Doctor Who Series 7 on DVD

Well this week sees the release of the first 5 episodes of Doctor Who Series 7 on DVD in the UK. Special features include the preludes to 'Asylum of the Daleks' & 'A Town Called Mercy' as well as the 5 mini episode season prequel 'Pond Life.' But if you're a Dr Who you'll already know all that. Anyway when 'Asylum of the Daleks was first aired the 'Radio Times' put out a 'Dalek Bingo' card to see if viewers could tick off all the different types of Dalek seen throughout the episode. So if anyone missed getting the card and want to give it a go now the DVD has been released... here it is...

Wednesday 31st October 2012

The day after the party... & pumpkin carving results!

Well, the house is a little tidier! No breakages or spillages, just a fake plastic turd left in the kitchen sink!

Last night seemed to go well judging by the fact that the food all went. Alison won the pumpkin carving competition yet again! And the party was attended by 2 Borg, 2 skeletons, a vampire, pumpkinhead, 3 witches, Uncle Fester & Herbert West.

I also did an unlucky dip where everyone had to uncover cups under which were Candy Corn or if unlucky crickets, grasshoppers or worms!

There were also some cocktails brought along... one inspired by 'Night of the Demons 3' and the other a variant on a martini!

A few quick pictures below for those who attended...

... and those who are looking for pumpkin carving designs.

Sunday 28th October 2012

The day before the party...

Well tomorrow see's my 21st annual Halloween Party... and I already have pictures to upload on here of things we'll be eating and possible pumpkin designs for my entry in the carving contest... but I won't spoil the surprise!

Instead, I found these pictures from way back in 1994 when I was a member of Folkestone Rotaract Club and we went to support Bexley Rotaract Club who were holding a Rocky Horror themed disco to raise money for some charity. Anyway, the then newest member of the Folkestone club certainly went all out on his fancy dress costume!

Andy Renfrew, wherever you are now, I hope this doesn't embarrass you too much!!!

Friday 26th October 2012

Folkestone Zombie Walk 2012

It was obviously such a success last year that it's got a second outing - Saturday November 2012. I should be there and posting photos the day after. Until then this write up appeared in the local newspaper last week.

25th October 2012

Folkestone's Newest Bar

I saw this flyer in my local fish & chip shop on the way home tonight advertising a new bar in Folkestone that's opening on Halloween night and what a great piece of advertising. It's just a shame I'll not be there.

The website listed on the back isn't up & running when I checked and I'm not on facebook, but it seems the bar will be in Rendezvous Street and will host DJs on Wednesdays & Fridays and live bands on Saturdays. So good luck, as Folkestone needs good bars and pubs to help with its regeneration.

Wednesday 24th October 2012

Asda Halloween magazine

Asda's November free magazine is now out in store and in time for Halloween. There's lots of pages related to promoting Halloween in Asda from an article about one of their pumpkin farmer, a page on how to carve pumpkins, lots of pages of adverts for Halloween decorations and costumes in store and plenty of recipes aimed at both kids and adults.

The pumpkin, pine nut & honey cake looks the most appetising and may warrant cooking...

Tuesday 23rd October 2012

This year's pumpkin...

My pumpkin seeds came to nothing this year with the wet summer and getting building work done in my garden meant I didn't have any home grown squash or pumpkins to carve or cook for this year's party. However a neighbour who sadly passed away a couple of weeks ago left a note asking whether I wanted one of his pumpkins and a marrow. So here they are. The pumpkin about as heavy as I'd want to pick up and I collected it yesterday evening. It should provide for all my soup and cake needs over the holiday season.

Monday 22nd October 2012

The Grand Hotel Folkestone Halloween Party

I was at a book fair yesterday at the Grand Hotel on the Leas in Folkestone and saw this flyer for a Halloween Party at the Keppels Bar at the Hotel. Thought the flyer was done well and I would've probably attended if I wasn't already joining friends for a birthday drink somewhere else. So for those of you in the Folkestone area who fancy a classy Halloween night out in a posh hotel bar rather than a chavvy nightclub... The Grand may be the place to try out!

Sunday 21st October 2012

Dario Argento books

Well, I've just finished reading my Halloween treat to myself! - the updated version of 'Dario Argento - The Man, the Myths & the Magic - by Alan Jones.'

The Original version titled 'Profondo Argento' has been out of print for some time now, so the reprint contains a 'Secondo Tempo' as the author calls it which is effectively an extra 71 pages bringing the filmography up to date. The new chapters include the TV & film work from 2005 to 2012 which includes: 'Do You Like Hitchcock?', 'Jenifer', 'Pelts', 'Mother Of Tears', 'Giallo' & 'Dracula 3D.'

Heavy reading at times, this is still a worthwhile if expensive read and the definitive book for Argento completists... and I'm lucky enough to have both my copies signed by Dario Argento himself.

For those looking for something a little lighter then there is available Mediane's book in their series of directors which runs to 145 pages, which contains mainly photos from the films up to 'Mother Of Tears' with a chapter giving the director's biography and filmography. The selling point for this book for me though is the Soundtrack CD at the end which is a compilation of tracks from most of Dario's films from 'The Bird With The Crystal Plumage' up to 'The Card Player.'

Saturday 20th October 2012

Petrified Penguins

Last Halloween I put on pictures of various cake bars that supermarkets were selling which had been re-branded with special packaging for Halloween. It seems this year that a little less effort is being made by the food manufacturers. Although the popular chocolate biscuit brand 'Penguin' is trying to make some money out of the Halloween season, one has to admit that their packaging is somewhat lame and uninspired!

Friday 19th October 2012

Pumpkin seed spread

I was in a branch of the health food shop 'Holland & Barrett' yesterday and purchased a couple of jars of pumpkin seed spread. They had the variety I reported on last October when I visited Whitstable, but also they had the variety below. It's not strictly a pumpkin seed spread but contains a mix of pumpkin, sunflower & sesame seeds ground into a spread. So still worth a try.

Wednesday 17th October 2012

Frankenweenie goodies

Being a Disney funded film I'd expect Disney stores to be stocked up this time of the year and of their stock of plush toys, and lunchboxes, the 'Sparky' plush is the best on offer.

But of more interest in the Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo who is offering about half a dozen different of Tim Burton's Frankenweenie original designs on tshirts. I bought two - the black one has an understated illustration below the caption, and the green one is a lovely lurid colour. The other tshirts although having bigger illustrations on tended not to be so clear on the grey or black backgrounds. Anyway see what you think...

Tuesday 16th October 2012

The Fog CD Soundtrack

At last the soundtrack to John Carpenter's great film has been re-released after years of being unavailable. Not only does it have the remastered soundtrack that was released in 2000, but now there's an extra disc with the original 1980 score cues. Silva Screen is the company that's put out the CD.

Monday 15th October 2012

Halloween at the zoo

Port Lympne is the nearest zoo/safari park to Folkestone and not only a very popular tourist destination but the  John Aspinall Foundation that runs Port Lympne & Howletts are committed to breeding and reintroducing endangered species back into the wild.

And it seems Halloween for the animals has turned up a couple of weeks early!

Sunday 14th October 2012

Halloween Wine Labels

Visited Sellfridges after work this week and amidst the usual paper plates, decorations and chocolate I did find some self-adhesive wine bottle labels that look quite fun to use. And also there was a 60 question horror themed trivia quiz that'll get an airing at my party.

Saturday 13th October 2012

Gingerdead Men

Had a friend post this little cookie cutter through my door yesterday which she bought in Lakeland. I like the fact that you turn it over and impress the skeleton which you can later ice.

Saturday 13th October 2012

Pandaphobia

Well actually there's no official word for the fear of pandas, you have to make do with agrizoophobia which is a fear of wild animals. So let's create a new word to describe the fear of these most stupid of creatures.

I have a friend who fears pandas... well perhaps not so much fears, as dislikes intensely due to the said creatures fulfilling no purpose. Their lack of sex drive perhaps is nature's way of making them extinct; so why do us humans have to try to save them when they can't even be bothered to further their own species and would rather eat some bamboo instead.

So perhaps instead of pandaphobia we should Latin-ise and come up with Pandodium which would be a hatred of pandas.

Anyway this appeared in yesterday's London Evening Standard and I have seen the same or a similar picture in a newspaper earlier in the year. How disturbing!

Wednesday 10th October 2012

Pumpkinhead vs The Big Bang Theory

I watched my DVD of the 1988 film 'Pumpkinhead' last night - the directorial debut of Stan Winston, the special effects maestro behind Terminator & Aliens & also starring the great Lance Henriksen (another 'Alien' connection!)

Not only is it a great film to get you in the Halloween spirit, I was intrigued by what I'd heard about the film also being one of the first screen appearances by Mayim Bialik. Or for those uninitiated - 'Blossom' or more recently 'Amy Farrah Fowler' from The Big Bang Theory.

So what to look out for... she's one of the local 'Wallace' kids when the truck turns up at Lance Henriksen's store. She's the kid on the left in the back of the truck and you see her briefly when she gets off the truck and the kids torment one of their own by singing about the Pumpkinhead creature.

Tuesday 9th October 2012

Pumpkin food at Morrisons

When getting the Halloween beer yesterday I also picked up some pumpkin & squash related food items.

The Goats Cheese & Roasted Butternut Squash dip sounds like it's going to be nice... with goat's cheese quite a strong taste and pumpkin quite sweet when roasted. However I was to be disappointed! If I hadn't read the label first and just tasted it blind I would've had no idea as to the intended flavour. So don't waste you money.

The Pumpkin Tortelli I ate today. Pasta parcels filled with pumpkin, ricotta cheese and crushed amaretti biscuits... sounds quite nice on the packet. Yet again one to avoid I'm afraid! Very bland. If you want pumpkin pasta try the Tesco Finest range or Waitrose's Pumpkin & Pine Nut pasta.

The soup review will have to wait for another day.

Sunday 7th October 2012

Halloween beer - part 5

Well, Morrisons seem to be the only UK supermarket encouraging alcoholics to get into the Halloween spirit!

Morrisons do seem to rotate their choice of beers whereas Tesco, Sainsburys & Asda are all extremely poor in getting seasonal beers in. I guess they are more tied in to cheap deals with the big breweries.

So, go to Morrisons for beer!!!

Most of the lines are the same as last year: Hobgoblin, & Pumpking Ale from Wychwood (they also had Wychcraft too); Spooky Ale from Shepherd Neame; Ghost Ship from Adnams; but it was good to see some Moorhouse beers on sale this year too. Pendle Witches Brew I've picked up in the past from Sourced at St. Pancras rail station, but I've never tried their Black Cat or Blonde Witch before.

Saturday 6th October 2012

New Shrek Halloween DVD

It's the 5th October already and I've been a bit remiss in putting entries on here... but then again the shops have been a bit poor this year for Halloween goodies. TKMaxx which usually has Halloween decorations out from mid-August (& usually slightly odd rustic looking ones usually of very good quality i.e. metal, ceramics & wood rather than cheapo plastic) have just got kids costumes in the local store this year. Asda have got their decorations out and lots of them - geared also towards the kids party end of the market. Sainsburys have got the best selection from a supermarket perspective and they have a selection of cheap Halloween animation DVDs and some CDs of Halloween music, of which the 5 disc set of tunes by original artists is worth buying. Tesco haven't got there decorations out yet, but they have got the following DVD in stock for just £5. And this may be a Tesco exclusive, I don't know yet. Last year they had 'Scared Shrekless,' a 24 minute animation on DVD that no other shops stocked. This year also for £5 they have a new Halloween Shrek DVD called 'Shrek's Terrifying Tales.'

The best bit about it though is that it contains last year's 'Scared Shrekless' which was great. Out of the other short animated tales the parody of Michael Jackson's Thriller video is the best bit. 'The Pig Who Cried Werewolf' is OK, but 'The Night Of The Living Carrots' and 'The Ghost Of Lord Farquaad' are poor. This years offering lacks the humour of last year's. However for £5 you get the whole lot and can't really go wrong.

Thursday 5th October 2012