While other places in the country are experiencing the “classic Halloween” with fall weather, a multitude of gold and yellow shades of leaves, and the magical spirit of Halloween in the air…we in New Orleans are still wearing short sleeve shirts and turning on our air conditioners. It’s about 80 outside, and humid. So how can I enjoy Halloween, when the atmosphere is like it is?

To be sure, it’s not ideal. My neighborhood doesn’t look very festive, for one thing: our home is the only one with a pumpkin on the porch, a big fake spiderweb covering the side, and orange lights stringing the porch. No one else is decorating! And the weather, as I mentioned, isn’t very “fall-like”. (It’s just plain hot, actually.) And I don’t think there is any chance of my kids searching for The Great Pumpkin because this place is nothing like the world Charlie Brown lived in.

But New Orleans is a wonderful place to experience truly spooky Halloweens. I recommend that the person looking to really enjoy Halloween in New Orleans would first read a few specific books, however, to put them in the mindset. One would be Gumbo Ya-Ya, just to learn all about New Orleans. The second would have to be Ghost Stories of Old New Orleans“>. This is a highly-collectible book - and by that I mean it’s extremely expensive if you can even find a copy! (I was lucky enough to work in an eBay drop-shop when someone brought in this book to be sold on eBay. Don’t tell anyone, but I took it home and read it before selling it.) The last book I would have to recommend is Interview with the Vampire.

When the darkness descends, and the fog sets down, and the spirit of Halloween is in the air on Oct. 31 I plan on being in the mindset to enjoy the night and really have some fun. I’ll be wearing a costume, hopefully I’ll have some candy, and maybe I will have watched the movie Halloween already. And I will imagine the New Orleans ghosts and stories of years past I’ve read about.

Halloween in New Orleans will be a lot of fun this year! (Even if it is 80 degrees that day…)

One of the best things about Halloween is not the Bit-o-Honeys. Nor is it that fact that, at the end of the evening, the average child has enough Tootsie Rolls to last them the rest of their lives. What I'm thinking of, fondly, right now is this: How I am gonna scare the bejeesus out of some eight-year-old and his little sister. Muahahahaha!! So you probably wanna get in on this "scaring-business", dontcha? Cool. Here are some generally scary things you can do. Decorate your porch with fake monsters...and one real monster. This scares adults and kids alike. In fact it's so awesome I had to make it #1 because it's hilarious, highly effective, and my favorite thing to do in the world (besides sex and drugs of course). Here's what ya do...

1. Get a few rocking chairs and put them on your porch.
2. Get a few sets of old clothes.
3. Stuff the pants, shirts, socks, etc. with newspaper and pin them together so they roughly look like a human form.
4. Sit them in the chairs, and for the head on each one, put a monster mask - also stuffed with newspaper. They will look like fake monsters you stuffed with newspaper.
5. On Halloween, you sit in a chair (or stand next to one). You should also be wearing a monster mask, and also be attired in similar-type clothing. And being very still.

So, when trick-or-treaters come up to your porch they probably won't realize you're real. So when you suddenly move, they tend to absolutely lose their composure and freak out, scream, etc. It's hilarious! Decorate your home with creepy stuff. I like to do this all year, but if you're a so-called "normal" and you don't love to be constantly surrounded by horror-movie memorabilia, macabre artwork, and scary items...just do it at Halloween. Here are some ideas...

1. Fake spider webs. Find these at any party store or Walgreen's this time of year.
2. Vintage Halloween decorations. These rule! I'm talking about stuff like Beistle Halloween decorations and those cheesy die-cut Halloween door & window decorations from holidays past.

But what else can you do in your house? LOTS. You can do something crazy like hang up a terrifying Halloween wolf head or if you've got some extra dough you could always put the "Spill Your Guts" Halloween prop in your home. (Great for parties!)


Serve some creepy, gross-looking, delicious food. There are tons of recipes for things like edible eyeballs and other body-part-like foods that aren't really made of the body parts they appear to be. (Got that?) But I recommend the "Kitty Litter Cake". It's great because not only does it look like real kitty litter, you get to use up a few Tootsie Rolls to make the fake poo.


So, take one or more of these ideas this Halloween, and run with it. Go all-out. You'll have a lot of fun and you will also create a lot of cool memories for you and your friends. After all, that's half the fun of Halloween!

Ok.  Let the countdown begin. Only 18 more days until Halloween, and there's still so much to do for those of us who live for this goulish season! By now, you should have your costumes picked out for each occasion.  If you don't have them laid out and ready to go, then you should at least have an idea of what you will be.  If not, shame on you....  There is simply too much to do and time is running out. This year, we are having some friends and their kids over for Halloween.  So I am planning lots of family friendly activities for the party. And what's a party without some yummy food?  With a Halloween twist, of course. Here are a few recipes everyone is sure to enjoy: 1. Gooey Chocolate-y Slime Bowls Ingredients 8 2-ounce bars of baking white chocolate 2 tablespoons heavy cream 6 to 12 drops green food coloring Angel food cake, cut in large cubes Red and green grapes, rinsed and removed from stem 2 to 3 bananas, sliced into 1-inch rounds 2 to 3 red or green apples, rinsed, cored and sliced 2 oranges, peeled and divided into sections 1 to 2 pineapples, cut into large chunks In a medium-sized, microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate uncovered in a microwave set on medium-high for 1 minute. Stir and microwave for additional 10- to 20-second intervals until smooth. Don't overcook. (For an alternative method, use a glass or nonreactive double boiler set on medium-low heat. Stir regularly until the chocolate is smooth.) Add the cream and food coloring and stir thoroughly. Keep warm in a double boiler or fondue pot and present with cut cake and fresh fruits. Makes 8 servings. 2. Bug Juice, by Jodie Shield Ingredients 2 10-oz. pkgs. frozen strawberries, defrosted 1 6-oz. can lemonade concentrate, thawed 1 quart ginger ale 2 cups raisins 6 gummy worms 1. Mix the strawberries and lemonade concentrate in a blender until smooth and thick. 2. Gradually add ginger ale. 3. Transfer the beverage to a punch bowl. Stir in any remaining ginger ale and the raisins. Place the gummy worms on the rim of the bowl for a swampy effect. Makes 10 servings. 3. Bat Chips Ingredients 1 large flour tortilla per person 1/4 cup olive oil Salt Preheat your broiler. Using Halloween cookie cutters, cut each tortilla into bat and ghost shapes. Lightly brush both sides of each creature with oil. Arrange on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Broil, flipping once when they begin to brown. When brown on both sides, lightly sprinkle with salt.  Serve with your choice of dips, with the Halloween twist, of course! 4. Monster Toes- Kids will love the gross-out factor of this tasty finger food. Parents will love the fact that it is candy-free. Try some for a party or pre-trick-or-treating dinner. Ingredients: Cocktail wieners 6-inch tortillas Ketchup or mustard Toothpicks 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut a wedge into the end of each cocktail wiener to make a toenail. 2. Cut the tortillas into strips about 4 inches long and 3/4 inch wide. Discard the ends. 3. Soften the strips in the microwave between damp paper towels for 10 to 30 seconds. 4. Roll each wiener in a tortilla strip and secure with a toothpick. 5. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove them from the oven, then fill the toenail with ketchup or mustard. Remove the toothpicks before serving. Now some drink recipes for the older family members: Brain Hemorrage 2 oz Schnapps 2 tsp Irish Cream 1 tsp Grenadine Pour Schnapps into a large shot glass. Slowly pour Irish Cream into Schnapps so that it basically forms a "brain" in "formaldihide". Finally, dribble the grenadine (dribbling onto a spoon then into the schnapps helps) directly into the center of the irish cream mass . As the grenadine amount slowly increases it will eventually burst through the irish cream creating a "hemoraging" "brain".

Crawly Jello Shooters

You’ll need vodka, water, Jello (lime, orange, black cherry and grape work well for Halloween drinks), Gummy Worms and disposable clear plastic shot glasses. Prepare Jello according to package directions and add Vodka. Pour liquid into shot glasses and chill. Before they get firm, add a gummy worm to each glass. Serve chilled. Your party guests will enjoy these Halloween spirits! Porch Crawlers 2 cans Lemonade - pink & frozen 10 bottles Beer 26 oz gin/vodka Combine all ingredients in a punch bowl.

Dark Angel

You’ll need black vodka, Jagermeister and Red Bull to make this creepy concoction. Create this layered drink upside-down. First add Red Bull and ice to a highball glass. Then layer shots of black vodka and Jagermeister, with the black layer on top. This is a cool orange and black Halloween drink to match your party!

The big question everyone is asking is not who is gonna be the next President, Obama or McCain.  It's not whether or not the big Bailout will help any time soon, or even why the government took it upon itself (really, upon the taxpayers- YOU and ME) to rescue greedy Wall Street with it's questionable and failing policies. The big question on everyone's mind is what are you gonna be for Halloween??? The good news is that with so much revelry going on for the Halloween season, you get a chance to wear more than one costume!  So go ahead and get creative and indulge in variety. Going to an adult Halloween party? Then it' s the perfect time to wear that sexy Vamp piece.  Or if you are more mature and sophisticated, go with something a little more politically satirical, like an Obama mask combined with a devil suit or Muslim attire. Bringing your kids trick-or-treating?  Wear the Super-Robot-Martian-Girl type fun costume.  Personally, I can't wait to do my hair in neon pink and wear some funky retro glasses! Working a haunted house?  Break out the over-the-top gory serial killer victim outfit and really scare people till they crumble in fear and maybe even pee on themselves. So while time is running out for you to answer the big question, the good news is that you don't have to settle for just one Halloween persona this year.

There's a lot of debate in the Maskull home as far as what to listen to. Some mornings, Morticia wants to crank up the latest song from Duffy. I, however, wish to listen to Neil Diamond. So we argue about what sort of music to turn on. Then after we've argued, made up, and gotten dressed again, we compromise. In fact we always agree on the same band when we compromise: the Misfits. How do we always manage to agree to listen to the Misfits? One reason, which I will state here:

The Misfits are the greatest horror punk band. Ever.

Yes, I know I have just made a very bold, brash, and definitive statement. But I can live with it - because I'm ready to defend my words with some reasons. How about five?

1. The Misfits pioneered the genre of horror/punk. You've seen other bands that play music that's kinda horror-y and kinda punk rock-y at the same time. Some are more horror-rockabilly or more horror- metal or whatever but the point is (to use John McCain's favorite phrase) that The Misfits inspired the whole thing. I doubt that without the Misfits, Gwar would have ever existed.
2. The Misfits are fun to listen to. Well, maybe songs about decapitation and UFOs and vampires aren't your cup of...whatever it is you drink. But for the average person with a sense of humor and fun, Misfits songs hold a certain humorous, campy, nostalgic charm. They're silly, and they go right along with classic horror movies.
3. The Misfits have an awesome logo. You've seen the skull logo probably everywhere except cereal boxes. Why is that? Is it because the logo sucks and looks really dumb? NO! It's because the logo is AWESOME. I rest my case.
4. Other people love the Misfits. I bring this into my list of reasons not because doing everything other people do is cool or right or the way to be...no, I'm thinking of the way when you play a Misfits song other people will comment and say "Haha I have 20 eyes in my head" or whatever. It's cool to be able to talk to a total stranger about a band you have in common.
5. The Misfits songs are classic, timeless, and will always be cool. Teenagers will be discovering Legacy of Brutality ten years from now, and thinking they've found the coolest band ever. I guarantee it! The music never gets old, and will never go away. It'll be in many music fans' collections for years to come.

So do you understand why us Maskulls can agree on this one band?The Misfits really are a great band...and we can't diverge on our opinion of their music. Neil Diamond...not so much. But the Misfits? Definitely.

Halloween is upon us- finally! Time to start getting ready for all the fall festivities. Not only is it time to look for a costume for yourself and to deck out your house in scary decorations that make the neighborhood kids think twice about passing by, BUT it's also time to pick out costumes for your pets! Yes, your pets. It's 2008 and many pet owners these days include Fido or Tiger in their Halloween celebrations. It all starts with the right costume. Some of the the most popular pet costumes of the 2008 season are: 1. Clown Pet!! So cute and simple, too. Adorable costume with conicla clown hat and ruffle collar. Perfect for the pet who won't tolerate elaborate costumes. 2. "Big Daddy" Pimp costume. Vest-style jacket with leopard accenting. Matching hat included. For the pet with big personality! 3. Raggedy Ann costume. For size Large. Dress/apron with hat. For the big, lovable, sweetie. 4. Zorro Pet. Size Small. Zorro cape, hat and two spurs. For the little guy with spunk! 5. Power Ranger Pet. Includes body top and tie on mask. Perfect for the family pet with super-hero qualities. The kids are sure to love this one! Don't leave your pet out of the party! Halloween is fun time of year for everyone, including "other" members of the family. Besides having fun with your pet this Halloween, remember to keep them safe and comfortable for the ultimate time! Please read these useful tips on Halloween Pet Safety and Costumes: 1. Buy the right size costume! There are size charts on the tags to guide you to the right size. This is important for comfort as well as safety. Watch out for costumes that use rubberbands, as they can burrow into fur and dig into your pet's skin. 2. As with any pet toy or device, it is recommended to not leave your pet unattended in any costume. They could become entangled and hurt themselves. 3. Don't put the costume on right away and expect your dog to go along with it. A few weeks before you expect him to wear the costume, use treat training to get him motivated. Drape the costume over his back for a few seconds, and then give him a little treat. Do this for a few seconds several times, then daily, longer each time, treating and praising all the while. Put the costume on loosely, and follow the above instructions, for a few seconds, then a few minutes, with praise and treats galore. 4. Make sure that no matter how you include your pets in your Halloween Celebrations, their safety should be of first concern. For example, if your bring them trick-or-treating, use a short leash make sure he is not going to get overly excited or scared by the many strangers. If your pet is going to stay home with you while you answer the door to trick-or-treaters, keep him away from the front door to prevent over-excitement, bites, and to keep him from slipping out. And remember to make sure all your pets have their ID TAGS on their collar; if your pet is lost, he's 10 times more likely to be returned to you if he is wearing a proper tag. 5. Take extra precautions of you own a black cat. Unfortunately, there are misguided people who would harm a black cat due to the age-old myth that black cats are evil. Confine your pet indoors for a few days prior to HAlloween to keep him safe. 6. And remember, NO CHOCOLATE!!! It's a good idea to NOT share any candy with your pet, but especiialy chocolate. Chocolate is toxic for animals and can cause vomiting, restlessness, heart distubances, and even death. So have fun with all the Fall prep work and the coming festivities, and don't be afraid to include your beloved "best friend."

I usually have a dilemma on Halloween day. It happens each year, and it's silly: I usually have two costumes and can't decide which of the two I want to commit to. And in case you're thinking, "that ain't nothing to worry 'bout. Ain't no commitment." then you're incorrect. It is a commitment because for only one night I get to be whatever it is I choose to be, and then I have to wait a whole year before I can be anything different. So my choice has to be one which is awesome. Now, there are a few things which are perennially awesome (for Halloween, that is).  I have my own list so yours might differ but you simply will have a hard time convincing me that the following don't rule:

1. Mummies
2. Vampires (classic Dracula-type)
3. The Wolfman
4. Michael Myers
5. Zombies

Yeah, I love all the above. They're each either cool, scary, or both. But one of them has an advantage over all the others because it's also easy. When you need a quick costume on short notice or on a tight budget you can always be a ZOMBIE. A zombie is one of the easiest things to be - at minimum, a zombie costume requires some old clothes and some black makeup. You simply make dark rings around the eyes and lines extending around the lips (think of the way Michael Jackson's eyes looked in Thriller).

For a higher-budget zombie, you can do a quality makeup job with more FX or you can simply get a zombie mask for Halloween. There are many different styles out there, but this is one I think looks cool:

Glom Zombie Mask

It's not too too over-the-top, but it definitely is scary and observers undoubtedly will know that you, as the mask wearer, are attempting to portray a scary dead person.

This Halloween, I'm probably not gonna end up being a zombie. I'm leaning more towards a Wolfman.

But then again...

Yes, I like Fall and Halloween. The changing of the seasons, with the vibrant Autumn colors and the crisp mornings, is my favorite time of year. Something about it all intensifies all my emotions, including melancholy and happiness. Is that weird or does this happen to you, too? And yesterday while I was out shopping and came upon some Halloween costumes, my first reaction was an intense "Awww... How cute!" The costumes were for babies and toddlers and I could not pass them up without a long look!!!! How can a parent decide which is the cutest, or most scary, for a toddler? There are so many options. when it comes to children's costumes.  Have a tiny infant?  Bunting-type costumes are perfect; they are cute and keep the child nice and warm.  Have a toddler?  Then the possibilities are endless.  There are the tried-and-true favorites, like witches and lions.  Or your child might choose to be a super-hero or popular TV character.  And if you have a pre-schooler, then most likely they will be choosing the costume. Some of the things to consider when buying a costume for a small child are comfort and practicality.   One year I bought the cutest costume for my toddler, but it ended up being too hot for him to wear and we had to change at the last minute.  Another time the costume I chose had facial accessories he refused to wear, and believe me, there is no way to make some kids wear some things!  And yet another year it was so cold that everyone's costume was covered with coats, but I guess there was no way around that.  Last year, my 3 year old wanted only a certain costume, which I could only find on-line and bought the last one available.  When it arrived it was really too small, but he did not care.  Remember that aside from how cute your child would look in a certain costume, there are other real life things to consider, such as the weather and your child's comfort. And do not, absolutely do not, wait until the last minute.  Selection will be limited and you will be more stressed. Start shopping around now.  Bring your kids when necessary, to help choose and also to try on the costumes.  And remember to enjoy this part of Halloween.  It won't be long before your kids are grown and you will only be able to "ooh" and "awww" those adorable costumes while they are on the hangers.

Werewolves, werewolves werewolves. No, I'm not keyword-stuffing - I'm speaking in a condescending tone to werewolves everywhere. Why do you play with our hearts so? Why do you tease us with your spectacular supernatural abilities, only to rip our eyeballs out and eat our throats when we get too close? We humans are just human, after all. But I guess that means you....are just werewolf. And I thought we could make it. So I got a Plush Werewolf to sleep with at night. And I even made friends with other weirdos who like plush werwolves. (It's becoming a national craze! Like being a flapper or hula-hooping!) Now, I need a good plush vampire to go along with him...because vampires also rule.

An 1886 horror classic was Robert Louis Stevenson's short novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Robert Louis Stevenson was already an established author, but had not delved into the realm of horror stories previously. (Instead he was known for novels like Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and A Child's Garden of Verses.) Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was quite a departure from his other works. This unique novel, which was so far ahead of it's time, made Stevenson famous around the world. The story is based on the true tale of Deacon William Brodie, a respected gentleman of Edinburgh whose life ended swinging from the gallows. By day, Deacon Brodie was one of the finest architects and craftsmen of Scotland, but by night, he led a band of thieves that prowled the streets at night. While Deacon Brodie was the inspiration for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Stevenson penned the novel in about 3 days after having a very vivid dream of such a being: a man with 2 different and opposing personalities. Dr. Jekyll was an upstanding citizen, a conservative chemist born to wealth who invented a potion that allowed his alter-ego to come out in full-force. Mr. Hyde was a vile scoundrel who sought thrills in cruel and criminal activities. Soon Mr. Hyde becomes the dominant personality and Dr. Jekyll only a shadow. Robert Louis Stevenson was a master story teller. In spite of his life-long tuberculosis illness, he managed to travel the world, penning classic works we still enjoy today. He was a dreamer in the literal sense, attributing many of his ideas to dreams he had which were given to him by his own "brownies" or "the Little People" who lived in his brain and conjured up ideas while he slept.