In the “2012 L.A. Gravecation Prelude” article, mentioned I’d be blogging about my second Los Angeles gravecation trip as it happens. So here is the article covering day 4 through 6. Being that one of the reasons I was in town was for the 1st Annual Death Hag Weekend.

Friday night was the first night of the weekend activities. On the first night a group of us converged on the historic Union Theater, also known as The Velaslavasay Panorama, to socialize, mingle, and pretty much have a smashing good time. The Union Theater is located a stones throw away from The Staples Center where the Los Angeles Kings NHL hockey team play, in downtown Los Angeles. To give you a general overview history of The Union Theater/Velaslavasay Panorama you should visit their official website.

Upon my arrival at The Union Theater around 5pm. I strolled inside the main lobby doors, and into the single theater area, where I met up with my good friend Scott Michaels. Scott was the dude who organized this gathering of death hags. I let him know I was there a little early, and asked if he needed me to do anything. As I’m always ready to help out when needed. Scott informed me he didn’t need any help. So I then strolled outside to smoke a cigar.

As I was lingering about, and awaiting for more Friday night guests to arrive. I then began taking photos of the exterior of this historically beautiful building. After people arrived who I recognized but never met in person, besides seeing photos of them on Facebook. I introduced my self. They immediately said “So YOU are the Motor City Morbid One” to which I replied “yep that would be me.”

The night got swinging around 7:30pm. Scott got up on the podium to do a little talk, and thanked everyone for showing up. After Scott did a presentation of who he was. Steve Goldstein’s band “Virtual Campfire” then got up on stage to rock the house to a smashing success. After some more mingling, and discussions about celebrity death. Bill Murphy from the SyFy Channel’s Fact or Faked, got up to do a presentation about paranormal stuff. His lecture was interesting, and really fascinating. After Bill was done, Virtual Campfire got on stage again to close out the evening.

Let me just briefly say The Union Theater event was a really enjoyable and classy event. The band Virtual Campfire rocked the house. It was also extremely nice to meet several of the people I talk to on Facebook, to finally put faces with the names.

The Saturday night event took place at the mausoleum across the street from Mountain View Cemetery. Moutain View cemetery is in Altadena, California. To get a general overview of Mountain View cemetery, and the list of personalities buried there. Please visit Find A Grave.

Saturday’s activities began with me going on a joyride around Hollywood with Dearly Departed Tours. After the tour was over, I had some time to kill, before the evening events at the Mountain View Mausoleum. So I cruised over to The Writers Store in Burbank. After browsing the books in the store which cover pretty much any facet of screenwriting, filmmaking, etc. I bought the book “Comedy Writing Secrets: 2nd Edition” by Mel Helitzer. After leaving the store, I then cruised over to the mausoleum where Saturday nights dinner, silent auction, and other deathly activities would be taking place.

As I strolled into the main doors of the mausoleum, I heard someone call out my name. So I turned around and see my good friend Steve Goldstein. I said to Steve “you’re here early I didn’t know you were gonna be here already” he replied “no one knows I’m here” or something to that effect. After the Saturday night guests started to arrive, I introduced my self to more people I’ve only known through Facebook.

After the evenings activities got started, Mark Masek was the man behind the mic for the first part of the night. I gotta say he did a humorously stellar job, that pretty much kept everyone laughing. After Mark was done, the Chief Coroner for L.A. County Craig Harvey offered a presentation on high-profile celebrity deaths. Which included brief discussions on Michael Jackson, and Brittney Murphy. I REALLY enjoyed Craig’s presentation. It was HIGHLY informative, and interesting.

Moving along the food we chowed on for the night was provided by the Italian restaurant chain Buca di Beppo. The FOOD was out of this world. After everyone was done stuffing their faces with the delicious helpings of Italian fare, more mingling was to be had. The night ended with the raffle prize giveaway, and silent auction. In the raffle I ended up winning a copy of Mark Masek’s book “Hollywood Remains to Be Seen” which was written in 2001. After biding farewell to my new-found friends, I then hightailed it for Anaheim. I got back to Anaheim in about forty-five minutes. Granted I was doing about 80mph on the freeway, but that will be our little secret.

On Sunday which was the third day of the 1st Annual Death Hag Weekend. There was an informal brunch at the El Coyote Mexican restaurant in Hollywood. This restaurant has delicious Mexican food, not only that its the last place Sharon Tate had dinner before she was brutally murdered by the Manson Family of psychotic homicidal maniacs. Joining myself, and a select few of other death hags for brunch was my online Facebook friend, Stacey. After some more mingling was to be had, everyone pretty much went their own ways. Stacey followed me to Hollywood Forever Cemetery, for an informal tour. I called my self the “tourist giving a tour”. After about an hour or so at Hollywood Forever, Stacey had to leave, and I pretty much went back to Anaheim.

Finally to close, the weekends events were really fun. It was extremely nice to finally meet even more people I’ve corresponded with on Facebook. I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to be associated with. These guys truly are some of my closest and dearest friends.