Hudson Valley Halloween Magazine

The Tale of Evangeline Ghastly

Donna Davies — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:09:47 +0000

Evangeline Ghastly by Tonner Dolls

I am always in search of Gothic art. I wasn’t a fan of dolls until I attended Comic Con in 2010. I couldn’t take my eyes of these hauntingly gorgeous little beings that were lavishly dressed in ghoulish attire. I grabbed a catalog and was on my way to the next booth. The high-end catalog said Tonner Dolls on it. I couldn’t wait to peruse this colorful brochure.

On the way home I settled on the train with catalog in hand. I was thrilled to see that the doll company was right here in Kingston! Time passes, as it always does, and I was reinroduced to TonnerDirect on Facebook. I just had to make a trip this time. After paging through the site for quite some time, I knew that there was no way I was coming home empty handed. I was immediately drawn all the dark-haired, black-eyed angels. These dark and lovely collectibles are not your grandma’s creepy dolls that’s for sure! Then there she was; Evangeline Ghastly. She reminded me of a Gothic Vampire Halloween Costume I once wore with a fire red wig. She was perfect and now she is mine.

You think dolls are just for girls? Not so. Don’t miss the Harry Potter Collection and Sinister Circus coming out in 2012.

If your doll suffers from some colossal mishap, they also have a doll hospital to care for your wicked little friend.

The staff is extremely helpful and very knowledgable about these unique works of art. Evangeline Ghastly sits on my desk waiting for a new Halloween outfit.

Halloween Treats Coming Soon

Donna Davies — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:06:26 +0000

I’ll be off to the NY Gift Show to see what kind of morbid little trinkets I can get my hands on to make good little ghouls Halloween extra special. I don’t know about you all, but I get more Halloween gifts than I do at any other holiday, and it puts me in Halloween Heaven. It is tradition for my monster to bring me an extra special Halloween treat bag on my special day. That is what happens when you are dubbed the Halloween Queen.

I am all about upscale decor. Especially anything with a Gothic feel. Presently, I am tossing around the idea of Venetian Masquerade. The masks are amazing! Very classy. I am seeing them more and more in Halloween Costume shops.

We shall see what the vendors have for us.

65 Halloween Movie Picks for an Eerie Evening

Donna Davies — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:02:50 +0000

We’re dusting off the old classics for all ages in a time when what was old inevitably becomes new again. These are our top movie picks for a haunted Halloween season. Classic Horror makes a great backdrop for any Halloween party no matter what the theme. From the super scary to the B-rated hokey cult films, you will find something on this list that is just destined to become a classic Halloween tradition for you and your family.

Of course, I have more than one favorite horror flick that will not be missed during dark, spooky nights as I celebrate the 31 days of Halloween. It would be sacrilege not to watch The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The Headless Horseman is an icon throughout the haunted Hudson Valley. However, my Halloween just would not be complete without a viewing of The House on Haunted Hill (watch the full movie online) starring Vincent Price. I always get chills up my spine as I stare into the darkness of my TV screen impatiently waiting for for the intro to the movie. I jump as I am loudly greeted with sounds of rattling chains and the moaning of restless spirits followed by the shrill screams of their tortured victims. It’s a dark night and all the unsuspecting guests arrive at their haunted soiree in black funeral cars pulling up to a haunted estate that just screams murder and mayhem. Can they survive the night? The House on Haunted Hill is a classic that certainly should not be missed. However, my new favorite Halloween movie is Trick r’ Treat starring Anna Pacquin of True Blood fame. It is kind of like Pulp Fiction for Halloween fanatics. You should check it out it you haven’t.

I asked my Haunted Hudson Valley community what some of their favorites are and HOLY HORRORS did I get one of the greatest lists ever! I know I can count on my HHV peeps to pull though for us. They are a dedicated group of all things haunted and Halloween. So, KUDOS to them!

Halloween Movies for the Big Kids

* Please consider the audience when choosing films. Not all are child-friendly.

Child Friendly Halloween Movies

Fangs for the Memories

Haviland Winter — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 14:18:17 +0000

Teddy Harrison III

Outside the venue, darkly clad figures take long drags on their cigarettes. Approaching the entrance, you see a mat in front of the door: “Tall, Dark and Handsome Vampires Welcome.” Once inside, this Kingston club seems more like what you might see in Manhattan; the room is narrow, deep and dark. Everyone is dressed in black. Some are dressed in regular clothing, others are dressed to the hilt with crazy hair and makeup. But all in black, or maybe blood red. You can’t really hear the buzzing conversation at the bar or the ice rattling in glasses, because Nick Cave is screeching over the sound system, “Release The Bats!” The dance floor is full of freaks, and a woman on the small stage doing tricks with a hula hoop.

This is the annual Vampyre Ball, also known as La Danse de Mort. Host DJ Occulere is sitting in a corner with a black Cleopatra bob, wearing black wings. She’s intently focused, spinning tunes– Bauhaus, Swans, Joy Division, Nine Inch Nails, Sisters of Mercy, Xymox, Nitzer Ebb, Skinny Puppy, Enigma– the darkest, sexiest, most gothic and industrial of tunes. Just right for a dark night of blood sucking frenzy.

DJ Occulere, who DJed her first gig in the ’80s, has been working in music ever since in different capacities– Spinning, music store management, PR for musicians, and writing hundreds of CD reviews and feature articles about the music scene. She DJed her first Halloween party in 2004, then named it The Vampyre Ball for a few gigs at the Colony Cafe in Woodstock, then later at Rive Gauche in Kingston. Finally, the Ball was moved to The Basement Venue in Kingston. It is always held in early November, as to not conflict with the myriad Halloween parties in the area.

Note: Venue has changed: Rondout Music Lounge, 21 Broadway, on The Strand and admission is $5

“This will be our third year at The Basement, and I’m happy to host it there once again,” says Occulere. “The staff and the owner, Rob Stango, are simply the best. They are very accommodating and helpful, and the club has the perfect vibe for this sort of thing.

” But why vampires? “It’s just fun to get dressed up in an alter ego and express your dark side, your goth side,” says Occulere. “It’s really just a Halloween party, but it’s a very dark one. You won’t be seeing any people in clown suits, unless they’re Satanic clowns. Black attire is mandatory. Lots of goths and freaks, but really it’s all just for fun.

” Last year, Hudson Valley’s renowned drag queen, Isis Vermouth, put on an impromptu performance, lip synching to “I Will Always Love You” with an evil baby doll and an axe. It was definitely not a Whitney Houston moment. “It’s a sinister goth party with the most amazing dark industrial music,” says Vermouth, “the only party where drinking blood is normal and being a freak is celebrated. My feet hurt after attending this party, and I hope it continues for years because none of us seem to be aging. I think everyone should come get bitten– by the dancing bug that is.

” Princess Aksinya has attended every Vampyre Ball over the years. “What’s a Hudson Valley Boabhan Sith (Scottish for Vampyre Faery) to do North of Ybor (Florida city celebrated by the “dark culture”)? No fear, Vampyre Ball is here! In an area devoid of a goth scene, we ARE the goth scene! And The Basement is the perfect venue to host such a demographic. With it’s red and black interior, underground club feel– from the confines of space to the raised stage and black light bathroom foyer– one would swear they are in the East Village. Get lost in total expressive vampyric indulgence for real!”

“Like a good, old-fashioned, ’80s underground goth club, the Vampyre Ball unfolds like a dark flower in the night,” says Reverend and Shaman High Priest Richard J. Treitner, who has also attended the event every year. “For that one night a year, the ‘dead’ and “undead” come out, finally having a place to play. The beautiful children of the moon tribes gather for great music and dance in celebration of all things lovely and nocturnal.”

“The Vampyre Ball is an event that I look forward to every year,” says regular attendee Teddy Harrison III. “Not only is it an additional Halloween, but a truly remarkable event of its own. It’s so much fun to see the lengths that people go to for a night of darkness. I can’t wait for the next one!”

You won’t have to wait much longer. The Seventh Annual Vampyre Ball will be held Saturday, November 5, from “9PM unto death” (which is really somewhere around 2 or 3AM). The Basement is located at Rondout Music Lounge, 21 Broadway, on The Strand and admission is $5 for 21+ and $7 for 18+. For more information call (845) 340-0220 or email factory22@gmail.com. And remember, black attire is mandatory! This event is sponsored by Chronogram magazine and The Costume Shop at Columbia.

The Haunts of Huguenot Street

Donna Davies — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 07:32:22 +0000

French Church and Burying Ground

New Paltz, NY – Every town has its share of dark history, but most seem like fairy tales in comparison to the mysterious stories and accounts that have been passed down over hundreds of years that highlight the haunting and at times horrific history that overshadows the oldest inhabited street in the United States. Huguenot Street appears to be a quaint and cheerful by day, but when the sun goes down the atmosphere is chilling. Huguenot Street has a dark side. Tales of murder and mayhem haunt this historical haven. From tales of axe yielding ghosts to one of the most grisly murders of the 18th century this quaint street nestled in New Paltz is a treasure trove of legends and twisted tales.

Picture yourself living in the 1800s. You are isolated – no one around for miles, It’s going to be a long cold winter. You huddle together with your family in a small stone cottage heated only by the roaring fire in the hearth. Sounds echo through the night. Your mind starts to wonder. Wait…what’s that rumbling outside the door? Is it the werewolves that roam the banks of the Wallkill River? While the superstitious may have believed in these mystical creatures, there was more to fear than these figments of an overactive imagination. While some feared night creatures, one awaits the arrival of his passage to the other side.

The Death Coach

This ghostly tale of Huguenot Street is one of unearthly travel. On a dark night an old woman sits vigil at her husband’s side waiting for the town doctor. As he lay dying in his bed, the woman’s sickly husband impatiently asks his concerned wife ,“Is it here yet? …Is it here yet?” Finally there is a sound of the clip clop of horse’s hooves outside. The woman feels a sense of relief in the hopes that her husband’s pain will be eased.

The woman looks out the window and to her amazement she sees a black coach with no windows, no horses, and no rider. She overcomes her fear and then realizes what her husband was asking. He was awaiting the arrival of his “death coach”. She went to her husband squeezed his hand and at that moment he was gone. She then watched his spirit move toward the door. The woman ran to the window to watch her husband board the carriage. He turned to his beloved wife, waived goodbye and boarded the carriage. The death coach clip-clopped down the road to continue its final journey.

While this story is indeed bittersweet, Huguenot Street has seen darker days. Let’s just say that if you thought Lizzy Borden had an axe to grind, it was the weapon of choice in this sinister town.

If you live in the Hudson Valley, you have probably heard the tale of the man with the long dark coat who carries an axe and also has a large black dog who is often seen in the Abraham Hasbrouck house looming over sleeping victims. While there have been many reported sightings of this man, there has never been any trace of evidence that his presence exists, however the following story of this axe man is clearly not one of fiction.

About forty years ago a SUNY New Paltz student was arrested for breaking into an apple orchard. The action was deemed as a harmless offense and he was released. The young man then returned to campus and was found trying to strangle a female student. Her screaming was alarming and his act of violence was interrupted. He escaped the campus and ran into the barn of a man named Mr. Grimm. Mr. Grimm came to assist in the assailant’s capture, but the assailant lunged at Mr. Grimm with an axe and hacked him to death.

The assailant was admitted to the Asylum for the Criminally Insane, which was also known as Mattawan State Hospital and after being bounced around hospitals, this son of an international diplomat was finally deported.

A sad, but true story about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. This was a tragic incident that made the news, but some stories are meant to be kept a secret; like hiding a body in a basement.

Bones in the Basement

Basements are generally a harmless place in today’s world; however historically they were known as slave quarters. You may have heard of the famous slavery abolitionist Sojourner Truth who at times led a life of servitude in and around New Paltz and Ulster County. Knowing that now, what would you think if someone told a story about a bones in your basement? Hudson Valley author and Woodstock historian Alf Evers would have such a story to share.

Alf lived in the Abraham Hasbrouck house with his mother and father. He was the son of a Clairvoyant mother who was insistent that there was the body of a child buried in the basement of their home. After much prodding, Alf and his father started digging and made a gruesome discovery. They actually found bones of a child in the basement. They unearthed their findings and lay them out on a table. The doctor declared the remains as that of a child. The child’s identity would never be known because the odd thing is that after the remains were placed on the table they disintegrated shortly after. Where these the remains of an illegitimate slave child? We will never know. It will forever be a mystery. Speaking of mysteries , this next story of an unexplained murder put New Paltz on the map!

Horrid Murder and Suicide

“Horrid Murder and Suicide”, that’s what the news sheets said. This story made history and if you query the Library of Congress and search for New Paltz this is the one of the first stories that you will find.

Maria Terwilliger Deyo lived on Springtown Road in New Paltz in 1801. She was an upstanding and religious woman who cared for her husband and family and on this particular morning she snapped. She sent her husband and one son out to the corn field and she tended to the remaining children; a son, daughter and an 9 month-old infant. She sent one son outside to play warning him not to go far as she would be calling him soon. Maria combed her daughter’s hair and then led her to a darkened room and slit her throat from side to side with a razor as she begged her mother not to hurt her. Maria then called her son in and when he realized what was happening he ran. Maria caught him outside and finished him off with the razor. She returned to the house took and took the life of her infant daughter and then killed herself.

Maria’s husband returned home to witness this bloody nightmare that would make national news. The community was in shock. We will never know what possessed Maria to wipe out her entire family. Maybe it was the hardship of living in small home with a large family. Maria will take that secret with her to the grave.

Have you heard enough stories of murder and mayhem? Do you think that Huguenot Street is haunted? It wouldn’t surprise me if spirits of the past linger on this historic Hudson Valley street.

It’s Your Turn to Relive the Past

I have not shared all the legendary history of Huguenot Street. You can experience these and more mysterious tales each year when Huguenot Street turns dark in the month of October. Test your senses as you immerse yourself in the dark side of Haunted Huguenot Street. The air is crisp and the brilliant colored leaves crunch and swish beneath your feet as you wonder from house to house following an endless path of luminaries that cast false shadows into the night. Your guide will lead you to the location of the next twisted tale where ghosts of the past relive their tales of despair.

How to Visit

Of course you can visit Historic Huguenot Street anytime of the year, but if you want to hear about the dark side, visit Haunted Huguenot Street in October.

Halloween Party Food

Donna Davies — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 23:54:08 +0000

Photo Credit: Donna Davies

There are so many great businesses in the HudsonValley that are more than willing to accommodate your specialty needs for your Halloween bash. I am a real dessert person, so my focus is always on the sweets and treats more than the food. It always warms my cold heart to walk into a local business and ask if they can cater my food needs just to see the clerk’s face light up at the challenge of finally doing something fun and spooky. I alway tend to stick with the Gothic vampire theme. It all started with the idea of having a Vampire Wine tasting. I just stuck with it because it works for me. Every year I pick up new things to add to my bag of tricks.

The Culinary Institute of America made a fabulous red velvet cake for me that was to die for. It was very Gothic and everyone could wait to cut it. As much as I wanted to dive into it with a fork. I just loved my cake table too much, so they had to wait until I was ready to stake it for serving. I always have a Vampire Wine table. The blood of the vine is a great wine, but now there is a plethora of alcohol to choose from from black vodka to Casper’s Wine. You owe it to your self to visit the local liquor store and check out the creativity of the marketing behind the product.

Barking Dog chocolates has the best selection of dark goodies. My person favorite is chocolate dipped Oreos. I needed a little twist for mine and Heather put royal icing ghosts on them. They were to cute to eat, but that never stops me. The Summerlin Bakery in Wappingers Falls created an entire desssert table for me last year with black and orange cookies and haunted house cake and too many cupcakes to match.

When dealing with Halloween party food, don’t stress out. If you can’t make it yourself, visit your local deli or bakery and ask them to do it for you. You can even send a recipe out with you invitations and tell you guests that it’s potluck this year. All you need is a little inspiration. Here are some links to help you choose you theme and photos that will bring out your inner ghoul.

Get some inspiration from the Hostess with the Mostess

Credit: Hostess with the Mostess

Hostess with the Mostess has one of the most creative celebration sites on the web. These Halloween buffets are fangtastic. I know you will love to sink your teeth into some of these great food and decorating ideas.

Halloween Magazines for 2011

Donna Davies — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 22:52:39 +0000

I couldn’t have been more excited to see Martha Stewart’s Halloween on the shelve at the local grocery store. As the plethora of Halloween entertaining mags began to hit the shelf, I had to restrain myself from buying each and every one. Those fabulous spooky desserts from kookie cupcakes to the best candy corn cakes I have ever seen just make me drool all over the covers and suck me right in like fairy blood to a vampire. You do have to be careful how you choose. One thing that I have noticed over the years is that some of the smaller magazines that are the size of paperback books tend to run the same recipes in a different order from the previous year with a few new additions. Always check what you have before you head out and that impulse strikes you poor soulless little black heart to add another mag to your collection.

Hands-down, these are my favorites for and there are not many. Usually there are four that I search high and low for.

Better Homes and Gardens Halloween
Martha Stewart Halloween
Taste of Home Halloween
Phyllis Hoffman Halloween

I am desperately trying to get my hands on a Phyllis Hoffman Celebrate Halloween magazine for 2011. She has the most fun and unique Halloween celebration ideas I am not big on the kiddy stuff, since I generally have adult soirees. Martha never disappoints. The class homemade costumes for 2011 were spooktacularand very easy to make. I am a huge Universal Monster buff and I just love these costumes. Taste of Home always has the best recipes and Better Homes & Gardens has some great decorating ideas. I just love the stairway garland made out of doilies and coffee filters. It’s very vintage and great for a spooky Victorian home.

Alas, my Halloween is so busy that I can only dream of making at least one devilish dessert that will delight the dead as they rise from their graves on All Hallows’ Eve. At least I can dream. That said, you had better grab your favorite Halloween Magazine when you see them because they are flying off the shelves. Wow all the little ghouls with your Halloween creativity, but don’t give away your secrets. They are safe with me!

Halloween Costumes 2011

Donna Davies — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 13:39:36 +0000

Captain America

Do you remember sweating to death in a cheap plastic costume that had a mask secured only by a rubber band that would inevitably snap and pop you in the eye before your night of terror was over? Maybe you weren’t that lucky? Your mom grabbed a white sheet out of the drawer, cut two holes for eyes, and voilà instant ghost. Today, you can be just about anything you want with unbelievable realism. That’s the great thing about Halloween, you can escape reality for just one night and be excused for it! So, what are the hot costumes for Halloween 2011? Our local Halloween shop spirit generally opens in various locations in the Hudson Valley. They have a huge collection of costumes for everyone. Actually, there are so many it’s frightening. How can you choose?

The Smurfs seem to be coming out in force for the entire family. That’s not really for me. I wouldn’t be caught dead in a Smurf costume! Please ladies, don’t even consider it. This is your night to knock everyone’s socks off. I tend to stick to the traditional and always gravitate toward the Gothic Vampire look. Vampires, pirates, and zombies are all the rage. From the theatrical to the super sexy, you will find something that will help you get down with your bad spooky self. If you dare to be different, you can still “walk like an Egyptian” or “ go medieval on their asses.”

We can’t forget about the men. It can go either way here. Some like to dress up and some run away at the thought. I have to say that I LOVE this year’s selection of men’s costumes. The theatrical Batman costume would get my attention in a New York minute. I am not surprised that Captain America would be showing up this season. Anything undead is always a winner.

I always enjoy watching children pick our their costumes. Actually, I find it quite humorous since I am not a parent. Oh, you poor parents. Kids just get so excited in the Halloween store. There little senses are overwhelmed— how can you choose just one costume? Even today, I can’t choose just one costume. Patience is key here. Last year I think I had five princesses and three Dorothy’s come to my door. You just never know what the popular costume will be. There is no shortage of super hero costumes this year for little boys. The runner-up is Star Wars and Transformers costumes. Little girls have a diverse selection of costumes. Surprisingly, none of that are really over the top. I was drawn the witch and more traditional costumes.

I think the best and most memorable Halloween costumes will be the designs that you and your family create together. It’s amazing what a little Martha Stewart creativity will produce.

What will I be for Halloween? I will be in mourning in the middle of a dark and spooky cemetery. What will you be?

Whichever you choose—this Halloween, don’t be yourself!

Hudson Valley Spirit Stores

HUDSON VALLEY PLAZA
62 FRANK SOTTILE BLVD
KINGSTON, NY 12401
Phone: 845-336-5416
Opening Soon!

GALLERIA AT CRYSTAL RUN
ONE GALLERIA DR STE B207
MIDDLETOWN, NY 10941
Opening Soon!