Research By the Beach

It's November 2nd and 82 degrees in L.A. We drive over to Venice Beach and get stoned in the car before walking the canals to the beach. I've spent the last week or two consumed by all things Halloween and River Phoenix - River's deathiversary is October 31, 1993 - so it was nice to jump back into Natalie Wood's life story... and on the beach! I was not expecting to spend the first weekend in November high by the beach. I arrive at the chapter where Wood is planning her ill-fated Thanksgiving weekend on Catalina Island. This Thanksgiving, my husband and I are spending Wood's deathiversary on Catalina Island. Anyone up for a seance over Thanksgiving dinner?