The LA Observed contributors have been building up to Halloween in their own ways. TJ Sullivan gave himself a tour of the hidden cemetery in Westwood he calls "the final resting place of some of the 20th Century's most talented performers and writers." He found that Truman Capote, Billy Wilder and Jack Lemmon (and of course Marilyn Monroe) were joined recently by Don Knotts and Rodney Dangerfield.

Denise Hamilton offers up a Halloween fable with flying witches and brooms that sail over the Valley's rooftops.

Veronique de Turenne finds a Jack o' Lantern in Venice that had too much to drink last night.

Also around LA Observed, new contributor Erika Schickel introduces herself and her South-of-South Carthay neighborhood, one block from the 310 area code boundary in what her husband calls "Midwest L.A."

Jenny Price recommends the three prettiest stretches of the seasonal stream we call the Los Angeles River.

Jenny Burman's eucalyptus tree became home to four red-tailed hawks, graceful when soaring but more like Volkswagens with wings when they are in your backyard.

And also, Bruce Feirstein's disemboweling of the Los Angeles Times continues to draw visits and email, some pro and some con.

Photo: TJ Sullivan