Saturday, October 31, 2015

THE WITCHING HOUR........

 
Those ghost, ghouls and goblins....and my houseboys and guest will get an extra hour for debauchery tonight, and who am I to complain. Just a friendly reminder from the Casa du Borghese to set those clocks back lambchops........
 
This has been a Casa du Borghese PSA.

A HAPPY HALLOWE'EN TO YOU


A Happy Hallowe'en and blessed Samhain to you all!!!!!

I just love Hallowe'en and always have! I'm taking it easy most of the day, then heading into Philly this evening for the Wanamaker Halloween Organ concert....and we know how scary organ music can be. Should be a frightful time. Then I'll be handing out my candy to the little beggars if any time permits. I have a few friends coming to watch horror movies and cock-a-tails ,so that should be fun.


If your home today, please take a minute to check out new acquaintance, Jon and his blog Cabinet of Curious Treasures. I love anyone who can embrace the Hallowe'en season with open arms. His blog is visual delight I tell ya.....and he has been curdling my blood now for two weeks with disturbing pictures!!!  I love it!!!!


I also thought in the spirit, a lovely Hallowe'en gem to share with you all......

Excuse me now, while I go fix my first BLOODY Mary of the day.....ha, ha Bloody get it? Have a wonderful and frightful night......

Friday, October 30, 2015

IN TIME FOR HALLOWEEN...SHARON NEEDLES

Sharon Needles!!!!

Could a Halloween go by without one of my favorite GRANDE DAMES???? It wouldn't be a spooky special holiday without the one and only Sharon Needles! This ghostly glam queen is taking our breath away......still!!! Sharon Needles was the season four winner of "RuPaul's Drag Race," and famously portrayed a blood-drooling zombie. Sharon continues to push the boundaries with the art of drag. She is our home town girl from Pennsylvania, from the city of Pittsburgh, where she can be seen, of course when she's not doing new music or touring...... I just bet treat or treat is real interesting at her house.

 

Here is Sharon in a new fun video just in time for Halloween....Call Me On The Ouija Board, directed and produced by Santiago Felipe, who truly captures the Sharon Needles' aesthetic, complete with Die Antwoord-esque creepiness and demon projectile vomit. which references Poltergeist, It, The Exorcist, and Children of the Corn, noting a theme of horror moves that involve children. And love the Michael Musto appearance as Tangina Barons!!!! 
 

IT'S THE SPOOOOKY WEEKEND

 
Bring on the ghouls,ghost and goblins....I've got the treats!

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

LIFE IN SLEEPY HOLLOW

This past weekend for my birthday MM#1 Fan whisked me away for a birthday get-a-away, when my other plans changed. And what a treat it was. I was surprised...it was off to a lovely little spigot of land called Sleepy Hollow. You may have heard of it.

Immortalized by Washington Irving in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, this village on the Hudson River was originally called North Tarrytown. It wasn’t until 1996 that it officially adopted the name it was better known as—Sleepy Hollow. It's small and charming and yes, there are signs of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman all around.We started off at Philipsburg Manor, a historical site that was once home to the Philipse family, one of the largest slave-holders in the Colonial North and staunch supporters of the crown.
 
We soon turned our attention to all things Irving. After crossing the spot where the Headless Horseman Bridge once stood, we visited the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow whose groundbreaking occurred in 1685. It makes an appearance in the legendary story as does its small burial ground where the Headless Horseman is supposedly buried. At night, as the story goes, his ghost “rides forth to the scene of battle in nightly quest of his head.” The grounds are filled with the graves of the village’s early Dutch residents, many of whose names were inspiration no doubt for Irving.

 
This tombstone, I found very interesting as the last name is mine, but off by one letter, a "U" between the a and k. hmmmmm, some research will be upon us......
 Next door is the quite large Sleepy Hollow Cemetery where generations of famous New Yorkers are buried including Andrew Carnegie, Brooke Astor, Harry and Leona Helmsley, Walter Chrysler, and Washington Irving. Pretty cool to see!!! The cemetery is huge (90 acres) so we did not see all of it, but it is very pretty with one side dropping down to the Pocantico River.
 
Andrew Carnegie grave
 
We also saw the fabulous Lyndhurst, also known as the Jay Gould estate, which is a Gothic Revival country house that sits in its own 67-acre park beside the Hudson River. This house was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966, and was just breathtaking. Just a tad understated I though. I don't mind saying I thought I sensed a presence in this house. But I love me a good mansion tour.
 
While in the Hollow we enjoyed some wonderful food. My favorite place was Mint. Mint began life as a gourmet food shop, and when entering the restaurant one is met by a display case containing huge chunks of delicious cheese,(you just now I had a complete orgasm)bowls of salty, fragrant olives, and shelves of imported sauces, pastas and crackers. If you’re lucky, the elegant proprietor, Hassan Jarane, will offer you a slice of Pickwick Cheddar with caramelized onion, a pesto basil Gouda or a subtle truffle cheese from Tuscany. He must have known I was a cheese connoisseur. And I do love me some samples!
Just beyond the entrance are a semi-open kitchen and a few tables by the front windows, where one can sit down for dinner, but the heart of the restaurant is at the back. I don't mind telling you I had the best Eggs Benedict I ever had at this place...award winning I tell ya! I also came out with a nice little full shopping bag of goodies.
Saturday was the Bridge View Tavern. One must hit a Eastern pub in the fall for pub fare and some fall ales!!!! Nothing like it. I had a very tasty lunch there of Pulled Pork BBQ and sweet potato fries!!! YUM! 8 ales later I was feeling no pain.
 
Sunday before leaving town, Mistress Maddie's #1 Fan drove me by Washington Irving's cottage , but we just missed the hours they were open, but at least I can say I saw it.
It was such  fun and neat weekender trip, what a nice birthday surprise. Upon getting back, friends asked if I was able to sleep in such a fable eerie town, or feared the Headless Horseman would come after me? I retorted with I had the best night sleep there, with no fear once so ever. Although, I swear I did feel accosted in my sleep, pillaged even! Whether it was a ghost, the horseman or my #1 Fan.....I guess we may never know.
 
 

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

SPECTERS AND SPIRITS GHOST TOUR

This weekend will have oodles to do and see in New Hope. I had another email from a reader who would be in the area, and told her of this upcoming post. So if your in the area or visiting check this tour out for sure.
 
New Hope, that I talk of often here, is a small borough town nestled along the Delaware River in Bucks County, PA. For those that are not yet aware, the streets of New Hope are notoriously haunted - quite possibly the most haunted town in America, next to Salem! The town is rich in Revolutionary War history and George Washington led his troops through New Hope in 1778 on the way to Valley Forge. In addition to its historical interest, New Hope is a hub for paranormal enthusiasts who hope to encounter the town's famous spooks and specters. The ghost tour we have are very fun and cool and will be going on this weekend which will be Specter and Spirits!!! Join us for a haunted ghost tour and whiskey tasting. The tour will stop at 5 different supernatural sites, the first four of which will include its own terrifying tale and complimentary whiskey pairing! The fifth and final stop will be at the most notoriously haunted house in New Hope- The Logan Inn! Here, after chilling you spine, you will attempt to soothe your unease with a Halloween craft cocktail.Some of the haunted sites.......
 
Aaron Burr House
 
I had to list this first for significant reason. I'm related!!!! Aaron Burr was the brother of my great great great great grandmother!!!!! As told down through the generations to my aunt, the third vice president of the United States, Aaron Burr, is primarily known for killing his rival, Alexander Hamilton, in a bloody duel in 1804. In our family history, for a fun tidbit,  it was said the famous duel may never had happened if both Aaron and Alexander were not such hot heads.  What is less well-known is that, after the duel, Burr fled to New Hope, Pennsylvania and sought refuge in a private residence for nearly a month. In 1873, an inn was erected on the stone foundation of the private residence and today the Aaron Burr House welcomes visitors who are eager to catch a glimpse of Burr's brooding specter, where it is said, he returned to his favorite refuge.
 
Joseph Pickett House...now Zoubi's
Joseph Pickett is New Hope's resident ghost. Pickett was a local shopkeeper and artist whose painting, "Manchester Valley," was posthumously hung in New York City's Museum of Modern Art. Though Pickett died in 1918, his spirit lingers in his home and studio. A former tenet claimed that she was startled by a man who she assumed was an intruder. When she later visited a local museum, she saw a picture of Joseph Pickett and recognized him as the man she had seen. Other tenets report hearing footsteps on the stairs, knocks on doors and objects that have mysteriously moved. Joseph Pickett's house is located on Mechanic Street in New Hope with Zoubi's restaurant.
 
Hearth Pub
 
One of the oldest buildings in New Hope. The beautiful interior of this BYOB rustic restaurant boasts original wood beamed ceilings and a solid, hewn wood bar.  On the tour it will be discussed its haunted past.
 
Parry Mansion
The Parry Mansion was built in 1784 by Benjamin Parry, one of New Hope's founders. The house has the distinction of having been occupied by four generations of Benjamin Parry's direct descendants. Not only does the Parry Mansion have a history of hauntings from various Parry family members, but so does the shop next door! Soul, Body and Home Gifts is haunted by the ghosts of Jaques,once a local resident, and Britt, who apparently prefers the back porch. The proprietor of the gift shop can share many a tale of her experiences with local specters.
 
Logan Inn
Established as an inn in 1727, the Logan Inn is the oldest continuously run inn in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and one of the five oldest inns in the United States. However, it's not just the inn's colonial period charm that draws visitors in droves. Legend has it that the basement of the Logan Inn was used to store bodies of fallen Continental soldiers during the Revolutionary War and visitors, and inn workers often report seeing a spectral solider frequenting the inn's well-appointed tap room. Guests also report strange noises, unexplained drafts and the strong scent of lavender perfume in room six, where the ghosts of two young girls are said to linger.
 
There is also this private residence on Mechanic Street. While I don't think the tour goes into the house, it is mentioned that current and pass owners report hearing and seeing ghosts and objects moving.
 
There are other places I have felt odd vibes before, and not only in New Hope, but also across the bridge in Lambertville.  I always get un-edge feelings when using the restrooms in the basement of the Lambertville House Hotel. And then, there are rumors of people seeing the ghost of Jessica Savich, a news reporter, and her gay friend, who perished to death in the canal, when she put her car in reverse by accident, drowning them both! If your in the area the tours meet at Main and Ferry Streets weekly from June till third week in November; every Saturday night. In September and October they meet every Friday and Saturday. The tours always leave at 8pm promptly and are lantern led! How neat is that? And then there's the whiskey!!