Oct 30th: Halloween and Birthday!

If I was worried about the Dutch not celebrating Halloween, I am not now. Just give them some fake blood, fog juice, five crates of Heineken and a few jack-o-lanterns, and they become spooky scary ghouls with the best of them.

We started the day with G carving his first Jack-o-Lantern. I went freestyle and made a scary face, but he went with the patterns that come with the pumpkin carving kit. Of course, he picked a challenging one, with lots of detail, but after a moment of 'pumpkin madness',

 he finished it on his own and it came out really great!

Then a DJ friend of G's showed up, with his full set up in tow, and no digital DJ is this, he had real vinyl and turntables! Best of all, he had a fog machine!!! I love fog machines far more than a normal person should, and would use one every day if I could.
I headed to the grocery store alone, which took forever, partially because I don't know where every thing is, and partially because I can't read the labels. I loaded up my cart, (which cost a Euro to rent) and walked back across the street to our place. I felt like a bag lady! :)

I started on food (guacamole, bruchetta, brie and bread, roasted pumpkin seeds and candy corn) while G moved furniture around, and drove around borrowing chairs from friends. Finally, the candles were lit, the jack o lanterns were glowing, and here comes the party.

It was a long and fun night, meeting G's friends, grooving to the house electronica, keeping candles lit, having some wine, and generally mingling. At one point, the fake blood bottle appeared and turned the floor into a horror show, people that hadn't dressed up regretted it and just started covering themselves in blood. My dear friends A and R from Tampa came and I was very excited to see them and very happy to have them in my new home! Atlas was quite the party animal and social butterfly in between being angry at the fog machine.  Everyone seemed to have a great time. I know I did.

G went as a Jersey Shore Guido, with orange skin and head band, perfectly sculpted eyebrows and beard and double popped collars. I thought it was hilarious and he looked the part perfectly, but I guess Jersey Shore isn't as well known here, and only a few people got it. Ah well. Next year, I think he is going to make up for it, so watch out Purmerend.

We had an axe murderer, a terrifying ghoul, a devil, a skeleton samurai DJ, Kim Jong Il, a french werewolf and his spooky spider woman, a glamorous witch, a hot Mad Hatter couple, Dracula, a gorgeous Dia De Los Muertos skeleton sugar skull, a beautiful Bat Woman(with full wings!) and a variety of other people that came as normal people and left as victims to the beasts and ghoulies. 

It was also G's birthday party, and he got some really nice gifts from his generous friends, including tickets to Burger's Zoo, tickets to a concert, a day at at sauna(for two!), a basket of nice bath products(with Batman soap), a cool jade Hoi Tai Buddha, and some other things I am sure I am forgetting. I also received a huge ball of jong cheese from Edam as a 'Welcome to Holland' present. 

I am still learning about this blogging thing and making photos a priority, and I didn't take a single photo (I was crazy busy anyway)! But luckily, G's beautiful friend S is a hobby photographer and she helped us out.

It was awesome meeting all of G's friends, and I look forward to seeing them with out makeup and blood and masks, and getting to know them better. They are a fun bunch!