Grin & Barrett: It's time to hit the boos already
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Boo! Did I scare ya? The countdown to Halloween is on. Do you have your costume? You don't? What are you waiting for? Halloween is just a week away, with lots of parties coming up this weekend. Oh, you trickster - you frightened me. Of course you have your costume - let's start celebrating!
There are twelve days of Christmas, right? Well, I'm suggesting a week's worth of Halloween-themed activities - why should elves, angels and gingerbread men have all the fun? Witches and ghosts and goblins deserve their time in the limelight, er... moonlight too.
Let's get started. Number one on my list (because shipping can take a few days) is for the girls: Shop for wicked cool clothes at emilystrange.com. Emily is eternally 13 years old, but I wear her stuff and I'm 13-times-3-plus. Age, not size, thank you. Oh and hey, if you're not a girl you can still find artwork, key chains and more - just watch out for Emily's mischevious kitties, Mystery, Miles, Sabbath and Neechee (Mrrrrow!) and remember to save a few bucks because next, we're shopping locally.
There are orange pumpkins a'plenty to be found at farm markets and roadside stands but I saw some last weekend that inspired me go back for a second look. I don't know these people but they have a fantastic display of flashy pumpkins at 306 Strub Road - the big silver guy is the one that caught my eye, but there are pumpkins painted with Halloween greetings and alien faces in all different sizes and a witch and a pirate and solid metallic silver and gold pumpkins. Fun stuff!
I'm sorry, what's that?
Which one did I buy?
Um, I bought an onion.
Yeah, they have vegetables too and I couldn't decide on a particular pumpkin. I mean, I wanted to leave them for you to see. That's it, I was just being nice.
So now that you've worked up an appetite shopping, might I suggest a little snack? No, not the onion. This is a fall favorite and it's so easy to make: Cream an 8-ounce package of cream cheese then add two cups powdered sugar and mix, then beat in 15 ounces of pumpkin pie filling mix, a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and voila - a yummy dip for apple slices or ginger snaps. The original recipe calls for double of everything (probably because the pie filling comes in such a big can,) but unless you're serving a crowd, I'd stick with the quantities mentioned here. Also, if you're the host/hostess, or need something fun to take to a party, check out our other recipes to make a Cheesy Goblin Head cheese ball (at right, it's super easy) or an intoxicating Witches Brew.
What next? Well, I believe you can't really get in the mood without a little music, but I'm sure we'll get enough of The One-eyed-one-horned Flyin' Purple People Eater this week and I can easily live the rest of my days without hearing "Monster Mash" ever again. Here are my Halloween picks, just to get you started: "Little Ghost" by the White Stripes and "Eaten by the Monster of Love" by Sparks or even "Rapture" by Blondie. Not really your conventional spooky songs but ghosts and monsters scream Halloween, right? Men from Mars maybe not so much but the songs are fun and upbeat - just like my favorite movies to watch this time of year. A fan of slasher movies, I'm not.
So what to rent? "The Witches of Eastwick" (Jack Nicholson as "your average, horny little devil") and "Practical Magic" (There's a little witch in every woman) top my list, along with "The Nightmare Before Christmas," which is actually playing in 3-D at Carmike Cinema right now. Lock, Shock, and Barrel kidnapping the Sandy Claws in 3-D? Extra butter on my popcorn please.
Or if you like a little chill with your All Hallow's Eve, "The Blair Witch Project" is guaranteed to give you goosebumps. It gives me the shivers, anyway.
What else? Well, the calendar on page 6 is filled with costume contests and drink specials at area bars, a Spooktacular, a Pumpkin Palooza, even Tombstone Derby Casket Races. A definite must-do on the list is the Haunted Basement Party at Daly's Friday and Saturday. I've heard too many tales from too many bartenders over the years - I'm convinced there are spirits down there, other than the ones served at the bar. And there's a full moon Friday night! (Cue creepy music here.)
Hey, I'll see you here again Oct. 31. Until then, have a Happy Hallo-week, pumpkin!
