Random creepiness

Now that it's this time of year, I really look for the small things. That plastic pumpkin in the window of the apartment across parking lot that you just make out, a lone strand of spider webbing that got stuck to a shrub, storefronts that have no reason to decorate their windows with H'weenery, but, for some awesome reason, do. Like eyeglass places, law offices and fancy jewelers. It's baffling but so charming.

So let's wrap up the week with a few of these moments that I've already encountered so early in the season.

Do you guys see the witch turned away from us in this Castro neighborhood complex? I did and it was neat.

My brother came to town during the hot season, so I made margaritas. Of course, I had to add a little H'weenery.

So this is weird. I love stopping by the Mission Dolores cemetery because I'm that sort of person. (Your sort, if you're reading this.) And I swear I followed that chain link fence in the alley down a million times before I had the idea to turn around and look behind me. This is what is saw:

H'ween displays in stores just make me happy. So I'm the weirdo snapping pics in your local food and drug.

That's all for tonight - sleep well and mwhahahaha! 

The Bedizening: Part 1

Got the mantle started, which besides being the heart of the home, I consider the heart of H'ween decoration. Click for more detail.

Underwhelmed? Geez. Let me stress: this is just the beginning. Usually I wait until the last week and then I half-ass it because it seems like such a waste for only a week or a few days. This year: I'm going nuts.

So I've decided I'm a lights person, but not an electric lights one. Too much strain on the outlets, too many unsightly wires. Fortunately, Target understands my needs and I invested in a few battery powered spook lights.

A few details I thought I'd point out. My skull collection, sugar and otherwise. And my happy little Frankenlady, courtesy of this Etsy shop. Yes, now that you ask, these are year-round decorations.

Here's the birds. Birds are pretty things that have the capacity to be creepy, if they want. That's what makes them so dope. 

The raven skeleton is new this year and a little disturbing for some reason I can't say. The bat was a vintage find in the Haight and is also a candleholder. Plus it's wrought iron and could stun a wily coyote, if needed. The stuffed owl is a year-rounder dressed up seasonal in his new fox mask. Hey, everyone has their secret identity.

So there's part 1. Stay tuned for more.

Bonus Boo: Day 1

Lord knows I love spotting groceries that have been H'weenized. Unfortunately, I don't really much enjoy eating most of them anymore - fruit roll-ups, sugary cereal, etc.

So you can imagine how pumped I was to find a food I like given the old Sammy Hain* treatment - Babybel cheese! I was in Whole Foods - not normally a paragon of H'weeness, I might add - when I spotted the familiar netted cheese burbles with little characters on them and a new tag for the season: Have a Cheesy Halloween!

Of course, I was totally sold. There's a Jack O'Lantern, a skull and a mummy. H'ween fans who groove on the savory, rejoice!

*Credit for this name goes to the Purple Stuff podcast, which should listen to if you're not already.

Day 1 is here!

It's October 1st and all I can say is, thank you sweet jeebus.

It's been a long summer and an unnaturally HOT Indian summer (can you still say that? Native American summer? Nah, that doesn't sound right), so you can imagine how overjoyed I am that the light is beginning to tilt and things are getting creepy. In fact, it actually rained yesterday. In Northern California.

I can tell right away that this is going to be a gooood H'ween season: there's a Halloween Whopper (yes, I refuse to add the A1 portion of that statement), a new Paranormal Activity (in 3D, no less!), a promising Guillermo del Toro and tons of spooky TV. I could go on and on. But I think my to-do list/calendar says it all:

Yes, it is a bit much. Yes, I am a Virgo. No, it wasn't drawn by a 3rd grader. Yes, you can click on it to enlarge. Which I highly recommend since it's probably the only way to actually read the bits in the boxes.

I'm psyched! One thing that wouldn't fit in the box for today: tonight's movie is "Wait Until Dark", which I've seen only a few times and my man (The Turk) has never seen. Let the best time of the year commence!

Best in boo

So this house is always a stop I need to make. It's in Cole Valley and these people must be loaded. Y'know, with H'ween spirit.

The Sock that Dreaded Sundown!

My shoddily made half socks just reminded me of one of the scariest movies of my youth. Which I never even saw because my sister terrorized me so badly by pulling her hoodie way down over her face and yelling spookily, The Town That Dreaded Sundown! Now that a remake is about to be released, I'm excited to see how it all goes down.

Hey, Kleenex...

..if you can't keep the H'ween-themed boxes coming, it appears someone else is ready and able to kick your sorry ass to the curb. Yay for Tarzhay!  (And you're on notice, Bounty.)