Halloween is around the corner, and with it a Frightful Festival in Gramercy Park, Masquerade Ball, a Haunted House - and more!

By Laura Meyers

1). WAHA'S FRIGHTFUL HALLOWEEN FEST
Sunday, October 29 3 to 5 p.m. Gramercy Park (just east of Gramercy Place, south of 24th Street)

Hear ye, all you little ghosts and goblins! And ghoulish grownups. Come one, come all to the thouroughly frightful and fabulously fun West Adams Halloween Festival!

Just like last year's event, this year's Halloween Fest will be held in Gramercy Park. There will be fun games to play and sweets to eat, and we will be grilling up those famous Wa-Hot Dogs. There's also a petting zoo, pony rides, face painting and balloon animals. Plus: a Costume Contest, one for the kids, and one for fun-loving adults! So, put on that Halloween costume and stop by - it promises to be fun for all ages.

2). MASQUERADE BALL BENEFIT FOR CASE DE ROSAS
Saturday, October 28 7 p.m. to midnight Ramsey-Durfee Mansion, 2035 West Adams (but park at 24th Street School, please), just west of Western.

Casa de Rosas second annual Masquerade Ball will be held at the famed Ramsey-Durfee Mansion (aka Villa Maria, the complex owned by the Brothers of St. John of God) tomorrow night, and you are all invited. We are told it is "costume optional" - but knowing the folks in West Adams, there will be some great attire to gawk at! Enjoy hors d'oeuvres and cocktails, bid on silent auction prizes, participate in a costume contest and swing dance to the jumpin' tunes of a live band, The Hollywood Combo. And do all that partying knowing that you are also helping to provide both short-term emergency and long-term affordable housing for women. All proceeds will go towards the Casa de Rosas in continuing its shelter and SRO hotel operations.

Suggested donation: $35 per person, $55 per couple, paid at the door (cash or check only, please.)

3). GREAT EXTERIOR PAINT JOBS STILL CAN BE NOMINATED FOR WAHA CONTEST

One of West Adams Heritage Association's longstanding traditions has been to acknowledge hardworking members and neighbors' efforts to improve our community by improving their properties. WAHA will be accepting nominations for its annual exterior paint contest until Friday, November 3. The house has to have been painted between July 4, 2005, and November 3, 2006. Please send us your nomination(s) by e-mail listing the house address, owners' names, and, if you feel inclined, a reason why it should win. As we previously noted in the WAHA Matters newsletter, we would like a digital photo as well, if possible - but our judges will drive around to review the nominees over that weekend. Winners will be announced during WAHA's Demonstration Day event on Saturday, November 18, circa 1 p.m. (please look for a more definitive time and the description of the event itself in the November WAHA Matters - and we will notify you via this space as well.) Please send your nominations to: paintandgarden@yahoo.com.

4). WINE & CHEESE RECEPTION AT GRAMERCY HOUSING
Saturday, November 4 4 to 6 p.m. At Gramercy Housing Group, NE corner of Washington and 4th Avenue

WAHA and Gramercy Housing Group invite you to a wine and cheese reception, and tour of the building, to celebrate the new window treatments on this historic 1920s commercial building, now adaptively reused to provide affordable housing, childcare and social services for young signle mothers.

Gramercy Housing Group recently became a PATH partner - one of the organizations operating under the "umbrella" of PATH, People Assisting the Homeless. This facility offers the means for young women who are transitioning out of abusive households or foster care the opportunity to break the cycle they are in and become productive members of society. Additionally, Gramercy Housing Group has just expanded its child care facility to offer reasonably-priced child care to other community residents.

Reservations not required. Please do stop by next Saturday to see this great place!

5). HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL & HAUNTED MANSION AT SOUTH SEAS HOUSE
Tuesday, October 31 Halloween Carnival, 4 to 8 p.m. Haunted House, 6 to 8 p.m. South Seas House, 2301 West 24th Street (at Arlington) It will be an evening of ghosts, thrills and lots of fun, from carnival games (25 cents each) to a costume contest to ghoulishly good surprises. For more information, call the Recreation and parks staff members at South Seas House, 323-373-9483.

6). WAHA'S FALL CALENDAR - PLEASE MARK THESE DATES!

West Adams Heritage Association has even more activities on its calendar over the next few months. We'll be calling for volunteers for some of these events, and hope you will also plan to attend some or all of these activities, so please DO mark your own calendars now.

* Demonstration Day, Saturday, November 18 - hands-on restoration techniques galore! Learn how to strip paint, repair wood windows, and leaded glass windows. Please bring your own questions (and photos of your historic house) to this educational workshop, so WAHA experts can help you become a DIY restorer. Look for more information in the WAHA Matters Newsletter.

* Volunteer & Shepherd Training for Holiday Tour, Sunday, November 19, time TBA

* WAHA's 20th Annual Holiday Homes Tour and Progressive Dinner, Saturday and Sunday, December 2 and December 3. We are showcasing Victoria Park on this year's tour. If you didn't receive an invitation in the mail, please visit www.WestAdamsHeritage.com.

* WAHA's Holiday Party, Sunday, December 10, time TBA.

7). SUBMIT YOUR NEWS

We welcome your contributions to the WAHA E-News and West Adams Heritage Association's monthly publication, "West Adams Matters." Please understand that we do have deadlines. Material for the print newsletter should be submitted no later than the 1st of the prior month (i.e.: April 1 for the May issue). If your event is scheduled for early in a month, we suggest you request coverage for the prior month (i.e.: May issue for a June 3 event), because it's entirely possible that not all of our members will have received their newsletter by then (we do try hard.). We reserve the right to edit submitted material. For the WAHA E-News, we prefer to only send it out once or twice a month, circa the 5th and the 20th. Please don't wait until two days before an event to let us know about it. It may not be sent out. lauramink@aol.com

EXCEPTION: If you suddenly hear of an important city hearing or other public meeting that is important to West Adams, we will endeavor to send out a special bulletin.