Queen Mary Hauntings

Photograph by Neil Kremer.

This blog post is a little different from the others. I am still writing about one of the most famous attractions in Los Angeles County, but I decided to take a different approach. This post will be about some of the most famous reports of paranormal activity on the Queen Mary. Last week, my boyfriend and I decided to go on the Paranormal Ship Walk tour. At first, I was a little reluctant because I get frightened easily, but the tour was well worth the $39. The following are a few of the most haunted locations on the ship.

The Propeller Room

The remaining propeller on the Queen Mary. Photo by J.B. Roberts.

This room is a little area off the side of the ship that allows visitors to look down into the water at the propeller. After the Queen Mary arrived in Long Beach, the company removed one of her propellers so that she would never sail again. During World War II (1942), the Queen Mary collided with her escort ship and sliced the cruiser in half. The Curacao, the destroyed ship, lost more than 300 lives in the accident. The tour guide explained to us that many of the people swam to the side of the Queen Mary in hopes of being rescued, but were sucked up by the propeller. Many individuals who visit the propeller room claim to see reflections in the photos they capture.

The First-Class Swimming Pool

Photograph by J.B. Roberts

With original pool rules still hung on the walls, this room is incredibly eerie. The pool is drained and has rust stains that smear towards the drains. A little girl by the name of Jackie is said to haunt the first-class pool. Several visitors and employees of the ship claim to have heard Jackie giggling or peeking around the pillars. Jackie is said to have drowned in the second-class swimming pool, but that pool has since been turned into a theater.

Photograph taken by J.B. Roberts.

Door Number 13

Door number 13. Photograph taken by Russ Allison Loar.

In the shaft alley near the engine room, there is a door marked with the number 13. This door was said to take the life of 18-year-old crewmember, John Pedder. During a routine emergency drill, Pedder was crushed in the door. The doors take approximately 40 seconds to shut, so no one knows for sure how Pedder got stuck. Some say that he might have been playing a game known as “chicken”, where he would jump from one side of the door to the other. Some visitors claim to have had greasy handprints on their clothes and bodies after they’ve finished the tour.

The Queen Mary offers several historical and paranormal tours. For more information on tours, ticket prices and directions, please visit the Queen Mary website.

Photo of me and my boyfriend, Adam, on the Queen Mary. Photograph taken by Sarah Montoya.

Experiencing Venice Beach

Photograph taken by Eric Demarcq.

I decided to go with a more popular attraction for today’s post. Venice Beach is located a few minutes south of Santa Monica and just north of Marina Del Ray. This beach is known for its exciting environment and its boardwalk that stretches a mile and a half along the coast. If you are planning to visit Los Angeles, Venice Beach is a must-see LA hotspot. The following activities are just a handful of things to do while visiting.

Venice Beach Boardwalk

Venice Beach Boardwalk. Photograph taken by Wayne Hsieh

I had never seen anything like Venice Beach Boardwalk before I visited. This is definitely not your ordinary boardwalk. There are art stands, pop-up shops, performers and food vendors on the west side of the boardwalk. The east side of the boardwalk is packed with restaurants, bars, clothing stores, souvenir shops and several other types of businesses. If you are planning on visiting the boardwalk, remember to bring a ton of cash. Another thing to be aware of is how crowded the boardwalk is. Dog walkers, jugglers, face painters, rollerbladers, joggers and panhandlers all seem to occupy the area at any given time. The best is when people dress their dogs up and walk them down the boardwalk.

The hippest dog on the boardwalk. Photograph taken by J.B Roberts

Venice Canals

The Venice Beach Canals. Photograph taken by J.B. Roberts.

The Venice Canals are man-made canals that were built over 100 years ago. Abbot Kinney, the developer, wanted to create a Venice, Italy right here in Los Angeles. These beautiful canals used to run through a large portion of Venice until the city became more popular, which resulted in the canals becoming pavement. After being neglected, the canals were closed. It took a multimillion-dollar restoration to bring the canals back for the public to enjoy. These canals can be recognized in several different films. A few of these movies include, I Love You, Man, Valentine’s Day, The Little Rascals and Role Models. Since I’m a huge movie lover, I thought it was really fun to walk down the canals and try to remember what movies I saw them in.

Venice Beach Recreation Center

Venice Beach Recreation Center. Photograph taken by Thomas Hawk.

The Venice Beach Recreation Center is a large area that accommodates numerous athletic activities. If you’re feeling energetic, you can find basketball courts, handball courts, volleyball courts and even gymnastics equipment. The center is located on the beach and is crowded with people who are playing games, as well as watching. The basketball courts are also in several scenes from different movies: White Men Can’t Jump, American History X and Thirteen.

Venice Beach Freakshow

Venice Beach Freakshow. Photograph taken from Flickr Creative Commons.

This place kind of gives me the creeps, but it is pretty popular and entertaining. Venice Beach Freakshow is exactly what it claims to be, a freak show. If you’re a fan of the Guinness World Records, this is definitely an attraction you’ll enjoy. Visitors can catch a glimpse of a man who has literally every part of his face pierced and body tattooed, a bearded lady, a woman who swallows fire and shrunken heads. If you get queasy easily, I would go hang out on the beach.

Me and my friend on the boardwalk. Photograph taken by Adam Levy.

Touring Dodger Stadium

Photograph taken by J.B. Roberts

Thanks to a two-hour tour, I probably know more about Dodger Stadium than any girl my age wants to. At first, I didn’t want to wake up at 7:30 a.m. on a Saturday (sleep is precious for college students), but then I was really excited by how much I learned. For example, I had no idea that eight World Series have been held at Dodger Stadium since it opened in 1962, and the team has won five World Championships. The stadium is neatly engraved into the hillside of the Chavez Ravine and overlooks Downtown LA, as well as the San Gabriel Mountains.

Adam daydreaming in the dugout. Photo by J.B. Roberts.

For more information about directions, parking, merchandise and tickets, please visit the Dodgers homepage.

Hollywood Forever Cemetery

Johnny Ramone’s gravesite. Photograph taken by J.B. Roberts

You may be wondering why I decided to write about a creepy, old cemetery, but the Hollywood Forever cemetery really is one of Los Angeles’ top tourist attractions. The cemetery houses the graves of several renowned actors, actresses, directors, producers, writers and even founders of famous movie studios. The following are just a few famous movie stars one can visit at the cemetery: Johnny Ramone, guitarist for The Ramones; Cecil B. DeMille, actor, director, screenwriter and producer; Bugsy Siegel, famous mobster; Peter Finch, Oscar winning actor for his role in the film, Network; and Toto, known for her role in The Wizard of Oz (yes, Toto was a girl). This registered historical site was built in 1899 and is unique compared to other graveyards. Hollywood Forever can be recognized from scenes in several movies and television shows, such as Dexter, L.A. Story and Hot Shots. The cemetery also offers exciting events for visitors, including movie nights, concerts and tours.

The DeMille gravesite. Photograph taken by J.B. Roberts.

“Alright Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.”

                                              -Gloria Swanson

Movie Nights

Cinespia holds movie nights at the Hollywood Forever cemetery every Saturday night throughout the summer. The first film featured this year was David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive. Seeing this film at the cemetery was an awesome experience! There is a large grass area where you can lay blankets down and enjoy dinner or a glass of wine while watching the film. The best advice I can give those interested in attending a movie night at the cemetery is to get there a couple hours early. You should also get tickets for these events well in advance, as they sell out pretty quickly.

Movie night at Hollywood Forever cemetery. Photograph taken from Flickr Creative Commons.

Concerts

A handful of famous bands and DJs perform live shows at the cemetery during the summer months. These concerts are either indoors at the Masonic Lodge, or outdoors on the Fairbanks Lawn. This year’s musicians include Modest Mouse, Tame Impala, Butch Walker and many more. You can purchase tickets on the Hollywood Forever website.

Belle + Sebastian concert at the Hollywood Forever cemetery. Photograph taken from Flickr Creative Commons.

Tours

There are three tours available at the Hollywood Forever cemetery: The Cemetery of the Stars Tour, The Jewish Heritage Tour, and The Hidden Hollywood Tour. They are usually about two hours long and are conducted regardless of the weather. Group tours have recently become available during the week and are scheduled by appointment.

Photograph taken by Daniel Hartwig.

One characteristic of the cemetery that has always piqued my interest is its reputation for being haunted. There are rumors that a woman in black visits the grave of Rudolph Valentino and places a rose at the site. It is also said that Virgina Rappe, an actress from the 1920s, can be heard crying near the lake. Staff members of Paramount Studios, which is located on former cemetery grounds, claimed to have seen ghosts disappear into the walls of the cemetery. I didn’t experience any paranormal activity when I visited the cemetery, but I will definitely keep my eyes peeled next time.

Photograph taken by J.B. Roberts.

For hours of operation, parking and a map of the grounds, please visit the Hollywood Forever website.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo on Olvera Street

Photo of Olvera Street taken by Jeff Hester.

I was sitting at home last week trying to think of a place that would really be worth your while.  After discussing some fun LA spots with a few friends, my attention was brought to Olvera Street. I had never heard of this little tree-lined street before, so I did some research and decided it was my kind of place. Located in the oldest part of Los Angeles, this street is nestled between Union Station and Chinatown, and it offers visitors a wonderful, cultural experience. Olvera Street is a marketplace that makes you feel as though you are in the heart of Mexico City. It was built in 1930, and approximately two million guests per year visit this hidden attraction. The following are a few reasons that make this exciting street a landmark worth visiting.

Gift Shops

One of the many shops on Olvera Street. Photo taken by J.B. Roberts.

The shops on Olvera Street are amazing! Murillo Leather is a shop that has been around since the street was built. I talked to the owners, Mando and Lupe Murillo, and they told me that all of the leather is made in the shop. Another store you should definitely check out is Olvera Candle Shop. This shop has everything from beautiful candles and figurines to hundreds of skulls that represent Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). There are several more shops that line Olvera Street that sell souvenirs, purses, wallets, decorative skulls and piñatas. Many of the shops were passed down from one generation to the next, and several of the owners have been working at their shops since they were little kids.

Dia de los Muertos skulls. Photo taken by J.B. Roberts.

Mexican Food 

Best churros in Los Angeles! Photo taken from Flickr Creative Commons.

I often seek out hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurants, desperately trying to find the best one. I can definitely say this street has damn good street tacos and churros. The best part is, there are a ton of Mexican food vendors and a handful of Mexican restaurants. When my boyfriend and I were looking for a place to eat, we saw that El Paseo Inn had a line around the corner to be seated. After seeing how gigantic the restaurant’s margaritas are, I totally understand why it’s so popular.

Entertainment

Aztec dancers performing on Olvera Street. Photo taken from Flickr Creative Commons.

Not only are there Mariachi bands that play music up and down the street, there are also Aztec dancers that play live music while dancing. Since Olvera Street is known for preserving its cultural customs, it holds different events on various days. Street vendors give visitors the opportunity to have their face painted, have a drawing done of them or have their picture taken on a giant plush donkey. You can also take a free 50-minute tour of the street and the surrounding area.

For directions, hours of operation and contact information, visit Olvera Street’s homepage.

Olvera Street donation box dressed as a colorful burro. Photo by J.B. Roberts.