Holidays 2011

Happy OktoBEER

It is only the first week of October, and yet I'm already late to the binge-beering, sauerkraut-piling, Jäger-bombing, lederhosen-wearing extravaganza that is Oktoberfest. A Bavarian tradition dating back to 1810, Oktoberfest kicks off in late September and lasts 16 to 18 days. Since I can't be one of the more than five million people that attend the world's largest fair in Munich, Germany, I make the most of what SoCal has to offer. Below are some options available for those interested in some good German-style fun, practically in your own backyard.

Old World Village | Huntington Beach

The eight acres off the 405 freeway at Beach Blvd. in Huntington Beach upon which Old World Village modestly sits can be considered the epiccenter of Orange County's Oktoberfest scene. From Sept. 4 to Oct. 30, the authentic Bavarian-style Village is arguably the most popular Oktoberfest celebration in Orange County. With its live (genuninely German) oom-pah-pah bands that play Wednesday through Thursday and the "deal-icious" ($2 off) drink specials Wednesday through Saturday between 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., Old World Village Oktoberfest draws large crowds, especially on weekends. If you're only going to make it to their Oktoberfest once this year, try to make it on a Sunday. At 3 p.m. every Sunday, Old World hosts the Dachshund Races, where swift, short-legged wiener dogs race competitively on a small track. Dog owners and spectators get really into the action. Side bets, anyone?

Below is a promotional video from last year's Oktoberfest at Old World Village.

Standard Admission: $15 Fri./Sat. (Print your $5 off coupon here.) and $5 on Sun.
Check out Old World Village's website here.

Phoenix Club | Anaheim

The colony of German immigrants that founded the city of Anaheim still runs The Phoenix Club on Sanderson Ave. off Ball Rd., where they hold one of the biggest Oktoberfest celebrations in California every weekend from Sept. 16 through Oct. 30. Saturdays seem to be prime time at the Phoenix Club, where at 2 p.m., dance instructors offer free polka lessons. Save yourself the $5 admission when you arrive between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. There are plenty of activities for kids, which makes this the most family-friendly Oktoberfest celebration in OC. Be sure to bring plenty of cash, as much of the food and beverage (though worth it) can be pricey. But don't fret, because that small $6 German beer will pack a bigger punch than the pint of Coors you might be used to. German food is typically heavy, so whatever you order will go a long way. The potato pancakes are a delicious oily, salty snack. This particular Oktoberfest also earns points for having plenty of seating and open space. I suppose one should expect no less from Orange County.

Standard Admission: $5 (Kids under 12 free)
Check out The Phoenix Club's website here.

Alpine Village | Torrance

The absolute largest and most popular Oktoberfest celebration in the greater Los Angeles area unfolds every year at Alpine Village in Torrance under a massive 32,000-square-foot tent. Held every weekend between Sept. 9 and Oct. 23, Oktoberfest at The Alpine Village is a loud and festive celebration complete with oom-pah-pah beats, German fare, and great beer (With official sponsorship from Paulaner of Munich). While Alpine Village carries on its legendary Oktoberfest, faithful patrons have griped about some of the changes this year, particularly with respect to the heightened level of security, which is likely the result of one bad apple ruining the fun for everyone else. Admission prices also raised to $20 this year. Be sure to arrive early, as the line at the entrance can get pretty ridiculous and parking can be an ordeal. What used to be a South Bay gem is now a magnet for scores of out-of-towners who have discovered it in recent years.

Standard Admission: $20 (Tickets available online)
Check out The Alpine Village's website here.

The Abbey | West Hollywood

When I heard that a gay bar in West Hollywood would be hosting their own take on Oktoberfest, I thought of every stereotypical thing I knew about "WeHo" and about Oktoberfest in general. What The Abbey Food & Bar on Robertson has come up with lies somewhere in the middle of those two experiences. It just wouldn't be Oktoberfest without the currywurst, giant pretzels, Hefeweizen, and beer pong. The Abbey provides all of that in full effect. On the other hand, it just wouldn't be a true WeHo affair without a drag queen host(ess) and some go go boys, who shake their tail feathers in skimpy lederhosen. All in all, a unique and interesting take on Oktoberfest. Though, I'm not sure how comfortable one would be ordering "Pig on the Spit" at a gay bar. (What? Too much? Sorry.)

Admission: Free
Check out The Abbey's website here.

Ocean Beach | San Diego

A newly expanded 2-day event in the Ocean Beach area, the OB Oktoberfest is a chance for San Diegans to enjoy the Bavarian-style festivities near the water. Friday night will include a battle of the bands final exclusively for tribute bands that will cover the likes of AC/DC and Red Hot Chili Peppers for a $4,000 cash prize. The 91X Happy Hour tonight between 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. will give event attendees a chance to double their fun with two-for-one beers and bratwursts courtesy of local radio station, 91X San Diego. The Saturday beer tasting from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $15 will get you six tastes of 15 local microbrews. Also, the Charger Girls will be around tonight.

Admission: $3 donation (Beer Garden)
Check out the Ocean Beach Oktoberfest website here.

Sugar Rush at Sports Club/LA - Orange County

My dinner the other night was a frosted sugar cookie, a 7-layer bar, a couple of mini-cupcakes, some other cookies, and some baklava. I actually don't have much of a sweet tooth, but when my gym hung up promotional posters for Sugar Rush, a members-only dessert sampling event featuring some of the most sensational sweets in Orange County, I felt I had no choice but to go town on all of the free offerings of the affair. I realize there's something inherently wrong with eating such decadent treats at the gym, but rest assured, I proceeded to run five pointless miles on the treadmill upstairs immediately after I had my last cake pop. Thank you, Sports Club/LA.

Wildflour Cupakes

There was a lot going on at the Wildflour Cupcakes table. Definitely the centerpiece of the event, the offerings from this Fullerton bakery included a variety of flavors. My favorite was the Fleur de Sel cupcake. Rich chocolate cake with salted caramel buttercream frosting, it's as if the salty flavor pinches your taste buds before they are enveloped in the sweetness of the caramel. The Mango Coconut cupcakes were also a delight. They also featured some of their cake pops. The peanut butter cake pop tasted just like a Reese's peanut butter cup.

Check out the Wildflour Cupakes website here.

SusieCakes

An all-American bakery that has received national press for the treats that come out of their kitchens, SusieCakes is well known for their signature cupcakes. Unfortunately, they were nowhere to be seen at the event. I'll have to visit one of their four SoCal locations in Newport Beach, Brentwood, Calabasas, or Manhattan Beach to experience them. They did however feature their 7-layer Bar (above). It is baked with chocolate chips, coconut, and pecans on a  graham cracker crust. It was delightfully rich, but I wasn't feeling the coconut moment. Coconut is usually hit or miss for me.

Check out the SusieCakes website here.

The Cravory

The Cravory laid out just a few of their 950 cookie creations, some of them sweet and others savory. They of course had some classic pieces, such as the Birthday Cake (Sugar cookie with sprinkles) and the Ultimate Chocolate Chip (self-explanatory). I tried one of their more unconventional creations, the Pancakes & Bacon. It was rich in the pancake and maple flavors, but the small pieces of dry bacon added a bit of salt. It was like a small bite of breakfast. Another unique and savory flavor on the table was the Rosemary Balsamic, which is one of the most popular among their signature cookies. I can see the savory cookies making good snacks, but who wants a dessert that tastes like another meal?

Check out The Cravory website here.

Bakluvit

The absolute highlight of the event for me came from the Bakluvit table. Baklava is one of those desserts I hated as a kid because it wasn't chocolate cake (How prejudice of me, right?) and as adult, I like it just fine but won't go out of my way for it. That all changed when I bit into the ChocBak, their limited edition hand-crafted baklava that won me over with its chocolateness. It's rich, sweet, and it melts in your mouth. The BakScotch was even more rich and flavorful with what their website describes as "layers of crisp fillo dough, fresh California Walnuts, and a hand-crafted lightly sweetened layer of butterscotch wonderment." The founder of Bakluvit traveled the world in search of the finest ingredients, which do not include honey or corn syrup.  Wherever he went, it was worth the trip.

Bakluvit takes online orders through their webite and ships out of their Newport Beach kitchen daily. A box of 15 costs $28.00. I'll have to order a couple boxes for the next grown-up party I'm invited to.

Order from Bakluvit through their website here.

Bruxie (Old Towne Orange)

ORANGE, Calif. - I'm all about re-purposing breakfast foods so that they can  be enjoyed at lunch and dinner. Luckily, so are the three guys who opened Bruxie Gourmet Waffle Sandwiches on the corner of Glassell and Palm in Orange. I realize that Roscoe's has been doing something similar for decades in Los Angeles, but the waffle sandwiches that come out of this historic Old Towne Orange shack are uniquely sensational. OC foodies have been eating up the novelty of Bruxie's creations since it opened at its location near Chapman University last Fall.

The Bruxie waffle is made in a style that originally hails from Brussles. Described as light, airy and crip, it is leavened by yeast rather than baking powder, so it isn't necessarily like the kind of doughy, sugary waffles you'd get at a greasy spoon diner. Biting into any of the menu's offerings is nothing like biting into a syrupy McGriddle (Though you can add maple syrup for a dollar).

The most popular items on the menu is the Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Waffle ($6.95), the Bruxie Burger ($6.95) and the Prosciutto & Gruyere ($7.95).

Buttermilk Fried Chicken & Waffle

Buttermilk-soaked, deep fried and drizzled with honey chili sauce, this tender chicken breast with a crispy exterior is tucked in the fold of the waffle with a small helping of coleslaw. What made this sandwich for me was the honey chili. A bit tangy and a tad sweet, the sauce is reminiscent of the Asian sweet chili sauce I grew up dipping egg rolls in.

Prosciutto & Gruyere

The Prosciutto & Gruyere, which I had on another visit, packs a more subtle punch of flavor. The thinly sliced dry-cured ham is delicately salty (as prosciutto usually is), and the presence of the gruyere cheese works well against the taste of the whole grain mustard and chives. It sort of reminded me of the paninis I used to get at one of the cafes around the corner from my apartment in Florence, Italy.  

With seven items on the savory menu and six on the sweet menu, I'm certain I'll eventually get around to trying everything. There are also seasonal specials available, such as the Pulled Pork or the Pastrami. I think for my next visit, I have my sights set on the sweet side of Bruxie. I know I'll have trouble deciding between the Nutella & Bananas and the S'Mores. If anything, I'll have to bring a friend or two next time who's willing to share a few of these in one sitting. Any takers?

NOTES

• The waffle fries are deep-fried in 100% peanut oil. Good texture, but a little too peppered in my opinion.
• The beverage collection includes locally crafted pure cane sugar sodas.
• There are tables for parties of two and four in a shaded space attached to the building. There is also a counter on the other side of the building and bar-height tables in the parking lot. 
• Count on having to park on the street. Most of the nearby spots are 30-minute spaces.
• Due to the historic nature of the building, there are no public restrooms.

Bruxie is located at 292 North Glassell St. in Orange, California.

Check out the Bruxie website here.

Rao's | Las Vegas Restaurant Week

Last weekend, a friend and I caught the tail end of this year's Las Vegas Restaurant Week, a fundraising event and a celebration of food and drink on the Las Vegas Strip and surrounding areas. Out of the more than 120 restaurants that offered prix-fixe menus at $20.10, $30.10 and $50.10, we chose to snag a table at Rao's Restaurant at Caesars Palace. Las Vegas Restaurant Week opened on August 29 and closed on September 11. Participating restaurants donated $4 to $6 to the Three Square Food Bank for each meal sold off their Restaurant Week menus.

Reminiscent of its original NYC storefront on an East Harlem street corner, Rao's at Caesers Palace has two ten-table rooms and additional seating in a banquet area as well as on a poolside outdoor patio with a bocce court. The seating area outside of the entrance lets you see all the action happening on the casino floor.

Fritto Misto (That's 'Eye-Talian'): Deep fried calamari, jumbo shrimp and zucchini with remoulade and marinara on the side

A nice selection of carbs in a basket

Our waiter serving the pasta out of a covered chafing dish. By the time it's in front of you, it's still piping hot.

Pasta is served al dente. I had the Pennette alla Vodka, one of Rao's most popular dishes, which features San Marzano tomatoes, diced Italian ham, vodka and a touch of cream. We also ordered a serving of their famously hearty meatballs, which come "in pairs, both the about the size of baseballs" said the waiter. (Giggity)

For dessert, NY Cheesecake with side of berries dusted with powdered sugar.

A sitdown interview that Caesars Palace did with Frankie Pellegrino Jr. of Rao's discussing their Restaurant Week events and activities.

FOOTNOTES on Rao's

Cheapest wine by the glass is a $15 Chianti

 

Rao's is also known for specialty olive oil, sauce, marinades and dressings, which are all available for purchase online here.

Rao's Website

Rao's Yelp

Wicked Spoon (Las Vegas)

Gourmet buffet at The Cosmopolitan. $22.00 brunch, $35.00 dinner

From top left: BBQ pork slices, KBBQ short ribs, BLT salad, tangerine chicken, macaroni & cheese with ham

From top left: Lamb shank, fresh cod, pork fried rice, white clam pizza

Chocolate covered strawberries sprinkled with peanuts and Oreo cookies

Gelato station

A giant spoon at the entrance? The decor was obviously decided by a Filipino

The Cosmopolitan goes big on chandeliers

Wicked Spoon Website
Wicked Spoon Yelp

Life of Brian's | The Glory Days of Dollar Beer Nights

FULLERTON, Calif. - Every end of August, when I begin to see post after post from friends on Facebook and Twitter about the start of a new school year at Cal State Fullerton, I feel a twinge of nostalgia and a slight yearning for the "glory days." Now two years removed from college, I still have a hard time coming to terms with not being a student anymore. After all, I didn't feel like I was in college until about my third year, when I started making new friends, rooting for Fullerton at sporting events, and when I became a regular at Brian's Beer & Billiards, an off-campus pub frequented by CSUF students, alumni and Fullerton locals.

When I walked into Brian's for the first time on a "Dollar Beer Night" Wednesday with two friends, I was just some rookie who couldn't finish a beer before it got warm. I was uptight and uncomfortable with myself. I was a spazz at the bar and at parties during drinking games. I recall once throwing beer at my own face the first time I played "flip cup" and then fumbling at the edge of the table while the opposing side went down their entire line (I never was good at team sports). I was quite the awkward uncool kid, especially when drinking socially.

I'm not sure when this changed. I can't pinpoint exactly when I began to loosen up, or when I started to appreciate the taste of a cold beer on my lips. But I am positive that the experience of claiming space in this crowded bar with my friends every Wednesday night, the bouncing of quarters into cups, and the drunken sing-alongs to Neil Diamond and Bon Jovi bar anthems all had something to do with it. "Dollar Beer Night" was a constant in my social life, and it doesn't shame me to say that my attendance record at this weekly beerfest was flawless some semesters. If only I could have taken it for credit. BEER-101 W 10 p.m. Sign me up.

For the most part, Brian's today is almost exactly as I left it the last time I raised a plastic cup there two years ago to celebrate the final final exam of my undergrad. The walls are decked in Cal State Fullerton sports memorabilia, the shuffleboard is always sanded and occupied, and the same soundtrack blasts through the speakers. They have even returned to their method of selling poker chips at the door, each redeemable for any of the featured dollar beers (Bud, Bud Light, Amber Bock and PBR), a system that predates my days as a regular there.

I made a return visit on a recent Wednesday night. A small group of my friends who still live in that area have remained faithful to this bar and can be found there any given Wednesday. From their table, I observed a younger crop of students who had picked up where my friends and I had left off. It was like watching "Saved By the Bell: The New Class." Familiar story lines, same dialogue, but the characters were faceless to me. I'm sure previous generations of this watering hole's 30-year history must have watched us with the same sentiment when we were there. I'm sure many of them, like me, watched their younger successors running amok with stacks of emptied cups and thought to themselves, "I remember my first time at dollar beer night" with a snobby attitude. I guess it's all a part of accepting adulthood.

I don't know what I was in search of when I paid my visit to Brian's. In my assignments as a writer for a nightlife magazine, I'm often asked to write about what's new and hip, places that are upscale and sexy, places that aren't necessarily me. It was nice to come back to a place that was familiar, even if I can't necessarily say that this place is still me. In the very least, getting a good buzz for under $10 is not a bad way to spend a Wednesday night.

More information on Brian's here.
Please drink responsibly.

This Weekend: Orange International Street Fair

ORANGE, Calif. - Banners went up early last month near Plaza Park at "The Circle" in Downtown Orange for this year's Orange International Street Fair (OISF), an annual Labor Day weekend event in its 39th year that is expected to draw about half a million fairgoers and raise thousands of dollars in funds for local OC charities. This year's theme, "A World of Flavor at Your Fingertips" highlights the kind of variety the fair brings to the City of Orange every year. Always a highly anticipated end-of-summer event, OISF brings a blend of food, beer, music and dance from all over the world.

In your "globe-trotting" stroll through the fair, be sure to take note of all that is available to you before committing to a meal. Each street is sectioned off and dedicated to a certain country's cultural food. You may "fancy" some fish and chips on English street or some pork sliders from Polynesian Street. You may want an all-American hamburger or a philly cheesesteak to with your ice-cold beer before you move on to Greek Street for a taste of baklava. If you're like me, you'll go straight for the bratwurst, sauerkraut and hefeweisen on German Street, where The Europa Band brings a little bit of Oktoberfest into the mix with a nearly never-ending set of classic German folk music and maybe a "chicken dance" or two. The seating area at this stage is a popular (and shaded) area where you can raise your glass for a 'Prost!' with loud and proud Germans in lederhosen.

A stroll through this fair will also give you an opportunity to check out what's occupying Downtown Orange, a restaurant and bar scene that I feel is often overlooked and under-appreciated. Some businesses in and around the plaza may not be open during fair weekend, but many are worth taking a peak at, such as the beer-centric Haven Gastropub or the vibrant and Cuban-flavored Felix's.

This will be my fifth year attending the fair, and I particularly enjoy OISF weekend in Orange because of the sense of community it encourages in the surrounding neighborhoods. Residents and college students in the area (likely from Chapman University) hang out in their yards with friends and neighbors as they watch the crowds build up. Local high school students volunteer in various places in and around the fair and seem to enjoy being a p art of the production. Sure, it gets hot and crowded. And sure, some of the younger folks can get obnoxiously drunk and rude towards the later part of the evening, but if you can ignore them (or join them) then OISF can be good fun. Besides, you (and fair organizers) will have the following Monday to sleep it off.

The Orange International Street Fair opens for business on Friday and closes on Sunday.

General Info
Alcohol sales end promptly at 9 p.m. each night.

Fair hours, parking and location information here.

Check out the OISF map here.

Entertainment Schedules

MAIN STAGE

American Stage

English Stage

Greek Stage

German Stage

Irish Stage

Meixcan Stage

Polynesian

Camp Eman | San Onofre

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. - As a kid, I was never much of a camper, but last weekend I borrowed my parents' camping equipment and headed halfway down to San Diego to where that nuclear power plant that looks like a pair of boobs sits. I still am not much of a camper, even after pitching a tent on the campgrounds at San Onofre State Beach, but that's only because camping on these beach-adjacent grounds hardly feels like camping at all.

Located along the I-5 just at the county lines between San Diego County and OC, the Bluffs Campgrounds at San Onofre overlooks the ocean and one of the five most visited state parks in California. Each campsite costs $35 to reserve and comes with a picnic table, fire pit, parking for one to two cars and just enough room for up to eight campers. There are public bathrooms, showers and faucets to wash your feet.

I had read plenty of negative reviews of this campground on Yelp in which many complained about everything from the size of the sites to the rocks on the beach. While they are right about the feeling that you are essentially camping in a parking lot, these campgrounds are about as rough as I'm willing to rough it. Real camping just doesn't appeal to me at all, and those feelings were solidified when I went shopping for basic supplies and saw the wide range of equipment available. If I need to purchase a portable toilet seat and a bucket for a weekend trip, count me out. I'll leave that for the camping snobs on Yelp.

There are six access trails to the 3.5 mile stretch of beach below the campground. We spent the late afternoon on the sand, where we enjoyed a competitive game of bocce ball and where my gymnast friend coached me on achieving unassisted handstands. I've decided that 'handstanding' is the new 'planking'. I can hold about three seconds before eating sand.

We retreated to our campsite just after sunset to use what was left of the daylight to prepare dinner, a spread that included hot dogs, burgers and bratwursts. Vacant sites are scarce in the summertime, so I lucked out in finding two consecutive sites for us to be together. It was just enough space for my group of 15 or so to set up camp, grill some meats and gather around the fire for drinking games while the pyromaniacs of the group threw more and more wood into the pit. Thankfully, nobody lost any eyebrows to the campfire, though I think I may have come close a couple times.

I'm no Boy Scout, and no, I don't think my one night of sleeping in a tent on a parking lot just a few yards off the highway would have earned me any merit badges. At the very least, camping at San Onofre felt like an all-night tailgate party by the beach. Good fun while it lasted and a nice departure from my usual surroundings, but 19 hours into it, I was dying for a proper shower. I don't think I would do well in the woods.

Photo Recap

Check campsite availability through Reserve America.

Read reviews of San Onofre State Beach Campgrounds on Yelp.

'Mad' Menswear

When Banana Republic debuted its Mad Men line earlier this month, I stopped by an in-store launch party for the collection. A huge fan of the show, I was looking to add a classic touch to my wardrobe. For four television seasons, The AMC drama has been captivating audiences and re-defining (reminding us, rather) what "dapper" looks like on a man. With the help of Mad Men costume designer Janie Bryant, Banana Republic brought back classic notions of style with a modern edge for both men and women.

I browsed every rack on the men's sales floor. If I wanted, I could have strutted my stuff right out of South Coast Plaza ready for a walk-on role in season 5 of the show - If I wasn't such an "Chinaman" (It was the 60s after all). But since I'm no "Don Draper" at my firm, I passed on the suit separates, fitted trousers and fedora hat, which are probably best reserved for the executive type who has someone to hand his coat and hat to when he walks into the office. I took the 65-piece 1960s-inspired collection up on one of its smallest offerings - a silver plated limited edition tie bar for $39.50.

Tie bar sales have increased in recent years and were featured in a lot of menswear magazines this past Spring. Some attribute their comeback to sharply dressed characters like Roger Sterling and Don Draper. The tie bar is a reminder of a generation that came to work dressed up and are among the few types of masculine accessories available.

I displayed a bit of ignorance the first time I wore it. Thinking it was merely a shiny ornament serving more style than function, I spent most of the morning with it clipped to the tie but not to my shirt. The point of wearing a tie bar is to keep your tie from swinging and flapping around, which of course my tie was doing (with added weight). An obvious failure on my part, but what can you expect from a guy whose generation has never had to wear a proper suit?

You can shop the Mad Men collection here.

An in-store visual reminiscent of Sterling Cooper's ad campaign for Playtex, "Are you a Jackie or a Marilyn?" from Season Two of Mad Men.

The tie bar best serves its function when worn below the breast pocket. I felt it best clipped between the third and fourth button of my shirt. I've read that some guys wear them higher for a "younger" look. Some wear them at slight angles for style, and some wear them level.

Movie Magic on a Cemetery Lawn

Cemetery screenings in Hollywood, Calif. bring classics back to life.

LOS ANGELES - I feel a sense of anticipation whenever the lights finally dim in a movie theater just before the opening credits. It's almost like boarding an airplane or a roller coaster ride that whisks you away into another world. But whenever the sky dims and the sun sets over moviegoers on the lawn of Hollywood Forever Cemetery, it's like departing on a time machine destined for another reality that exists in the vaults of Hollywood studios.

Every year, from June to September, L.A. residents pay their respects to old Hollywood at Saturday night outdoor screenings of classic films on the lawn of Hollywood Forever Cemetery, an eternal resting place for the stars on Santa Monica Blvd. Cinespia, the organization that produces the events, opened its 10th year of screenings with "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," paying tribute to the late Elizabeth Taylor, who passed away earlier this year.

While the thought of spending an evening among crypts and tombs at first seemed creepy, I was delighted to check this off my 'Things to Do" list after hearing a Cinespia organizer's interview on a radio program. I attended a screening of Alfred Hitchcock's classic, "Vertigo," a personal favorite of Cinespia founder John Wyatt.

Admission to the screening costs only a $10 donation. Hundreds of moviegoers lined up in the late afternoon to secure a good spot on the lawn in time for gates to open at 7 p.m. During the migration from the entrance to the actual screening area, you are greeted with impressive sites of beautifully constructed monuments and Art Deco architecture from the 1920s.

Groups at the event varied in age and size. The yuppies, the hipsters and the gays all came out in full force, many with incredibly stylish picnic baskets in hand, containing a variety of snacks and beverages. No price-gouging concession stands at this venue. And in the spirit of keeping the mood festive, alcohol is permitted at the screenings. Many brought their own selection of wine or purchased it at the makeshift bar at the side of the lawn. Some wandered the picturesque cemetery grounds, which is a Walk of Fame in its own right. While the property is beautiful and green, I was a little too creeped out by many of the tombstones, each displaying a holographic image of the deceased's face.

A DJ spun records until it was dark enough for a clear projection to come through onto the white marble wall of the cemetery's largest mausoleum, where the likes of Rudolph Valentino and Peter Lorre are buried. When the film started, people took their seats in low lawn chairs and cozied up with one another under blankets. Against a graying sky, over 2,000 movie lovers watched as Hitchcock's classic was brought to life in a spirited celebration of old Hollywood.

This weekend, The Hollywood Forever Cemetery will screen "The Jerk" (1979) starring Steve Martin and will show Hitchcock horror classic "Psycho" (1960) on Aug. 27. Tickets and parking are available at the event and online at Cinespia.org.

Like Cinespia on Facebook here.

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About Eman About Town

Eman About Town is a blog independently produced and written by SoCal native and LA/OC explorer Emmanuel Cayanan. Dedicated to documenting Cayanan's own meanderings as a man about town in his mid twenties and an entry-level professional in the communications industry, Eman About Town offers his guide to style, food, nightlife and entertainment. A shameless self-promoter and self-admitted narcissist, Cayanan has been blogging since his teenage years and most recently captured the attention of many with his travel blog, Eman In Italia in which he documented his experience as a study abroad student in Florence, Italy during the summer of 2008. Now a freelance writer for a SoCal nightlife and entertainment magazine and a full-time communications professional, Cayanan started Eman About Town as a means for sharing unique experiences, good eats and his own perspective on anything and everything as he strives to achieve the marks of a worldly, well-rounded gentleman.

To stay connected, follow @EmanAboutTown on Twitter.