Author: Jennifer Vasquez

I'm a writer and an avid reader. I was classically trained in voice years ago and once aspired to become an opera singer. I enjoy immersing myself in music, from classical to goth rock tunes. I'm fascinated with vampires, all things spooky, vintage style and old Hollywood films. My website covers events, people, places and topics that embody all that is odd and macabre.
halloween, holidays, Lifestyle

Countdown to Halloween 2025 Guide

by Jennifer Vasquez5 Comments on Countdown to Halloween 2025 Guide
Photo credit: Kaboompics.com via Pexels
Photo credit: Kaboompics.com via Pexels

I’ve heard many people say that the countdown to Halloween is just as special (if not even more special) than the actual holiday itself, and I can understand why. While October 31st is a momentous occasion, the excitement really builds during the preceding months and days it takes to get to that point. That’s when the Halloween decor shopping and festivity planning happens. Plus, the spooky season has officially become a two-month long celebration, going from September through October, with Halloween events happening across the U.S. 

So, I create this guide every year releasing it on the 100-days-to-Halloween mark (July 23rd) to help everyone bask in the lead up to All Hallows’ Eve. It’s filled with information I think people would find handy to help them prepare and get into the Halloween spirit. Discover places to shop, costume predictions, music to listen to and more!

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Dining & Drink

The Obscure: An Enchanting Cocktail Experience

by Jennifer Vasquez3 Comments on The Obscure: An Enchanting Cocktail Experience
Vamp Jenn at The Obscure
Vamp Jenn at The Obscure

For quite some time, I’ve heard talk of The Obscure distillery in Los Angeles. I caught sneak peeks and teasers on social media but had yet to visit the place for myself. The head distiller, Theron, was gracious enough to extend an invitation to me and I recently spent an evening at this mystical spot. While I had a mere idea of what to expect, what transpired was truly magical.

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Film, History

It’s Horror Galore Inside the Halloween: Dungeon of Doom at The Hollywood Museum

by Jennifer Vasquez7 Comments on It’s Horror Galore Inside the Halloween: Dungeon of Doom at The Hollywood Museum
Vamp Jenn entering The Hollywood Museum's Halloween: Dungeon of Doom
Vamp Jenn entering The Hollywood Museum’s Halloween: Dungeon of Doom

The Hollywood Museum in Los Angeles is a great place to explore if you want to immerse yourself in the city’s cinematic history. It’s located inside the iconic Max Factor Building. Max Factor was a renowned makeup artist to the stars during Hollywood’s Golden Era. His clientele included silver screen goddesses such as Joan Crawford, Marilyn Monroe, Jean Harlow and many others.

My first time here was around 2012 when I checked out the Marilyn Monroe exhibit. The structure has multiple stories, each featuring a different exhibition. It has been years since my last visit, and this time I descended to its lowest depths into Halloween: Dungeon of Doom.

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Events

The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor Hosts Its First Ever Summerween Event

by Jennifer Vasquez4 Comments on The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor Hosts Its First Ever Summerween Event
Vamp Jenn at Dark Harbor's Feast: Butcher’s Blackout
Vamp Jenn at Dark Harbor’s Feast: Butcher’s Blackout

For the first time ever, The Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor presented a special summerween event, Feast: Butcher’s Blackout. It was held this past June on Friday the 13th, a very fitting date for such a blood-soaked affair, with a second date added on June 14th due to an unprecedented response. The creators behind Dark Harbor decided to bring Halloween to the historic ship early this year. Horror and haunt enthusiasts definitely showed up and the attraction sold out both days. I’m a huge fan of Dark Harbor, so there was no way I was going to miss attending opening night.

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music

Black Rose Moves Drops Debut EP: ‘Death Dance’

by Jennifer VasquezLeave a Comment on Black Rose Moves Drops Debut EP: ‘Death Dance’
Grant Leon and Mark Neat of Black Rose Moves
Grant Leon and Mark Neat of Black Rose Moves

There’s no better release date for a goth EP than on Friday the 13th. During June, Black Rose Moves unveiled their debut EP, Death Dance. The duo is based in Birmingham, England, and consists of Grant Leon and Mark Neat. Their latest project is bound to pull at the heartstrings of macabre souls.

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Film

Horror Film ‘28 Years Later’ Delivers Zombies & a Tale of Humanity

by Jennifer Vasquez4 Comments on Horror Film ‘28 Years Later’ Delivers Zombies & a Tale of Humanity
Vamp Jenn attending special screening of 28 Years Later
Vamp Jenn attending special screening of 28 Years Later

Who recalls when they first watched 28 Days Later? The 2002 film played such a pivotal role in reimagining zombies and presented them in a disturbing yet captivating way that has stuck with audiences. Director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland have teamed up again to create 28 Years Later, a narrative that is set nearly 30 years after the rage virus has spread. It’s a fascinating storyline that shows how survivors are managing to exist alongside the infected. I had the pleasure of attending a special screening before the official release. Don’t worry, no spoilers will be included in this review.

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Events, halloween

Midsummer Scream Co-Founder David Markland Opens Up About Creating the World’s Biggest Horror Con

by Jennifer Vasquez5 Comments on Midsummer Scream Co-Founder David Markland Opens Up About Creating the World’s Biggest Horror Con
Photo credit: Jay L. Clendenin For Midsummer Scream
Photo credit: Jay L. Clendenin For Midsummer Scream

If you haven’t heard of Midsummer Scream, let me just say it’s become the world’s biggest Halloween and horror convention. Since 2016, it has haunted the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, CA, annually. I started attending in 2018 and have covered it on Vamp Jenn’s Corner ever since.

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Events, History

Victorian Horror Stories Come Alive in an Immersive Experience

by Jennifer Vasquez5 Comments on Victorian Horror Stories Come Alive in an Immersive Experience
Vamp Jenn attending Victorian Horror Stories in the Dark at Heritage Square Museum
Vamp Jenn attending Victorian Horror Stories in the Dark at Heritage Square Museum

I am utterly fascinated with the Victorian era, so when I got wind of an event called Victorian Horror Stories in the Dark, I had to check it out. The immersive experience was presented by the creators of the podcast Terrifying True Stories and took place at Heritage Square Museum in Los Angeles. The evening included four haunting tales staged in four different Victorian manors.

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Culture, History, Lifestyle, Literature

9 Books on the Goth Subculture

by Jennifer VasquezLeave a Comment on 9 Books on the Goth Subculture
Photo credit: Sierra Koder via Unsplash
Photo credit: Sierra Koder via Unsplash

Much has been written about the goth subculture, ranging from scholarly literature to pop culture reads. I must admit that I have not read many books on goth. When I first started getting into goth as a teen in the late 90s/early 2000s, I got most of my information from the internet and personal experiences and observations. At the time, there weren’t many books published about the subculture, so I learned about it by browsing the web via goth chat rooms and websites that were around then. 

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Art

Dark Art Emporium Says Farewell

by Jennifer Vasquez6 Comments on Dark Art Emporium Says Farewell
From left to right: The Emperor by Dos Diablos; The Symbiote by Jermz Woodard; May Our Veins Be Full by Misael Urquico
From left to right: The Emperor by Dos Diablos; The Symbiote by Jermz Woodard; May Our Veins Be Full by Misael Urquico

Of all the posts I’ve done on the Dark Art Emporium, this one makes me sad to write. At the beginning of May, founder Jeremy Schott sent an email announcing the closing of the gallery. I couldn’t believe it. He, along with co-owner Jeremy Cross and gallery director Lauren Martin, felt it was the best decision to make. They recently hosted their final art show, “The Abyssal Zone: An Exploration of the Deep.” May 31st will be the last day they’re open.

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