Ministry

Chapman University sweetened its offer for the Crystal Cathedral campus Monday, prompting a bankruptcy court judge to delay a final decision on the fate of the renowned Orange County ministry. Chapman has been in a bidding war for the Garden Grove property with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, which wants to use the modernist landmark as its cathedral. Chapman would like to use it as a satellite site for its main campus in nearby Orange, which is hemmed in from further growth.

It was quite a week for the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. AFI Fest 2011 packed Grauman's Chinese Theatre with A-listers and the hotel's ballrooms with film fetes and even reportedly saw gate-crashing and a bar fight. Here's who came through the Roosevelt's storied doors. The Girls: Michelle Williams , rocking her pixie cut, swept through to hype her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in the Weinstein Co.'s "My Week With Marilyn"... Jennifer Garner , rocking her baby bump in a Lanvin number, Olivia Wilde and young Yara Shahidi for the satirical dairy-carving flick "Butter"...

We've learned that Black Cards, featuring bassist Pete Wentz, will make a surprise performance Friday night at Paul & Andre in Hollywood, as Details magazine brings its "Details @ Midnight" sessions to L.A. And though we hate to ruin a surprise, we love talking to Wentz — about his favorite L.A. venues and the particular sound that makes his son happiest. What's special about a surprise gig ? It can end up being either super disappointing or awesome for the audience.

We here understand the pain of the procrastinating Halloween party-goer, who wants something instantly recognizable but unique, cheap but peppy — and, most important, utterly attention-grabbing. We turned to celebrity stylist team Mariel Haenn and Rob Zangardi, who work on icons such as Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna, for some surefire DIY tips on creating looks by your favorite celebrities. Edward Cullen: Robert Pattinson's vampire, a brooding undead heartthrob, is a fantastic option for guys looking to pull looks from their own closet with some low-maintenance tweaks.

Chapman University has been picked by the board of the bankrupt Crystal Cathedral as the preferred buyer of the Garden Grove property. Under the plan, Chapman University would purchase the campus for $50 million and allow the church ministry to lease and eventually buy back its core buildings. Chapman President James L. Doti said he had not spoken to the board about the decision, but believes it is the right one for the ministry, founded by Robert H. Schuller in 1955. "All the creditors will be paid," he said.

For tastemakers and celebrities, the October night-life season can produce scares more terrifying than a 30-minute valet line and crowded bar. Horror shows, pumpkin patches and haunted attractions are popping up all over Tinseltown, and the stars are not shy about showing us the gory good fun. 3rd Annual Los Angeles Haunted Hayride: Griffith Park's Old Zoo is creepy enough, but the Haunted Hayride folks dress it up with several spooky motifs...

As trade embargoes go, this one probably won't make it into the history books. It won't have much impact on the economy or create shortages of critical goods. But a decision by the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture to ban all sales of palm fronds to Israel this year was, at the least, not very neighborly. Wednesday at sundown marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, an autumn celebration of God's providence and bounty. Part of the celebration involves gathering four plants, including a date palm branch or lulav, which is used during a prayer and other parts of a religious service.

For decades, the Rev. Mark Achtemeier believed gays and lesbians were unfit to serve as leaders in the Presbyterian Church. He believed homosexuality to be a kind of affliction, a destructive addiction that ran counter to Scripture. In the 1990s he helped craft restrictions to keep gay and lesbian candidates from joining the Presbyterian clergy. But on Saturday, Achtemeier will deliver a sermon at the ordination of his friend Scott Anderson, who will become the first openly gay minister in the church after the very restrictions Achtemeier once advocated were abolished.