Today is All Hallows Eve eve, the final day we have to prepare ourselves for the intense horror of Halloween.  By “intense horror” I mean costume parties and trick-or-treaters.  While I’m not big on Halloween, I do agree that this time of year is great for enjoying scary stories and movies. There’s something about a howling, crisp fall wind blowing dead brown leaves down a lonely street that lends itself to the fantastic and the frightening.

I watched 1408 the other day- a rather underwhelming film that didn’t live up to the promise of the Steven King short story. Another King adaptation that, in my opinion, could never be considered underwhelming is one of the greatest horror movies of all time…The Shining. While Kubrick’s classic was filmed at the Timberline Lodge on the south side of Mount Hood in Oregon, King’s original inspiration came from the elegant Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado.  The historic hotel was built in 1909 and has hosted numerous notable guests.

The Stanley is a grand getaway in a spectacular setting and provides a wide range of accommodation, including the luxurious Overlook Villas.  Be warned, however, that staff and registered guests may not be the only ones inhabiting The Stanley on your stay. The hotel is famous for its numerous tales of strange sightings and occurrences. The ghost of F.O. Stanley himself, the hotel’s builder and namesake who died in 1940, has been seen lingering in the lobby, billiard room and at the bar (sounds like my kind of spirit).  The Stanley offers an up-close look at its haunted history during daily ghost tours. And of course, I highly recommend a viewing of The Shining at least once during your stay…it plays in a continuous loop on the guest room TVs.

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of cigars and cigar culture?  Is it fossilized mammoth tusks?  No?  Well now it can be.  XIKAR has combined the romance of smoking a fine cigar with the recovery of 10,000-year-old preserved mammoth remains. The Xi3MI Fossil Mammoth Bark Ivory Cutter is a fine piece of equipment that boasts stainless steel construction, powerful cutting action, and a striking teardrop design.  Of course the most unique feature is the fossilized ivory, which makes each cutter a one-of-a-kind. 

I was flipping through the pages of Town & Country magazine when I came across an ad for Paolo Costagli’s “Happy Rings.”  They certainly made me happy.  I’ve never seen a ring so brightly colored as these magenta and mandarin accessories.  And though I’m not normally accustomed to such bold statements of color (alas, my entire wardrobe is black and gray) it was refreshing to see apparel that you couldn’t wear to a funeral.  So of course I went searching on PaoloCostagli.com and found my favorite version of the Happy Ring, pictured.  The only thing depressing about this green and pink Happy Ring is that I don’t have one!  For those looking to add a little happiness to their lives, these Paolo Costagli creations are available at Bergdorf Goodman.

On another note, while perusing Paolo Costagli’s website I also found these very timely pumpkin-shaped salt and pepper shakers - perfect for fall holidays.  Finally, you can season your pumpkin soup in style.

Were you born in a barn?

If that traditionally derogatory question is posed to you, wouldn’t it be nice to shoot back with ‘no, but I live in a luxury barn!’? You could do just that if you were privileged enough to call this award-winning former barn home.  This luxury home was built inside the shell of a 1940s dairy barn and sits on a tranquil acre within prestigious Fairfax County, Virginia- the county with the highest median household income of any county in the United States.

The barn (home) boasts an open floor plan with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths and a two-car garage.  The interesting history of the home (barn) is combined with modern amenities to create a truly unique luxury residence.  Some of those amenities include a media room, bar, parlor, flagstone patio and chef’s kitchen with all the modern finishes. 

You can see more, read more, or send an inquiry to McEnearney Associates, Inc. regarding this barn (home) here.

I love the style of the Georg Jensen Vivianna watch.  Bangles are all over the runways right now, so this watch is right with the times (no pun intended).  The stainless steel goes with everything - and the diamonds around the face (.4 ct) add a luxurious appeal.  The whole thing is very sleek - no numbers, just elegant hands pointing out the diamonds (in case you hadn’t noticed them).

This Georg Jensen Vivianna Oval watch sits on the opposite end of the spectrum.  Sporty, bold.  The strap is made from red calf skin.  Even though it’s big and red, somehow it maintains its elegance.  No diamonds on this one, though - the sleek hands simply point out the big red calf skin strap (in case you hadn’t noticed).

I was checking out kitchen sinks at kohler.com and came across this lovely model - the Fête Kitchen Sink.  It probably wouldn’t work as a dishwashing sink, but I assume that anyone purchasing this sink isn’t handwashing many dishes.  This is more of an aesthetic sink - an island sink.  The somewhat amoebic shape of the Fête is quite charming (especially if you have the matching amoebic-shaped cutting board to complement it, yin-yang style, as pictured).  According to Kohler, it’s actually a useful sink - accomodating both preparation and presentation. 

Yes, as KC pointed out, it’s autumn again.  And though my fair city is currently in the midst of an Indian summer, the fact that October has arrived is giving me flashbacks to the cold temperatures of last fall and winter in Chicago.  I remember it now: standing on the platform waiting for the train, flimsy wool coat failing to protect me from the below-zero temperature and numbing wind.  I made a vow at that moment to make sure to get better coats for this year.  Determined to live up to this promise, I began browsing numerous catalogs today and came across the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book. I couldn’t help but peruse. Because hey - maybe they’ve got coats for under $500?

It was on page 151 that I spotted this Teri Jon creation, and I thought, “That’s kind of a cool coat!” But upon further inspection, I realized it is not, in fact, a coat, but rather a dress.  Not really my style for a dress, but I thought someone else might be interested (hence this post).

I suppose it’s for the best - it wouldn’t stand up to Chicago’s winter even if it were a coat.  The search continues.

The dried, crumpled brown leaves littering my front yard must be a signal that fall is here.  In stark contrast to my unsightly yard is the breathtaking fall foliage of New England.  Numerous people travel to the area to take in the beauty of the region this time of year. Of course they envision breathing in the crisp autumn air while hiking, then drinking hot chocolate in their quaint cottage inside a 17,000 pound restored helicopter that simulates flying over the countryside.  Well, maybe the helicopter bit isn’t part of the normal fall in New England scenarios, but it is only one of many themed cottages at Winvian in Litchfield Hills, Connecticut.  In addition to the helicopter, guests can enjoy an unconventional stay in one of 18 cottages, including a tree house, greenhouse, library, log cabin, and artist bungalow. 

The Winvian is perfect for those who wish to enjoy 113 acres of New England beauty in a far from standard way.  They are currently offering a “Fall Getaway Escape” that includes a chilled bottle of champagne waiting in your unique cottage upon arrival, as well as a spa gift certificate. Check out all the details here.