Posts Tagged ‘Halloween’
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, October 31st, 2011
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
I hope you are enjoying some candy today!
Image: val lawless/Shutterstock
Candy corn is one of those treasured or loathed Halloween essentials, love it or hate it. Personally, I love it. Anything made with loads of sugar is great in my book.
For my fellow candy corn lovers, I have a great adult Halloween treat for you.
Candy Corn Martini
It sounds a little gross, but you basically make a sweet vodka drink by infusing the vodka in candy corn. When the candy corn vodka is mixed with some orange liqueur, lemon juice, and an egg, it turns into a frothy, sweet and festive beverage.
Here’s the recipe (from Food Network):
Makes two drinks
-1/2 cup candy corn
-1 1/2 cups vodka
-2 ounces orange liqueur
-juice of 1/2 lemon
-1 egg white
-candy corn, to garnish
Allow at least three hours to infuse your vodka. Combine the candy corn and vodka in an airtight container and let sit for at least three hours. When the vodka is done, strain it, and add the remaining ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice, shake, and pour into martini glasses.
Enjoy your Halloween!
-Julia Harbo
Fairfax Resident Wins Today Show Halloween Costume Contest
Posted by Rebekah Lowe / Monday, October 31st, 2011
Monday, Oct. 31, 2011
This just in!
Happy Halloween, NoVA! Allison Moser, the general manager at Sundog Tees in Fairfax spent over 200 hours making a giant Mr. Potato Head costume. It looks like all that time and effort paid off because she won the Today Show Costume Contest this morning. Here are Allison and the other four finalists showing off their costumes:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
And the winner is…
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Those are some nice prizes, and well deserved, too! Congrats, Allison, and thanks for repping NoVA’s creativity.
P.S. If you are wondering why the Today Show hosts are dressed like the Royal Wedding Party, check out the big Halloween Costume Reveal video and article.
Have fun tonight, everyone! And save some candy for tomorrow!
-Rebekah Lowe
Happy Halloween Boils and Ghouls!
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, October 31st, 2011
Halloween!!
Mwahahaha!
The air is crisp, the leaves are a palette of vivid fall colors and it’s time to collect some candy!
I love Halloween.
I also love getting into the spirit (har har) of things in an over-the-top sort of way. Take this past weekend for example.
We hosted a Halloween party this past Friday for 20 of our closest friends in an apartment made to hold roughly 5 people. And we went all out. Hanging skeletons, cobwebs and fake blood abound turned our living space into a nightmarish vision. We even changed out all the regular light bulbs into orange or black ones.
We still haven’t changed them back, but that’s beside the point.
Anyway, my favorite part of getting way too into Halloween is the food. It allows you to be completely creative and gross out your friends in a delicious way. This year, I wanted to serve something so gross looking, that people might be too afraid to eat it.
That’s what Halloween is all about, right?
Let’s start with the severed fingers. A logical place to start.
There was an accident at the saw mill...
My severed finger cookies were a huge hit. They look disturbing and taste great- which is exactly what you want at your Halloween buffet.
You will need:
2 tablespoons red food coloring
30 sliced almonds
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or foil and set aside.
2. Place food coloring in a shallow bowl. Dump your almonds into the bowl and fully coat. Set on a paper towel to dry.
3. Separate 1 egg. Set aside the white. In a small bowl, whisk together yolk, remaining egg, and vanilla. Set aside.
4. With an electric mixer (handheld or upright) combine butter, confectioners’ sugar, granulated sugar, and salt. Beat on medium speed until well combined. Add egg mixture, and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the flour, and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic, and chill until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Divide the dough in half. Work with one piece at a time, keeping remaining dough covered with plastic wrap and chilled. Divide the first half into 15 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece back and forth with palms into finger shapes, 3 to 4 inches long. Pinch dough in two places to form knuckles. Score each knuckle lightly with the back of a small knife. Transfer fingers to prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.
*Small note: make the fingers longer and thinner than you might think looks “normal” because the cookies will expand while baking.
6. When all fingers are formed, brush lightly with egg white. Position almond nails; push into dough to attach.
7. Bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Cool completely.
8. Once cooled, dip the “severed” ends into more red food coloring to give it that just chopped off feeling!
Gross, right? But it makes a tasty shortbread-type cookie that everyone will LOVE.
Now let’s move on to eyeballs.
Monstrously fun!
Everyone loves deviled eggs, and I found a way to make them into a spooky and delicious Halloween treat.
You will need:
12 hard boiled eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
1/2 teaspoon dry ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon white vinegar
blue food coloring, as needed
24 slices of green olives
Ketchup
Tabasco sauce
Directions:
1. Peel the hard boiled eggs and slice in half lengthwise. Scoop the yolks out into a medium bowl and reserve the whites until needed.
2. With the back of a fork, mash the yolks until smooth.
3. Add mayo, mustard, salt, pepper, and vinegar. Mix well.
4. Add a few drops of blue food coloring to turn the yellow mixture a soft green. About 4 should do the trick nicely.
5. Spoon green yolk mixture into the cavity in each white half, dividing evenly.
5. On top of each yolk filling, place one green olive slice.
6. Mix together the ketchup and Tabasco until it’s somewhat thick. Use extra red food coloring if you want the color to be deeper. With a toothpick dipped in the mixture, draw red veins on the egg white’s surface.
7. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
These items are sure to be a hit at your Halloween party. So stay creepy, my friends!
Oh, and Happy Halloween!!
– Jennie Whistler
NoVA’s Halloween Costume Parties
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, October 28th, 2011
Friday, Oct. 26, 2011
Last but not least for our Halloween week, we’ve rounded up some Halloween events that ask for costumes. Not necessarily scary or kids-exclusive, though. These events simply focus on the dressing-up aspect of Halloween.
The National Museum of the Marine Corps, down off I-95, is holding a costume parade for children on Saturday, Oct. 29. Costumes are always fun, but another highlight of this event is an owl demonstration. More info can be found on the museum’s website.
Arlington is holding what they call a FALLoween costume parade in the Clarendon area. Costumed families are invited to participate rain or shine. The parade begins at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29.
Winter is very much a part of Halloween at Mt. Vernon RECenter–they’ll have costumed ice skating on Friday night.
And if you’re still desperate for ideas this weekend, take a look back at our various Halloween guides: food and drink, scary stuff, pets events and kids events. Oh, and don’t forget Chipotle.
–Matt Basheda
NoVA Halloween Events for Adults
Posted by Lorin Drinkard / Thursday, October 27th, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Give me a drink, arghhh! / Photo courtesy: Shutterstock/Kzenon
October 31 is a time for costumes, candy and kiddy-fun activities like going door-to-door and “trunk or treat.” But what are all the grownups in Northern Virginia to do from Friday at 5 p.m. through Sunday? Not to fret – check out below for some 21-and-up rousing merriment and serious celebrating going on throughout NoVA this weekend. [For our other Halloween guides, check out the food and wine round-up, scary events, where to bring your pets and activities for kids].
Elliot In The Morning’s Halloween Bash
Friday, Oct. 28. Doors open at 5 p.m.; music starts at 8 p.m. Start Halloween weekend right with Arlington’s recurring ghoulish bash, brought to you by DC 101. Clarendon Ballroom is the place to be costumed, jam out to Junkfood live and mingle with other costumed Northern Virginians. It’s $15 before 10 p.m. and then jumps up to $20 after 10 p.m. And don’t just cut eye holes in a sheet and call yourself Casper – the night’s best costume gets $3,000. Let the creative costume planning commence!
Fright Night Monster Bash
Saturday, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. The adult Halloween festivities continue at Arlington’s Front Page on Saturday, where costumes are the coolest thing since sliced bread and DJs Pat Premier and Clinton Matthews will have everyone breaking out their spookiest dance moves. Make sure to register your Halloween outfit masterpiece from before 10 p.m. Prizes for costume winners abound and bonus: there’s no cover charge. Take that, DC!
The oranger, the better we always say. / Image courtesy: Shutterstock/Sarsmis
Clarendon Ballroom’s Annual Halloween Party
Saturday, Oct. 29. Doors open at 6 p.m. And the hauntingly good times continue at the Ballroom. With the return of their killer costume rooftop extravaganza comes not one, not two, but all three floors open for partygoers. Mr. Greengenes and Burnt Sienna are performing on the main stage while DJ Lil Fos will be scratching in the lower lounge. Bring your costume/game face and maybe you’ll take home some cash. The one downside to it all? Cover increases from $10 to $20 by volume of people – so avoid the massive line and get your costumed self there on the early side.
Tally Ho Hauntings Film Series: Slasher Night
Saturday, Oct. 29. First film starts at 9 p.m. Love the thrill of a good, campy horror flick? Don’t miss out on Tally Ho Theatre’s last double feature weekend event of the month. They’ve done Stephen King, haunted house, creature and comedy. Now for the chilling final installment: slasher (insert creepy sound effects here). Watching Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween in one night? Sounds like a done deal. Admission is only $5 per person.
Día de los Muertos: The Art of Remembrance
Saturday, Oct. 29 from 8 to 11 p.m. This weekend, the Torpedo Factory gets a little, well, dead as they throw their annual Día de los Muertos - or Day of the Dead – costume and dance party. Tickets are $15 (buy in advance here) or $25 at the door. Wear your finest dead/scary costume and enjoy some mini altar-making, live music and dancing, plus bubble gum painting, a cash bar and snacks. Have a gently used instrument you’re no longer playing? Event partner Hungry for Music, a non-profit musical organization, will be gathering up all donations and distributing them to under-privileged children in the area. Also, stop by the art center’s main hall for the Altar Exhibition, displaying local and regional artists’s festive creations (through Nov. 4th).
Poe in Alexandria
Sunday, Oct. 30 – Monday, Oct. 31 from 8 to 9:15 p.m. What better way to embrace the ghoulishness of the holiday then with a little recreation of literary genius Edgar Allen Poe? Actor David Keltz will be portray Poe’s visit to our great state in 1849, right before his death, at Alexandria’s History Museum: The Lyceum. Hear the likes of uber-popular “The Raven,” as well as “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Black Cat” and “The Cask of Amontillado.” This chilling story event costs $15.
Chipotle’s Annual BOORITO Event!
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, October 25th, 2011
Chipotle has always described their restaurants as “food with integrity.” They have a commitment to finding the very best ingredients, combined with the respect for the environment, animals and farmers. Their new ad, “Back to the Start,” gives a great example of how they’re incorporating more local farms and ingredients into all their restaurants. I love this- and certainly wasn’t expecting a Chipotle commercial the first time I saw it!
With that in mind, think about attending Chipotle’s annual BOORITO event!
Here is how it works: Dress in a costume inspired by the family farm, go to any Chipotle restaurant between 6:00 PM and closing on Monday October 31and Chipotle will give you a burrito, order of tacos, salad or bowl for $2, with proceeds (up to $1 million) benefitting the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation and Farm Aid.
There’s an online costume contest, too. To participate, customers dressed in a costume inspired by the family farm — a humanely raised animal (i.e. happy pigs, chickens or cows , a family farmer, a locally grown veggie — must each take a photo of themselves visiting a Chipotle restaurant on Halloween, and upload it online at Chipotle.com/Boorito or text “COSTUME” to 888222. One grand prize winner will receive $2,500, and five runners up will receive $1,000 each. Twenty honorable mention winners will receive a burrito party for 10 guests.
In addition, Chipotle produced a short called “Abandoned” to promote Boorito 2011. It is posted to the Cultivate Foundation website. This haunting film encourages people to “Show Family Farmers Some Love This Halloween” by participating in Boorito, and features an acoustic cover of “Mama, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.” The song, made famous by Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings in 1978, is sung in “Abandoned” by Karen O, lead singer for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
Support your local farms and eat some great food too!
– Jennie Whistler
Halloween Fun With Four-Legged Friends
Posted by Lorin Drinkard / Tuesday, October 25th, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Look who's all dressed up! / Photo courtesy: Shutterstock/ Willee Cole
Annual Howl-o-ween Party
Oct. 27th. Registration @ 4:30 p.m. Does your pup have what it takes to be voted The Most Glamorous Get-Up? How about Top Dog? For a $10 donation*, you can find out who’s who among the other dressed up doggies. Enter yours in Hotel Monaco‘s annual Halloween competition. Heck, maybe the two of you will take home the Best Dressed Couple award. *And all that money raised? It goes to benefit the Alexandria Animal Welfare League. Talk about a win/win situation. (No, not that Situation).
Halloween Pet Photo Shoot
Oct. 29th. Appointment times vary. They say a picture is worth 1,000 words. What about postcards of you and Mr. Bulldog in your Halloween get-up? For $20, Dented Lens Photography is offering a 15 minute photo session for pets and owners. Bring your craziest/scariest/most original costumes and prepare to make fun fall memories. Reservations can be made here.
Lake Accotink Park “Howloween” & Boneyard Hunt
Oct. 29th from 2 to 4 p.m. Put Fido’s sniffer to good use at this action-packed event where Sherlock-like skills lead right to the treats. For an afternoon of costumes, prizes and graveyard doggy bone digging, sign up here. Advanced sign-up is needed; admission is $6/per dog.
NoVA boasts numerous Halloween events that are canine-approved. / Photo courtesy: William Stall
Howl-o-Ween at Morven Park
Oct. 29th from 2 to 4 p.m. Doggie vendors, demonstrations and a parade, oh my! For a frightfully exciting afternoon with your canine companion, don’t miss out on Morven Park‘s first annual Halloween-themed bash. From nail trimming and obedience tips to a costume contest and silent auction, there’s a ton of fun for both owners and pets. Entrance fee is $5 for dogs; half of the proceeds benefit the Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue.
Doggy Halloween Party
Oct. 30th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Still need to snatch up a great costume for your pup? PetMAC‘s is the place to grab one, then stick around for their ghastly good human-and-dogs Halloween shindig. Treats, games and photo ops await you both. Oh, and store discounts. And costume contests. Also, all photo donations will be given to Homeward Trails.
Halloween With the Animals
Oct. 31st from 6 to 9 p.m. Munch on fresh, farm-to-table Hors d’oeuvres from the Hunter’s Head Tavern cooks while mingling with the other owners at this pet-friendly evening. “That’s mine there with the tutu” were never such prouder words. Costumes are a must, as winners will be selected for three categories: Best Pet, Best Human, and Best Pet/Human Duo Costume.
Wherever you and the pup go, be sure to take lots of pictures and then submit your top fall photo for the chance to win gifts and other prizes.
For more Halloween in NoVA best bets, go over to our Food and Wine Guide. And brace yourself, here’s yesterday’s post: NoVA Halloween Guide: Scary Edition.
- Lorin Drinkard
NoVA’s Scariest Halloween Events!
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, October 24th, 2011
Monday, Oct. 24, 2011
It’s Halloween week. Halloween has transformed over the past decade or so to a major, multi-faceted holiday. But one of its oldest traditions is scariness. So if it’s scares you’re looking for, here are some of NoVA’s best events.
Arlington’s Zombi Race is one of the best Halloween events I’ve ever heard of. Zombies are more popular than ever these days, and I’m surprised it took this long for an event like this to surface.
It’s brilliant: sign up as either a zombie or a human (this just in–zombie tickets are sold out), and make sure to dress the part. Then navigate through a series of checkpoints scattered throughout the city. You don’t even have to navigate by foot. Feel free to use public transportation, though private vehicles like bikes and cars are banned. If you’re a zombie, try to “infect” as many people as possible by simply tagging them. If you’re a human, avoid getting tagged; but if you are tagged, you’re now a zombie.
Zombi Race flyer photo. Courtesy Frawg Stomp Event management.
Oh, and further adding to the awesome factor: the race starts and ends at Bailey’s Pub and Grill, with discounted food and drinks for racers before and after the event. Just make sure to register ahead of time–registration on the day of the race is not allowed. And you gotta be 21, too. Run for your life on Oct. 28 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. It costs $30 per person.
Halloween Woods turns Algonkian Park in Sterling into a chaotic nightmare. This event’s been around for a few years, and truly lives up to its scariness. In fact, their website includes a disclaimer that children, pregnant women, and people with heart conditions should not participate.
The woods open at 7 p.m. and tickets are available until as late as 11 p.m. Take your pick of dates from Oct. 28-31. Tickets are $15 each.
Manor House Madness in Leesburg should be another super creepy event. The Greenway Manor House will turn into an insane asylum filled with all sorts of disturbing residents. Somewhat ironically, the event is put on by The Edge Youth Ministry. But testimonials for prior events make clear that the organizers don’t hold back. It’ll be scary. And best of all, it’s totally free. If you want to get scared this Friday night, be there from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Manor House Madness from Destiny Church on Vimeo.
And if you’re hungry after all that scaring, don’t worry–we put together a Halloween food and wine guide. And here are some less scary but just as fun events.
–Matt Basheda
News for Brides and Halloween Lovers
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, October 19th, 2011
Hello, shoppers! Although weddings and Halloween don’t normally go very well together, that’s what this Sales & News post is all about.
Let’s get to the brides first.
The Warrenton bridal boutique A Formal Affair will host an exclusive trunk show featuring the Wtoo Fall 2011 collection on Oct. 21-23. The Wtoo line has won multiple awards, been featured in various celebrity weddings and is known to be stylish yet affordable. Designers and bridal fashion experts will give advice at the trunk show, and the event will also display more wedding gowns in the boutique than it normally has. Definitely an event not to be missed! To make an appointment, call 540-347-5126.
A dress from Wtoo. (Photo courtesy of A Formal Affair)
Also in wedding news: While Anthropologie launched its wedding site BHLDN back in February and no real sales are happening right now, we couldn’t help but throw a little extra love over to the site for its new arrivals, like this gorgeous clutch! Just one example of the site’s wide selection of to-die-for items.
The Kissing Ovals Clutch from Anthropologie's wedding line BHLDN. (Photo courtesy of www.bhldn.com)
As for Halloween … and speaking of getting all dressed up, Alexandria’s Pink & Brown is having their third annual Halloween Costume Contest! The child with the best costume wins a $100 Pink & Brown gift card. Pictures will be taken on Oct. 17-31 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and will be posted throughout the store so shoppers can vote. Voting will take place Nov. 3-13, and the winner is to be announced Nov. 16.
And in other Halloween news … Still looking for a Halloween costume? Don’t overlook B-thrifty, Woodbridge’s new mega-thrift store, which carries tons of clothing perfect for being crafted into costumes for kids and adults. Plus, for giving the store an old costume, you’ll score a $5 credit and a free children’s toy.
B-thrifty is also hosting a couple of special events during this spooky season:
—-On all Saturdays and Sundays from Oct. 15-29, from 1-3 p.m., all kids can receive a free pumpkin and snacks.
—-On Oct. 30 bring the kids for trick-or-treating and a costume contest. Trick-or-treating is from noon to 3 p.m., and prizes are awarded at 1, 2 and 3 p.m.
—-On Oct. 31 from 3-7 p.m. the store will host a Halloween party with games, food, prizes and goody bags.
Finally, why should your kids have all of the holiday fun? The Old Town Boutique District is hosting their Third Annual Trick-or-Treating event on Oct. 29, when kids and parents alike are invited to enjoy tricks and treats from the 30 participating boutiques. Posters will be displayed in participating stores designating them as trick-or-treat friendly. The event will be held during the boutiques’ normal hours.
Happy shopping!
–Lexie Ramage
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, October 19th, 2011
With Halloween around the corner, I figured I’d take the time to start talking about things like witches, ghosts and monsters. But what I want to talk about is a different kind of monster…what kind of monster, you ask?
Ooh, ahhh…a green monster!
Image: Real Illusion/Shutterstock
Okay, so it’s not a real monster. It’s quite the opposite, actually. I’m not sure why it’s called a “monster,” but basically a green monster is a healthy green colored smoothie–made green from blended spinach or kale. By blending together spinach or kale with milk (of your choice, but soy or almond would be true to the ‘movement’), fruit, and health seeds or powders, this smoothie acts as a natural energizer, nutrient provider, and even skin clearer.
Image: V.J. Matthew/Shutterstock
Most “green monsters” are made with normal smoothie ingredients like frozen bananas and milk, but the addition of spinach or other leafy greens have enormous health benefits with a huge dose of antioxidants, iron, vitamins, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids if you add in something like flax or chia seeds.
Though it looks a little unappetizing, devout Green Monster drinkers swear by them for their delicious taste, quickness to make, and easy intake of your daily fruits and vegetables and other nutrients.
Here’s the most basic Green Monster recipe, from the Green Monster Movement site:
2 cups organic spinach
1-1 ¼ cups milk (any kind)
1 tablespoon flax (optional)
1 banana
Handful of ice
Blend everything together on high speed in your blender for about 1 minute.
Check out the “Movement” for more information, and if you’re feeling brave during this Halloween season, why not try something a little healthier than candy?
-Julia Harbo