Jay Gaulard Blog

The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze at Van Cortlandt Manor

Friday, October 26th, 2007

Last night, Laura and I had the good fortune of visiting “The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze at Van Cortlandt Manor.” I have seen this around and have always wanted to go, but never did.

I got some free tickets that allowed us in on either Thursday or Sunday nights. We chose Thursday because we thought things would be a little slower then. As it turned out, every half hour time slot was sold out, except for the 9PM one. You have to remember, they are marketing this event all the way down into Manhattan. With the tickets we had, it didn’t matter if the event was sold out, we were still able to go at any time.

We decided to try for the 7:30PM sliver. We drove down Rt.9 into Croton-on-Hudson. I have really only been in this area about six times in my life. It is all so foreign to me. Anyway, we made it to the event and parked in the Shoprite parking lot next door. We walked across the parking lot and entered the event. Things were busy, but not too much yet, which was nice.

So there we were, walking through the gates into about a million blazing pumpkins. I have to say, the setup was pretty nice. There were quite a few people, so the walking was kind of slow, but that gave us time to see what things were about. My nature is to bust through, take pictures and drive home. I was forced to relax. Also, I am not sure how Laura feels about her nights being rushed. She does know me well enough now to know what to expect. One word of warning to those people who want a less crowded evening…go to the later shows. The kids are probably in bed by that point.

I am just going to list the best pictures of the evening below. It was dark, so my camera didn’t do the best job, but Photoshop helped quite a bit.

This is the arch of pumpkins you walk through on your way up to the ticket people.

A pretty neat carving hanging from one of the trees.

These are both of the stone manor house at Van Cortlandt Manor. As you can see, the lights change color.

The rest of the photos are of what we saw during the walk through the grounds.

The whole walk probably takes between a half hour and forty five minutes. We had fun…just be careful, they funnel you through the gift shop at the end. So, if you have kids and you think they may want little trinkets that you aren’t interested in, be sure to shield their view.

Halloween in Salem, MA

Saturday, May 26th, 2007

This is another oldie but a goodie.

A few years back, Laura and I visited Salem, MA on Halloween. Back when I was going to Binghamton University for college, a friend of mine asked if I wanted to go up there to hang out. I declined because I needed to study. Not really, but I still said no. I thought I had passed up on a good opportunity, so I decided to accompany Laura on this trip.

I think the most vivid memory I have of the trip is the leaves in Salem Common. They were all yellow. I stood there looking at them and told myself to remember the moment…and to also remember that Sugar Maples still hold their leaves past the end of October.

It was a good trip. Halloween in Salem can really be a blast if you plan it out correctly. We just went up to see what the scene was like, but one day I am going to bring Laura back for the Halloween Ball at the Hawthorne Hotel. She has always wanted to do that, but somehow I usually fail at doing these things. One day I will get it right, I promise.

I thought I would share a few photos from the trip. It was a nice clear weekend, so they came out pretty well…

This is a photo of the Friendship, a reconstruction of a 171-foot three-masted Salem East Indiaman.

The photo above is a photo of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Birthplace. This is located near the House of the Seven Gables, which is a real tourist attraction in town. The houses hold a lot of history.

There sure is a large crowd that visits Salem, MA on Halloween. Many people are dressed in costume.

Heading out on the Derby Wharf towards the Derby Wharf Lighthouse, looking back at Salem. If we kept on walking…or swimming, we would end up in Marblehead, MA.

So, here is the Derby Wharf Lighthouse.

These are some pretty classic shots of things you will see on the Salem, MA walking tour. There is a red line painted on the ground, so you won’t get lost.

Ahh, one of the most famous places you can visit in Salem…the Salem Witch Museum. This is a must see if you are in town.

And last but not least, the Bunghole. This is just a small liquor store in town. There is an interesting history that can be read on their webiste.

Well, I hope you enjoyed my own little tour of Salem, MA!!!

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

Friday, October 27th, 2006

I am getting pretty excited about Halloween. Hands down, one of the best things about this season is “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” The other great thing is the chill in the air.

As I was driving in this morning, NPR had a story on this classic. It got me thinking about if I could find a good picture of this show to put up in a post. Like 99% of blog posts out there, this is pretty random. Anyway, here is the best picture I could find.

Here is a great description of this show:

“As Linus and Charlie Brown’s little sister, Sally Brown, sit in the pumpkin patch, the gang of Charlie Brown, Lucy Van Pelt, Schroeder, Pig-Pen, Patty and Violet go trick-or-treating. Everyone gets candy (except for Charlie Brown, who for some reason always gets a rock in his bag). Meanwhile, Charlie Brown’s dog Snoopy, dressed up as the famous World War I flying ace, goes on his Sopwith Camel (which is his doghouse) to shoot down the infamous Red Baron. Linus, missing out on trick-or-treating, also misses out on the Halloween party at Violet’s house. At the pumpkin patch, Linus thinks he finally sees his mysterious hero, but instead he sees a silhouette of Snoopy in his World War I Flying Ace outfit. Sally is outraged and threatens to “sue” Linus. She leaves him alone in the pumpkin patch, where he stays late into the night. Lucy later finds him shivering on the ground, covered in his blanket and helps him into the house. Linus vows to Charlie Brown at the rock wall that the Great Pumpkin will return next year.”

I think they said this show is on NBC tonight. I know what I am doing…