Gothic Love Songs for a Spooky Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

We all know music is the true language of love, so I decided to put together a few of my favorite love songs of the gothic persuasion to celebrate this day of amore!

Note: I realize these aren't all truly "goth" songs - there is some goth, some industrial, some electronic, some EBM, some synthpop and so on that appear on this list, but I decided to name this post "gothic love songs" for the overall emotional impact of the songs (and also "gothic-industrial-electro-EBM-synthpop-etc. love songs" just doesn't sound as nice as a title).

No matter the genre or sub-genre of music, there are numerous types of tunes sure to please anyone - there are playful love songs amidst ballads of love lost, classics and newer tracks, and even a few sensual numbers to sexify your day (and night)! 

Whatever you are doing this Valentine's Day, I hope you enjoy your day and take a moment to realize you are loved!

The simply stunning Siouxsie Sioux - "The Last Beat of My Heart"

One of the most beautiful songs ever - "Lullaby" by Assemblage 23

Zombies need love too! - "Corpses (A Zombie Love Song)" by God Module

Such a sensual song! - "Touch" by Wolfsheim

Somber yet dance-y love song - "Beloved" by VNV Nation

My only love, eternally - "The One" by Magenta

Without you, day is nothing but a waste of light - "Without You" by Seabound

October Rust is a sexy album in its entirety, but if I had to pick just one song it would be this one - "Love You to Death" by Type O Negative

I have to include this one...it's just a classic - "Lovesong" by The Cure

And finally this cover of Queen's "Get Down Make Love" by Nine Inch Nails always gets me feeling feisty and frisky!

Ryan Murphy's Horror Movie Fashion Shoot

Elle Magazine Online recently featured a horror-inspired photo spread shot by none other than American Horror Story and Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy. The photos star Lea Michelle, Taissa Farmiga, Jayma Mays, Connie Britton and others from Murphy's shows vamping it up in homage to classic horror movies like The Birds, Suspiria, Repulsion, Carrie and more!

The photos turned out pretty amazing...check 'em out yourself below: 

Lea Michele - Creature From the Black Lagoon

Dianna Agron - Attack of the 50 Foot Woman

Kate Mara - Carrie

Naya River - Suspiria

Jayma Mays - The Birds

Taissa Farmiga - When a Stranger Calls

Connie Britton - The Omen

Heather Morris - Repulsion 

Sarah Paulson - Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?

My favorites from this series are Creature from the Black Lagoon, Suspiria and Repulsion! What are yours?

Be sure to visit the original post, where Murphy discusses the inspiration for these photos and what these particular horror films mean to him.

Beauty Review: Booda Butter

Over the holidays, my sister introduced me to Booda Butter, which is a vegan and organic body butter and lip balm handmade in Colorado. Since then, I've had a chance to use their products and all I can say is my sister is the best, because I LOVE this stuff!! It has pure, unadulterated ingredients (seriously, when was the last time you saw a lotion with only five all-natural ingredients?!) plus a yummy chocolate scent. And it's cruelty-free and vegan!! Yippee!

I seriously use this stuff all the time. The body butter is especially perfect after a shower or a bath and really locks the moisture into my skin! It is never greasy or heavy and just melts into my skin. I also love that it gives my skin a supple glow that lasts all day long!

The lip balm makes my lips feel healthy and moisturized, and, unlike other brands, I don't have to reapply it every 5 minutes to keep that moisturized feeling going. The Booda Butter lip balm keeps my lips moisturized for hours! Plus, it also has a yummy (but not overpowering) taste/smell!

Both the butter and lip balm are made with only five natural, vegan and organic ingredients. The body butter is made from Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Coconut Oil, Jojoba Oil and Olive Oil while the lip balm is made from Coconut Oil, Jojoba Oil, Olive Oil, Sweet Almond Oil and Candelilla Wax. That's it!

I just adore this stuff and can't think of any negatives about it (except that it isn't sold on every street corner)! I love that it is handmade with care, that the company cares about the environment and uses only natural, cruelty-free and vegan ingredients, the subtle but delightful cocoa butter scent and its amazing moisturizing properties.

I also think the price is fair, especially taking into account the high-quality ingredients and that it is made by hand. I love supporting companies that support the environment and clean living, so I have no problem paying a bit more for better quality products.

Booda Butter comes highly recommended from yours truly and you can order both the lip balm and body butter on Amazon!

For more info, visit Booda Butter's website!

Batfit 2012 – Challenge #2: My Dark Dance Workout Playlist

Hello lovelies!

I hope you are doing well with your Batfit challenges. I haven’t posted about my experiences in a loooooong time because I got sick for a while and wasn't able to keep up with some of my goals (mainly the exercise portion). BUT...I am doing quite well with some of my other goals, especially getting out more and limiting my "couch time" watching movies and TV. Woo hoo for me!!

It's already February, but I wanted to address Challenge #2 since I never got the chance! This challenge involved dancing your ass off for 20 minutes (at least) a day. Well, I’m not much of a dancer, but I did want to share some of my fave industrial/EBM/dark dance music tracks I listen to that get me through my workouts. Check out one of my favorite playlists below! All links lead to Amazon where you can purchase the tracks yourself if so inclined.

My Dark Dance Workout Playlist: 
1. World Coming Down – Ashbury Heights (warm-up)
2. The Great Depression – Aesthetic Perfection
3. Adrenaline – Rosetta Stone
4. Dreckstück – Centhron
5. Resolution – VNV Nation
6. Dirtygrrrls Dirtybois – Faderhead
7. Say What?? - Uberbyte
8. Feuer Frei – Nachtmahr
9. Let's Go Dark – God Module
10. Get Your Body Beat – Combichrist
11. Democracy [Explicit] - FGFC820
12. Judas – Imperative Reaction
13. Once In A Lifetime – Wolfsheim (cool-down)

What are some of your favorite workout songs? 

How is your Batfit challenge going? 

Vegan Breakfast Burrito from Seabirds Truck

To enjoy the gorgeous weather today (high 70's), Mister Spooky and I headed to the SoCo Farmer's Market at the OC Mart Mix for brunch. Besides the beautiful produce from local farmers, there is always a tantalizing selection of gourmet food trucks to choose from! I heard from a little birdie that the awesome vegan food truck Seabirds was going to be in attendance, so I was totally stoked, especially since I've been dying to try their new vegan breakfast burrito!

I got there just in time to snag one of their last brekkie burritos...and now I wish I had ordered as many as possible since it was sooooo yummy! The burrito contained a fresh, flavorful mix of tofu scramble, black beans, kale, bell peppers, hash browns, Daiya cheese and was topped off with a delicious green salsa. Just thinking about it is making me drool! It had a rich, savory flavor and I loved the multi-layered blend of ingredients. It was also on the large size for a food truck burrito and very satisfying. Even the non-veg Mister Spooky enjoyed it (when I let him have a bite).

Seabirds always delivers high-quality, healthy and mouthwatering vegan dishes. I adore their jack fruit tacos,  deep-fried avocado tacos (ok, maybe those aren't that healthy...) and cupcakes (and pretty much everything else I've ever had there), but this breakfast burrito is definitely my new favorite!

Keep up with Seabirds on Twitter and Facebook!

Random Gratuity

Ok, I don't have anything to post at the moment, but I just couldn't resist sharing some gratuitous pictures of myself from last night!

I also wanted to say a quick hello since I haven't posted much recently! I was out sick for a while and since then have been trying to play catch up at work, in life, etc., but I've definitely been neglecting zee blog!

However, I hope to get back to posting more regularly, especially since I owe you readers some Batfit posts! I have been working on posts for challenges #2 and #3, and I will post them as soon as I get some extra time. Fingers crossed I will get to it soon!

Lollihop Snack Box Review

Last month I signed up for the coolest thing I had ever heard of...Lollihop, which is a monthly subscription of SNACKS!! That's right, every month you are sent a new box of tasty snacks! And these aren't your everyday run-of-the-mill snacks, either. The snacks included in each box are handpicked, organic and healthy! Plus, they also have an option for a vegan snack box! Woo hoo!!

My Lollihop haul!

 Of course I immediately signed up because that sounded like all kinds of heaven to me!

This past week, I received my very first Lollihop box! Unfortunately, I learned this will also be my last snack shipment for a while as the company is pausing memberships so they can make improvements to their service. Maybe it's just my snack exhilaration talking here, but I think these boxes are super-cool as-is!

 The cute Lollihop box :D

Here is what was included in my vegan subscription snack box:

• Two Degrees Bar - Cherry Almond flavor
• Larabar - Cherry flavor
• Pure Organic Bar - Wild Blueberry flavor
• Flamous Falafel Chips - Original flavor
• Beanfields Bean and Rice Chips - Sea Salt flavor
• Late July Organic Chips - Sea Salt by the Seashore flavor
• Go Raw Original Super Cookies
• Gourmet Inka Corn - Original Flavor

The first thing I tried was the Go Raw Original Super Cookies. Made out of organic coconut, sprouted sesame seeds and organic dates (yup, that's it!) these were subtly sweet and had a slight crunch. I only needed a few and they satisfied my sweet tooth! And they were a whole lot healthier than the junk food I usually eat!

I also had the Two Degrees Bar in Cherry Almond, which intrigued me because it is made out of quinoa, chia and millet. It had huge chunks of dried cherries that gave it a tart flavor plus the crisp rice, quinoa, chia and millet gave it a nice crunch! I really liked this bar and I could totally see myself buying more in the future.

Beanfields Bean and Rice Chips in Sea Salt called to me next. These were surprisingly light and crispy, though I didn't get much sea salt flavor in these. However, they were quite tasty and I especially like that they boast that a one-ounce serving has 4 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber—twice as much as most other tortilla chips, corn chips, or potato chips. I can't wait to try these with some salsa or dip!

The Inka Corn tasted just like the Corn Nuts from my childhood, but the puffs of corn were much bigger and they definitely didn't feel as greasy! Win-win! These were a great treat!

I already know I love Larabars (in any flavor), but I can't wait to try the rest of my snacks! And I certainly hope Lollihop opens up membership again and that they keep their vegan snack box option intact. This snack box subscription is genius and I can't wait to try more exciting new vegan snacks!

To learn more about Lollihop, sign up for their mailing list for updates!

Still Sick and an Unhappy Birthday

I've been battling a nasty flu bug since last Sunday and this whole week has been a wash. I usually never catch the flu, but with nearly everyone at my work coming down with this particularly virulent strain, I couldn't avoid catching it. So I've been pretty useless and miserable this whole week.

To top it all off, I had to cancel my birthday party plans (kind of an "official" celebration since most of my friends missed out on the Hicksville excursion) for this weekend since I am so deathly ill. I am super bummed since it was a milestone birthday and I'm going to miss out having a special day all about me (we didn't really have a birthday celebration for me while we were in Hicksville). Plus, this birthday meant a lot to me and I feel it didn't get the acknowledgement it deserved from my friends. I know this probably sounds like I'm just throwing a pity party for myself, but I'm still very hurt and disappointed with how everything turned out.

Oh well...Mister Spooky and I are throwing our own intimate birthday party this weekend (flu or not!). We plan to get take-out at Native Foods and spend the night watching horror movies and toasting my foray into my (eek) 30s!

Morrissey is here to wish me a very unhappy birthday

Happy birthday to me, dammit!

Happy Birthday, Mr. Poe

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'
Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'

-taken from "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe from
Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales and Poems with Selected Essays

Make your own Poe toy courtesy of Toy-a-Day!

It is probably no surprise that I love Edgar Allan Poe, and today I feel I must pay tribute to his 203rd birthday. It seems especially appropriate that his birthday fall on today since I am already in a morose mood, having been stuck in bed this entire week with the flu. Currently I'm still recovering, but it looks like my own birthday plans for the weekend will have to be delayed until I can fully recover from this nasty flu bug. Boo hoo.

For now, I plan to enjoy some Poe literature and perhaps watch some classic horror adaptations of his work.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Poe and thanks for all you've bequeathed us!

My Top 10 Horror Picks Plus the Most Disappointing and the Worst of 2011

Yes, yes, I know I am extremely late posting this list...I meant to post it way back in December, but with the holidays, traveling and my birthday all squeezed within the last couple of weeks I never got the chance. I'm finally getting the chance now, and even though you've probably read about a billion "best of 2011" or "top 10" lists (I know I have...just can't get enough of them!), I just couldn't resist posting my own. Especially since 2011 was the year that nearly killed my love of horror. Yep, with so much detrimental crap out there, I really stopped caring as much for horror and found myself watching it less and less. I mean, what was the point in watching another watered down, predictable movie? I became completed disillusioned with the genre.

In fact, this mediocre state of horror led to my horror site effectively coming to a standstill. I just didn't find myself getting as excited about the genre as I used to and writing reviews/posting news became more of a chore rather than a joy. The site is currently "on hiatus" but I'll be shutting it down pretty soon.

However, despite the crappy year, there were some awesome horror movies (and one TV show) that came out in 2011! And while the horror genre definitely challenged me this year, it still didn't completely kill my love of horror!

A disclaimer about my choices below: You might think I have some weird picks, but please keep in mind these are my opinions and my opinions alone. Keep any comments respectful, please!

My Favorite Horror of 2011:

[source]

1. Insidious – This was the scariest movie of 2011, hands down. I had such a blast watching this in the theater and pretty much loved everything about it, from the spooky score to the creepy cinematography to the chilling scares! And it definitely holds up to repeat viewings...it filled me with dread every single time I watched it.

 [source]

2. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil – Pretty much the perfect horror-comedy! I was absolutely delighted with watching this one and it was literally a laugh-a-second!

 [source]

3. American Horror Story – This got off to a rocky start, but after the 3rd episode I was hooked! I can’t remember the last time a TV show has been so addicting.

 [source]

4. Attack the Block – A plain, ol’ fun sci-fi film with lots of street-wise edge. I found the black fuzzy aliens to be so cute and was kinda rooting for them instead of the hooligans.

5. Grave Encounters – Whoa, this was a big surprise! I wasn't expecting much from this, but it was one of the scariest films I've seen all year besides Insidious. I can't count the number of times it made me jump!

6. I Saw the Devil – I know this is popping up on everyone's list, but it's well-deserved. An unsettling but rewarding experience.

 [source]

7. Drive Angry – I actually like a Nic Cage movie?! Why, yes, I did! Lots of people hated this movie, but I thought it was pure madcap fun! This is my list, so those that didn't like this can shove it!

 [source]

8. Trollhunter – What a beautiful and original film from Norway. Not only were the trolls awesome, but I  loved how troll myths were worked into the story and actually liked the characters, especially the grumpy old troll hunter himself!

9. The Last Exorcism – Released way back at the beginning of 2011, I nearly forgot about this film. However, once I was reminded I remembered it being quite the effective creepy possession movie (despite the lead looking like a female version of Michael Cera...am I the only one who saw that?). Chop off the last 10 minutes and you have a truly creepy film!

10. Chillerama – This is a tasteless, offensive and raunchy popcorn anthology perfect for watching with a big group of friends. Though not perfect (I didn't really connect with "I Was a Teenage Werebear"), it is so reminiscent of cheesy and just-plain-bad drive-in horror movies that it completely charmed/repulsed me!

Honorable mentions definitely worth checking out:

Kidnapped
A Horrible Way to Die
Sucker Punch
Dream Home
Stake Land
Black Death

With the best unfortunately comes the worst. 2011 had a ton of bad horror films, but I narrowed it down to a few picks that really stood out (in the worst way possible). Below you'll find my picks for the most disappointing and worst horror films of 2011.

Most Disappointing:
Hobo with a Shotgun - I do not understand all the praise this movie gets. It takes itself too seriously and ends up a boring, mean-spirited flick that totally misses the mark on paying homage to exploitation movies.

Paranormal Activity 3 - The first two films were okay (I liked the 2nd one best), but the third felt like it had all been done before and didn't offer any new solid scares. It wasn't all bad, but I just wish they had been more inventive with the scares.

The Worst:
Creature - Ugh I hate even remembering this movie. It was absolutely abysmal and a horrid rip-off of every stupid horror movie cliche. It's like it was made by someone who had absolutely no respect or love of the horror genre.

Chromeskull: Laid to Rest 2 - I actually enjoyed Laid to Rest, but this sequel was one boring mess that completely ruined what could have been a new icon in horror. Pity.

Deadtime Stories Vol. 1 - I don't know how or why George Romero agreed to put his name on this piece of crap, but I don't think I'll ever trust him again. This was just painful to watch and should be avoided at all costs unless you feel like wanting to claw your eyes out after viewing.

What were your favorites of 2011? What were your picks for the worst?