Just Visiting : Halloween In The Catskills

Wow it's been a while since I actually posted about having gone somewhere. Mainly because it's been a while since I really have gone anywhere that I haven't talked about on here before.

So first things first. We scheduled to go on this trip months ago, sort of blindly. We've never gone to one of the Jeff Mach Events before. But we've talked to some people who have and they spoke highly of them. So we packed rather lightly and Halloween generic, since we weren't really sure how other people dress, Though after the fact we decided we felt slightly under-dressed(but that's a horse of a whole different color).

Halloween in The Catskills was held at the Blackthorne Resort in Durham New York, meaning it was a bit of a ride from Buffalo. About 4 hours or a little more is what it took us to get there, and that was mainly because we kept getting behind people that were not driving the speed limit. Luckily I spent a decent portion of the drive asleep in the back seat. The back seat is sort of my designated hiding place for the really long trips, because I do have a tendency to fall asleep in the car anyway.

Anyway, our gps sort of brought us into the place through the back so it was a little confusing at first, and we sort of drove all the way through the resort and out the other side before realizing that we were there. Kind of funny I guess. But we turned back around and found a parking spot. When we walked into the resort office we were tickled and surprised to find an amazing display of Dr. Who memorabilia that was shaped like a Tardis, A small toe pincher like casket with a viewing window, and a variety of steampunk and Halloween style decor. Oh and let me throw this out there, it definitely seems (after going through more of the resort) that the steampunk type stuff is a permanent fixture. I found this to be both encouraging and interesting. We've never really gone somewhere that really did have steampunk things as part of their permanent appeal.

This was on Saturday night when we dressed up.
 The Mind enhancer was really cool looking and creative,
 and a GREAT photo opportunity.

It took us a little while to find our room, but once we did we settled in to deciding what we were going to do. I traipsed off to explore a little before a lot of other people got there, and when I got bored with that I went down and joined the pumpkin decorating in the pub. Yes, I said pumpkin decorating in the pub. I met some very nice people and decorated the pumpkin of my choice. I chose one of the tinier pumpkins because I knew it would be something no one would be upset about if I brought it home to enjoy. (take up as little space as possible at home, don't ask.)

Throughout the weekend we did a variety of things, we explored the various vendors that were available, saw live music performances, heard stories, and enjoyed an amazing variety of food that was made in the resorts kitchen. The staff were amazing and there was really a lot to enjoy. I will admit that I had to go lay down for a while because I wasn't feeling well, but while I do feel a bit guilty for missing out on some of the fun, it's part of life that I've accepted.

^_^ We even got to take a group picture with The Long Losts!

All in all we had a wonderful time. I really enjoyed being in a place where it felt like most everyone was like us. It was fantastic to feel accepted, even if we didn't know anyone very well. Acquainting ourselves with a new group/event pool felt wonderful. And everyone was superbly nice. I added some new music to my collection, picked up another t-shirt, and buttons! Oh my gourd the buttons! I haven't took pictures of them but the buttons made me very happy. ^_^

This is some of what I brought home with me from the event,
other than, you know, memories.

So, just because I want to make sure I share more. I'm going to set you up with some links to a few of the groups that we had the pleasure of seeing over the weekend. If you're curious about how the weekend was in person, by looking into them you may get a glimpse at the entertainment, and a little bit of insight into how the event went. It was a lot of fun, and we've already discussed a little bit the idea of going again.

The Long Losts are a group that I saw at Tatsu Con (well our first in person viewing was there). We really enjoyed their music, and If you want a comparison from me as to what their music sounds like, the closest group I can think of that I might have shared in the past would be Creature Feature. It was exciting to see them perform again. www.thelonglosts.com

Jess-O-Lantern was completely new to us, but her music did not disappoint. It had more of a lighter feel to it, but I've really come to like a few of the songs on her album a lot. I'm quite partial to "Lost, boy". You can check out her music on Band camp ^_^ jess-o-lantern.bandcamp.com

Karnevil was a performance group that does a variety of side show type things. (I think I missed most of this, but I got to hear them discuss their acts) You can get a better handle on them on their website www.karnevil.net

Night Gallery was impressive also. The band members are super nice, and they give the best explanations when it comes to describing their music. You can see more info about them and get a feel from them off their website www.nightgallery.us

Gah I know I'm forgetting something. But all in all it was a wonderful weekend. Full of entertainment and interesting costumes and artistic accessories to enjoy. There was so much to see, and I didn't really take as many pictures as I should have. That's my one regret, but the memories are great <3.