10.31.2023

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Today’s Forecast

👻 Want to hear a scary-tale?

Five spots in San Diego that are rumored to be haunted

Cosmopolitan Hotel and Restaurant in Old Town san Diego

Rumor has it, some souls never checked out of the Cosmopolitan. | Photo via @ryancglenn

Would it be Halloween without scary stories? We’ve heard spine-chilling tales set in San Diego, and legend has it, a few ghosts reside in the city. Let’s take a tour of allegedly haunted sites — it’s up to you to determine if these stories are fact or fiction.

The Whaley House

Dubbed “America’s Most Haunted House,” this Old Town site has a long history. Alleged spirits include homeowners Thomas and Anna Whaley, their children, and notorious thief Yankee Jim.

Hotel Del Coronado

This landmark’s history isn’t all Hollywood glamour — the spirit of Kate Morgan is allegedly a permanent resident. In 1892, the young woman checked into the hotel, but after “five lonely days,” she never checked out. Room 3327, where she stayed, remains The Del’s most-requested room. Learn more by taking a ghost tour.

The William Davis-Horton House in the Gaslamp Quarter — Lots of history is held in the The William Davis-Horton House.
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Photo via @homesontheblock

The Davis-Horton House

Built in 1850 in “New Town,” this home is downtown San Diego’s oldest remaining wooden structure. Initially, William Heath Davis lived here. It was later home to Alonzo Horton, and then Anna Scheper who operated a county hospital out of it. Alleged spirits include Davis’ daughter Lillian Davis, Alonzo Horton’s second wife Sarah, a WWII spy, a meowing cat, and and unknown “Lady in Black.”

The Cosmopolitan Hotel

Built in 1827, this is one of San Diego’s oldest buildings and served as the home for pioneer Juan Bandini. Particularly, Room 11 is said to be haunted by Bandini’s daughter, Ysidora. She’s rumored to have fallen off the building, but survived after she was caught by Col. Cave Johnson Couts, who she later married.

Star of India

Built in 1863, this ship is said to have made 21 trips during which many lives were lost. Perhaps the most infamous spirit is English Army Captain McBarnett, who took his own life while traveling from New Zealand to England.

Events

Tuesday, Oct. 31

Trick-or-Treating in La Mesa Village | Tuesday, Oct. 31 | 4-6 p.m. | La Mesa Boulevard, La Mesa | Free | This community event features businesses handing out candy, a Halloween-themed organ concert, stilt walkers, and the “Howl-o-Ween” pet costume contest.
Safe Trick-or-Treat | Tuesday, Oct. 31 | 5-8 p.m. | South Coast Highway 101, Encinitas Boulevard to K Street, Encinitas | Free | Go business-to-business to collect treats, play Halloween-themed games, enjoy live music, and browse the jack-o'-lantern gallery... if you dare.
The Boneshakers | Tuesday, Oct. 31 | 7 p.m. | Humphreys Backstage Live, 2241 Shelter Island Dr., San Diego | $15-$30 | Tune into this live funk and blues act.
Kota the Friend | Tuesday, Oct. 31 | 8 p.m. | The Observatory North Park, 2891 University Ave., San Diego | $35 | The Brooklyn-based rapper, singer, and songwriter performs live.

Wednesday, Nov. 1

Joyride Bookshop Story Time | Wednesday, Nov. 1 | 10-11 a.m. | The New Children’s Museum, 200 W. Island Ave., San Diego | Free | Bring the little ones to this fun reading event led by the independent bookstore located inside the museum.
Roast Battle | Wednesday, Nov. 1 | 8 p.m. | The Comedy Store, 916 Pearl St., La Jolla | $20 | Two comedians go head-to-head in this no-holds-barred insult battle.

Thursday, Nov. 2

The 12 Days of Christmas | Thursday, Nov. 2-Sunday, Nov. 5 | Times vary | The Barn Redefined, 14051 Midland Rd., Poway | Free | This Christmas at the Barn event will give you decorating ideas and showcase themed Christmas trees, plus Santa shows up.

Friday, Nov. 3

Phillip Phillips | Friday, Nov. 3 | 9 p.m. | The Music Box, 1337 India St., San Diego | $35 | You’ll feel right at “Home” as the successful 2012 “American Idol” winner takes the stage — without judgment.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Weather

No tricks here, San Diego County can expect clear, warm Halloween temps in the low-to-mid 80s, cooling to the 60s for trick-or-treating this evening. A Wind Advisory remains in effect inland through 8 p.m. for Santa Ana winds that could bring gusts up to 55 mph. (National Weather Service)

Transit

North Park Main Street has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from Clean Mobility Options to launch a neighborhood electric vehicle system. The program hopes to start running in 2024 and provide more ways to commute through the Mid-City area.

Open

The James Beard Award-nominated, LA-based Pitfire Pizza has expanded to San Diego County, opening its first local spot at the Beacon La Costa in Carlsbad. It will begin dine-in lunch and dinner service tomorrow, and will offer deliveries and pick-ups starting today. (Eater San Diego)

Art

California has allocated $25 million in funding to add new, inclusive artwork that reexamines the state’s past and present. The grant will be awarded to artists and California Native American tribes to add installations and programs at state parks, including those in San Diego, through 2027. (Times of San Diego)

Concert

New Kids on the Block are bringing their “Magic Summer 2024" tour to North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre with guests Paula Abdul and DJ Jazzy Jeff on July 7, 2024. You’ll need the “Right Stuff” to see the show — general public tickets go on sale this Friday, Nov. 3, 10 a.m.

History

Local US Navy veteran and Naval Training Center graduate Tom Crosby attended Liberty Station’s centennial celebration and added more history to the site. He buried some personal artifacts from his training days in a time capsule, set to be unearthed in 2048. (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Feel Good

Some residents in Chula Vista got home improvements for the holidays. A volunteer crew led by the Chula Vista Fire Department came together to revitalize homes for families in need. The effort was part of “Christmas in October,” a program that’s been in place since 1998. (NBC 7)

Ranked

Not a bad score, San Diego. WalletHub ranked SD as its No. 14 best large city for baseball in the US in 2023. The study mostly considered MLB teams — so the Padres’ roster, successes, and fan base came into play — but the city also got points for its college teams. (WalletHub)

Beauty

Looking for an unbelievably close shave? Try Meridian Trimmers, engineered to empower individuals of all genders to achieve flawless grooming. Get 15% off a one-time purchase with code “6AM.”*

Watch

🎞️ Some like it scary

The Del’s ‘Wicked, Wicked’ history

A woman checking into the Hotel del Coronado at the beginning of "Wicked, Wicked" — Do you recognize the hotel she’s checking into?
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Gif of “Wicked Wicked” via Giphy

Locals know the Hotel del Coronado is featured in Marilyn Monroe’s 1959 classic “Some Like It Hot,” but did you know it was the main setting for a twisted tale that will have you seeing double?

“Wicked, Wicked,” a 1973 horror/comedy romp, was filmed completely on location at the hotel, with head-turning shots of The Del’s landscape, including:

The Crown Room
The lobby
The beachfront and fountain pools
Many action shots in hotel hallways

The horrifyingly campy flick starring David Bailey, Tiffany Bolling, and Randolph Roberts was widely panned for trying to combine comedy with B-movie slasher tropes. It’s also a cinematic standout for featuring almost the entirety of the film in “Duo-Vision,” where the screen is split to show two different scenes at once.

If you’re curious to see the landmark hotel in this 1970s slasher disaster, it’s available on DVD.

Answered

We asked how many pieces of candy corn were in the glass pumpkin...

135 pieces of candy corn sign plus our jar of candy corn — We fit 135 pieces of candy corn in our pumpkin.
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Photo via SDtoday

Last week, we asked you to guess how many pieces of candy corn fit inside our glass pumpkin, and we had a lot of gourd guesses. Today, we’ve got the sweet reveal:

There were 135 pieces of candy corn. Yes, we said were because we’ve already started eating them.

We’d like to congratulate Isabel O. whose guess of 127 was the closest without going over. Lauren U. was also close with a guess of 126.

We’d also like to give Katherine H. a pat on the back for guessing 138 pieces. We know we said you couldn’t go over, but this was technically the closest guess.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Michael

From the editor

Happy Halloween, San Diego. I admit, I’m not going trick-or-treating tonight (though there are plenty of options if you’re heading out). Instead, I’ll just pay for candy at a local candy shop so I can stay home tonight and get a sugar rush while watching scary movies. If I’m still craving candy after tonight, I’ll definitely be stocking up on discounted sweets from local grocery stores.

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