Chambers Of Terror

Some wonderful photos of some delightfully old school props over at K.O.'s The Skeleton Key blog.

Click here to see more.

Dark Parlour Drop-Off

Had a great day in Lancaster county yesterday, dropping off the scarecrow for the upcoming art show at the Dark Parlour and hitting up some favorite hangouts.

Also got to try the rather barbaric-looking and very Halloween-dinner-appropriate Bone Marrow appetizer at the Conway Social Club (this place had better never close).

We started accumulating pumpkins for the Haunt too.  Fingers cross none of them go soft on us.

Feels like Autumn is really here.  Weather's been great too, and we even got a good photo shoot in on this first day of October (photos coming soon).  

Weekend photos below...

Clove and Black Licorice!

The Haunted House

One time a preacher went to see if he could put a haunt to rest at a house in his settlement. The house had been haunted for about ten years. Several people had tried to stay there all night, but they always would get scared out by the haunt...

- Alvin Schwartz

Pumpkin Soup And Porch Decor

Enjoying some homemade (and wonderful) pumpkin soup and savoring a porch that's taking shape for the High Holiday.  Last night after work, we went to a favorite farm and picked up ten giant bunches of cornstalks.  This place is a decent drive from here, but it's totally worth it.  Best prices around in an area that pretty much extorts folks when buying pumpkins and corn.  

It was dirty work, but some cold pumpkin ale, pizza from a favorite local place, and a lot of laughs made wiring the [ant-filled] stalks in place a ton of fun.  We worked as the sun was setting and got it all done in record time.  Some neighbors yelled over that they couldn't wait to see this year's Haunt.

I yelled back this year's theme and they seemed really excited.

Day And Night

More Oak Crest Cemetery

So much atmosphere...

More images here.

Concert: Tangerine Dream

Never thought I'd be hearing anything by Tangerine Dream live in a concert hall.  Never.  Ever.

Thanks to a truly amazing gift, last night was one of those magical nights that becomes a permanent memory.  So many incredible songs blasting out over the most perfect sound system.  It was unreal.

Click below to hear a couple cues.

Now Playing: The Way To Darkness

A Tribute to John Carpenter.

So many great tracks on this album.

Click each below to hear three of them.

And click here to go to the album (spotify).

Cocktail: Autumn In Manhattan

Invented a cocktail for the season (and for to-go cups).  Should be good warmed up, but we've only done a chilled version.  

The Autumn in Manhattan:

4 ounces apple cider

2 ounces bourbon

1 ounce Sherry

1 ounce Ploughman's The Plenum (apple & cherry vermouth)

Paper Halloween

Image by giveawayboy.

Cemetery Mists

Click below...

More images and videos by az_haunter here.

Trailer: Encounters

Now on Netflix.

Click below...

Halloween Mantel

Capture Rabbit

Great photography here.  I laughed when I saw at the top of the IG account the words "Before you ask it’s Not AI."  That stuff seems to be everywhere now.  

More images here.

Dark Parlour Promo

Love that The Dark Parlour featured my scarecrow for their upcoming Halloween & Horror Art show in York, PA.  The show starts October 6th at 5pm.  Super excited to have a piece featured at this spooky cool gallery.

Click below to see the IG post.

Now Playing: Souls Wedding

By Phonothek.

A really nice (and too short) Dark Ambient track that oddly sounds like an overcast autumn day.  There's a sound in there that feels like flocks of geese flying far above (to me, that is).

Click below...

Wooden Man

I do not know how this really happened, yet the fact remains that one fine day this piece of wood found itself in the shop of an old carpenter. His real name was Mastro Antonio, but everyone called him Mastro Cherry, for the tip of his nose was so round and red and shiny that it looked like a ripe cherry.

Image by Kohei Andou.

Haunted Attraction: Halloween Nights At Eastern State Penitentiary

Last night we went to the massive and very gloomy Eastern State Penitentiary for their Halloween Nights.  The Philadelphia location is really impressive and the perfect setting for a Haunted Attraction.  The size of the prison allows for multiple haunted houses and various places for food and beverages.  But that same size, I think, makes the Attraction feel a little too spread out inside.  A little sparse in parts.  

I also think Lancaster's Field of Screams is a tough act to follow.  

We had a great time though, enjoying some terrific drinks and food, and making S'mores over a fire while listening to a Ghoul read poetry on stage (that actually happened).

Below are some photos from Friday night...