This unexpected Tiki God has materilized on Mildred Ave. between Pacific and Dell--steps from my weekend gig in Venice. A few weeks back when I caught a glimpse of a resident with a machete, I was a little concerned. Thankfully, this friendly neighborhood Tiki was the result! more ›

Well, it's over. The cookies are gone, the dishes are washed, and the trash is overflowing with crumpled-up paper. One more week of madness until the New Year's party and then all will return to normal. Assuming, that is, that you don't celebrate Three King's Day. In which case, you are on your own. One more week of tinsel, and I'm out. more ›

This scary Santa is a relic from my childhood. It's a mechanical bank toy, the kind you drop a penny in to make it twitch and shake. Circa 1960 (4 years before my birth) it still kind of-sort of works, if the rusted contact points connect with 2 D batteries...and you pray hard. As I recall, it has always been freakish, even when new. It makes a whirring/jangling sound, lurching back and forth on its undersized aluminum rooftop, jerking that bell with robotic menace. Or should I say Cylonic, cuz it's blue eyes change to eerily glowing red! Although it was working fine last week, this morning it decided to be stubborn and refused to jingle jangle and glow for its photo. I firmly believe it's possessed. more ›