this week.

I just wanted to mention that this past week was quite lovely. The temps started to drop; it really felt like fall has arrived. And just before Daylight Savings Time--imagine that. Here are a few happenings I thought were worth mentioning:

The Halloween decorations finally came out in the neighborhood. A little late this year--I have to admit I was a bit worried.

 
The one house that completely blew me away had the entire front yard decked out as an Edward Gorey's poem, The Evil Garden. Stanza for stanza, each accompanied by life-size cutouts.

"Alexa watches while her aunt 
Is pulled feet first inside a plant."

"The gorgeous flowers have a smell 
That causes one to feel unwell."

"Great-uncle Franz beside the lake 
Is being strangled by a snake."

--from The Evil Garden by Edward Gorey

A damp, wet fog settled in on Sunday morning, very San Francisco-esque. I found a new spot for hiking that I've wanted to check out: the Trebek Open Space, land that was bought and donated to the California parks system by Jeopardy's Alex Trebek. I stumbled on this area a few years ago when I first got Isabel and was looking for the Runyon's trailhead on Mulholland. I happily took a wrong turn and followed some dogwalkers through the space down to Wattles Garden.

The trailheads are pretty hidden for the Trebek Open Space. It's great because it means not a lot of people on the trail. But not a lot of people means more wild animals, too. In fact, a coyote ran right across the trail in front of me. If freaked me out for a second. Then I realized my dog wasn't with me, and I chilled.

 
I was very excited to attend a concert to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Disney Hall.

I was so bummed when I missed Salonen's farewell concerts when he departed the Philharmonic, especially the premiere of his Violin Concerto with Leila Josefowicz. How excited was I that they came back to perform it again?

It was a cool and mysterious, haunting concerto, and I loved every minute of it. Especially the part when the Josefowicz duetted with principal violist, Carrie Dennis.

I watched L'Avventura this weekend, and I felt like it was a rite of passage. I remember when I first learned about Blow-Up. I thought I was going to see this swingin' film about 60's Mod London, and a mystery to boot. Then it was not at all what I expected. I felt intimidated, because I didn't know what was going on.

I decided to just go ahead and watch the Criterion Collection issue with the commentary with film historian, Gene Youngblood. I know it's like watching the Cliff Notes version of a film, but it really helped to grasp the techniques of Antonioni's film making and his themes. I watched it slowly, but I was floored. I feel in love with Monica Vitti and her journey. She's a seeker, surrounded by bland, empty people who live only to fulfill their desires in bland, empty ways.

Now I want to watch La Notte and L'Eclisse, the two other films that complete Antonioni's trilogy of that era, then maybe return to Blow-Up and see I have a different experience with it. I like the idea of exploring one director's work at a time.

And the sunsets were off the hook this week! Check it out.

That's all. Halloween is here. Someone is excited!

Happy Halloween everyone, which by the way--at least here in L.A.--is celebrated through this weekend, aka Día de los Muertos, aka one of my favorite weekends of the year.