Conviction Plays a Part in What Costumes This Shop Carries

If your taste runs to Halloween costumes featuring a recent murder victim or the man accused of being her killer, forget the Halloween Adventure shops.

No Nicole or O.J. masks there.

“I’ve had about six people try to sell me this kind of merchandise,” says the Halloween Adventure shops’ Southern California owner-operator, Lennie Goldman.

“I tell them I don’t want it, I don’t want anything to do with it,” he adds.

Goldman says his refusal to carry the stuff is not because he lacks a healthy sense of gallows humor.

“I had Zsa Zsa prison suits with a golden tiara, and Mike Tyson behind bars outfits, but O.J. hasn’t been convicted of anything yet, so give me a break,” he said.

Goldman, based in the San Fernando Valley, oversees a chain of shops including those in Tarzana, Canoga Park, Northridge, Valencia, Sherman Oaks and Glendale.

He says his shops are open only from the end of August through Oct. 31, with repeat customers and word-of-mouth keeping his skeleton staffs busy. This makes it easy for him, he says, and cuts down on the time he spends scaring up business.

This year, the most popular children’s outfits are the Power Rangers.

For those of you without children, a Power Ranger is someone who looks strange and saves the galaxy, not a noble Englishwoman who compulsively buys up everything on London’s Sloan Street.

Feminists may be pained to learn the little-girl version of the uniforms comes in daffodil yellow and pink.

One of the hot items on the adult hit parade this year is the Mrs. Doubtfire costume for men.

Can’t wait to see guys wobbling around on their new high heels.

Break a leg.

The Talk Is of a Coverup at Palmdale Golf Tourney

Cover up if you are entering the Palmdale Chamber of Commerce golf tournament at Desert Aire on Nov. 14.

Here are the dress code rules for participants:

Men and women may wear slacks but no denim, even of the designer variety.

Shirts must have collars, no T-shirts or tanks.

Shoes must have golf spikes, not those rubber things.

The last dictum is that women’s skirts must be not more than four inches from the top of the knee. (No word on how short men’s skirts may be.)

When chamber President Bernie Longjohn was asked if someone was going to be on hand with a ruler to measure the length from knee to skirt tops, he said he didn’t think so but, “it’s a job I’d happily volunteer to do.”

Longjohn says the tournament is traditionally a fun day for duffers and serious golfers with prizes awarded in a number of categories.

Turkeys will be presented to some winners.

Holding Up Events Under the Big Top

A woman wielding a pistol held up proceedings at one performance of the circus at Valley Presbyterian Hospital last weekend.

She demanded to be allowed to join the performances and to “run away with the circus.”

Security guards quickly disarmed her, calmed her and gave her some lunch.

This little vignette was definitely not on the menu.

According to Patty Schilling, hospital marketing director, the performance was not a gag, although the weapon turned out to be a harmless squirt gun.

“The woman seemed to be serious about her demands, but she probably had an emotional disorder,” Schilling says.

The potential stickup and hijacking didn’t put a damper on the fun for the estimated 7,000 large and small community members who turned out for the fourth annual circus event featuring acrobats, elephant acts, jugglers and clowns.

The troupe performing was the L.A. Circus, which is supported by the city of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department.

This year, the event--which Schilling says is not a fund-raiser but more of a thank-you to this community--featured a clown workshop, a classic car show and a bike rodeo.

One of the biggest laughs of the day came when a clown holding a big parcel tripped and fell down.

Spectacular though the dive was, it wasn’t meant to be in the show.

“While everyone in the audience was laughing and applauding, other members of the circus troupe were rushing to the clown’s aid,” Schilling says.

Overheard:

“Not in this lifetime.”

Girl in her soccer jersey to mother trying to interest her in a Cinderella Halloween outfit at Topanga Plaza.