Boo Berry is once again available at Target.  That is a clear indicator that Halloween is just around the corner.  I remember when I was a kid and you could find Boo Berry, Count Chocula and Frankenberry at any local grocery store.  It is a different story today.  Count Chocula is still available all year but Frankenberry and Boo Berry are available only in October.  I guess a strawberry monster and blueberry ghost just aren’t as popular as they used to be.  It is hard to compete with all those so called “healthy” cereals in today’s market.  Sometimes I miss those carefree days of being able to eat anything I wanted and not worry that it was going to give me diabetes or turn my colon an unnatural blue color.  I made sure I purchased a few boxes.  Count Chocula can go to hell.  I want my Boo Berry.   

I am a big fan of tropical drinks.  I like drinking them.  I like making them.  I like reading about the people who created them.  One ingredient you see in many old drink recipes is Falernum.  I have never seen Falernum sold anywhere and believe me I have looked.  If you ask the sales clerk if they carry it you usually get what I call the CBS (cold blank stare) as they clearly have no idea what you are talking about.  Now how am I supposed to make these drinks if I cannot get a key ingredient?  It would be like making a Mai Tai without the Orgeat Syrup.  The other day while doing some Falernum research on the web I stumbled across the Drinkboy website with a recipe to make your own Falernum.  There are actually two recipes one for a small batch and one that makes 30 gallons.  I don’t need 30 gallons of any beverage but the small batch looks easy enough to make.  I know what I will be cooking up this weekend. 

FineTune has compiled a list of the 20 best Halloween songs.  The problem with lists is that most people will disagree with some of the selections.  This one is no different.  As much as the song is overplayed during Halloween shouldn’t Monster Mash be included?  Perhaps that is on the 20 Best Novelty Halloween Songs list and what about Werewolves of London and the Ghostbusters Theme Song?  Who doesn’t like a little Ray Parker Jr?  There is also Nightmare on My Street by DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince that is a great song about Freddy Kruger what is there not to like?

Here is the list according to FineTune:

1.       Blue Oyster Cult – Don’t Fear the Reaper

2.       Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – I Put a Spell on You

3.       Oingo Boingo – Dead Man’s Party

4.       Talking Heads – Psycho Killer

5.       Pink Floyd – Careful with that Axe

6.       Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising 7.       Black Sabbath – Children of the Grave8.       Donovan – Hurdy Gurdy Man9.       Michael Jackson – Thriller

11.    Santana – Black Magic Woman

12.    Rockwell – Somebody’s Watchin Me

13.    Siouxsie & the Banshees – Voodoo Dolly

14.    Sonic Youth – Halloween

15.    Jimi Hendrix – VooDoo Child

16.    INXS – Devil Inside

17.    OutKast – Dracula’s Wedding

18.    AC/DC – Highway to Hell

19.    Edgar Winters Group – Frankenstein

20.    Hooters – All You

Story

If you are like me you never know when to buy your plane tickets.  Is the price good and should I by it today?  Should I hold off and buy it next week and hope it goes down rather than up. Farecast can help you. Plug in the airports and the dates you want to fly and it will give you its prediction to buy now the rates are probably going to go up or wait the fares are probably going to go down.

Ever thought of living the bible for a year?  A. J. Jacobs just did and he documented the entire thing.  Someone should try this with Dianetics. 

Full Story

More disturbing than the hand is the size of the cat. It is huge.

Hand Hacking For Cat - The funniest movie is here. Find it

I recently went to Sea World, Orlando. Found some tiki’s there. I love tiki’s so I took a picture. This is outside one of their shops. This is a Wayne Coombs Mai Tiki carving. I didn’t see the usual Mai Tiki mark on it but it is defintely his style of work.

This is a classic tiki drink. Lots of ingredients but worth the time it takes to make.

1/2 oz Light Rum

1/2 oz Gold Rum

1/2 oz of Dark Rum

1/2 oz of Grand Marnier

1 oz Grapefruit Juice

1 oz orange Juice

1 oz Pineapple Juice

Remember fresh squeezed juice is the best. Start with pouring all of the liquors in a tall glass filled with ice. Then add the juices. Some people will tell you to shake the mixture others will tell you to stir it. I recommend you try both and see what you like better. Then sit back and enjoy. An added benefit of this drink is that it will help keep scurvy away.

It is all fun and games until someone gets hurt.

Some new beer from Michelob for the holidays.  If you like chocolate then you might like the Michelob Celebrate Chocolate.  This is advertised as a sipping beer.  There is also Michelob Celebrate Cherry.  They are packaged in a fine dining bottle.  I never considered Michelob as fine dining but I guess they are trying to change how people think about beer.