Happy Halloween in Los Angeles

One of these days, I'd love to go to WeHo with JD for the annual huge Halloween bash on Santa Monica Blvd.

Til then, I was happy with my seven dollar Goodwill costume find and keeping it low key with candy, cookies, and carving pumpkins. Complete with wrap, pants, and belt, I was ready to go as a martial arts expert.

One tradition that I have tried to keep over the years is the annual pumpkin carving festivities. Last year, I cooked half of my pumpkin down to make some homemade pies while the other half donned a winking face. This year, MS and I got inspired with a Target ad and carved our friendly vamp-pumpkin. We scooped the innards out, used our pumpkin carving tool to cut through the inch-thick face, and saved the seeds to roast at a later time. Popped in a couple of tea lights and turned the lights down low... and VOILA! Instant Jack-o-Lantern!

A great time being creative, being a big kid, and being messy... this was only one part of our Halloween weekend.

We also got cooking with some ready to bake sugar cookies and homemade holiday crafted cookie icing. And although we used a cookie cutter and a make-shift pastry bag made from a Ziploc bag, the cookie ended up being an abstract blob of golden yellow and bright orange that should have been a cat. Low on eye candy appeal, high on sugar and sweet taste. None were spared. All were eaten.

Royal Icing Recipe:
2 Large Egg Whites - beaten well
4 Cups Sifted Powdered Sugar
Lemon Juice
Food coloring
* icing dries overnight

Favorite Goodwill Haunts in LA:

Street: 817 S. La Brea Ave.
T: 1.323.931.5239

Street: 1218 Vine Street
T: 1.323.469.2357

Street: 11726 Santa Monica Blvd.
T: 1.310.442.9655