Toluca Lake residents continued to raise the bar (and, in some cases, the undead) in their Halloween celebrations this year, bewitching the normally bucolic neighborhood into an otherworldly landscape of spiderwebs, tombstones, ghosts and zombies. From the magical to the macabre and the silly to the scary, homes and yards displayed the festive flair that has made our community a trick-or-treating destination for decades.
Conjuring up some friendly competition was the third annual Toluca Lake Halloween House-Decorating Contest sponsored by Tina Smith Homes. Tina Cusumano and family bedecked the front of their Ledge Avenue home with dozens of creepy dolls to garner this year’s best-in-show honors, while the Mariota Avenue residence of Todd Gallopo and family was voted most creative for its ghoulish rock-‘n’-roll-themed display. An elaborate graveyard scene that included skeletons dangling from a high wire helped Matt Kamin and Phillip Leclair’s Toluca Lake Avenue house snag the title for the spookiest décor. Congratulations to the winners and thanks to all who participated in adding to the eerie atmosphere!
The Greater Toluca Lake Neighborhood Council showcased the spine-tingling seasonal sights in its fourth annual Toluca Lake Halloween Bike and Scooter Ride on October 26. The two-wheeled tour offered a safe (complete with LAPD escort), fun (costumes were encouraged) and family-friendly way to get a close look at the area’s eye-popping decorations while enjoying some exercise and sunshine. In addition to plenty of treats for attendees, free Lime scooters were available to those who registered in advance and Sharky’s offered post-ride food discounts.
