Los Angeles' oldest Mexican cafe. Photo: M. Imlay.
Readers with a thirst for spirits — both the distilled and paranormal kind — should consider some monthly barhopping with GHOULA, the Ghost Hunters of Urban Los Angeles.
Last night the group’s “Spirits With Spirits” gathering descended on Olvera Street’s famous La Golondrina Mexican Cafe for dinner, drinks and an impromptu tour of the not-so-public upstairs floor, all in the hopes of glimpsing a mysterious White Lady said to haunt the place.
Alas, Friday the 13th proved unlucky for ghost seekers, for she failed to materialize. However, La Golondrina’s staff did have plenty of spine-tingling tales about many strange happenings in L.A.’S oldest fire-brick building, which was constructed between 1855-57 by Italian winemaker Giuseppi Covaccichi.
And that’s really the point of GHOULA’s regular meetings the 13th of each month: They aren’t so much actual ghost hunts as fun opportunities to socialize, swap tales and share information with other like-minded enthusiasts. Plus, if you’re not careful, you might learn some odd tidbits about our region’s history and architecture along the way.
Haunted Stairway? Photo: M. Imlay.
Exploring Creepy Attics
For example, while your humble blogger has long been a regular diner at La Golondrina, he’s never been able to venture up the allegedly haunted stairway (right) to the cafe’s private offices. These rooms were once bedchambers for the Covaccichis, and later the Pelanconi Family, which purchased the building in 1871. Especially interesting were exterior architectural embellishments adorning the now-interior hallways, indicating where two separate buildings were long ago joined to form the total Pelanconi House structure.
Every once in a while, however, a GHOULA event will stir up more than drinks, spirited conversation and sightseeing. Last month the group, accompanied by a local TV news crew, got an exclusive night tour of three lavish old downtown Movie Palaces. While setting up his equipment at the Tower Theater, the news cameraman spied a man in 1920s attire at the top of the lobby stairway. He assumed it was a costumed participant there to add flavor to the evening. Then, much to his surprise, the apparition vanished before he was able to film it.
Halloween may be over, but GHOULA’s “Spirits With Spirits” adventures continue year round. For information, visit their website.
