Culture, Events, Literature

Remembering Vampire Author Anne Rice at the All Saints’ Day Celebration

by Jennifer Vasquez8 Comments on Remembering Vampire Author Anne Rice at the All Saints’ Day Celebration
Anne Rice: An All Saints' Day Celebration
Anne Rice: An All Saints’ Day Celebration

I first got hooked on (or shall I say sucked into) Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles when I was a teen, and ever since then, I’ve wanted to visit New Orleans. This city is Anne’s birthplace and a significant location in her notorious vampire novels. Because of this, the city has become synonymous with these nocturnal creatures. I dare say, it’s as much a vampire capital as Transylvania! I had the great fortune of being able to finally travel to New Orleans to attend a special event commemorating the author—Anne Rice: An All Saints’ Day Celebration. It was an experience that had a remarkable effect on my soul.

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Events, halloween

The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor Delivers All the Frights

by Jennifer Vasquez4 Comments on The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor Delivers All the Frights
Dark Harbor at The Queen Mary
Dark Harbor at The Queen Mary

One of my favorite Halloween events to attend in SoCal is Dark Harbor at The Queen Mary. After a three-year hiatus due to Covid, the event returned for the first time in 2024 much to my delight. It came back more thrilling and terrifying this year, so I wanted to share some highlights. 

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History, Travel

Exploring the Haunted Side of Long Beach on the Driver Horror Tour

by Jennifer Vasquez2 Comments on Exploring the Haunted Side of Long Beach on the Driver Horror Tour
Vamp Jenn hopping on the Driver Long Beach Horror Tour
Vamp Jenn hopping on the Driver Long Beach Horror Tour

The shuttle company Driver is offering a fun way to explore Long Beach, California, with their fleet of street-legal golf carts. Not only do they offer rentals for locals and visitors year-round, but they’re also hosting a special excursion for Halloween season. The wonderful people at Driver invited me to be part of their first-ever Horror Tour and I’m so thankful they did!

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music

Twin Tribes Releases New EP ‘Ecos’ & Announces Latin American Tour

by Jennifer Vasquez2 Comments on Twin Tribes Releases New EP ‘Ecos’ & Announces Latin American Tour
Twin Tribes members Luis Navarro and Joel Niño, Jr. (Photo credit: @randvmb)
Twin Tribes members Luis Navarro and Joel Niño, Jr. (Photo credit: @randvmb)

Twin Tribes is embarking on yet another exciting chapter in their music careers. Band members Luis Navarro and Joel Niño, Jr. unveiled a new EP this past September titled Ecos and will be heading out on a Latin American tour later this fall. I had the pleasure of interviewing the duo to talk about the EP and upcoming shows.

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Culture, holidays, Literature

‘A Marvelous Mexican Misunderstanding’ Teaches Kids About the Day of the Dead

by Jennifer Vasquez9 Comments on ‘A Marvelous Mexican Misunderstanding’ Teaches Kids About the Day of the Dead
Woman holding a kid's picture book
Vamp Jenn reading A Marvelous Mexican Misunderstanding

El Día de los Muertos is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and other Latin American countries between November 1st and 2nd. It’s believed that the spirits of loved ones come back to visit the living. The occasion, which has roots in indigenous Mesoamerican traditions, is meant to honor the memory of the deceased and embrace death. While many adults look forward to the Day of the Dead, the concept behind it can be difficult for children to grasp, especially when they believe death is meant to be feared. However, a children’s book titled A Marvelous Mexican Misunderstanding sets out to change that.

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Culture, entertainment

Digging Into the Paranormal With Chillers & Thrillers Podcast

by Jennifer Vasquez3 Comments on Digging Into the Paranormal With Chillers & Thrillers Podcast
Chillers and Thrillers podcast logo
Chillers and Thrillers podcast

If you enjoy podcasts about the paranormal or are searching for one to add to your rotation, then allow me to introduce you to Chillers and Thrillers. Creator and host “M” likes to keep the mystery alive, so they only go by their first initial. M launched the project in 2023 after noticing that most spooky podcasts overemphasized gore or comedy in their retellings of accounts. M set out to produce a show that shared true eerie stories in a family-friendly way. Over the course of just two years, Chillers and Thrillers’ reach has grown to thousands of downloads monthly and its audience continues to expand.

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Events, halloween

Terrifying True Stories Presents a Special Experience for Halloween Season

by Jennifer Vasquez5 Comments on Terrifying True Stories Presents a Special Experience for Halloween Season
Vamp Jenn at Terrifying True Stories by Candlelight
Vamp Jenn at Terrifying True Stories by Candlelight

Earlier this year, Terrifying True Stories hosted an event called Victorian Horror Stories in the Dark. They’ve returned with another immersive experience for spooky season titled Terrifying True Stories by Candlelight and I was grateful to be invited to attend. It was thrilling to be back at Heritage Square Museum in Los Angeles to take part in the activities and witness macabre storytelling unfold right before my eyes.

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music

Violette Rain’s New Single “Follow the Crows” Evokes Enchanted Autumnal Vibes

by Jennifer Vasquez2 Comments on Violette Rain’s New Single “Follow the Crows” Evokes Enchanted Autumnal Vibes
Photo credit: Paul Cosby
Photo credit: Paul Cosby

As autumn wraps us up in its crisp embrace and the nights grow longer, there is a song that can be heard emanating from the depths of the forest. At least this is the vision that permeates my mind when I listen to “Follow the Crows” by Violette Rain. The newly released single embraces the spirit of the fall season and All Hallows’ Eve and will bewitch all those who lend an ear to its melody.

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Culture, Literature

Inside Spinal Dread: A Horror Literature Festival

by Jennifer Vasquez5 Comments on Inside Spinal Dread: A Horror Literature Festival
Anaheim Public Library presents Spinal Dread: Horror Literature and Culture Festival
Anaheim Public Library presents Spinal Dread: Horror Literature and Culture Festival

As a bookworm and horror fanatic, I was thrilled to hear that the Anaheim Public Library in Orange County, CA, was going to be hosting a horror literature festival called Spinal Dread.  The free event featured presentations, workshops, and vendors. It was a wonderful way for fellow horror enthusiasts and bibliophiles to connect and explore the horror genre.

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music

Midnight Syndicate’s New EP ‘Darkened Corners’ Arrives Just in Time for Spooky Season

by Jennifer Vasquez2 Comments on Midnight Syndicate’s New EP ‘Darkened Corners’ Arrives Just in Time for Spooky Season
Album artwork by French artist Pascal Casolari
Album artwork by French artist Pascal Casolari

Since the 1990s, Midnight Syndicate has been haunting the music circuit with their spine-tingling melodies. Edward Douglas and Gavin Goszka are the pair behind the music project. They specialize in the gothic and horror music genres and are authorities in creating dark atmospheric soundscapes. Their work has been used in films, video games, Halloween attractions, and more worldwide. This fall season, Midnight Syndicate has given fans a treat with a new EP, Darkened Corners.

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