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Westwood Village

Started 2 weeks ago by feefeelarue
Latest reply from luckymom30

feefeelarue
Member

What a very disappointing Halloween it was for my daughter. We had decided to go to Westwood Village to do our trick or treating and when we got there almost every store was out of candy. We got there 40 minutes after it started and it was scheduled for 3 hours. What I couldn't understand there is a Target AND QFC there ... could they not have sent someone to buy more candy? Kind of a gyp. Next year we go to the Junction.

Posted 2 weeks ago #
JoB
Member

there were a lot of kids at westwood village at sunset.

Posted 2 weeks ago #
Bonnie
Member

We were there for an hour and all the stores had candy. The only ones who weren't giving out to us was Target and Taco del Mar.

Posted 2 weeks ago #
feefeelarue
Member

Yup the place was full of kids!

Posted 2 weeks ago #
karen
Member

That happened last year, too. Many of the stores were out of candy quite soon after it started. Some did go but more but others just were out. It was disappointing for the kids. However, there were a lot more kids than I think they anticipated.

Posted 2 weeks ago #
GenHillOne
Member

How about taking the old fashioned route and going to houses? Sounds like a lot of people were disappointed they didn't have more trick-or-treaters. And flowerpetal had wine! We had almost all young kids/groups of young kids this year - the age that I would expect to see at the retail spots. We also had several parents (and a few polite teens) ask us for the baseball score when they saw we were watching it, lol.

Posted 2 weeks ago #
MargL
Member

We went to the "White Center" Safe Night Out... which was kinda mis-named as it was held in Arbor Heights at Hillcrest Presbyterian. Had a great time, got enough candy, had hot dogs, popcorn and other treats, too.
We won a cake at the cake walk and had fun doing the games like ring-toss and 'fishing' for treats.
The best part was the HUGE bouncy slide that let the kids blow off a lot of energy from all the sugar.
Thank you to Hillcrest Presb. for partnering with White Center Safety Council and others and for doing a food drive for the West Seattle food bank!

Posted 2 weeks ago #
feefeelarue
Member

Do they have that every year? That sounds like gobs of fun! There were tons of kids there so they probably did get more than they expected. As for going door to door we haven't done that for awhile now - just seems safer I miss doing the door to door thing.

Posted 2 weeks ago #
flowerpetal
Member

Come to my door next year feefeelarue! Maybe we need to rethink the Halloween ideas. Perhaps friendly houses could host drop in families rather than greeting strangers at the door (or do that too).
I'm thinking that if I knew enough families with small ones were going to stop by for a 15 minute visit... I would make special treats for the kids. Much more wholesome than candy bars but still sweet and kid friendly.
I appreciate businesses offering candy; but honestly, what they are looking for is market share. I don't want to be teaching little ones that our community is solely "retail" and instead is comprised of people.

Posted 2 weeks ago #
feefeelarue
Member

flowerpetal that would rock! im newish to WS so i know like no one here really. i too would rather make stuff to give out - yes its better but also yummier lol - and a visit would be fun too. im all about a sense of community and day by day i really feel that there is a wonderful community here, the merchants and the people ive met in passing. it just makes me love WS even more.

Posted 2 weeks ago #
JoB
Member

When i lived in minnesota...

we had a neighborhood pot luck costume party on Halloween.. and the trick or treaters who came to the neighborhood all got a snack and something to drink when they came by...

we had costume contests and a parade... and a bonfire... and by the end of the evening our "neighborhood" had often grown from a few houses to several blocks.

i miss those parties...

Posted 2 weeks ago #
DBurns
Member

feefeelarue,
I am so sorry that your daughter was disappointed at Westwood Village! I am no sure what happened there for you.
The way it works is that we (business owners) are not given a choice - we have to participate in the trick-or-treating, (written in the lease!) so property management supplies each business with candy. (Target, McDonald's and USPS are NOT owned by Wesbild - not on their property, so not included) However, the truth is that they only give us enough candy for about the first 20 minutes and then the businesses are allowed to say that they are out of candy :(
At my place, we shopped ahead, already knowing we would get many more kids than we were given candy for, and had plenty, so I am sorry that you didn't venture our way! I do know for sure that Sally's and Fresh Vitamins did go and buy a lot more candy at Target and Rite Aid, and that we had plenty of candy until 7pm at Giannoni's, as scheduled.
I will be sure and pass along your feedback to the property management, and again, so sorry your daughter was turned away!

Posted 2 weeks ago #
shihtzu
Member

What do you think is unsafe about door to door trick or treating? I guess I could dream up all sorts of horrible things that could possibly happen, but none of them do, nor ever have.

I really don't mean to be snarky, just wonder what people think is unsafe about supervised trick or treating. I always thought the store visits were just to make it easier and offered some cheap marketing.

I love the tradition of trick or treating and don't want to see it end!! :)

Posted 2 weeks ago #
bunnypug
Member

I am a proponent of trick or treating in neighborhoods. I love that we can talk online and create community. I also appreciate that local businesses and community centers create a place to celebrate. And I also believe another important part of community is created by face to face interactions while visiting someone's home. I am saddened by the perception that knocking on a neighbor's door is an outdated or even a dangerous activity.

Posted 2 weeks ago #
luckymom30
Member

We too went to Westwood Village for trick or treating and got candy from every business, including MCDonald's, UPS Store and Target.

As for neighborhood door to door trick or treating I would prefer staying in the neighborhood but we are among the few families that wander with our kids house to house. I think door to door is very safe of course with adult supervision. Afew homeowners were concerned that kids were coming up totally by themselves without any adult anywhere nearby and were left outisde to wander the streets alone. Not us we walk our child to every house with flashlight in hand.

Some streets were totally dark and others had porch lights on and decoratins and people were telling us they didn't buy any candy, fine then turn off your porch light and trick or treaters won't knock on your door.

Posted 2 weeks ago #
Hoff-animal
Member

Someone in our neighborhood actually wrapped their entire property in "Do Not Enter - Construction Zone" yellow tape. A little extreme if you ask me. Personally, I was surprised by the number of dark houses (many with the glow of the ol Tube). Kind of a sad statement about our society.

Posted 2 weeks ago #
datamuse
Member

I used to leave my lights on on Halloween, but we never got visitors, so I stopped. Too bad. Maybe next year I'll decorate as an enticement. This year I was at a party in Olympia...and we did get trick-or-treaters there, despite our hosts' H1N1 jack-o-lantern. ;)

Posted 2 weeks ago #
luckymom30
Member

Well one homeowner got really mad at our daughter for knocking on his door, his porch light was on and the window shades weren't closed. Just before we got to his house a couple women with kids in a wagon ran into his house, several minutes later we knocked on his door only to be told he had no candy (this was at 7pm) and not to knock on his door. The house was light up and we saw the tv blaring. Again, if you don't want to have trick or treaters, turn off your porch light.

I agree that with all the darkened houses and streets it is truly sad that kids aren't allowed to go door to door greeting their neighbors dressed in their Halloween costumes for just 1 night of fun.

Posted 2 weeks ago #
ToddinWestwood
Member

I took my 6 y.o. daughter to the Museum of Flight friday evening. It is an event they call Museum of Fright. $5 for adult, $3 for child. A scavenger hunt all around the museum that requires the kids to learn a little bit about a particular plane or process in building a plane. So they are learning something also.
Then there was little arts and crafts stations set up for them to build bat kites, or ghost parachuters. Even the bat guy was there with info. all in all it was a blast for her and I. we'll definetly go next year.

Posted 2 weeks ago #
Gina
Member

Maybe I'll create a sign with an international no sign superimposed over a pumpkin for those of us that don't want angry parents banging on the door.

Posted 2 weeks ago #
luckymom30
Member

Lighten up! It is Halloween! Come on! What angry parents are you talking about?? Turn your light off and our little trick or treaters won't be bothering you Gina. Be a party-pooper!

Posted 2 weeks ago #
luckymom30
Member

Thanks ToddinWestwood for the feedback on the Museum of Fright!

Posted 2 weeks ago #
Gina
Member

Speaking of lightening up--I should sit in the dark with the television turned off, and not let any family members go in and out of my house on Halloween, and have all my shades drawn?

As to darkened houses--some of us work on Halloween. Many people in the darkened houses are out with their children at the various activities. Many of the people in the darkened homes are at the businesses, churches, and community centers offering the activities.

Posted 2 weeks ago #
JoB
Member

luckymom..

is your glass half full or half empty?

my guess is that you encountered only one "grumpy old fart" and still came home with a bag full of candy.

why is it that he became the story?

Posted 2 weeks ago #
luckymom30
Member

The grumpy old fart that yelled at our child was in fact not old but certainly grumpy! 25 does not make an old man.

What is so hard to understand, October 31st is Halloween there will be kids out in costumes knocking on your door or ringing your doorbell if in fact you have a porch light on. No you don't have to sit in the dark, just turn your porch light to off and then no one will bother you, period.

Why is this so hard to understand?

Job: besides the fact that we at the grumpy ecounter we enjoyed our Halloween, thank you very much! Sorry to hear that some people robbed you of your items, pretty low!

Posted 2 weeks ago #
saney
Member

we took the neices to the area near the skeleton theater. walked the length of 2 blocks, only knocking on doors with lights on AND halloween decorations. ended up with plenty of candy...plus one VERY decorated house was giving out warm popcorn with melted butter...perfect for when we went to see the skeleton show.

enough people decorate and want trick or treaters so you dont have to knock on unadorned doors. how much candy do you need?

Posted 2 weeks ago #
luckymom30
Member

We only had our child knock or ring the doorbell on decorated houses and yards with porch lights on, so it isn't like they rang the bell to disturb people on purpose.

Posted 2 weeks ago #
flowerpetal
Member

Its too bad that somebody was grumpy with your daughter. No parent I imagine, likes to see that. There are lots of reasons why a front porch light might have been on; and a blaring t.v. seems irrelevant. It would have been nice for the man to respond differently; who knows what his present circumstances were. It is a good opportunity to teach your daughter that some times people don't always respond in a nice way; and it makes us feel bad for a few minutes. And then shrug it off and talk about all the fun you had that evening.
I hope you and your daughter have all positive experiences next year.

Posted 2 weeks ago #
luckymom30
Member

Thanks Flowerpetal! Yes it was a learning experience to say the least for our child, and yes I wish that he had been abit more civil towards her. Thank you for your wishes I am sure that next year will be even better! We are definitely going to the Museum of Fright after reading about the great experience ToddinWestwood had with his daughter!

Posted 2 weeks ago #
dhg
Member

We had a very nice jack'o lantern, candle lit and the porch light on. We got only the 3 kids from across the street. That's actually 3 more than we usually get but still we always hope. At one point I was on the phone with someone and I stepped outside, stood on the sidewalk and watched as a stream of kids went to houses across from us, they never crossed to here, though. Perhaps we need more lights?

Posted 2 weeks ago #
JoB
Member

luckymom30..

sorry the dude was young and grumpy.. that happens.
just be glad you weren't him on Halloween:)

as for my candy theifs.. that much chocolate isn't good for anyone

Posted 2 weeks ago #
feefeelarue
Member

DBurns - she was able to trick or treat on your 'block' and also at the vitamin store - and just as an aside you have some pretty jam up pizza im from the bronx and was very happy when i found your shop!

we still had fun checking out the other people in costumes and stuff =)

Posted 2 weeks ago #
DBurns
Member

Ok, great! I'm glad you found us! That's exactly why I love that day every year - if it gets us just one new customer...!!
Happy Halloween Memories, everyone...

Posted 2 weeks ago #
Leroniusmonkfish
Member

I took my cousins niece and adopted twin nephews over to Medina hoping to score BIG. I was pleasantly surprised that Bill and Melinda Gates would be the most outgoing and generous folks of the evening.... After scaling the security fence and playing with the dogs BillG and MelindaG let the candy flow and the kids had the best time of their lives playing Nintendo Wii....

Posted 2 weeks ago #
hollyplace
Member

Maybe we could get a common flyer to download and print to hang on our doors or out by the walkway to let kids know which houses are participating in trick or treating. Maybe a map like the WS Garage Sale??

Posted 2 weeks ago #
JoB
Member

hollyplce...

i like the idea of a registered community map.. maybe even a treasure hunt..

Posted 2 weeks ago #
hollyplace
Member

The treasure hunt is a cool idea! I bet some of the businesses would be in on helping with that idea. Maybe certain points could hand out something similar to plastic egss with treats and a few would have a treasure map with a prize at the end if they followed it.

Posted 2 weeks ago #
austin
Member

We didn't get anyone for the third year in a row despite the house being well lit and a pile of pumpkins by the front door. Since we hadn't gotten t/t'rs the last two years I decided to spend most of Saturday baking miniature pumpkin pies on lollypop sticks, so in case anyone made it up the steps this year they'd get a fun treat snack instead of the standard candy. I got to eat a few, they were awesome, my nephews enjoyed the hell out of them the next day.

My question is though, about the flip side of what luckymom experienced in a way. What would you think if a guy on your block in his middle (okok, "middle-to-late") 20s offered homemade baked goods on halloween, some warm from the oven and ready to eat, some wrapped and tied ready to take? Would you think it was cool, or would they go straight in the trash / to the police precinct? Or would you tell your kids you tossed em and eat them yourself? :)

fwiw, I used the pumpkin pie from america test kitchen "the new best recipe", krusteaz pie crust and got the idea for the tiny pies here- http://www.instructables.com/id/Pie-Pops/ . They turned out really cute and terrific, and they're still in season for november harvest parties..

Posted 2 weeks ago #
luckymom30
Member

In answer to Austin's question for our family we would gladly let our child eat the home-baked goodie if we know you, otherwise we would be placing it in the trash. I am sure that your pumpkin pies were totally safe and very delicious.

Same goes for any unwrapped candy, carmel apples, etc...

Posted 2 weeks ago #