Spooky Halloween Leftovers

Whew, it's hard to believe Halloween season is over and that November is already half over! This Halloween season was a little rough on me (not to mention being hit with some bad post-Halloween blues), so I'm taking a break to reset and focus on goals for next year. I need some time to focus on the smaller things, spend time with myself and family, and get inspired for next year.

In the meantime, I thought I'd share some of my Halloween leftovers with you all, which are basically just a random bunch of pictures from the Halloween season I haven't yet shared here. Looking back at what I did this season is a big help in getting me excited about next Halloween season, believe it or not! And hopefully they will help me (and maybe you) beat the Halloween blues.

Check out some Halloween 2017 leftovers below:

Sanrio Pumpkin Patch at Tanaka Farms

Hanging out at the pumpkin patch with my spooky Sanrio friends!

At the beginning of October, I did one of my favorite things - visit my local pumpkin patch! I have been going to Tanaka Farms for years and enjoying their pumpkin patch is one of my Halloween traditions. This year, they teamed up with Sanrio to bring some Hello Kitty cuteness to their patch! I usually go opening weekend, but this Sanrio collaboration proved to be so popular that we decided to go in the middle of the week instead and it was much less crowded.

Last Pumpkin Patch Visit

My favorite pumpkin patch, Tanaka Farms, announced that they would be open the day after Halloween for one last hurrah (and to try to find good homes for all their leftover pumpkins - you could buy a wheelbarrow full for only $10!). So after work yesterday I hopped on my broomstick and flew over to enjoy another hour or so in one of my favorite places, the pumpkin patch.

It was a beautiful fall day, with cool (well, cool for SoCal) temps, a nice breeze rustling the corn stalks, and bright blue skies contrasting against the orange of the remaining pumpkins. The pumpkin fields were pretty sparse, as all of the pumpkin vines had been pulled up and a few pumpkins were smashed and rotting, with the faint smell of stinky-sweet pumpkin rot hanging in the air, but I was ecstatic to be back in the pumpkin patch for what felt like an extra bonus round of Halloween! There were only a few families here and there along with a few workers in the fields, but for the most part it was quiet and beautiful. It felt like the perfect way to say goodbye to Halloween. 

Here are some photos I took of my last pumpkin patch visit of 2016:

Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch 2016 Visit

One of my Halloween traditions is to visit our local pumpkin patch at least once every season! With the weather here in Orange County never quite reaching ideal fall temperatures (we're usually still stuck in the 70s and 80s) and no real autumn foliage to enjoy, visiting the pumpkin patch is one of the few nature-y things I can do in SoCal that manages to invoke that special Halloween feeling!

Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch

Per October tradition, I visited the Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch in early October. It was a relatively warm Saturday morning when I arrived, and all the pumpkins were still covered in dew from the night before. Pumpkin patches are my favorite, and this is the only "real" pumpkin patch in the area where they grow their own pumpkins (well, this year they had a bunch of pumpkins trucked in as well - the drought no doubt affected this year's crop) and other veggies/fruits. Here are some pics I took at the pumpkin patch:

31 Days of Halloween: Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch 2014

One of my annual Halloween traditions is hitting up the pumpkin patch, and my most favorite one I've been to in Orange County is located just about 10 minutes from me in Irvine! If you've followed me for a while, you probably will recognize the Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch as one of my most favorite places to be.

I visited the pumpkin patch about a month ago (on opening day back in September), but still wanted to share some photos with you of this gorgeous gourd garden! I wish I could visit in the middle of the night on Halloween (I still can't believe it is only two days away!) and wait for the Great Pumpkin!

31 Days of Halloween: Halloween 2014 Events in Orange County

There are lots of eerie events and activities going on this month in Orange County that are sure to get you in the Halloween spirit! There seems to be something for everyone, from scary mazes for adults and teens, to kid-friendly pumpkin patches, to jaw-dropping Halloween displays everyone can enjoy!

I've compiled a handy list of some of the haunting happenings in Orange County and also listed a few events that will occur beyond OC since they were just too good to leave out! You can check out my list below, though please note this isn't an all-inclusive list of all Halloween events. If you have a favorite event I've left out, please let me know in the comments!

Anaheim's Halloween Parade

Join in the fun with Anaheim's Halloween parade on October 25th, 2014, which has been celebrating the season since 1924! Fantastic floats, a Miss Fall Festival competition, and lots of Halloween activities at the end of the parade route round out this fun tradition! This is a free event to attend, but any activities, games, etc. are extra.

Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch 2014

Happy first day of fall! And what's better than kicking off the first day of the most wonderful season than with a visit to the pumpkin patch? Nothing, that's what!

I visited the Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch, the first pumpkin patch to open near me, yesterday! It is located in the Irvine Regional Park on the foothills between Irvine and Orange. Not only was it a perfect way to kick off autumn, but the weather was gloriously gloomy to boot!

31 Days of Halloween: Happy Halloween and Checking Off My Halloween Bucket List!

Wow, is it just me or did October really fly by this year? I cannot believe today is the day I have been counting down to for months and months and months! This was definitely a whirlwind month, and I wish I had more time to do more Halloween-y events! Alas, I did not complete all the items on my Halloween Bucket List for this year, but the good news is I was able to enjoy a fair amount of them! Let's review what I got around to doing this year, shall we?

31 Days of Halloween: Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch

One of my most favorite places is the Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch in Irvine, California. I love the fact that it is a real working farm and you can actually pick your own pumpkins from the rows upon glorious rows of orange (and white and green) gourds that line its hillsides. It holds a very special place in my heart, and so of course one of my Halloween traditions is to visit it at least once every autumn! I generally try to go opening weekend, which is what I did this year.

Here are some photos from the patch this year:

 So. Many. Pumpkins!

Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch

I love pumpkin patches! They are probably one of my favorite places in the world! So when the opening of Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch coincided with the arrival of autumn, I couldn't resist checking it out! Irvine Park Railroad is located in the foothills of North Tustin/Orange in Irvine Regional Park. It's only about 20 or so minutes from my house, but I had never made the trek out there.

The pumpkin patch was a little more kid-oriented than I would have liked, but it was still fun! It had a small (but adorable) train that goes around the park, a hay maze, carnival games, a few kid rides and activities, hay rides and even a pint-sized haunted house (that was pretty awesomely decorated and free)! Most of the rides and activities cost money (plus it was $5 to enter the park), but I was content just walking around and going in the little (free!) haunted house. I was ecstatic to see all the pretty pumpkins carted in and arranged for picking, too!

Here are some pics from the first day of fall at the pumpkin patch:

You can tell I am sooooo happy in this picture!

31 Days of Halloween: HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Our day is finally here! Happy Halloween everybody!

Whew, it has definitely been a jam-packed October! Halloween is always bittersweet when it finally arrives...I mean, it's Halloween, so YAY! At the same time, though, it is also signifies the end of October and the end of Halloween activities. Boo!

Speaking of Halloween activities, at the beginning of the month I shared with you my bucket list for the season. Like most years, I didn't get to do everything I wanted, but I put a decent dent in the list and, more importantly, thoroughly enjoyed this October's activities!

So, here again is my bucket list with all the items I accomplished!

• Drink apple cider
• Eat Candy Corn Oreos
• Crunch through dry leaves - Not many fall leaves here in SoCal, but my parking lot at work has tons I stomped through!
• Visit the pumpkin patch - Yay for Tanaka Farms! Read about my visit here!

• Have friends over to carve pumpkins - We hosted a fun horror movie night and also went over to a friend's place to carve pumpkins
• Throw an awesome Zombie Prom Halloween party  - Success!
• Pick out a zombie Halloween costume - Prom Queens, I'll eat your hearts out!
• Listen to Halloween music
• Watch Halloween-themed movies

• Watch the classic Universal Monster movies - I actually watched some new ones I had never seen before, like Son of Frankenstein!
• Wear flannel, scarves and boots - The weather finally cooled down enough so I was able to do this!
• Visit the Halloween store - Visited multiple ones this year!
• Bake pumpkin everything! - It was mostly too hot to do this, so I didn't get to bake as much as I wanted to
• Snuggle up in Halloween blankets - I even bought a new one from Target to add to my collection
• Try as many pumpkin beers as possible - I stuck with Blue Moon's Harvest Pumpkin Spice this month, so I didn't quite succeed with this one.
• Make icky-looking Halloween food - Zombie brains and fingers, anyone?
• Drink pumpkin tea and/or shakes - I made pumpkin pie shakes and lived on Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spice tea!

• Send Halloween cards to friends and family
• Wear as much orange, black, purple and green (Halloween colors!) as possible
• Check out fall foliage (even if it is just lusting through pictures) - Thanks to Tumblr and Pinterest for this!
• Watch Halloween cartoons
• Buy new Halloween pajamas - Finally found some at Walmart (read my post) of all places!
• Eat vegan Halloween candy
• Buy Sweet n Sara Halloween s’mores - I didn't order these in time...argh!
• Get pumpkin trees from Whole Foods or Trader Joe's 
• Visit the Halloween display at Roger’s Gardens - Beautiful as always! Read about it here!
• Go to a haunted house, haunt or hayride - Darn, totally missed out on these this year.

• Read The Halloween Tree and other Halloween-themed stories
• Go to Disneyland for Halloweentime
• Put up Halloween lights and decorations
• Paint my nails with Halloween colors / get a Halloween manicure
• Go see ParaNorman / Hotel Transylvania / Frankenweenie in theaters - I didn't get to see any of these! :(
• See V/H/S / Paranormal Activity 4 / Sinister and other horror movies in theaters - I only need to see PA4
• See the original Halloween in theaters - Missed it 
• See Night of the Living Dead play - Missed it
• Go to Universal Horror Nights or Knott’s Scary Farm - couldn't find the time to go this year

• Take advantage of any Halloween DVD sales of horror movies
• Visit Julian, CA to pick apples - Sigh...it was just too hot to make the trek, plus I don't think the crop was all that great this year. 
• Roast pumpkin seeds
• Check out as many stores with Halloween decor/items as possible (Target, Walmart, JoAnn Fabrics, Home Goods, etc.) - I did them all and spend FAR too much!
• Wear Halloween tights
• Try new autumn recipes - It was just too hot to cook or bake anything autumn-y this month. Hopefully in November I'll be able to try some new recipes.
• Eat as many pumpkin-based foods as possible

• Wear Halloween jewelry - I got a new bat necklace and Halloween bracelets
• Visit cemeteries - Didn't get to any this year
• Complete the 31 Days of Halloween challenge! - WHEW! I posted at least 1 post every day this whole month! For the third year in a row! Yay!

31 Days of Halloween: A Visit to the Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch

One of my favorite Halloween traditions is a visit to our wonderful local pumpkin patch at Tanaka Farms! Tanaka Farms grows their own pumpkins and is one of those rare "pick-your-own" pumpkin patches where you can choose your perfect pumpkin right off the vine! Best of all, they are located just about 15 minutes from me in Irvine, California.

I try to make it to Tanaka Farms on the opening weekend of their pumpkin patch every year, with 2012 being no different. Mister Spooky and I were there bright and early their opening weekend to walk among the rows and rows of dewy pumpkins.

Check out my photos of the pumpkin patch below:

Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch 2012

Mister Skellington Scarecrow

 I love sitting on top of the big pile o' pumpkins!

 A beautiful day for pumpkin picking

 Monster-sized pumpkins!

 He who walks between the rows

 Hello scarecrow!

 Heaven is a pumpkin patch

 A very happy Spooky Vegan

 I loved the twisty vine on this pumpkin!

 Until next year, Tanaka Farms!

31 Days of Halloween: 2012 Halloween Events and Haunts in Orange County, CA

We are lucky here in Orange County and totally spoiled by all the spook-tacular haunts and other events that are put on the month of Halloween! There is pretty much something for everyone, from zombie plays to hair-raising haunts to some cute-rather-than-creepy trick 'r' treating events!

This year is packed with so many goodies that there just aren't enough days in October to do or see everything! I've compiled a few that caught my eye below, as well as listing some old favorites! This isn't an all-inclusive list of all events in Orange County, so please let me know if you have a particular favorite I've missed in the comments below!

The Empty Grave

Located at the GardenWalk in Anaheim, this is "A terrifying look beyond the rusty gates of an old cemetery where the undead are waiting to meet those living and breathing who dare to seek out the empty grave." I've always wanted to check this one out...has anyone gone?

Dark Harbor at the Queen Mary

This October, the Queen Mary steams full speed ahead into a harbor of the damned at the annual Dark Harbor Haunted Halloween Event. There are 15 nights of mazes, live music, food, drinks and plenty of horrifying surprises that are sure to leave you screaming for more. So enter the haunted harbor after sunset if you dare, because this year the scare-fest takes on a horrifying new dimension.

Knott's Scary Farm Halloween Haunt

Celebrating their 40th anniversary, this popular attraction has grown to be the largest, most creative and most attended Halloween attraction in the world. Each year all 160-acres of Knott's Berry Farm are transformed into your worst nightmare with 13 themed mazes, seven live shows, and three scare zones featuring hundreds of free-roaming monsters.

Halloween Time at Disneyland

One of my favorite places to go anytime, but especially Halloween! Pumpkins everywhere, villains roaming the streets and the already awesome Haunted Mansion gets a Nightmare Before Christmas makeover ... plus this year they have a 4D preview and art exhibit of Frankenweenie!

Haunted Fullerton Walking Tours

Did you know Fullerton is one of the most haunted cities around? Ghosts are lurking at every corner. Take this tour and find out what businesses have pots and pans flying around after hours, what famous deceased Fullertonian makes an “appearance” now and then, enjoy some of Fullerton's history. These tours are a celebration of local legend while sharing stories of another facet of Fullerton’s history, particularly that of the downtown.

Ghosts of Old Orange County Tour

Meet the Spirits from Orange County and California history as they tell stories of how the state and county were formed. Journey through Heritage Museum’s seven-acre site in this after-dark living history program for adults and children in 3rd grade or higher. The tour will run approximately 1 hour 45 minutes.

Haunted Halloween in Silverado Canyon

Meet a ghost who haunts the historic mining town of Silverado. Follow him into a creepy woodland where shadowy shapes and strange sounds arise. Gather under an old oak tree and hear tales of long ago. Meet an assortment of ghosts who are doomed to relive tragic events of their lives. Bring a homemade/homegrown local organic potluck item (fruit, baked goods) to share or trade with participants. Summon the great spirit of the grizzly bear who roamed the mountains until 1908. Sing songs of the macabre.

Haunted Garden at the Fullerton Arboretum

Every year the Fullerton Arboretum transforms their garden into a haven for all that goes bump in the night. But don’t worry, their guides will take you safely through the treacherous paths that wind through the dark forest the evil spirits call home.

San Juan Capistrano Haunted Walking Tours

Get in the spirit of Halloween by joining the Historical Society Walking Tour Guides on a spooky walking tour of Los Rios Street, the oldest residential neighborhood in California. Be prepared for creepy tales of big black dogs, strange monks who have lost their heads, ghostly tales about a lady in white and other goings on.

Halloween (1978) on the Big Screen

John Carpenter's Halloween classic will be returning to the big screen in select cities starting October 25th! The film will be playing at Anaheim's UltraLuxe GardenWalk Cinemas and I definitely plan on being there! Tickets aren't quite available yet, but check this listing to see if this classic will be playing near you!

Night of the Living Dead On-Stage

The zombie classic that started it all - on STAGE! This play returns for it's 7th year and I hope I can make it up to Fullerton to see it this year!

Everybody Dies Horror Film Festival

The EDHFF returns for its second year in Brea, CA to host a weekend full of frights! This is Orange County's only horror film festival and it hosts some excellent indie short and feature-length films. This festival is put together by horror filmmakers for horror filmmakers and fans! Don't miss out!

Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch

My absolute favorite pumpkin patch (yes, a real one) in Orange County! Fields of pick-your-own-pumpkins, hay rides, corn maze and much, much more! Going here every October is tradition for me!

What will you be attending this year? What are your favorite Halloween activities in Orange County?

31 Days of Halloween: A Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

One of my absolutely favorite places in the world is the pumpkin patch! Every first weekend of October I head to opening of Tanaka Farms pumpkin patch in Irvine, CA. It's a vibrant working farm in the otherwise drab suburbia of Orange County (where I reside). They are open year-round, and besides their annual pumpkin patch they also feature lots of other events, including their summer watermelon tours!

Last weekend, Mister Spooky and I took our annual trip to the pumpkin patch at Tanaka Farms, and though it was a little warm we had a fabulous time! The sun was shining, the birds were chirping and fields upon fields of pumpkins lay before us! What could be more grand?

 

And if you are in the SoCal area, I highly encourage you to check out the lovely Tanaka Farms! Plus, parking and entry are free! Check out their website for more!

Do you have a favorite pumpkin patch?