER
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Out and About: Pasadena Fall 2019

 The fall season is here and that means it’s time for apple picking, pumpkin contests, and visiting a beautiful city of Pasadena! This charming city located in San Gabriel Valley has unique scenery this time of year one that all avid autumn season fans should go see!

 

Nestled in the San Gabriel mountains, Pasadena gives its local people and tourists plenty to do! From shopping on a mellow day to live shows to everything in between that this community has to offer. Tour turn of the century mansions or hike the Echo Mountain trail, spend a little time exploring an area outside your usual neck of the woods. Read below for our guide to a perfect day in Pasadena!

 

Start in the morning

Start your morning off strolling through Old Town Pasadena where you will find Southern California’s most walkable downtown district. Along Colorado Boulevard you will see historic Route 66 wherein there are homes plenty of shops, restaurants, and bars made of brick buildings. Stop by Miller Alley to wander the courtyard at One Colorado or pop into Indiana Colony for a perfect morning pick me up from Russells or a famed breakfast burrito from Lucky Boy.

Afternoon activities

Once your morning is filled up with food and fun activities, an afternoon in Eaton Canyon Falls-Pasadena’s most easygoing nature trail is the perfect lead into your afternoon. Follow the sound of running water to find your Kodak moment at the stunning waterfall.

Afterward head to Gamble House, originally built for one of the heirs of the Procter & Gamble fortune. Tours through the house range from the art glass to minute details of the home’s construction. They even have Brown Bag Tuesday where visitors can bring their own lunch for a picnic on the grounds followed by a 20-minute guided tour.

If you prefer to have nature and art all in one, Pasadena has that too at Huntington Library & Botanical Gardens. We know what you’re thinking: why would I spend my afternoon at a library of all places? Huntington is anything but just a library. The grounds include 120 acres of over a dozen different types of gardens from Tropical to Japanese. Have afternoon tea in the Rose Garden. Stroll past the Greek statues that line the precisely manicured courtyard. Spend the midday trailing through as much of the outdoor scene as your phone battery can take. One will likely not tackle all of the famed destinations in one day. But that being said, you can find art and nature equally placed throughout.

Before your day reaches the evening portion, be sure to make a stop at Bungalow Heaven. The singular, leafy and quiet neighborhood is comprised of over 800 homes from the Arts and Crafts movement. Bordered along Orange Grove and Washington Blvd, the mostly intact bungalows are a true showcase. Bungalow Heaven is full of astonishing craftsmanship that flowed through Pasadena during the early point of the 20th century.

 

Evening in Pasadena

Night has befallen and you have a few options to properly conclude your time in Pasadena. If time slots you, it is most recommended to take in a show at the ’20s built Pasadena Playhouse. Revived during the ’80s, the Playhouse has a profound line-up of new plays and musicals. While outdoors, the Spanish Colonial courtyard plays home to neighborhood events. Other show options in the home of the Rose Parade including taking in laughs at the famed Ice House. A comedy mainstay since 1960, the Ice House provides it, patrons, an intimate no-frills room with big-name comics and humor.

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12 Halloween Costume Ideas for the Whole Family

When trying to come up with ideas for a group Halloween costume, it is best to start with a theme! Costumes that have things in common can also work well together. The good thing is that they can be modified to fit your family size. You can easily and quickly put together a family costume with these ideas.

 

Sloth and Tree Costumes

There’s no trick-or-treater too small for Halloween. The trick to this duo? We used a baby wrap carrier to disguise a smiling little one as a sloth slinging from a tree branch. To create this costume, print the template onto 8 ½ by 11 inch paper and cut out. Use the template to cut out felt shapes, then glues the pieces together and pin them to baby’s wrap and hat. Mom can wear brown and tuck leaves in her hair.

Bluebird and Birdwatcher Costumes

As an avid birdwatcher, your little bird is never far from sight with a pair of binoculars. Other than the hat and a canteen (available at camping-suppl stores), this costume can be assembled entirely from clothes from your closet. Choose an outfit that consists of neutral, outdoorsy pieces, such as the safari-style jacket and brown pants shown, and don’t forget a pair of sensible shoes. For the bluebird costume, use our pattern and basic sewing supplies to create a pair of detachable wings.

Under-the-Sea Costumes

For a family of little ones, the ocean still holds a depth of mystery and awe. Designate one of your kids as the Mermaid, encouraging her to make her own whimsical accessories like a seashell crown and a tail of satin, tulle and metallic trim. Meanwhile, the rest of the kids can dress up as their favorite undersea creatures: a goldfish, a snappy Lobster, an eight-legged Octopus or a Jellyfish. You can even join in the fun as a scuba diver or an ever-watchful lifeguard at the shore.

Three Musketeers Costume

All for fun, fun for all! A night of trick-or-treating awaits the dashing Three Musketeers. If you’re a family of three- or have three little ones – then why not embody the legendary literary trio? Give everyone a pullover vest, a collared cape, and a Fleur-de-lis insignia – and the evening will be full of swashbuckling adventure and candy treasures.

Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf Costumes

Embrace the charm of classic storybook characters with these easy-to-make costumes for Mom and Dad or son and daughter. For her, a gown and namesake hood are cut and sewn from a length of crimson jersey and tied with a wide ribbon at the waist. For him, the dapper wolf wears a suit with a red cravat, and his fur is styled from two shaggy wigs. (To make the wolf head, cut 2 large triangular sections – as ears – from one wig and hot-glue them in place to the second wig.) Faux fangs are the only sign of his true nature.

Storm Chaser and Tornado Costumes

As siblings, they can have an admittedly stormy relationship at times, but they complement each other well as a storm chaser and tornado. A younger sister can be a great storm chaser with some hair gel and a flipped umbrella. All you need is a tornado and that’s easy enough to create with a tomato cage and tulle.

Lion and Gladiator Costumes

They tussle in roughhouse play as it is, so why not personify their sibling rivalry? Dress one as the stalwart gladiator and the other as a courageous lion. Construct the gladiator’s costume using hardware store supplies: museum board, a window shade, and prong fasteners. Similarly, the lion’s costume is a clever assembly of fringe garlands and a hoodie. For both, there are no sewing skills required.

 

Napoleon and Josephine Costumes

For a sibling costume that is simple, as the French say, “incroyable”, pair brother and sister together as Napoleon and Josephine. He may not have learned his French history yet, but a boy would love dressing up in Napoleon’s regalia nevertheless. And, similarly, a girl will love dressing up in Josephine’s glamorous Empire-style gown with period jewelry and a fancy updo.

 

Lamb and Chicken Costumes

This funny farm duo – a chicken and a lamb – pair up together in the cutest costume idea for siblings, cousins or even best friends. Both costumes use wearable patterns in simple soft materials to ensure that the kids feel comfortable for a night of trick-or-treating. A parent can keep a close watch over the flock as they make their rounds through the neighborhood as Old MacDonald.

Tulip and Rose Flower Costumes

A blooming crepe-paper tulip cap and rosebud headband – each in pastel hues turn a mother-daughter dup into a sprightly pair.

Superhero Costumes

Every kid is a superhero and parents can join in as well. Start with t-shirts and leggings as the base for the costume. Then add headbands and belts and other accessories to make your own unique superhero.

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10 Halloween Finger Food Recipes

Halloween is all about the eerie, scary and downright creepy. When you’re hosting a Halloween party, make a variety of sweet and savory finger foods for guests to enjoy – just be sure to get a little creative with the decorations atop these skull-tacular snacks.

Prosciutto- Wrapped Fig Hearts

Savor the taste of these rich and indulgent fig bites. They offer a sophisticated combination of tangy goat cheese, salty prosciutto, and sweet dried figs it for a Queen.

 

Wavy Grissini

Ready for a hair-raising snack? These breadsticks are nothing like the kind you’ll find at an Italian restaurant; mix the dough with black squid ink for a devilish hue and serve alongside Black-Tahini and Eggplant Dip.

 

Popcorn on the Cob

Popcorn balls are a popular snack to serve to trick or treaters. Give them a fall twist by forming the popcorn, marshmallows and colored candy into the shape of flint corn. It’s a simple, sweet treat perfect for the harvest season and just right for Halloween.

 

Crudites with Miso-Yogurt Dip

Swap out brightly colored vegetables for dark, creepy colors such as red cabbage, purple carrots, purple potatoes, and black olives. This appetizer has a seriously dark side.

 

Brain Cupcakes

This is a fun, freaky dessert that’s a Halloween must-make. Use Swiss Meringue buttercream to create the squiggles and wiggles of a brain on top of a rich chocolate cupcake.

 

Deep-Sea Specimens with Devilishly Hot Cocktail Sauce

This spooky presentation of elegant seafood looks like the crab legs and poached shrimp are coming alive right before your eyes. The spicy cocktail sauce may frighten your taste buds, but it’s so good that you won’t resist a double-dip.

 

Sweet Bones

No bones about it: These are some seriously spooky meringues. Dip in chocolate, or shape into ghosts and add chocolate chips as eyes.

 

Rest in Peas

Use Halloween-shaped cookie cutters – gravestones, bats, witch hats, skulls, and pumpkins – to create festive croutons for this most unusual dip. A creamy mixture of cooked peas mimic the appearance of graveyard grass, but tastes so much better!

 

Black-Widow Spider Bites

Real spiders would not be welcome at the Halloween celebration but this savory rendition – made with sweet potato chips, avocado, and olives – makes perfect horror d’oeuvres. Dig into this creepy crawling snack before it bites you back!

 

Caramel Apples

Caramel apples are essential to Halloween as ghosts and goblins galore. Sprinkling flaky sea salt on the rich caramel cuts the sweetness and adds a crunchy texture, making this a scary good treat.

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Weekend Events: October 25-27

It has been a busy week, so all you want to do is put your feet up and relax. But, do you? You’ll miss out on all of these fun-filled weekend events! Food trucks, a spooky orchestra, scary museums, a concert, and a Día de Los Muertos celebration! Still want to hang out on the couch? We didn’t think so. Put on something comfy and head out that door! We’ve got the perfect weekend events for you before the hustle and bustle of Halloween weekend.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 25, 2019

Food Tour of Downtown Los Angeles

Location: Sidewalk Food Tours of Los Angeles

This guided Downtown LA food tour includes six unique stops showcasing the best of the growing, diverse DTLA food scene. Our expert foodies have done extensive and delicious research to offer you the ultimate best-of food tour of DTLA.

Natural History of Horror

Location: Natural History Museum, USC/Exposition Park

The Natural History Museum is taking a look at the science and history that inspired some of the film’s most iconic, hideous creatures. “Natural History of Horror” will tackle scientific discoveries, like the excavation of King Tut’s tomb, and explore how they influenced the classic Halloween movies, like The Mummy and Frankenstein.

Source: Los Angeles Daily News

 

‘Psycho’ Live Orchestra

Location: The Theatre Ace Hotel, Downtown Historic Core

The LA Opera and the Theatre at Ace Hotel join forces once again for a spooky mash-up of film and opera. Hole up in the Ace’s gothic auditorium for a screening of the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock classic, Psycho, complete with a live accompaniment from LA Opera Orchestra. Stick around after the October 26 performance for the Ace’s “A Hitchcock Halloween,” a haunted costume party in the hotel theater’s cathedral-like lobby.

Saturday October 26, 2019

Morrissey + Interpol

Location: Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood

The Los Angeles love affair with Morrissey continues. Due to popular demand, Morrissey has announced a final show of his arena headline run at the Hollywood Bowl. British national treasure Morrissey brings his Smiths and solo hits to Los Angeles, with support from moody aughts post-punk band Interpol.

Grand Park Downtown Día de Los Muertos

Location: Grand Park, Downtown Los Angeles

Join Grand Park and Self-Help Graphics & Art—which hosts its own Day of the Dead celebration—for a nine-day display of altars erected within the park alongside large-scale art installations curated by LORE Media and Arts. This holiday originates in Mexico. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and helping support their spiritual journey. With stunningly decorated Calaveras, and delicious food you won’t want to miss out on Día de Los Muertos at Grand Park!

True Crime of Los Angeles/Ghost Tour

Location: Heritage Square Museum, Montecito Heights

Step into the sordid history of Victorian love triangles, a deadly party at a speakeasy and the suspect circumstances surrounding a riot as part of this turn-of-the-20th-century true crime tour at Heritage Square. In addition to the daytime walking tour, the museum will also host an after-dark ghost tour, in which small groups will retrace the stories of the families who once lived in the houses at Heritage Square.

Sunday October 27, 2019

Los Angeles Haunted Hayride

Location: Old Zoo, Griffith Park

Like seemingly all pop culture horror experiences right now, this year’s Haunted Hayride will set the action in the mid-’80s in the fictitious town of Midnight Falls. This Hayride is a Los Angeles Halloween classic that you cannot miss!

Second Home Serpentine Pavilion by SelgasCano

Location: La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, Miracle Mile

Each summer, a different world-renowned architect constructs a short-lived immersive pavilion in London’s Kensington Gardens. One of those fleeting structures is headed stateside: SelgasCano’s crisscross of airy rainbow tunnels will welcome visitors who are looking for colorful photo ops and free performances. Hosted by coworking space Second Home and the Natural History Museum.

Rooftop Cinema Club

Location: NeueHouse Hollywood

The masters of alfresco rooftop movie viewing have returned for another season of screenings in Hollywood and Downtown L.A. Rooftop Cinema Club is your comfortable and less stressful alternative to other outdoor movie screenings. Rooftop Cinema Club provides you with your very own comfy lawn chair, as well as blankets on request for the ultimate cozy experience. What’s more? You’ll get a set of wireless headphones so you never have to miss a word.

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Top 10 Halloween Movies

Grab a bowl of buttery popcorn, light the fireplace and cozy up in a blanket because it is Halloween movie night! We put together a medley of the best Halloween movies to date! Whether it’s a family movie night or if you’re looking to get seriously spooked, we have all the right choices for you!

 

Hocus Pocus (1993)

Rating-PG

Witchcraft, black cats, and one spooky neighborhood! Three witches (played by Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler, and Kathy Najimy) return 300 years after being hung for their 17th-century spell work in Salem, Massachusetts. These three sinister women must take the life of a child and three kids who also happen to have resurrected the witches by accident. The kids go on a mission to stop the witches from returning Salem to the way it was when they first lived.

Beetlejuice (1988)

Rating-PG

After dying in a car crash, the ghosts of Adam and Barbara Maitland are informed that they have to remain in their house for 150 years. Which is fine, until the house is sold to a family they can’t stand. The Maitlands love their home and don’t want Deetz living in it! The couple hires freelance bio-exorcist Beetle Juice to scare the Deetzes away. See this family-friendly Halloween classic to find out what happens next!

Halloween (1978)

Rating-R

A serious spine-chilling suspense, this 70s classic will scare you out of your wits! You might want to keep a light or two on for this one. A murder, stalking, and institutionalization. Have you gotten goosebumps yet?

The Conjuring (2013) 

Rating-R

A freaky looking house in Rhode Island, and paranormal activity inside those four walls. What’s more? This movie is based on a true story. The Perron family moves into this frightening looking house. When increasingly scary things continue to happen to them, they call the Warrens to investigate. Their findings are straight out of your nightmares!

Halloweentown (1998)

Rating- PG

This classic is perfect for a family movie night. Marnie and her kids are in for a surprise when they follow their grandma home to Halloween town. They find out that they are from a family of witches! Halloweentown is the only place where supernatural beings can lead a normal life. With monsters of all sizes roaming the streets going about their daily lives. Marnie soon discovers that she and her family are involved in a fight against the very same evil that is threatening to take over the world.

The Strangers (2008)

Rating-R

Kristen and James head out for a vacation stay in a cottage nestled in the woods. However, their stay turns out to be anything but peaceful. The eerie nature of this film is so spine chilling you may want to watch the lights on.

House on Haunted Hill (1999)

Rating-R

Stephen Price, a millionaire with theatrical tendencies invites several people to stay in a giant creepy building formerly an insane asylum. The millionaire is accompanied by his bitter wife Evelyn, Stephen offers a million dollars to anyone who can stay the whole night without leaving out of fear. Stephen and Evelyn become trapped with their guests and very angry spirits. 

IT Chapter Two (2019)

Rating- R

This time around, the grown-up losers must find a way to defeat IT and end its cycle of terror once and for all or else die trying. The sequel clocks in at just under three hours so clear up your evening and strap in for a scary adventure!

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Rating- R

A creepy killer who stalks you through your unconscious mind, scared yet? Caution: this movie may give you nightmares. The slasher film rests on the notion that not even your dreams are safe from Freddy Krueger.

Scream (1996)

Rating-R

This film is the perfect mix of funny, clever and scary, as fright-masked knife maniac stalks high school students in middle-class suburbia. Scream follows the character of Sydney Prescott, a high school student in the fictional town of Woodsboro, California who becomes the target of a mysterious killer in a Halloween costume known as Ghostface.

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