New Hampshire Trip

 Mrs Dex and I took a two day mini-cation to New Hampshire last week to go on a moose excursion. We stayed in Lincoln and visited a few other interesting places there. It's a small town (pop. 1,631 as of 2020 census!) that gets a lot of skiers going to Loon Mountain. Obviously, July is not ski season.

 

The excursion was a lot of fun. It took a few hours of driving around before seeing a moose but the guides on the tour bus kept us entertained and we even got to see a Bullwinkle cartoon. We only got to see one but it was definitely worth it!

 

PEZ Visitor Center - Orange, CT

Back in October, Mrs Dex and I went to Mohegan Sun Casino to see Duran Duran (pics here!). We stayed over night and since it was only an hour away, we went to the PEZ Visitor Center.

And I'm so glad we did! It was a lot of fun and they not only have an incredible display of PEZ dispensers but also all sorts of things from the history of PEZ.

The first thing to greet you as you enter is this enormous display of PEZ dispensers. Also, how great is that little bench that looks like candy rolls? I'd love to have something like that!

Halloween on the Hill

 A couple weekends ago, Mrs Dex and I went to check out Halloween on the Hill in Beverly, MA. She's not the biggest fan of haunted attractions so this year I tried to find more family friendly things.

 

Long Hill is a 114 acre estate and for most of the year, you can visit the public gardens and walk trails through the woods. For October, it's transformed into Halloween on the Hill!

The trails are populated by hundreds of carved funkins and Halloween decorations.

This pumpkin portal was there as a photo op backdrop but there was another one as you enter the walking trails.

Salem Night Faire

 For a few weekends in October you can step into the Salem Night Faire, a craft fair that shares its border of reality with strange beings from another realm. This is the seventh year for the Faire and I finally decided to pay a visit.

The Faire has over 50 vendors offering all sorts of things including jewelry, clothing, art, and other hand made items. There's also plenty of food and drink to be had. The event is located at Salem's Pioneer Village. Hocus Pocus fans would no doubt recognize Binx's home as the early Salem scenes were filmed here.

You can even find the Sanderson's spell book inside the building.

Venture further in after the break!

26th Annual Salem Haunted Happenings Parade

Nothing helps get you in the Halloween mood like the Salem Haunted Happenings Parade. There's just something about seeing so many people come together to celebrate.

The theme this year is Myths and Legends. 2023 is the largest parade to date!

 

You can watch the entire parade courtesy of Salem Local Access.The actual parade doesn't start until the point the video will play so don't think you missed much.

Here's a few highlights

31:43 - Blackcraft Haunted Attraction

36:43 - Dancing Evil Mickey

42:24 - National Park Service

1:00:20 - All the Ghostbusters

1:05:30 - Wicked Jeeps

1:09:30 - Freddy in Santa's sleigh?!

1:15:30 - Black Veil (costume goals!)

 

As much fun as the parade is, my favorite part is going "backstage" to the ready area and seeing everyone get their costumes and vehicles ready.

You can also browse the pics on Flickr for a better look.

Be sure to check out the complete list of Countdown bloggers by clicking below.

 

Had That Toys & Collectibles

 

After it opening about two years ago, I finally stopped in to Had That, a toys/collectibles shop in Salem. It's not like it's out of the way, it's only about a 15 minute drive from my house but it became one of those things where you drive by and say "Oh yeah, have to check that out some time" and then you don't. Mrs Dex and I had a day off during the week and were in the area so we decided that was the day.

It's not a large place but it is packed with all kinds of nostalgia! While it's mostly toys, they do have a few short boxes of comics and a display case with the latest Pokemon cards.

Salem Horror Fest 2023

 aka April Monthly Media Recap, Part II 

 

For the past five years, Salem has been hosting an annual Horror Fest that's two weekends of independent horror films and shorts along with a few special events and celebrity appearances. They get hundreds of submissions from around the world, somehow narrow them down, and squeeze them into two weekends. 

 

The festival organizer is an amazing trans woman and Salem is super LGBTQ+ friendly so a lot of the selections feature themes and/or creators that are LGBTQ+. Part of what I love about SHF is that it gives me the chance to see things that wouldn't usually hit my radar and that are usually very different from what the big studios are putting out.

 

Prior years have been virtual which is great because you can watch the movies on demand on your own schedule. It's not as easy to sit in a theater for several movies a day, especially when the movies you want to see are back to back and don't leave time to duck out for a bite. But I have to say, it's so much more fun to see these movies with an actual audience and to have the chance to chat with other like minded folk!

Salem's So Sweet 2023

 This past weekend was the 21st annual Salem's So Sweet Chocolate and Ice Sculpture Festival in downtown Salem. It's an all weekend event for shopping, sampling, and seeing cool art...literally!

Every year there are 25-30 ice sculptures put up in the downtown area and at night, they're illuminated. I've never seen them lit up because it's February and it's usually cold enough during the day to be out and about walking. Although, this year was pretty comfortable.

2022 Salem Haunted Happenings Parade

 

 While the spooky season celebrations start gearing up at the end of September, the first Thursday of October is the official kickoff to Haunted Happenings in Salem with the annual parade. This is the 40th year for Haunted Happenings and the 25th for the parade. The theme is "Who is your hero?"

I tried taking photos for you but it being at night and lit be street lamps, they mostly came out like garbage. But what I can share are a few behind the scenes photos of the parade getting ready. They prep in a large parking lot every year and it's always fun to see everyone doing their thing.

 

 

This is just a small fraction of the parade. Way off in the back is the Friendship of Salem, a 171 foot replica of a 1797 sailing ship that was built in Salem.
 

Proctor's Ledge - Salem, MA

 If you've been following me for awhile, and have a really good memory, you may recall a post I did about the re-dedication of the Witch Trials Memorial in downtown Salem. That memorial was created in 1992 to honor those who were persecuted for witchcraft.

In 2016, a group of researchers determined the actual location of the Witch Trials hanging executions is a place now called Proctor's Ledge and not the nearby Gallows Hill area. In 2017, a new memorial was dedicated at the base of this location, which is where the victim's bodies were unceremoniously dumped after being executed.

Sorry for the "shady" photo. I went at 8:30 on a Saturday morning because when I went Friday afternoon there were people there. Even Saturday morning, a car rolled up across the street with Virginia plates and a family of 3 got out to take photos.

It sits on a one-way street nestled in a small residential neighborhood behind a Walgreens. Your typical Salem sightseer is unlikely to stumble into it because it's not in the main downtown, touristy area. As it should be, it's not an overly commercialized type of place, it's a simple memorial area. The names and dates of the 19 who were executed by hanging line the back wall.

At the front of the memorial, an oak tree is planted with the words "We Remember."

Up the hill behind the memorial is the ledge where the executions took place.

It's a little, peaceful wooded area that's obviously used for partying judging by the various colored, broken glass scattered around. There are signs posted stating you can be fined if found here after dusk.

If you happen to be of a historical mind, there's plenty of info out there about the Ledge.

Here's a couple articles of interest.

The Salem News from 7/19/17 on the memorial dedication.

 

A good read from the History Of Massachusetts Blog about the memorial and how the site was determined to be the location of the executions. 

  

Be sure to visit all the Countdown blogs! You can click on the image below to find a list of participants on the Countdown to Halloween site.

A Trip to Galaxy's Edge - Part 2

 As they say on Batuu, Bright Suns, traveler!

If you missed Part 1 of this trip, click here.

I mentioned in my last post how the theming of the area really makes you feel like you've stepped into a Star Wars movie, this is especially true in the marketplace and shops.

This is the main entrance to the market area. While most of it is open air, the shops themselves are are sort of like large alcoves that you can just wander into without having to open a door.

This stall is just to the right as you walk under the arch. It's not a retail shop but is made to look like a vendor stall. There's just so much detail here from the wood carvings to the tools on the wall rack. It feels like someone just stepped away for a minute and would be right back. Another cool thing about the marketplace is that most anything you can buy here is made to look like an in-universe item.

 

These shelves are in the Toydarian Toymaker shop. Not all of this stuff is actually for sale but it gives you an idea of the detail they put into the space.

In addition to the regular shops, there are two shop "experiences" you can do: Savi's Workshop to build a lightsaber and the Droid Depot, I'll let you figure out what that's for! The funny thing is, awhile back before we knew the trip would have to be postponed, I had gone to a casino and hit enough on a slot machine to get a lightsaber and that's what I put the money away for. As the actual planning got closer to reality, I just wasn't feeling it, even though it's a whole ceremony type thing that you go through to build it. I felt a droid calling me.

This is the Droid Depot! There are a few pre-built droids you can pick up but where's the fun in that when you can build your own? You can choose to make an R-series or BB-series. Along the right wall is a conveyor belt with all the head, bodies, and legs you can pick from in different colors and styles.

The series wasn't even a question, R for me! The real dilemma was what colors to use. I decided to make a Halloween scheme unit only to find out they didn't make the specific head I wanted in black and orange. That's okay though, I really like the head I ended up with. You don't see transparent domes too often in the films but I really like them!

 

Once you have your parts picked out, they bring you over to a workstation. I forgot to mention, you can choose to add a "personality chip" to your droid. If you don't, it makes standard default sounds like R2 or BB-8. There are two different chips each for Resistance, First Order, or Scoundrel. In addition to giving them a different "voice", it also makes them react differently depending on your location.

 

A tech assists you with your build and you get to use this neat screwdriver like thing to connect the legs to the body. The tech also gives you choices of colored panels for your droid. The basic ones are black, white, red, or blue. They have other color sets for sale, of course. The Depot only had purple panels in stock, and I mean all the pegs were stocked with only purple. I'd have to wait until I got home to special order the orange panels.

I got this Poe Dameron X-Wing inspired carry bag from Etsy before the trip and got a few compliments on it. The Depot will give you a Build-a-Bear style cardboard box or you can spend $50 for a Droid Depot backpack to carry your new buddy. I liked the should bag because he was riding on my hip and I could tell when he was making sounds or his head was moving.

I had some fun taking pics of him around the park. It took a couple days to land on a name and I went with R3-IO31, or Eye-Oh for short.

Here's IO with the orange panels, just in time for Halloween!

 

I have way more pictures than I could ever blog so if you'd like to see them, head over to my Flickr album. There are a few pics in there with minor spoilers for Rise of the Resistance so if you haven't been and want to be as spoiler free as possible, you may not want to see them.

A Trip to Galaxy's Edge - Part 1

 Back in September, I got to realize an almost life long dream of being in Star Wars, on my birthday no less! Okay, I wasn't technically in a movie but I think Disney's Galaxy's Edge is the closest most of us will ever get to experiencing the galaxy far, far away.

 

So, we were supposed to go last year, and we all remember 2020, right? Well, it got to a point where if we didn't go we were going to lose some of the money that had been put down already. Believe me, I was a little trepidatious but you know what? It all worked out. Despite it being DisneyWorld it was easy to stay distanced outside and being indoors or in a line required masking up.

 

The night before my birthday, we were able to snag a reservation at Black Spire Outpost's popular watering hole, Oga's Cantina.

 The whole Galaxy's Edge experience is just mind blowingly awesome! The attention to detail everywhere puts you in Star Wars. The first thing you see upon entering (that I didn't take a photo of!) is a droid detector, just like the one inside the Mos Eisley Cantina. I hadn't made my droid yet (more on that later!) so I'm not sure what happens if you bring one inside.

International Monster Museum - Salem MA

Last month, Mrs Dex and I took advantage of the Labor Day holiday (which happened to be our wedding anniversary) to walk around Salem before things started to get in the full swing of the season. We decided to visit the newly opened International Monster Museum. Life Pro Tip: If you meet someone that would go to a Monster Museum on your anniversary, marry that person!

 

 The snazzy logo for the museum was designed by Chad Savage of Sinister Visions. Chances are if you're reading a blog counting down the days to Halloween, you probably know his work!

This is a self guided walk-thru tour of monsters from around the world. After paying your admission fee, you're given an electric lantern to light your way. So turn your lantern on, and we'll be on our way! 

 

Salem So Sweet Ice Sculptures 2020

This past weekend was the 18th Annual Salem's So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival. It's a great event to get people into local businesses with shopping discounts and food sampling. But the main reason I go is for the ice sculptures...and maybe a bit of free chocolate tasting.

This year there were 26 ice sculptures on display around the downtown Salem area. The weather was perfect...if you're an ice sculpture. It was around 30F with the occasional bitter cold wind. Due to that, I didn't walk around to see all the sculptures but I do have a few photos to share.

This Baby Yoda (or The Child if you prefer) looks like he may be a little younger than 50 with his chubby cheeks.

The thing you've been waiting for all your life...Godzilla on Ice! Okay, so it's more Godzilla in ice. Something about the way the spikes/plates on his neck was making me think of the House Stark banner.

Licensed properties actually are in the minority, but happen to be the ones I'm more excited to see. Most of the others are representing local businesses, like this one for Coon's Card & Gift Shop.

Here's a pair of large heart shaped glasses in front of Old Town Hall, which is the oldest surviving municipal structure in Salem, dating back to 1816 or 1817. It was also featured in Hocus Pocus as the exterior of the building where the big party takes place.

This Baby Groot was my favorite of the ones I saw.
It has an amazing likeness and the detail work on the face is crazy.

I happened to go earlier in the day and they were still working on getting some of the ice in place. There's a small chainsaw on the left and if you look in the truck, you'll see a couple of large blocks of ice.

When night rolls around, the sculptures are illuminated with colored lights. If you want to see more ice sculpture pics (lit and unlit), check out CreativeNorthShore on Facebook and DerekMillen on YouTube.

Oh! I almost forgot to mention, several of the Salem monsters were out and about on Saturday for Monster Hugs. During October, you can find them on the streets to take photos with for a donation. This time, they're donating all their tip money to Boston Childrens' Hospital. With it being so cold, I was pretty bundled up so I didn't take any pics with them but good on them for toughing it out for a good cause! You can find plenty of pics of them with one of my favorite monsters: Salem_Satan on IG.

Salem Halloween 2019

Apologies to any long time readers that were expecting my usual November 1st post. This October was a bit of an odd one for the books. I'm going to go on about it between the pics from Halloween night which are thanks to Mrs Dex.

While I did visit the Salem Witch Board Museum and see Ouijazilla, I didn't have a chance last month to do my usual walk around Salem and visit the street fair.



I got to see the band Ghost for what will be the first of many times. If you look in the center of the above pic, you can see someone dressed as Papa Emeritus.



The day of Halloween itself was a bit stressful for me. The forecast called for high winds and possible showers. Some local communities even postponed trick or treating until Saturday the 2nd due to the expected weather. It's a terrible feeling when you've been gearing up all month for a four hour sliver of one night only to have it possibly ruined by rain and have to wait an entire year.

How cool is this Alien?

Luckily, the Great Pumpkin heard my entreaties and the rain didn't start until the end of the night! Did I mention it was also in the high 60s? I know some of you out there got a taste of snow. That's not so uncommon in New England this time of year either.
You just never know.

We had almost 40 trick or treaters show up before heading to Salem. I know that's not a lot but I think it's a few more than we've had in recent years. It'd be shame for the treat bags I made up to not find kids to go home with!

Party on!

It was a bit warm in costume but once I found a place to haunt instead of walking around, it was comfortable. The place where I stand has a lot of foot traffic and there is a bright flood light people have to walk by so I take advantage of the transition from bright to dark. Sometimes people don't even see me until they almost bump into me and look up from their phone.

I had a couple of great interactions with little kids. I really like those rare moments when the kids are just curious and have zero fear. Sometimes I feel like a character at a Disney park because people are coming up to take photos with me. At the end of it all, it was a pretty great night!

I didn't see these guys dressed as mannequins but it's a great idea for a group costume.



For another year, the Salem Creep returns to wherever it is he goes to wait for Halloween. He's got his own Instgram account now too! There are a few more pics on Flickr if you want to see more from Salem.

Salem Witch Board Museum

Last Friday I took a trip into Salem to see its latest attraction, the Salem Witch Board Museum!

It's housed in the back of a small shop called Remember Salem that sells all sorts of Harry Potter merch. The shop itself isn't that big and I was just there a few weeks ago when there was no sign of the museum. Now there's an archway behind the register into the museum.

You may have some preconceived mental image when you hear museum and while this is certainly a fantastic exhibit, it's more or less two rooms packed with the history of the Ouija board and other related things.

The self guided tour starts out with some of the earliest examples and history of the talking board. While there are many boards on display (as you'll see) the best part was talking to John Kozik, owner of the collection and Treasurer of the Talking Board Historical Society, which I didn't even know was a thing before my visit.

He was very welcoming to questions and talked about the history of the Ouija board. There was one board on display that had yellow caution tape wrapped around it and its box with a hand written letter accompanying it (which I see that I didn't take a photo of!). John told us the story behind this particular board and that the former owner was the one who wrapped it in the bright yellow tape to keep anyone else from using it.

John said he sometimes receives "donations" to his collection from people that want to get rid of their boards. Because of the lore and superstition associated with them, people don't want to put them in the trash. In the case of the tape-wrapped board, you can read the letter where the woman describes a few bad things that were happening in her life...until she got rid of the board!

John saves every piece of correspondence, be it hand written or electronic, from people that give him boards. When I suggested he put them together for display in the museum, he said that he does already have them put together but hasn't brought them in yet. Chances are, if you're visiting a Ouija museum, you'd be interested in spooky stories! 

In addition to the boards themselves, there's a lot of Ouija related things, like this book from the Young Reader's Christian Library. I made it a mission to get a copy of this because I imagine it will be...interesting. Turns out, it wasn't much of a mission. On Amazon, the author posted saying he's made it available for free on his website! You can give your email address and get a PDF copy of the book here. My Halloween reading list is pretty full so I probably won't get to this one for a bit but I'll be sure to report back.

Just like other mass market board games, Ouija has gotten a few pop culture versions. Stranger Things is the most recent. You wouldn't think you need a proof reader for Ouija boards but whoever was in charge of this Supernatural one definitely missed that it has no "Z" before these were made.

I found this one particularly interesting. It was made in 1944, during WWII. The spaces around the outside are actually answers to specific questions you can ask in the middle of each track. One of the questions is how will the war end. Quite a few answers mention Hitler and not all of them are happy endings. If you view the photo on Flickr, you can zoom in and read it better.

Maybe all this talk of spirit boards has you thinking of 1986's horror flick Witchboard. Well, here's a promotional item from the home video release!

There's a small Victorian parlor setup in the back with a couple of boards if you want to do your own communicating while you're there.

I have lots more photos but don't want the post to be too long. You can flip through my album here, or head over to Flickr to see bigger images.

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