For Sale - Disney Haunted Mansion

Well, sort of.....
Would you want to live in a Haunted Mansion? Not just any old Haunted Mansion mind you, but Disney's Haunted Mansion? Well, not the 'actual' Haunted Mansion on Disney Property, but would you be interested in living in a replica of the Haunted Mansion? 

That's right, for the scary low price of just $873,000, you could live in your very own exact replica of The Haunted Mansion in a gated community in Duluth, Georgia!  The Mansion Replica was built by Designer and Disney Contractor, Mark Hurt in 1996.  And yes, every 'deadly' detail of the architecture is precise, because Mr. Hurt measured the real Disney Mansion to make certain it was exact. 

 
Included in the listing is a 2 story library, elevator and official Haunted Mansion plaque on the front gate.  Mark paid special attention to detail because he wanted it to be authentic!  There's even a 'spine-tingling' surprise awaiting guests in the 1st floor bathroom.  As they wash their hands in the sink...the lights begin to flicker and Ezra the Ghost appears in the mirror.  Oh  so spooky!

Talk about the perfect pad for hosting next year's big Halloween Bash!  But don't bother scheduling a tour unless you can pre-qualify.  The listing was set to expire on Nov. 1st, and as of Oct. 26th, it had 45 bids on Ebay.  Fortunately, none of those bids had met the seller's asking price, so chances are good that it's still on the market.  So for those of you who've always wished you could live in the Haunted Mansion....here's your chance.  Of course the house does include the one complimentary Ghost in the bathroom, but you'll have to attract the other 998 Happy Haunts on your own!  So the question is....if you had the money, would you want to reside in the 'Haunted Mansion'?

Trick or Treat - Give Us Something Good to Eat!

Trick or Treat!

Give Us Something Good to Eat

So with the big day soon approaching, it seems as good a time as any for a Halloween Candy Etiquette Primer. There is no doubt that Trick or Treating for Candy is by far one of the best parts of Halloween for both kids and adults alike. Most of us began our Halloween experience on the 'Receiving' end. We were dressed up in funny or creepy costumes, and taken door to door to strangers houses to beg for treats.....and this somehow magically made good sense to us and to our parents. If you were lucky enough to have parental units such as these, who indulged you in this yearly ritual....then please take a moment to sit in silent reflection and gratitude at being the offspring of such fun-loving and cool parents (like this Dad below)!!Alas, time marches on, and after many Moons have waxed and waned....you one day awaken to find yourself on the 'Giving' end of the Trick or Treating Exchange. You've finally grown up....or not in many cases! And you may now have kiddies of your own, or just be too old and gray to pass yourself off any longer as a child...and thus, the right of passage takes place. You spend your first Halloween gearing up to receive Trick or Treaters, and thus pass on the torch of 'Halloween Spirit'! If you are a REALLY cool and fun adult, you will also of course decorate your house inside and out, and don a costume of your own as you pass out the goods to the next generation. But your biggest decision will be....What Candy Do I Give? And this is where an honest assessment is in order.We must ask ourselves these questions? What did I LOVE to get in my sack when I was a young Trick or Treater? What did I LOATHE to get in my sack when I was a young Trick or Treater? What do the kids today want to get in their sacks? What kind of Halloween Legacy do I wish to leave behind?

These are important questions! Now it's true that the first two questions would seemingly be a matter of opinion. However, there is actual research (albeit highly unscientific) that shows that there are indeed a few 'universal items' that fall in each list. But let's begin with the LOATHE list, shall we? And let's first apply lessons we've learned from Charlie Brown & The Great Pumpkin many years ago that still apply today. Kids prefer Candy to Toys and Trinkets....and Rocks! It's the one and only day of the year that people are willing to give you gobs of FREE CANDY that your parents won't let you have any other time. So it's a no-brainer that Candy wins out!Toys might seem like a valid alternative, but save the toys for party favors. And don't even think about any Fruit, lest you wish for reprisals later in the evening! That of course means Apples, but also includes Raisins; according to surveys. Fruit is just too risky, and good parents would just throw it away, so it's also a waste of money. Well-intentioned, utilitarian objects are also a no-no! Such items as books, pencils, fast food coupons and toothbrushes, while indeed useful....will only be met with utter disappointment, and will forever seal your fate as the worst house on the block! You will evermore have to endure The Scarlet Letter of Halloween Shame....UnCoolness! That is NOT the legacy you want to leave is it?! Of course not! So what DO kids want today? Do they love the same things you loved as a child?Maybe....maybe not! Unscientific research presents us with the following considerations...1.) Kids unanimously detest receiving boxes of raisins...but then we already ascertained that. 2.) The 'Sweet and Tart' group of candy items also ranked at the low end of the scale, with the most favorable showing in that class being Starburst. 3.) The 'Chocolate' category always ranks high, and oft times is the clear winner. This group includes all the perennial favorites such as Reeses, Hersheys, Twix, Snickers, Kit Kat, etc. 4.) When it comes to 'Chocolate', kids tend to prefer Milk over Dark....so save the dark for the adults. 5.) Also keep in mind that one big benefit of Chocolate to Trick or Treaters', is its high currency bartering rate in the Post Trick or Treating Candy Exchanges that occur later in the evening. 6.) In a surprise upset back in 2001, the 'Gummi' group actually won out in non-official testing. This group includes many things that are popular today, but probably weren't around when you were young, like Gummi Worms, Creepy Peepers, Twizzlers, Dots, Mike &Ikes, Crabby Patties, etc. 7.) There were also some specific items that ranked consistently low on the scale, which may seem surprising, like Laffy Taffy, Tootsie Rolls and DumDum pops. Those who dissed the DumDums wanted 'real' suckers instead. And last but not least...8.) In what almost constitutes 'legal slander', Candy Corn, the poster child of Halloween Candy, was insultingly relegated to being the "fruit cake of Halloween, it never goes away!" {Gasp} {Truth hurts!}
So there you have it....the informative low-down for In-the Know, Halloween Treat Givers! Choose your currency carefully, and put yourself in the shoes of the Trick or Treaters, for it wasn't so long ago that you were on the receiving end of that big Candy Bucket. Go forth and spread the Halloween Spirit while paying keen attention to the Legacy you will leave behind for other Halloween Enthusiasts through the decades! :o)

Beware of Hitch Hiking Ghosts

Well I'm sure this is old news to many, especially if you live in Florida and/or have Disney passes. But it seems that some new things have materialized at the Haunted Mansion, and it has received a much needed update here at the 'House of Mouse'! Not that deceased ghosts ever really go 'out of style' per se....but apparently ours have really gotten into the 'spirit' of things!

Now unless you have been living under a rock, or are unfortunate enough to have never visited the Haunted Mansion....then you should be familiar with the 'Hitch Hiking Ghosts' at the end of the ride. You see the reflection of one riding in your cart (aka 'Doom Buggy), as you pass by some mirrors....with the audio warning that they may 'follow you home'! That's always been my favorite part anyway, but apparently the apparitions were no longer content in just sitting idly next to us 'foolish mortals'! So Ezra, Gus and Phineas (yes, that's right....these ghosts do have actual names), have now upped the ante by performing various parlor tricks and pranks on unsuspecting guests.

The 'Hitch-Hiking Ghosts' apparently climb around the 'Doom Buggies' as they toy with the guests. If riding alone, Ezra will pull your head off and replace it with his own, Phineas will blow up your head in a Disney style balloon, then let it deflate and land back on your neck, and Gus removes the beard off his face and places it on yours! If you are riding double in your 'Doom Buggy' the ghosts will swap your heads and replace them, or sit atop your ride and shine a lantern down on you! Spooktacular!

Of course the 1 in 15 years that we decide to forgo the Florida Resident Disney passes, just happens to be the year they add these fab new updates to my favorite attraction at the park. Boo Hiss! So I cannot attest to having seen these 'ghoulish apparitions' with my very own peepers yet. But we will probably go check them out at the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party this October so that I can get a look see. In the meantime, you can view the video below, but I hear that you really have to see it in person to get the full effect!

Haunt Your Own House

Okay....so I had mentioned lucking into the 'Halloween' find in the Romantic Country magazine. But I forgot to mention one other thing I found in there. Right next to the 'Halloween' article was a 'shout out' so to speak for something that I thought was really cool. The title read, "Haunt Your Own House". So of course that got my attention and I read on.... Introducing Lewis Barrett Lehrman. A most terrifyingly talented Artist who creates commissioned paintings for Halloween lovers like you and I! The concept is so fantastic....he will custom paint a 'Halloween' themed portrait of your house decked out in full spookiness. It is a collaborative effort between you both, and relies on your input into what you want to see in your finished painting. Just provide him with photos and details of house, family members, costume choices, pets and desired spooky items.
If you already live in a great Victorian home or Salt Box house....you just forward him photos to use. But what if you live in Apartment 3B in Jersey, but still long to have a painting that brings your most vivid Halloween Visualization to life? No problem, let him know what you have conjured up in your mind's eye, and he will create the Halloween painting of your dreams (or nightmares). Feel free to add in whatever tickles your fiendish lil' fancy and makes the scene complete for YOU. Your desires are his specialty. From costumed family members, pets and trick or treaters....to witches, graveyards, autumn trees, full moons and jack o'lantern.....he can make it happen.
I went to his website HauntedStudio.com and what a treat for the Halloween soul! You MUST go over there and scroll through his Gallery....incredible stuff. Some is commissioned work of clients' real homes and barns, while others are the scenes that people dream up. He paints them in fairly large formats, and you can even buy limited edition reproductions of some of his existing work if a custom painting is not in the budget. Each one is so unique, and totally conjures up the most fantastic Halloween memories of your childhood. As I viewed each one, I found myself wishing I could just step into the scene and be there for real. They are all enchanting illuminated night scenes that evoke that spooky autumnal atmosphere we love about All Hallow's Eve! And you can even sign up for his monthly E-newsletter, "The Halloweenist"! You just gotta admire someone whose job it is to meticulously immortalize your fondest Halloween memories for you in an heirloom art work. I'm going to start saving my pennies for one of these beauties!
All Images © Lewis Barrett Lehrman (all rights reserved)

"Obscure" Oddities

Wow...it's been awhile since I last posted. Yes, that is what always happens right after I realize that I actually survived the feat of posting a blog every single day for a solid month as part of the Halloween Countdown. I feel a huge sense of relief and then hide away from the computer for a couple of weeks to many months depending on what kind of mood I'm in and how busy I've been. So I do apologize for my longer than normal hiatus, and I also remind you all that Oct - Dec is my busiest time, so I may not post frequently or comment as often. But it doesn't mean that I'm not out here lurking in the shadows.

So what brought me out of quasi-retirement so soon? Well I'll tell you because I think this was a hideously fascinating discovery on my part and I thought there might be others of the 'Halloween Variety' that might also dig it. Last Thursday night I was channel surfing on the TV, which if you know me at all, you'd know that is actually a rarity since I hardly ever watch television. But as I was scrolling through the channels something strange and unusual caught my eye and shortly thereafter, my attention.....and by the end of the hour, I was a full blown fan.

Thursdays, on the Discovery Channel is a new show called "Oddities". The show is sort of a hybrid between the History Channel's "American Pickers" and the "Obscura Antiques and Oddities" store/web site/blog. The intro says this..."If you have an interest in the macabre, be sure to tune in Thursday at 9:30 PM E/P for the premiere of ODDITIES, and delve into the weird world of strange and extraordinary science artifacts and the characters that buy and sell them at New York's Obscura Antiques & Oddities."

I don't know about the rest of you, but I am enthralled with the odd and unusual. I could spend hours in an antique store looking through old apothecary items, medical instruments, occult items etc. And I love it even more when there is someone available who has a story to tell about the items or who is knowledgeable as to their history and previous uses. So this show was a macabre little piece of TV entertainment that also provides some interesting facts on all sorts of curious objects. And the characters who come into the shop to purchase and/or sell the items are every bit as eclectic, bizarre and morose as any of the fantastic merchandise the store has to offer. And if any of you saw the movie "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" you may remember the store in the movie called the "Arcana Cabana"....well Obscura Antiques & Oddities is basically the same thing. And it is a real store located in New York city at 280 East 10th Street (Between 1st Avenue & Avenue A).

Check out the trailer below, and be sure to get your 'Odd' on every Thursday night!
Image © Obscura Antiques & Oddities

A Vintage Hallowe'en

A day or two before Halloween, a package arrived on my doorstep! And it was a most thoughtful gift from two of my favorite Halloween Heads from the Cornfields of the Midwest. Mr. & Mrs. Dustwitch have been friends of mine for several years. We met on Myspace, back when we actually still did the Myspace thing...ha! And it was Mr. D himself who introduced many of us to 'vintage' Halloween music. He had a music page then that that had all the old greats from Kay Starr, Glenn Miller, Louis Armstrong, etc. Now I've always loved Glenn Miller, but I didn't know about other old vintage Halloween music from these artists until I heard them on his page. And I cannot thank him enough for sharing that with the rest of us Halloween lovers.
Needless to say, we became fast friends over our mutual love for all things Autumn and Halloween. And I've had the pleasure of staying in touch with he and his beautiful wife for several years. As it turns out, they are both into antiques which is no surprise considering Mr. D's love of Vintage Halloween Memorabilia. His collection is really amazing. And his creative wife makes the most lovely holiday displays with their vintage collections.

So anyway, they attend a lot of antique shows and estate sales where they often luck into some really fab vintage Halloween finds. And they have been so very kind in gifting me with some terrific items over the years. So now, thanks to my friends, I have some Halloween Ephemera in my Halloween Collection too. They usually try to find me things that are Witch or Gypsy related. I try to reciprocate of course, but it's really just impossible to ever match anything in the vintage department, because I am not an avid collector, so I hardly know an original from a reproduction. Not to mention, anything I would ever find, they'd probably already have it anyway. So I hand craft them things periodically, or send a reproduction that I think looks cool or perhaps a retro inspired book with retro graphics on it. But I feel like I can never really match the treasures they find to send to me. I do try, and I know that they know that my resources here are limited. I mean I can hardly find true vintage Halloween items around here period, let alone any that aren't a fortune. And even then, I'm really not studied enough to know if they are even authentic or not.
Anyway, I just wanted to post some pics of the fab things they've sent me over the years. I figure any lover of Vintage Halloween will enjoy the images. And I wanted to publicly thank them from the bottom of my 'not so wicked' lil' heart for thinking of me, and being so generous to share their collection with me. You guys are the best! Big Halloween hugs to you both! :o)

A Fond Farewell to Halloween 2010 - Recap

Well Hallowe'en has once again slipped hauntingly into the land of pleasant memories. It takes its place in the boneyard of Hallowe'ens past. But like all Hallowe'ens before it....this one too, deserves to have a fitting wake. A trip down memory lane to recap the highlights of the magic it left in the hearts and minds of our Hallowe'en loving family!
Yep, it's official....the post Halloween blues have settled in. You would think it to be a feeling only experienced by children after Christmas. And it's true that I often feel quite childish in my fascination with all things Halloween. The excitement and the anticipation are very real for me. So the build up to the day is every bit as exciting as the day itself. Thus I often begin to mourn its passing even before the actual day has arrived. But I can honestly say that Halloween night this year was just as perfect as it could possibly be. Halloween falling on a Sunday made for a nice relaxing day. The kids and I even had time to catch some Halloween shows on TV and make the Gingerbread Haunted House we were given as a gift. I thought it turned out pretty cute.We had a gathering of friends and family over for dinner and treats before the evening's festivities began, and you can see some of them in the photo below. There are still several others that failed to make it into this shot, including me, because I was taking the photos. Although the intentions were there, some of us, myself included....did not actually dress up in costume this year. We just ran out of time and energy I suppose. But we did wear assorted hats and ears at least!
We had yummy Potato Bacon and Cheddar Soup for dinner with warm bread for dunking. It was the perfect hearty meal to fill everyone up so that our energy would sustain us through the night. And of course there were lots of cakes and cookies and dips and candy as well. The elders of the family come and dress up to stay back at the house to pass out candy, while the rest of us head out into the streets to take the kiddos Trick or Treating. These are my little nieces all dressed up and ready to head out for the night!
My daughter and her quartet of tween-agers giggled and chatted incessantly as they disappeared into the crowd of families. And we decided to take the new Electric Vehicle out and about. You can't really see it here, but we affectionately named our cart "Black Magic", and I designed a decal of the name, with a crescent moon and stars to put on the front. I figured if the neighbors weren't scared enough of us already....they would be now...muwahahahaha!
Now this might seem a bit like cheating, but I can assure you that we were just one of several folks on golf carts Sunday. Our neighborhood is very large, but beyond that, the lots are very large, which makes for a lot of walking. On foot, the kids and adults typically can only make it down 2 streets, 3 streets max, before your feet are aching. And since it's Florida, you're usually drenched in sweat too. But not this year....
Not only was the weather cool and perfect for a change, but we decided to deck the 'Golf Cart' out in jack o'lantern lights and Halloween decals, and use it to transport our large crew around. It seats six adults, but can take more when there are smaller children or smaller tushies on board! So we devised a system to work in shifts. The hubby and I always rode up front, then we'd take my niece, her husband, my two little nieces and my son to a street and drop them off. Next we'd go pick up my daughter and her 3 ghoulfriends from the street they were on, and drop them off on the next street, where we'd pick the first group back up again and take them over to the following street. That way everyone got to ride and walk and it was far less tiring. I had little mini lighted Jack O'Lanterns up on the dash and we had Halloween music on the CD player. It was heaps of fun. That's the hubby up front, and just a portion of the rest of the clan. Our neighborhood has truly morphed into Trick or Treat central. And literally hundreds of people come from all over. I like to think that I have been instrumental in spreading the contagion of Halloween excitement here. Oh...and I don't know if any of you remember earlier this year when I blogged about our neighbor who gives out candy to the little ones and beer in paper cups to the parents, but here is a photo of him. We heard the call as we approached his house..."who wants some beer"?! We took him up on the Heineken he had on tap in a mini keg in that little refrigerator you see in the background! His little beer station has become an institution here....ha! He and his wife have 2 young children themselves, so don't worry, he would never serve any alcohol to minors.
The house on the street over from us has a really good Haunted House every year. It's occupied by college age/young adults who seemingly have some connection to Universal Studios because their props are very professional and high tech. They certainly aren't available in any Halloween store around these parts. They do up the inside of the house, as well as lighting up the entire front yard. And you can hear their 'Halloween' theme music from several streets over. The image below is their yard, but again I just had my small camera so the quality is not that great.
While we were there, 2 John Deer tractors pulling big hayride wagons showed up and an entire fleet of Trick or Treaters young and old disembarked and swarmed the haunted house. I tried to take some photos to show not only the Haunted House, but also the flocks of people milling about. It's really a magical time, and the back section of the neighborhood where we live, is the most festive section of the whole subdivision. It always make me smile and chuckle to see hayrides coming through a golf course community. It lets you know that Halloween is serious business here! :o) Needless to say, there is always some debate over whether the residents approve or disapprove of the fact that people who don't even live here, come into our neighborhood to Trick or Treat. It obviously means that we must buy a LOT of candy which is expensive when you give out the good stuff. You don't even want to know how much we spend just in candy alone....it would SCARE you! BUT....all the extra people make the whole area so festive and exciting. And they are all usually very well behaved. I say....bring em' on! I will note however, that we have seen an ever increasing age to the Trick or Treaters here, including old teens, young adults and even an old granny this year, who had her bag out for loot. I like that...and why the hell not?! Life has 364 other mundane and responsible days to be a grown up....why not be a disguised kid again one night a year?We received many compliments on our yard haunt, especially the real iron gates we use for the little cemetery and of course our 10 ft. scarecrow. My parents said that people were stopping in front of the scarecrow and taking pictures of their kids and families standing in front of him. I love that!
And THAT right there....is why we do all that we do on Halloween. For those kids who will remember fondly when they are grown.....trick or treating in a really cool neighborhood where everyone totally got into the spirit. Where there were haunted houses, and hayrides. Where the candy givers all dressed up and tried to scare them right back, and where they gave out the good candy. The candy that you can't wait to sit down with at the end of the night for the big 'Candy Exchange'! That's one of our own kids' favorite parts of the night!
And one day, those same kids, long since grown up....will dig out their vintage Trick or Treat photos to show their own children and grand kids, or share them on their blogs. And those photos will show them standing in front of my graveyard and scarecrow....and people who love Halloween like we all do here, will ooh and ahh over the customs and costumes of those days of yore!
So it's time once again to wave good-bye to the passing year, and to another enchanting Halloween season! I bid thee a fond farewell old friend, and I await your return again in the coming year!