WEIRD in LA

Hot Dog!

noreply@blogger.com (WEIRD in LA) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:55:00 +0000

Hurray to Pink's on La Brea!

In celebration of it's 70th Anniversary this week, Pink's is discounting it's famous "chili cheese dogs" from $3.50 to $.70 each.

Starting at 7pm on November 7th, you'll have 70 minutes to buy a hot dog for 70 cents.

I wonder if the waiting lines are now worse than ever? Or if there's a limit per individual?

In these tough economic times, I'm sure there's plenty of Angelinos "stocking up" and buying 5 for the price of 1. Or going overboard... Hmm..

Got a weird personal story, picture or video you observed while experiencing this phenomenon waiting on line, please send to weirdinla@gmail.com and I'll post on this blog.

Tragedy Inspires Grieving Mom

noreply@blogger.com (WEIRD in LA) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:59:00 +0000

KTLA's 11 o'clock news broadcast a story last night I thought was so weird I decided to blog about it. It's a story rooted in a tragedy that some will say has a "weird" epilogue. You decide.

Last night Rialto fire and police departments red-tagged a house transformed into a Halloween haunted house. It was deemed "unsafe" for the public to walk through due to the damaged infrastructure.

So what's so weird about that?

Apparently this same house caught fire 5 months ago, and sadly 2 of the 11 occupants died, Mario Cisneros, 5, and his 3-year-old brother, David Cisneros, as the result of smoke inhalation.

But where the story gets really weird is the mother of the boys, Viviana "Dulce" Delgado, 27, decided to transform the front yard and charred house into a Halloween haunted house for strangers to enjoy!

She decorated with skeletons, cobwebs, creepy signs, tomb stones, and adorned the entrance with a banner, "In Loving Memory of Deedo and Taco." Visitors could walk the same hallways and enter the same rooms where her little boys died. On the front lawn, some of their toys were displayed in a planter.

"This is the way I'm coping with the loss of my two kids," Delgado told the KTLA reporter. "We used to do Halloween every year. Costumes, candy and fun. It's my way of saying happy Halloween to my kids."

"My kids would have loved this." she said. "There's nothing I can do to bring them back. This is something I need to do."

Since the Halloween attraction is now off limits to the public, Delgado will not be able to make improvements she wanted, including pony rides, flashing lights and scary Halloween mood music.

"Since it's a haunted house, it has to be some kind of scary," she said.

Halloween Displays Gone Weird

noreply@blogger.com (WEIRD in LA) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:00:00 +0000

Rooftop Mannequins. Dead Man mistaken as Halloween dummy. Illegal Alien costume. For the past 2 weeks I've read a lot of weird things on display in Los Angeles so I'd thought I expose them in one post. With Halloween 1 week away, LA will get a lot weirder, so if you spot something, tweet me @weirdinla.

Thanks to blogger Jason in Hollywood, I learned that a man in West Hollywood has decorated his rooftop with mannequins dressed as, well, best you see for yourself and form your own opinions.

The artist is ChadMichael Morrisette. He owns a design company SquareDesigns.

You can see this weird display on Fountain Avenue, just past North Fairfax. Best to go at night to see these rooftop mannequins lit up. I think this was the same house that stirred lots of controversy last year when it had an effigy of Sarah Palin hanging by a noose (also see picture above).

I guess you could say this next weird news story exemplifies what happens when your Neighborhood Watch Group goes deaf, blind and dumb.

About a week ago, a 75-year-old dead man sat decomposing on his Marina del Rey balcony for 4 days because his neighbors thought the body was a Halloween prop and didn’t bother calling the police! Neighbors noticed the body Monday but didn’t bother calling authorities until Thursday " because it looked like a Halloween dummy," reported the camerman that arrived on the scene, Austin Raishbrook who also owns RMG News.

"The body was in plain view of the entire apartment complex [and] they all didn’t do anything,” Raishbrook said. “It’s very strange. It did look unreal, to be honest.”

My last story tops my weird list. Imagine that just a few days you could purchase an "Illegal Alien" costume consisting of an orange prison-style jumpsuit with "Illegal Alien" printed on the front, an alien mask and a "green card."

A follower of my blog tipped me off by sending me to Target's website where it could be purchased for $39.99. Needless to say, Target and a number of other e-tailers including Amazon quickly pulled this costume after Hispanic activists in Los Angeles protested. Duh?

The costume description read: "He didn't just cross a border, he crossed a galaxy. He's got his green card, but it's from another planet!"

Try trick-or-treating with that costume in Los Angeles and see if somebody blows your alien ass back to another galaxy ...

Stuffing Pants With Songbirds

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:14:00 +0000

What do you get if you're caught at LAX smuggling more than a dozen exotic Asian songbirds in your pants? Up to 26 years in prison.

About 7 months ago I remember hearing about this weird news story on KTLA.

In March, Sony Dong, was arrested at LAX trying to smuggle 3 red-whiskered bul-buls, 4 magpie robins and 6 shama thrush from Vietnam.

The really weird thing about this story was where he concealed them. According to the US Attorney's office, he strapped the little birdies around his legs and under his pants!

"He had fashioned these special cloth devices to hold the birds," said Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the US attorney. "They were secured by cloth wrappings and attached to his calves with buttons."

Did he muzzle them too? because all I could think was how the heck did they remain quiet all the way from Vietnam to Los Angeles.

Well it wasn't the little chirps that gave him away, but rather the bird droppings and tail feathers sticking to his socks! And oh yeah, I almost forgot, 1 of the birdies peeking out from under his pants.

I'm not kidding.

Can you imagine what the customs agent asked him,

"Ah, sir, why do you sh*t on your socks? and why are features sticking to it? Did the flight serve you a live bird to eat? I guess Tweety didn't settle in your stomach so well (chuckles)?"

Although this story is 7 months old, I mention it again because on Oct 27th the other suspect in this case, Duc Le, stands trial.

As for the 1st suspect, Sony Dong, he pleaded guilty to 1 count of illegally importing exotic wildlife a few weeks ago.

And if you're wondering what happened to the little birdies, they were quarantined. Hopefully donated to a zoo.

Thankfully they didn't get loose at LAX because 1 of the bird species, the bul-buls, are listed as an injurious species, which means they pose a threat to people. Especially if they're coming from South East Asia with the possibility they could have been infected with the avian flu.

Tweet. Tweet. Who's singing the blues now?

Creatures of the Corn

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 22:17:00 +0000

A full moon on a chilly October evening when suddenly hysterical screams erupt from a corn field to the loud buzzing sound of a chain saw.

I can smell the burning gasoline and see the blue wisps of smoke hovering from 8'-10' tall corn stalks thrashing violently back and forth. Desperate to see if I can help or call 911, the blood curdling screams end abruptly. Deathly silence.

Okay something weird is definitely happening at Pierce College in Woodland Hills...

I'm thinking a deranged maniac just escaped from an insane asylum, stopped off at the Home Depot nearby for a chain saw, and snuck into the corn field to massacre a bunch of Pierce College students conducting nitrate tests on corn stalks.

Actually, it's the annual FRIGHT FAIR at the Halloween Harvest Festival at Pierce College and the Creatures of the Corn is one of the after dark attractions scaring the living bejesus outta victims who dare venture into the corn field.

I decide to check out this weirdness myself.

As I begin my adventure into the corn field, a 10' tall giant Balrog demon perched on a stone pedestal bellows a fiendish welcome growl and flaps its bat wings, sending shivers up my spine. Either I turn back now or get ready to meet my maker.

I push on and start following the haunted path guided only by the silver light of the full moon.

The corn stalks immediately close over my head, making it impossible to see what's off to left or right of the path. Immediately my sixth sense alerts me. I'm being stalked. And the rustling sounds in the darkness are creeping me out because there's no wind tonight.

I pick up my pace, the path zig zagging. Now my hands are trembling. Something is getting closer. I know it. But I can't see it.

I stop short because now I hear... gurgling, rasping, hissing. I know corn snakes exist, but this is definitely bigger than a snake. And it's coming from all directions.

Straining my ears, I try to get a grip and focus. Did the people ahead of me get lost, detour off the path and cut through the corn stalks?

Then I see a figure suddenly appear on the path further ahead. I quickly turn around about to flee when another figure appears on the path behind me. It's too dark to make out the details but they are quickly approaching me.

I'm trapped and have nowhere to turn. I scream out "HELP!" but no one responds, except the approaching shapes with evil delight, "NO ONE TO SAVE YOU NOW!"

They're within feet of me now and the HORROR freezes me.

Hannibal Lecter in a bloody apron dragging a sledge hammer... a Zombie with blood from her mouth. Both hope to drag me into the thick corn stalks, but I'm too quick and manage to get around them.

I bolt further down the path and turn my head to make sure they aren't chasing me.

Thankfully these creatures aren't, but just a few minutes later I come face to face with the maniac wielding that chainsaw I heard earlier.

I'm happy to report that none of the dozens Creatures of the Corn touched me, and I made it out alive.

Frightened but safe.

To experience the FRIGHT FAIR yourself is weird fun, so I'd recommend you buy a ticket and become a fan on their Facebook page today.

Don't Bake A Dog

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:36:00 +0000

Kudos to the LA County District Attorney's office for a bit of shock advertising.

Yesterday they released a press release and poster reminding pet owners it's illegal to leave your pet unattended in a hot car. The poster can be downloaded in English as a 11" x 16" or 5" x 7" as well as in Spanish in the same sizes.

The poster has a cute puppy named "Bilby" sitting on a pan in an open oven. “Hot Oven, Hot Car…It’s the Same Thing” reads the poster. “Leaving an animal in a hot car is a CRIME.”

While it's a bit weird to see a poster of a dog in an oven, the public awareness message resonates loud and clear.

I'm glad they didn't do any of the following:

model a dachshund puppy (HOT DOG!)

tried to play off the "this is your brain on drugs" iconic TV commercial

use an open microwave instead of an oven

Now I just hope Google Adwords doesn't associate this blog with ads for dog food or casserole recipes...

Weird Laws in Los Angeles - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 02:35:00 +0000

I previously reported about a weird law in Arcadia that gives peacocks the right of way on streets and driveways. This made me wonder, what other weird laws exist in LA?

Sadly I found a bunch.

As part of an ongoing series sorted in the legal category, I'm going to start listing weird statewide laws in California, as well as weird city specific laws in Los Angeles County.

Clearly these laws are outdated and need to be either refined or abolished for something weirder.

Here's a few to start with:

No vehicle without a driver may exceed 60 miles per hour.

Q: So who gets the ticket?
Q: So what about vehicles without drivers going under 60 mph?

It is a misdemeanor to shoot at any kind of game from a moving vehicle unless the target is a whale.

Q: Please define "game"? Does that include a 'Crip' or 'Blood'?
Q: Seen any whales on the 405 or 101 lately?

Animals are banned from mating publicly within 1,500 feet of a tavern, school, or place of worship.

Q: Please define "animal"? Does that include 'humans'?
Q: Who's supposed to 'collar' these law breakers, Animal Control Services?

Peacocks have Right of Way

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 02:55:00 +0000

While visiting a friend in Arcadia today I heard a weird squawking noise. I turned down my radio and heard it again, louder.

Then 20 feet in front of my car a peacock began walking slowly across the street.

When I began to veer left of the bird a neighbor burst out her front door, sprinted across her front yard while screaming at me, "STOP! STOP!! STOP!!!"

I slammed on my brakes and lowered my window thinking this frantic woman needs 911.

She stopped by my window huffing and puffing and says, "Thank God you stopped! Our beloved Peacocks have the right of the way here!!"

Huh?

"Yeah, whatever lady," I muttered, rolled up my window and continued to steer past the motionless stupid bird staring at me like a traffic cop. Then I heard her scream, "I have your license plate! I'm going to report you!"

Uh-huh. I expected her to finish with a battle cry "Peacocks Rule!"

When I arrived at my friend's house and recounted my story he said it's true that peacocks have the right of way on streets and driveways and that I could get cited for not observing this city ordinance.

For real? Yes he said. I'm skeptical so I called Arcadia's Attorney's office for the legal answer. A polite woman answered and confirmed my friend's story that Peacocks have the right of way on streets, and driveways, in Arcadia.

So there you have it. Another weird CA law.

I wonder what other weird laws like this exist in Los Angeles? I'm going to investigate and let you know in future postings.

Bye Bye Pinky

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:07:00 +0000

Scrolling ticker on Fox News reads, "..Pinky Bitten Off.."

Perhaps it's the triple digit temperatures or the raging wild fires but things got really heated in Thousand Oaks yesterday.

Apparently a fight broke out at a demonstration rally for Obama's Health Care Reform where the victim, William Rice, 65, punched a supporter in the face because for being called an idiot. When he went for his second punch, it landed in the person's mouth and guess what happened next?

CHOMP! Off goes little pinky!

Thankfully the little guy wasn't swallowed in the melee.

But what's really weird about this story is that after Mr. Rice went to the hospital to have his beloved pinky re-attached doctors told him,

"because of the bacteria involved in a human bite, the chances of it surviving a reattachment were almost zero."

So little pinky did not go home with Mr. Rice.

I guess you could say this is the first casualty of the debate over Health Care reform.

And what happened to the man who bite off Mr Rice's finger you ask? He's still at large. So if you spot him at a nearby KFC having a Finger Lickin' Good meal, please contact Ventura County police.

Golf Ball Retriever

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 18:12:00 +0000

Golf ball retrievers come in many sizes and lengths but does somebody make a basket version that can be attached to a helicopter?

When I saw this photo on Glendale News Press of golfers waiting patiently at La Canada Country Club, I had to laugh because it looks like they called in a helicopter to retrieve their lost balls.

It must have been weird for these guys to see a helicopter swoop, scoop and scoot while playing a round. I wonder if somebody yelled, "Hey! Give me back my Titleist!"

Dances with Vampires

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 03:14:00 +0000

Should I spend my Sunday evening dancing with Vampires in Hollywood or singing with Christians in Anaheim?

A little Angel whispered in my left ear, "Be a GOOD BOY and join evangelical followers of the Harvest Crusade at Anaheim Stadium."

But a little Devil whispered in my right ear, "Be a BAD BOY and join lustful followers of Vampire-Con at the Music Box Theater @ Fonda."

Hmm, what Annual Stimulus Package does my soul need tonight?

The devil was tempting with his dark erotic visions of beckoning Vampirellas Angela Eve and Nella in red latex costumes.

Yet the angel and her bright visions of eternal life were equally compelling.

I had to make a decision. I chose to be neither GOOD or BAD so I went night golfing instead.

Later on FOX's 11 o'clock news I watched videos clips of fangtastic Vampires followed by a heavenly Christians. Two different groups saluting different beliefs yet only 32 miles apart.

Amusing.. just another WEIRD Sunday night in LA as my bedroom lights faded out.

Zombie Fashion Show

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 06:14:00 +0000

LA certainly has its share of fashion shows. But a Zombie Fashion Show? Now that's WEIRD, so I decided to check it out.

Tonight Hollywood Outdoor Cinema hosted an outdoor screening of the comedy horror film Shaun of the Dead.

To motivate the Undead to rise from their graves, HOC hosted a Zombie Fashion Show before the main event in the Circuit City parking lot.

Thankfully the living were admitted to applaud LA's Undead on the Zombie Runway.

The judge kept the Zombies at a safe distance with his cricket bat while they hungrily growled "BRAINS!" The competition was fierce as they shuffled their feet and flaunted their blood stained designer labels.

I was fortunate to not get bite when I snapped my pictures or else I wouldn't be posting this blog now and prowling W Sunset Blvd instead for "MORE BRAINS!"

The winning Zombie won an Xbox 360 but no games to play like Dead Rising.

The losing Zombies took their defeat well and exited for $3 Zombie cupcakes.

Spiritual Onion

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 01:54:00 +0000

"dont forget 2 pick up a large onion @ Ralphs," my friend texts me. Having just seen a weird 15-foot tall Ivy Poodle, I detour off Plummer on to Haskell Avenue.

And then from the corner of my eye I glimpse a GIANT ONION looming among the trees.

What the ...? Did I just see a 40-foot tall onion? I park my car, grab my camera, and decide to take a closer inspection.

As I approach this weird looking onion dome I wonder if aliens are going to sprout from the top and abduct me.

Aliens, no. But followers of the Sepulveda Unitarian Universalist Society, maybe.

A quiet eerie feeling engulfs my body as I gaze upon this massive spiritual onion. I can only surmise it houses its congregation every Sunday.

I laugh off my nervousness and text my friend back, "how large should that onion b?"

I send a Google satellite map of the large onion and say to ZOOM IN.

Ivy Poodle

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:55:00 +0000

I'm driving on Hayvenhurst Ave with my friend's poodle when she suddenly gets really excited. Furiously wagging her tail, she leans half her body out the passenger window and emits a crescendo of piercing barks.

What is it girl?! What do you see?!

Then I understand her excitement as we approach Plummer Street.

On the corner stands a 15-foot tall Ivy Poodle.

That's weird, so I snap a picture and remind myself to call the North Hills Neighborhood Council and find out more.

I would soon learn this topiary canine has been a neighborhood watch dog for over 20 years. A local resident regularly keeps the pooch trim with his shears. During Christmas it gets adorned with a red ribbon collar.

As we drive away my drooling furball passenger finally calms down and I begin to wonder if Poodles should be ranked #2 on the list of smart dog breeds according to new research about Doggie IQs.

Chia Head

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 03:36:00 +0000

I'm waiting at a red light on the corner of Avenue F and the PCH in Redondo Beach when I see a massive Ch-Ch-Ch-CHIA HEAD! That's weird, so I pull over to the side of the road.

This weird looking thing must be the property of Joe Oliveri Hair Designs. How ironic.

As I'm taking pictures that classic tv Chia commercial continues to run through my brain and I begin to wonder...

Do they keep it watered and watch it grow?

Does the Chia Head grow in 1 to 2 weeks?

To keep this pet happy, will there be a collection of accompanying heads like Mohawk, Buzz, Spike, DA, and Mullet?

Bikini Baristas Now Serving

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 22:12:00 +0000

I'm on Hawthorne Blvd just south of 190th Street in Torrance when I spot Bikini Espresso, a new drive-through coffee shop.

Alongside their wall is a colorful spray painting of a bikini blonde dipped in a mug with the words "Bikini Espress-Oh!"

A very well-endowed girl wearing a bikini and Hawaiian lei slides open the drive-thru window, smiles and flirtatiously asks, "How can I help you?"

I'll have your "Beach Blonde" please.

For the next 2 minutes my barista danced, sang and swayed while making my drink.

Hmm. This is weird. Getting my coffee with a tease. I'll call it Coffee Entertainment.

She returns to the windows and asks, "Would you like whipped cream with her? It's really delicious." But of course I will!

"That'll be $3.77 please," and I happily pay her $5 and tell her to keep the tip.

"Thanks. Come back again. Bring your friends."

25 foot Giant spotted on the 405

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 23:02:00 +0000

I'm driving on the 405 in Carson when all of the sudden my friend yells "Oh my GOD! There's this huge GIANT on the side of the road and we're heading straight for him!"

Say again? I turn to him half nervously.

He shows me a birds-eye view of our coordinates on his iPhone.

Right there in the picture is this giant looking man that appears to be walking toward the 405 freeway!

Within moments we discover the giant discovery. We pull over to the side of the road to take some pictures.

It's a 25 foot tall muffler man staring across the 405 with a golf club in his hands. He's standing motionless from Dominguez Golf Course.

I know there's been weirder things reported crossing the 405 freeway, but still how often can you still find the giant muffler men of ages past?

LA Celebrities Look-A-Like Sperm For Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 05:28:00 +0000

There's a full-service sperm bank in Los Angeles marketing a new service called "Donor Look-A-Likes."

You're 1-click away from ordering donor sperm matched to look-like your favorite LA celebrity!

This is too weird to be true, so I visited California Cryobank's website and began my search from their library of LA celebrities to generate a list of matching donors.

Starting with a drop-down menu, I scanned a bunch of LA celebrities but did not find some of today's most popular actors or singers. For example, they didn't have Michael Jackson listed. Maybe that has to be a "special order"?

So I went with Michael J Fox and the results appeared for Donor 11643. He's a caucasian 5'9", 130 lbs with straight brown hair and blue eyes. He has German, Irish origins and Christian. For $15 I can download his facial features report or pay an extra $2 for the long report. But wait, there's more! Pay $30 for an audio interview of him. Time is running out because there's only 19 vials of Donor 11643 available. So order now, for only $490!

With 1 click of you mouse, you can add your Michael J Fox look-a-like sperm to your shopping cart and check out. Oh did I mention this same sperm donor also is matched to look like Eric Stoltz and Steve Zahn?

Not ready to buy in the next 10 minutes? No problem. You can save Donor 11643 to your "favorites" list. At this time there's no "share this donor" button for Facebook or Twitter. Shucks.

"Paws-engers" at Hawthorne Airport

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:37:00 +0000

I was waiting for a friend at Hawthorne Airport, about a mile from LAX, when I spotted a sign for Pet Airways, a new "pets-only" airline that launched this month.

Now that's weird when I saw dogs and cats waiting in a 'pet lounge' waiting for their flight to be announced.This I have to investigate so I approached the airline attendant with my questions.

No pet owners allowed in the main cabin. So humans now go in the cargo hull?

Who's flying the plane, Fido and Whiskers? Real human pilots..for now.

This is not some prank. It's the real deal. According to Pet Airways website, which you can track your pet's flight number, you can book your dog or cat a 1-way or round trip from Hawthorne Airport to regional airports in New York, Denver, Washington DC/Baltimore, and Chicago, with more destinations this Fall.

Do they offer in-flight martinis, snacks, movies? What about special dietary needs of my pet pooch? He must have a window seat because he doesn't like his tail stepped on in the aisle.

Interesting ideas she says, "Tweet us at twitter.com/PetAirways."

But what if you're a LA pet owner of a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, boa constrictor, Macaw or other four-legged furry critters? Why should dogs and cats only get to fly on your airline?

"Pigs, reptiles, birds and "others" will be allowed to fly with us soon," says the attendant. Yikes..'When Pigs Fly' is really going to come true.

Pet dreams of flying in style have just come true in LA!

Introduction to WEIRD in LA

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 04:21:00 +0000

Having lived in Los Angeles nearly 5 years I thought it was about time I start exposing the weird public things I continue to see in LA. This town of 10 + million dwellers certainly has a reputation for weirdness, and trust me when I say a lot of it is true!

My friends encouraged me to start researching online. After a few days I spotted a niche, and began a project to introduce WEIRDinLA.com.

This blog, along with new WEIRDinLA profiles on Twitter.com and FaceBook, will be updating my progress behind the scenes.

Eventually I plan to produce a weekly series of funny thematic webisodes shot on location about weird public encounters of people and places in LA.

I'm doing this for fun. I'm not a trained reporter, publicist or film student. I'm just an advertising guy in LA who wants to blog about weird things in Los Angeles

I encourage my followers to grow this project by becoming active participants. If you've seen or been tipped about something public in LA that you think is WEIRD, please share your story with me and your friends.

I plan to distribute my WEIRDinLA webisodes across numerous video channels like YouTube, Blip.tv and others while it's still free... And for those that follow WEIRDinLA on Twitter and FaceBook, you'll be the 1st to hear my new site announcements.

There's much public weirdness in LA to expose, so be rest assured I won't be running out of material!

7/19/09