General discussion - Mom and Dad Esq.

[tmdiva]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
Have them decorate the pumpkins with markers instead of knives. Less potential for trips to the emergency room/ gunk on the carpet.

I saw that the gel gems people have some really cute halloween stuff. I think I saw them in the fancy grocery store. I was thinking about getting some for my office.

Dry ice was always a big hit when I was a kid for creating a good Halloweeny atmosphere.

Gummi worms are always a hit.

I have a great recipe for cookies that look like severed witches' fingers--PM me and I'll send it to you. Ooh, I think I'm going to make them green this year.

tm

[Bad_Rich_Chic]

Originally posted by Captain
Do you have any historic cemetaries in the vicinity? A little All Hollow's Eve walk at dusk through an old cemetary, complete with stories of what went on in days of yore, can combine a little bit of a history lesson with scaring them out of their little gourds. And it will be memorable for years to come.

There is also a lot of interesting poetry in graveyards, and I know you appreciate that.

Hmm. Interesting idea - but there isn't one near our house. There is a FABULOUS old spooky one near my office, however, which I think actually has some relatives in it.... Little kids in costumes on a weekend night in the financial district, however, seems ... odd.

Good suggestions all around, though - thanks! (I'll be PM ing for that recipe shortly.)

Wonk, you are exactly 100% correct about the suburbs. (I have absolutely nothing resembling urban hipster cred, never did - I'm a lawyer for god's sake.) The reasons to move to the suburbs are manifold, but, besides Halloween, mainly consist of (i) buying your way into a passable school and (ii) buying a nice standard of living, including some closets, a separate bedroom for every kid (plus one spare for grandparents), a kitchen two people can fit in at once and some back yard to kick a soccer ball around. I can best do those things somewhere other than here (or San Fran). When I move to the suburbs I am going to go someplace where I can afford a really nice life, which means getting the fuck out of this area. It will involve a job change and convincing the Mr. (who grew up on a farm and is completely horrified by quarter-acre suburbia), so it is a little more involved than simply changing house and decamping for The Oranges (or Yonkers, more likely).

[Captain]

Originally posted by Bad_Rich_Chic
Hmm. Interesting idea - but there isn't one near our house. There is a FABULOUS old spooky one near my office, however, which I think actually has some relatives in it.... Little kids in costumes on a weekend night in the financial district, however, seems ... odd.

Good suggestions all around, though - thanks! (I'll be PM ing for that recipe shortly.)

Wonk, you are exactly 100% correct about the suburbs. (I have absolutely nothing resembling urban hipster cred, never did - I'm a lawyer for god's sake.) The reasons to move to the suburbs are manifold, but, besides Halloween, mainly consist of (i) buying your way into a passable school and (ii) buying a nice standard of living, including some closets, a separate bedroom for every kid (plus one spare for grandparents), a kitchen two people can fit in at once and some back yard to kick a soccer ball around. I can best do those things somewhere other than here (or San Fran). When I move to the suburbs I am going to go someplace where I can afford a really nice life, which means getting the fuck out of this area. It will involve a job change and convincing the Mr. (who grew up on a farm and is completely horrified by quarter-acre suburbia), so it is a little more involved than simply changing house and decamping for The Oranges (or Yonkers, more likely).

Just remind him that Yonkers is named for "the Junker", Adrian van der Donck. He was the first lawyer in New Amsterdam, and when the city got to be too much he purchased a big estate so he could set up his own little patroonage. Since he loved to strut about the place acting like a big shot, they nick-named him the "Junker", essentially, the "Lord."

So lawyers have been heading out of New York to the "farm" in Yonkers for a long time.

I'm sure they have good graveyards.

But if you are in NYC, the place to head is really Green-wood cemetary in Brooklyn. It is one of the finest cemetaries anywhere.

Originally posted by Captain
But if you are in NYC, the place to head is really Green-wood cemetary in Brooklyn. It is one of the finest cemetaries anywhere.

It's nice, but I'm not sure you can just waltz in there with a bunch of kids on a weekend evening, not that I've ever tried it. The gatekeepers seem fairly strict (as they should be, given the caliber of little punks that hang around there -- I'm talking to you, Bishop Ford -- and the historic graves it contains). I can vouch for the fact they have a strict "no bicycle" policy.

[Captain]

Originally posted by ironweed
It's nice, but I'm not sure you can just waltz in there with a bunch of kids on a weekend evening, not that I've ever tried it. The gatekeepers seem fairly strict (as they should be, given the caliber of little punks that hang around there -- I'm talking to you, Bishop Ford -- and the historic graves it contains). I can vouch for the fact they have a strict "no bicycle" policy.

I've not done much more than wave to them as I went by, but it's been a number of years. It makes sense, though.

And I would imagine cemetaries don't view themselves as perfect places for spooky entertainment. Though they are.

[dtb]

Originally posted by ironweed
It's nice, but I'm not sure you can just waltz in there with a bunch of kids on a weekend evening, not that I've ever tried it. The gatekeepers seem fairly strict (as they should be, given the caliber of little punks that hang around there -- I'm talking to you, Bishop Ford -- and the historic graves it contains). I can vouch for the fact they have a strict "no bicycle" policy.

In my bucolic New England town, there are many really cool and historic cemetaries. Sometimes we go there just to walk around, and on 4th of July, we watch fireworks from one of them. I never thought about the Halloween angle (not really a big Jewish holiday), but maybe that's an idea...

The cemetery in Old San Juan is totally cool. Like a mini Buenos Aires cemetery (now THAT cemetery is rocking).

Cementerio de la Recoleta (in BA) -- this picture doesn't do it justice, but it gives an idea:




Pretty good picture of the San Juan cemetery:




No, I'm not some cemetery-fetish freak. Why do you ask?

[Captain]

Originally posted by dtb


No, I'm not some cemetery-fetish freak. Why do you ask?

I heartily recommend Villa Orsini in Italy:








I grew up with my bedroom window overlooking a cemetary. I have some stories to tell.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Captain
cemetary.

dtb: look what the first sentence of your post hath wrought.

[bold_n_brazen]

Originally posted by Captain

I grew up with my bedroom window overlooking a cemetary. I have some stories to tell.

I lost my virginity in a cemetery. On prom night.

That is the only story I have to tell.

[Captain]

Originally posted by bold_n_brazen
I lost my virginity in a cemetery. On prom night.

That is the only story I have to tell.

Unfortunately, all my stories to tell along those lines are from the perspective of a voyeur rather than participant. But yes, they are unexpectedly popular places for such activity.

Don't let your 13 year old boys take the room with the window overlooking the cemetary.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Captain
Unfortunately, all my stories to tell along those lines are from the perspective of a voyeur rather than participant. But yes, they are unexpectedly popular places for such activity.

Don't let your 13 year old boys take the room with the window overlooking the cemetary.

The Houston Press Awards came out yesterday. This place sounds very creepy:

Best Organic Cemetery
Ethician Family Cemetery

FM 135 in Waterwood, www.ethicianfamilycemetery.org

George Russell is a colorful blend of genius and crazy. He founded his own religious group, the Universal Ethician Church, as a sanctuary for those fed up with the hypocrisy or greed they've experienced in mainstream organized religions. And he also created the state's only "green" cemetery, where folks are buried sans embalming and, preferably, sans coffin. The only coffins allowed are biodegradable; i.e., wood or cardboard. The spot is located among hundreds of acres of lush wilderness abutting Lake Livingston, a short jaunt from Huntsville. Russell owns the property, which he calls the Holy Trinity Wilderness Cathedral. And while a utility company up there says he's deliberately and illegally burying bodies in its right-of-way, Russell says his intentions are noble. Do yourself a favor and check out the Web site ASAP. It looks so cool, you'll actually be excited about kicking the bucket.

[dtb]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
dtb: look what the first sentence of your post hath wrought.

OMG. Thank god for you, Burger; you are my guardian angel. I thought I got them all!

Originally posted by Bad_Rich_Chic
Question

For the younger kids, stay clear of hard candies, popcorn and gumballs, unless you are eager to try out your heimliching skills.

I had more, but #2 wants my full attention. NOW.

OK. Back. Sort of. Fusspot in Bjorn - can't see keyboard.

For preschoolers and younger, I'd skip any death-related items and stick with black cats, pumpkins and spiders etc. Blood, skeletons, and body parts are too much for little ones.

Also, stay away from anything with chocolate or vivid food coloring - you don't want that ground into the rug.

You might want to try http://familyfun.go.com/ for games and party ideas.

[Captain]

Originally posted by TexLex
For the younger kids, stay clear of hard candies, popcorn and gumballs, unless you are eager to try out your heimliching skills.

I had more, but #2 wants my full attention. NOW.

OK. Back. Sort of. Fusspot in Bjorn - can't see keyboard.

For preschoolers and younger, I'd skip any death-related items and stick with black cats, pumpkins and spiders etc. Blood, skeletons, and body parts are too much for little ones.

Also, stay away from anything with chocolate or vivid food coloring - you don't want that ground into the rug.

You might want to try http://familyfun.go.com/ for games and party ideas.

These look useful for drawing those chalk tombstones:



Lots of other stuff for Holloween parties in here , like bloodsplater footprints and handprints for the entryway. All of it is a bit cheap and some of it even a bit tawdry.

[Bad_Rich_Chic]

Originally posted by Captain
These look useful for drawing those chalk tombstones:



Lots of other stuff for Holloween parties in here , like bloodsplater footprints and handprints for the entryway. All of it is a bit cheap and some of it even a bit tawdry.

Where do you think I found the kosher chocolate eyeballs? I totally ordered the glow in the dark chalk.

So, pre-preschoolers find blood and body parts a bit much, eh? Does that mean deviled eggs with a rasin stuck on for a pupil is out? I was so proud of that idea. (I kind of had a whole eyeball theme going - must be because I saw Anguish recently.) Well, Martha had some swamp-drink in her last mag, so maybe I'll try going that route.

There will be brain-shaped jello regardless. And I think I'll still get the sticky-splatter-glow-in-the-dark eyeball toys. And the assorted bugs. Halloween's not just for the little kids, you know.

Thanks for all the tips -