PopSugar San Francisco

5 Haunted San Francisco Spots to Scare You Silly

Julia Millay Walsh — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:22:35 PDT

Houses of horror may have you shaking for a moment or two, but where the real terror lies is in ghostly apparitions. Luckily, if that's the sort of spooking you seek, San Francisco has much to offer as a strongly haunted city. From a historic hotel on Nob Hill to an 1800s mansion in Pacific Heights to the country's most famous prison, check out five haunted spots in the city that will scare you silly!

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Haight Street Haunts For Last-Minute Costume Success

Lizzie Fuhr — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:30:55 PDT

Choosing a Halloween costume is one of those Fall rituals people are either creepily intense or super lax about. Maybe you're more creative under pressure, or perhaps the fact that Halloween is on Monday somehow managed to slip your mind. No need to fear! In a city that embraces all things inspiring and strange, there's no better place to pick up pieces for a last-minute Halloween costume than good ol' Haight Street. We've got you covered with five shops on Haight Street sure to get you prepared for a festive and fun Halloween.

Bettie Page (1529 Haight St., 415-864-6001): Channel your inner pinup girl and make the move to Bettie Page clothing. It may be a little pricier than your typical Halloween stop, but it is home to some awesome and inventive retro styles you can actually wear again.
Held Over (1543 Haight St., 415-864-0818): If you're heading to Held Over, make sure to leave some extra time; this is the kind of store you can get lost in for hours! Held Over has the makings of a favorite vintage spot: a ton of merchandise, hidden treasures, and a super helpful staff.
American Apparel (1615 Haight St., 415-431-4038): American Apparel is always an option to lay a solid foundation or bring the last-minute pops of color to a funky DIY Halloween costume. From "Get Physical"-inspired aerobics ensembles to underlayers for cardboard box creations, these basics have you covered.

Two more after the jump.

5 Blowout Halloween Bashes to Check Out This Weekend

Julia Millay Walsh — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:50:04 PDT

Get out your slutty nurse costume! Halloween is upon us. You may not be a Monday-night reveler, but there are plenty of festive parties happening this weekend to keep in the spirit. Here are a few blowout bashes where you can party your tail off.

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Gourd's Gift: 3 Bay Area Pumpkin Patches

Julia Millay Walsh — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:17:21 PDT

Halloween is upon us, and if there's not a pumpkin propped at your doorstep and a jack-o'-lantern lit in your window, it's time to get in the spirit! Sure, you can get your gourds at Safeway, but where's the fun in that? Visit one of these three Bay Area pumpkin patches and do your shopping the old-fashioned way.

The "city-style" Piedmont Avenue Pumpkin Patch (4414 Piedmont Ave., 510-967-9363) in Oakland, open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., is a petite one, but it's got all the scary knickknacks and carving supplies that a little pumpkin-hunter needs.
Clancy's Pumpkin Patch (1620 7th Ave., 415-753-2689) in the Inner Sunset is open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and has almost an acre of pumpkins in all sizes and shapes, including mini pumpkins, Sugar Pie pumpkins, Cinderella pumpkins, and blue, white, and striped pumpkins - plus gourds, corn stalks, and Indian corn!
Speer Family Farms (5600 Christie Ave., 510-705-2352) in Emeryville, open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, has a large selection of pumpkins, Indian corn, and gourds, as well as hay, cornstalks, and Halloween decorations. Plus, the fun stuff: there's a petting zoo, a hay maze, a jumpy house, a 27-foot slide, a picnic area, and a kiddie play area!

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10 San Francisco Icons to Inspire Your Halloween Costume

Julia Millay Walsh — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 09:50:00 PDT

Halloween is right around the corner! If you're still stirring up costume ideas, skip the made-in-China ensembles and look no further than the mean streets of San Francisco for a little inspiration. From Fisherman's Wharf to Valencia Street, this city is full of eccentric icons whose unique styles (and sometimes performance routines) offer nothing if not great costume ideas. Come check out 11 of them and tell us if you recognize them!

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