On that patio were LOADS of costumed female guests smoking. I talked to one, who came dressed as a pirate girl, must have been 50ish, and was pretty nice. The smoke in the patio's air was potent enough to sting my throat, and at one point I detected a POT smell mingled in there. One guy near the door was smoking a big fat cigar.

All in all, I had a GREAT time (I went dressed as V for Vendetta), even though I went by myself and couldn't go near the bar because I had to drive home. This was KCRW's 1st ever Halloween Masquerade Ball. I guesstimated there must have been 2,000 guests there, and it looks like KCRW is going to do another one next year. Had to give 80 bucks for the ticket, but it was worth every penny---and I can write it off, because KCRW is a nonprofit station. Also gave an autographed copy of my 1st novel to the station crew & their book review guy. ;-)