halloween

Mario Bava is definitely the inspiration for our interior Halloween decor this year. Oh, who am I kidding, we go for the Bava look anytime we can…

The bats are pretty cool, but it’s the powerful LED spotlight that really transforms the dining area.

And of course, Terror Fest continues. (Don’t look out the window if you scare easily!)

In other news, we saw our first light dusting of snow last week…

Time to break out the skis! #BecomingNewHampshire

The air is crisp, the leaves are turning, and the fires are lit. Get comfortable everyone, ’cause it’s time (once again!) to begin our Terror Fest cinematic countdown to Halloween!

This year we are focused on Giallo which means that (with a few notable exceptions) the majority of our selections are Italian films from the 1960s and 70s.

If there ever was a perfect time of year to be in New England, this is it!

We finally realized a long-term goal of mine — to spend Halloween in Salem! To make it easy to join the festivities, we reserved space in a nearby campground on Winter Island, across the bay from Marblehead and a short 20 minute walk from downtown.

As is the case with many things in this area, Winter Island itself is historically important. It was the site of Fort Pickering and remnants of the old 19th century ammunition bunkers are all around.

There’s a beautiful little lighthouse as well.

But we were here to visit Salem, and visit we DID. We had a great time exploring the local magick and witchcraft supply shops and watching people decked out in festive costumes.

Perhaps he most interesting parts of our visit were taking in the history surrounding the city of Salem. For example, did you know that Salem was once the 6th largest city IN THE WORLD? Yup.

We found many local guides to be deeply knowledgeable regarding the architecture, historically important families, cooking practices from the late 18th century, and so much more.

And of course the dogs enjoyed exploring the surrounding wooded areas like the Salem Woods…

…even when they feel kinda spooky.

This year our terror fest concludes with one of the greatest horror films in modern history… Suspiria!

Gather ’round boys and ghouls, it’s time to carve the pumpkins!

This evening’s Halloween countdown film is “The Abominable Dr. Phibes” starring Vincent Price. It’s a weird, wild ride that’s well worth the price of admission!