Halloween Playlist

Every year I come up with some kind of Halloween Playlist for our house, even if its just using spooky noises to creep out the kids. So this year, as I was coming up with yet another, I was inspired to share. Some of these songs are def NSFW, nor the ears of little ones (O'Malley's Bar comes to mind, yipes!) So here goes...

*Please note not in order of importance, only how I happened to run across them in my iTunes library and found youtube links.

**I'm so sorry, when I originally wrote and tested the links, the songs all played on the blog. Now many are saying you have to watch on youtube due to restrictions. I apologise for that, but will also say it'll be worth it if you do!

***After I published the post it seems all the videos are playing fine, so no need to go to youtube!

1. "Put A Spell on You" by various artists. The original by Screamin' Jay Hawkins is a classic. I chose this one because it was put together as a charity effort to help with Haiti after the earthquake, but also I like the different voices mixing and mingling.

2. "Lullaby" by The Cure. If you have arachnophobia skip this one! (SO not a lullaby, google the lyrics... creepy and I LOVE spiders!) Don't you love that Robert Smith goes to bed with a full face of makeup?

3. "This is Halloween" from Nightmare Before Christmas, covered by Marilyn Manson. I love how he sang this so much that I wish it was on the original soundtrack!

4. "Goo Goo Muck" by The Cramps. Classic Cramps in a classic venue (CBGB's '81) during an amazing time to be around the music scene. I'm sure I'm in the crowd, I never missed a Cramps show! (I miss Lux ): )

5."Mommy Can I go Out and Kill Tonight?" by The Misfits. "Halloween" was too predictable, and I like the creepiness of this. Its live so the sound isn't so clear, but you can find loads of studio versions on youtube. Sorry, you're subjected to watching them live here! (Really the only way to hear the Misfits.)

6. "O'Malley's Bar" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. A grisly tale from the "Murder Ballads" album. Actually that whole album is a great macabre Halloween choice.

7. "Spellbound" by Siouxie and the Banshees. Siouxie is always great for Halloween!

8. "The Forest Theme" by Jarboe and Kris Force. I was turned on to this gruesome little song by the Punk Glam Princess. Its the theme song to the video game "The Path". Long but the end is particularly terrifying! (Google the lyrics, such a sweet angelic voice singing of such a menacing tale, perfect for Halloween! Guess who has a new Halloween ringtone... I cant wait until it goes off someplace inappropriately... so mature eh?)

9. "Right Where it Belongs" by NIN. Not an outright Halloween type song, but listen to the lyrics, they can be quite disconcerting, and I don't suggest listening to this if you're felling the least bit blue. Personally, the lyrics and music really speak to me -- I've often felt it was something I could've written years ago and used as the soundtrack of my life at various times (the happy, interesting parts of my life -- interesting, as most find it quite depressing.) But for many it will bring up deep seated, frightening feelings and thoughts. Perfect for Halloween, don't you think? Okay honestly "Right Where it Belongs" is a total mindfuck, non?

10. "Mr. Crowley" by Ozzy Osbourne. I will forgive Ozzy for pronouncing Crowley's name incorrectly, because the song kicks ass!

11. "Dragula" by Rob Zombie. As fun as this video is, he was amazing live back when I saw him play his first CBGB's gig a gazillion years ago!

12. "Bad Things" by Jace Everett, theme to "True Blood" series. The first time I heard this when the opening credits for the first episode of True Blood came on, I flipped. I'm not a country music fan (only use it for exorcisms), but I think the rockabilly sound of it is why I like it so much. Okay and I can't resist a song where someone howls like an animal. Rather than show what everyone is used to seeing, I elected to show you the original video.

13. "Sympathy for the Devil" by The Rolling Stones. Last but definitely not least! The opening hand drums (and throughout) always remind me of a VooDoo or Yoruba ritual where drumming is frequently used to raise spirits. This is from "Rock 'n Roll Circus", definitely a fun watch! (Loved the whole Mick taking off his shirt while not missing a beat, and John Lennon rocking out!)



So there you have my "Witches Dozen" of songs to get you inspired for Halloween. What would you add? I'd love to hear!

XXX

Jet

Local Haunted Sites Spooky Halloween Part One

Since Halloween is coming in nearly a month I've been working on some "spooky" posts to get everyone in the Halloween mood!

I know I've mentioned previously on the blog that I live very near to Sleepy Hollow. But what I haven't mentioned is that this area which includes Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, and Ossining are considered by ghost hunters and paranormal experts from all over the world to be one of the most haunted areas in the world. Yep. The world. The landscape is quite beautiful with much still wild and untouched, which turns a little spooky in autumn and downright sinister in winter. Its in autumn when you begin to really feel that the area may indeed be haunted.

Of course a good deal of the hauntings take place in Sleepy Hollow, where the author Washington Irving had his tale take place. He lived in Sunnyside, a beautiful home on the Hudson which you can actually see if traveling by train on the Metro North Hudson Line. Sunnyside itself is believed to be haunted by quite a few, including Washington Irving himself.

Suunyside, home of Washinton Irving

Washington Irving

The Old Dutch church cemetery does really exist a little further north from Sunnyside in Sleepy Hollow. Again, pretty active with ghosts, including Samuel Youngs who was the model Washington Irving used for Icabod Crane. As an extra aside, in the TV series "Dark Shadows" Barnabas Collins emerges from one of the crypts in the cemetery, and Lyndhurst Mansion (also quite haunted) was Collingswood Mansion in both of the Dark Shadows films in 70 & 71.

The Old Dutch Church

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Lyndhurst Mansion

Did you know the infamous pirate Captain Kidd is buried somewhere most likely in Tarrytown (its unknown where exactly but this is where he and his crew were hung), and his ghost is usually pretty active too. As are his crew. It is also believed that some of Captain Kidd's buried treasure is in the area, but guarded by the ghosts of his crew. (Hmm wonder if I can find a way to keep those ghosts busy while I steal the treasure?)

Captain Kidd

I've decided to break this post up into two, possibly three parts. There is a very interesting story of a local legend that many may find to be a spooky story, and perhaps I'll write a little more about halloween history. I don't want to bore you with too much to take in at once! So end of Part One!

XXX

Jet

Yeah More Vintage...

I decided to get this post out tonight as tomorrow is a day I spend honouring loved ones, friends, clients, and all the others who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks of 9/11, as well as the subsequent events. Honestly, I just want to be alone with my thoughts on that day -- too many awful memories come rushing back. I guess that's what post traumatic stress is. Ugh. I don't let it stop me from living my life and trying to help others enrich theirs, but it is definitely a day for reflection, and keeping myself busy.

Now some fun goodies...

The snowflake patterned glasses, Dansk pitcher, and glass pitcher were all recent finds perhaps in the past month or so. I tend to break glass pitchers (yep just like glasses, call me klutz!) so I pick them up when I see them. I recently smashed a gorgeous one, painted in beautiful colours and an unusual shape. Yes I cried as I cleaned up the shards.

I have no idea what the "bag" is on the left. Its got all kinds of entrees and desserts pictured, four holes punched in the front, and quite roomy. I love the graphics so I'll probably use it to keep my dishtowels handy in the kitchen. The linen towel next to it is the exact cousin to two I purchased sometime in the early '90s. They were brand new as was this (but I'm a lazy ironer.) These were found at that great estate sale a few weeks ago.

Close up of the graphics for this linen "bag". Any ideas what it would've been used for? Maybe the elderly women kept their shotgun ammo in there... Yes there was a shotgun for sale and I wanted it -- gotta prepare for the Zombie Apocalypse! (<~~ yeah only half joking about the shotgun not the Zombie Apocalypse.) 

This is the tablecloth I thought was the exact same as one my grandmother had crocheted. I was wrong. But I do have another that is exactly the same! Someone wanted to buy it off my table at the flea market yesterday! Um no.

How adorable is this? I can't believe I forgot all about it. Its from the 1960s, and was used as a shoe bag to tote an extra pair either for traveling or I recall having a kiddie one for my ballet gear. It is brand new, still even has the original cardboard inside! And GOLD? Not just GOLD, but GOLD faux CROCODILE? 

Okay this looks odd, but its an 80s Scaasi dress believe it or not. Just a really bad angle because I was having the sun play hide and seek whilst trying to take pics! Its linen and has beautiful scallops around the edges. Sadly too big, so its getting sold.

How fantastic is this? Purchased during a church bag sale, perfect condition -- not a single sequin missing. And best of all teensy tiny me fits this little bolero from the 50s! I can t wait to give it an inaugural whirl!

Not sure if you can see but the sequins are iridescent! 

This was an odd find. From the 30s, its plastic coated linen. Or some type of oil cloth? Its a great size and absolutely fantastic when we BBQ at the yacht club (people are slobs with the picnic tables!) I got this in the spring, honestly don't recall how much, but know it was under $2.

This was also from the same sale this spring. Another lovely 30s or 40s tablecloth. Not a single stain on it. Not that I would have cared -- I think of vintage stained linens as having stories to tell. Who spilled the gravy? What little tyke was taking their first bites of solids, better yet their first taste of CHOCOLATE! Besides, I have a magic solution that removes nearly every stain no matter how long. And I'm not telling, nah nah!

This has nothing to do with any of my goodies. Yesterday at the flea market I was wandering in the morning when it was slow (due to a marathon closing off the parkway) when I spotted this orange topaz. Topaz is my birthstone, but I've always hated it. Its usually a kind of murky, yellow, or those blue ones that look so phony. The orange appealed to the Halloween lover in me, so dearest hubby purchased it as a bauble for me. I've never seen one this colour, its really even more orange than shows in the pic especially as its set in sterling. And of course the faceting makes it sparkle more but we couldn't capture it. (WTF? I burn, not tan! I'll blame it on the flash!)

Yeah you guys are probably all sick of this vintage stuff, but I honestly haven't had much luck lately so its been fun. 

If you can tomorrow, please take a moment and say a little prayer for those we've lost on 9/11, and subsequently directly due to the events of that fateful day. The world needs our positive prayers! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

XXX

Jet

Vintage Kitchen

Before I go on showing some of my other finds (yeah there's still more! but like a good girl a lot of my older stuff is going out this weekend when I do the local historical society flea market) I wanted to show you all a major find we purchased over the weekend.

Anyone who has been to my house knows how much I hate my kitchen. The cabinets are from the 50s or 60s but very cheap veneer which is peeling in many places. They are so terrible I can't even fit my dishes (which are vintage so no excuse that they made smaller dishes in the past) in them, and they have to reside in a sideboard in the dining room. I actually had started trying to at least paint them to brighten up -- that's the other problem, the kitchen is VERY dark. On the sunniest of days I have to put a light on. Its also a tricky set up as there are 3 doorways which breaks up the wall space, making it more difficult to put in cabinets for extra storage.

Since I love vintage details, and I love my house but hate my kitchen, I decided to research what would have been original to the kitchen when it was built in 1930. That led me to those fantastic old metal cabinets. We'd had them in a few pre-war apartments, and loved them. They were so easy to clean and always looked nice. So now the problem was were to find a set that would fit in our weird configuration of a kitchen.

I found a great resource, Retro Renovation, where there is a page of just metal cabinets. They showed the various brands available, I learned which were older, and got an idea of what people paid. I didn't think it was going to be an inexpensive option, but I really liked the look and thought they would be perfect for my little kitchen. Since we weren't looking to do the renovation right away, price wasn't an issue and I could take my time to find just the right cabinets.

Fast forward a bit and we were driving up to Boston to pick up the Punk Glam Princess who had spent the previous week with family on the Cape (Cape Cod, MA to those of you outside the US) and got a little bee in my bonnet. The bee had me looking on craigslist in the MA area for metal cabinets. I found the exact set I wanted at an amazingly low price (about 1/4 the going rate on the low end of pricing) and was very anxious to have a look.

The sellers contacted me when we were about 40 minutes away from them so we took a side trip to go  see them.

What we encountered was our house! Seriously, it was a Dutch Colonial with a kitchen the same size & 3 doorways. By now I was convinced and was ready to plunk down cash on the spot. But we had a further look and not only were the cabinets in fantastic condition for their age (1930s) but even the countertop was in perfect condition! Not to mention the sink and oven range hood were in fantastic shape as well! The seller's were so lovely to deal with, I walked away quite happily paying the asking price. (Hey, spent too many years working the flea markets, I NEVER pay the asking price, always haggle so this alone shows just how enamored I was!)

So last Sunday my husband picked up a U-Haul and got all the cabinets as well as the sink, range hood, and countertops and delivered them home. Okay now on to some pics!

Here is a shot of the countertops. I think they were probably replaced in the 60s or 70s as they don't look like an older pattern to me. But I could be wrong. Really its just amazing that I won't have to replace them straight away. Eventually I'll probably choose a funky boomerang pattern!

Geneva is the brand. They were the 2nd biggest manufacturers of metal cabinets.

This is how I can date them. The original 1930s cabinets had these plastic pieces behind the drawer pulls. Most are in excellent condition, only a few are cracked. I can't complain as for their age I'm surprised they're all intact!

Sorry the pics are so dark, its been rather dismal here the past fews days. Here you can see majority of the cabinets, the ones stacked on top are the uppers. 

Here is the fantastic sink with built in drainboards. Those white pieces sticking out of the sink are soffits that will be used to attach the upper cabinets securely to the wall. 

This is the range hood. Its upside down, but you can get the idea. 

There are also loads of little grates and things inside the drawers, and all the cabinets have metal shelves (they look like the grating on a BBQ). When it's a bit sunnier I'll try to take more pics.

So there you have it. My latest amazing vintage bargain. Now we have to figure out if we can do all the installation ourselves or have someone come and do at least the uppers as those kind of scare me to install ourselves!

XXX