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Let It Go


Angela Blanchet is an intuitive life coach. Her goal is to help others live the life they were meant to and experience the love and joy that awaits them. Writing a daily inspired message called "Enlighten Up". She can be reached at
angelablanchet@gmail.com
or www.angelablanchet.com
    "Let it go". The popular song by Idina Menzel, in the Disney movie "Frozen" has had kids and families belting out the phrase "let it go" for two years now. It's a wonderful saying but how do you put it into practice in your own life? How do you truly "let it go"?  

    We would all be better off if we could let go of the things that weigh us down… the anger, the hurt, the disappointment, the embarrassment, the wanting of one thing and being given another. To truly let go of the emotions that are holding you back from living the happy, free and spirited life you were meant to, takes some practice. 

     A good step towards "letting it go" is to first bring your awareness to how often you are giving your focus to the topic that is causing you the feeling of unhappiness. How often do you tell the story of why you are angry or disappointed? How often are you blameful of others? How often do you list the things that are not working well for you? The more you give focus on your struggle the larger your struggle becomes. To be able to "let go" and release what is holding you back,  it is so very important to clear your mind of the thoughts that bind you and replace your thoughts and your focus on the things and the people in your life that bring a smile to your face and help you to feel good. 

    Another key factor to letting go is the realization that nothing is personal. Everyone has their own story. What may seem like a personal attack or judgment towards you is often someone reacting from their own fears. Being kind towards another even when they are not kind toward you may not be instinct for most people, but when you can bring yourself to the place of being a well wisher to all others, then you know you are truly in a free and  "let it go" state of being. Chances are if you knew the internal fears and struggles someone is dealing with, you would let go of the anger or hurt you are feeling much faster and wish them healing. 

    Also when desiring a free and happy life with ease of letting go, it is necessary to believe that you are worthy of happiness. You deserve the feeling of release and freedom and all the good that follows from letting go. Be kind to yourself. Love yourself. Accept that you are loved and that your life was meant to be a happy one and.."let it go…let it go" 

 

LI Aquarium

 

Bats, Barnicles & Broomsticks Halloween Party–
November 1 – 10am
All “buoys” and “ghouls” in costume will get 50% off admission with a paying adult (one child 12 years and under, per adult). Children will gather sweets and treats with our Safe Trick or Treating throughout the Aquarium. Our Unearthing Atlantis Dig will be transformed into a spooktacular haunted house by the amazing special effects team at HauntedProps.com. We will have face painting (additional fee), author readings, the Live-brary team with the 3-D printer, a puppet show by Katie’s Puppets, craft and game stations, hay rides, pumpkins to paint and more! And of course our lovable animals enjoying their Halloween treats!
Time: 10am-4pm Price: Children 3-12 get Half Price Aquarium Admission if they come in a costume with a paying adult 
(one child discount per full priced adult ticket) Age: For the Whole Family

Eat, Drink and Be Scary –
November 1 – 11am
Celebrate the Harvest and Halloween Weekend at our Family Brunch in our beautiful Sea Star Ballroom overlooking the Peconic River. Enjoy
traditional fare with a holiday twist including our Dread & Bread Station, Macabre Macaroni and To Die for Desserts! Price includes all day admission to the Long Island Aquarium and the Bats, Barnacles & Broomsticks Halloween Party!
Time: 11am Price: $42.95 Adults (members $36.95); $26.95 
Kids 3-12 (members $22.95) Age: For the Whole Family
Reservation: Required – call 631.208.9200, ext. 426

Fish & Sips – 8th Annual Wine Tasting Event –
November 13 – 7pm
More than 20 local wineries will be on hand for our eight annual tasting and purchasing event. This popular event celebrates the harvest with
delectable wines, live music and delicious hors d’oeuvres. Make it a weekend! Ask about available hotel packages.
Pricing: $49.95 
(Your designated driver is free with a reservation of 5 or more.)
Time: 7pm – 10:30pm Age: 21 and over only

For more information:
431 East Main Street, Riverhead, NY 11901, 631-208-9200
www.LongIslandAquarium.com

 

Splash and Dash

 

Splash and Dash for Dogs Opens in St. James, NY

    St. James, October 19, 2015 – Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique, the franchise started by Dan J. Barton, formerly of World Gym, is celebrating the grand opening of its newest location in St. James, New York. Splash and Dash functions like a gym/spa for your dog. It has all the benefits of a big box pet store including the latest selections and technologies to benefit and pamper dogs yet it also has all the passion and personal care that one would find in a mom and pop shop, offering its customers the best of both worlds.

    This dog grooming franchise – which has earned a coveted spot on the Inc. 500 list for two years in a row – has changed the industry with its signature bath membership. Splash and Dash offers its members a monthly premium which enables customers to bring in their pet for unlimited bathing and brushing as well offering an extensive selection of other additional important dog grooming services.

    “Whenever your dog is dirty, bring him in…we'll give him a bath, a brush-out, and a blow dry,” explained Barton. “In the next three to five years, we expect… 500 locations.”

    One of those locations happens to be right here in St. James – what lucky dogs! Check out the Splash and Dash St. James website http://stjames.splashanddashfordogs.com and Facebook page www.facebook.com/stjamessplashanddash for more info!

    556-4 North Country Road, Saint James, NY, 631-686-6880

 

For Some, It Is Better To Be “Right,” Than Happy


Phil Sottile is a 20-year veteran of the Applied Fitness and Exercise Sciences, hosts the “Intelligent Way to Fitness” 
on LI Cablevision since 2005, 
published a book on relationship management, and owns/operates one of Long Island’s “Best Gyms,” with his wife, Stacey. phil@intelligentfitness.net

“One day of admission forgives six days of contempt.” 

Of all things big and small, the most delicate is the ego itself. The desire to be right often trumps the humility to admit wrong. Some people often forego logic, reason, and rationale in exchange for winning the day. It is a most unattractive quality in a person and quite frankly, the ugliest.  

The lack of accepting the responsibility for one’s conduct, at the moment of levied accusation, begins the journey of contempt. If the accuser’s argument is valid, this person loses a modicum of confidence and belief in the accused; who will not entertain reason. Such denial also calls character and judgment into question.  
  
Nothing is more frustrating then knowing that your argument has strength, merit and reason, and the accused is dismissing these assertions for the simple sake of “being right.”  This failure of the accused to surrender his or her personal position for fear of seeming unsure of him/herself promotes disharmony in what is otherwise a healthy relationship.  

“History is always ready to accept your reframing of events to make your story sound believable.  But, it still doesn’t make it true.”
Some have an uncanny ability to rewrite a story arc and event timeline in order to tell a story more favorable to their position. One’s reconstituted perception never makes the facts true, nor does it lend itself to a better argument. In actuality, it tells those of us that are willing to live in truth, that your perception of the events are more congruent to your insecurities, and less about reality.  

It is ALWAYS better to accept fault when “the cards are stacked against you.” It will make for an argument that will consume only one day and allow the winds of peace to begin blowing soon thereafter. However, failing to accept fault in yourself, especially when another’s argument for fault against you is valid, will set up a windstorm of contemptuous feelings that will reside below the surface of the skin of your accuser.

Therefore, in order to be happy, take responsibility, be honorable and accept when you are wrong. It makes life much less complicated. 

 

Halloween: Day Into… Night

 

    Halloween is a popular holiday that dates back over 2,000 years.  The original birth name for Halloween was called “All Hollows Eve” which means the night before “All Hollows Day,” the day we refer to as “All Saints Day”, November 1st.  This secular holiday was mainly based on the celebration of death, the supernatural and the changing of seasons.  Many cultures, specifically Irish and Spanish, celebrated with feasting, bonfires and sacrificial offerings, in which they paid homage to the dead.  
    Since the 16th Century, the holiday has evolved and our definition of Halloween has evolved from what our ancestors perceived it to be.  Today, we dress-up in costume to enjoy a day of fun with trick-or-treating, silly pranks, scary movies and alike. Nowadays, Halloween has become a celebration for adults too!  There are many activities to do for the days before and leading up to Halloween.  Not only have costumes and candy become a part of the holiday, but pumpkin and apple picking has traditionalized itself as well. During the day, take the family out east and visit the farms for apple and pumpkin picking, or take part in a corn maze (which is great for children and adults), horse-back riding or stop at a local stand and purchase a fresh baked pie or roasted corn. At night, adults can participate and have fun with haunted corn mazes and haunted houses.  

DAY
Harbes Family Farm & Orchard, 5698 Sound Ave, Riverhead, (631) 369-1111

If you’re looking to head out East for some family fun, be sure to stop at Harbes Family Farm & Orchard in Riverhead. Now is a great time to spend the day apple picking in their 15-acre apple orchard (open every weekend 9am-6pm through Oct.), or find the perfect pumpkin right off the vine in their 5-acre pumpkin patch.  There is plenty to do at Harbes Farm, including the corn maze and hay rides. Combination ticket prices start at $17 (ages 3-12) and $19 (ages 13+).  For more information, go to harbesfamilyfarm.com

Schmitts Family Farm, 26 Pinelawn Rd., Melville, (631) 271-3276
Open Saturdays and Sundays through October
On the weekend, bring your family here and enjoy this farm with their 7-acre corn maze, free hayrides, playground, pumpkin picking, pony rides and more. The daytime Corn maze tickets are $8 and will be open from 9-5pm on weekends. The Children’s Daytime haunted mansion is open from 
12pm-5pm.  Tickets cost $6. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter. For more information go to www.schmittfarms.com

Bayville Scream Park, 8 Bayville Ave., Bayville, (516) 62-GHOST
Starting from now through November 7th; come visit the entertainingly haunted Bayville Scream Park.  Known as one of the scariest haunted attractions on Long Island, Bayville Scream Park caters to all ages. During the day visit the park for entertaining attractions such as: mini golf, Halloween Express train ride, pumpkin patch and pumpkin bounce house. Ticket prices start at $22.75. For more information, go to 
bayvillescreampark.com

NIGHT
Schmitts Family Farm: 
After a day of pumpkin picking with the family, make sure to visit Schmitts’ haunted mansion, haunted corn maze and The Experiment.  
Whether it’s a walk through the haunted mansion, dare to explore the haunted corn maze in the dark or become a test subject in The Experiment, Schmitt’s offers a good scare.  Open Friday & Saturday 7-12 midnight, Sunday 7-11pm. Corn Maze is $11, Haunted Mansion is $19, The 
Experiment is $5 or combo packages are available.

Harbes Farm & Orchard: 
In the evening, come with your friends or family and experience the spooky corn maze at Harbes Farms.  It’s $13.95 per person for general 
admission and flashlights are required to enter.  Bring your own or purchase one there.  Open from 7-9:30pm every Friday and Saturday until October 31, weather permitting.  The Spooky Maze is suitable for all ages.  

Bayville Scream Park  
If you’re ready for a night filled with terrors, visit Bayville Scream Park and experience why they’ve been voted one of the scariest haunted attraction nine years in a row!  The park features new walk-throughs and a total of five attractions for 2015.  If you dare, attempt The Bloodworth Manor, Uncle Needles Funhouse of Fear in 3D, The Temple of Terror, The Curse of the Zombie Pirates and/or The Evil in the Woods—these terrifying attractions will guarantee to knock your socks off.  The park will be open every day through Halloween; Sunday and Weekdays from 6pm-11pm; Fridays and Saturdays from 6pm-2am.  Ticket prices vary and start at $19.75 (depending on attractions), Combo packages available start at $29.75.  For more information go to bayvillescreampark.com

 

Time Gets Away From All Of Us


Natalie Weinstein is President of 
Natalie Weinstein Design Associates, 
The Natalie Weinstein Home 
Decorating Club and Uniquely Natalie, 
a quality consignment outlet. Hear 
Natalie’s design tips on WALK 97.5 FM, enjoy her Long Island Focus featured in House Magazine or call: 631.862.6198

    It is the beginning of October and we’re already seeing “Christmas” in all the stores. What happened to all the time we had to get the house ready for the holidays? But don’t dwell on yesterday – it’s gone and tomorrow isn’t quite here, which leaves us with TODAY. 

    So here’s a suggested TODAY “to-do” list to help you keep time with the time you have left:
    • If you are considering renovations such as kitchen, bath or any major construction, and you have not begun, don’t expect to be finished for this holiday season. Get started, but aim for spring completion so you can prepare appropriately.
    • Experienced professionals (designers, architects, licensed contractors) can help you expedite your project as well as offer options you not have known existed.
    • Make sure all contracted sources put in writing the expected time frame for completion or delivery. Start now interviewing the team and shop for items needed, but be flexible (remember the cheapest price may not be the best).  
    • Establish realistic budget parameters and if it’s a big project, explore avenues for financing, allowing time for approvals. If you’re planning to “do it yourself”, make a realistic schedule for your smaller projects, and then add for contingencies.  
    • Make time to clean up the clutter, throw out stuff, and organize your space before you begin. It will go faster during the completion phase. (If there’s a dumpster on site, use it, or if need be, get one!) 

Some more tips to save time and money:
    • When decorating public spaces, (living room, dining room, den and foyer) start with area rugs to help you define space, pattern, and color. Create a new look, even if you’re keeping “oldies but goodies.”
    • When decorating bedrooms, start with the bedding (often sold with coordinating draperies) to establish wall and carpet color. Try to stay monochromatic (1 color family) on walls and floors, especially if you like to change from winter velvet to summer patchwork. New furniture may or may not be in the immediate plan, but make sure your new purchases will stand the test of time.
    • When decorating rooms for kids, remember, they grow and their rooms should grow with them.  Make major purchases carefully and with an eye to tomorrow so you won’t have to spend time and money looking for new furniture in a few years.  
    • Make your choices in a timely manner – but don’t be an impulse shopper.  What’s “in” today may be “out” tomorrow. If you want to be a little funky, do it with accessories that can be easily or inexpensively changed.

Enjoy the process of decorating. It really can be fun, enriching and a worthwhile use of your time.  

 

Halloween Candy


Kristin has been working in the natural products industry for over fifteen years as an expert in holistic beauty products, nutrition and supplements. Also a fitness instructor, she is passionate about the mental and physical benefits of fitness and encourages people to reach their goals while having fun. She just completed her first book, a memoir. Follow her on Twitter @kristinjoylavin or visit her website: www.kristinjoylavin.com

Halloween has become the second most commercial holiday in America, after Christmas. Americans spend billions each year on costumes, décor and of course candy. We spend over two billion dollars on Halloween candy each year. What’s at the top of that list? Chocolate! The National Confectioners Association (NCA) reveals, without surprise, that chocolate is the favorite Halloween candy by over 70% of Americans. According to the NCA, chocolate makes up ¾ of a trick or treater’s candy collection.

Most everyone gives away candy or chocolate. With childhood obesity on the rise and so many allergic reactions to food additives consider giving out something different this year. Here are some suggestions for healthier Halloween giveaways.

Bags of Organic popcorn which are gluten free and not full of white sugar
Bags of Pretzels, all natural trail mix or sunflower seeds
Bags of Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies which have no MSG, corn syrup, fake coloring or artificial flavor
Boxes of Organic Raisins
Clementines
Organic real fruit lollipops
Organic, Fair trade individually wrapped chocolates, if you want to give out chocolate.

If you want to give out commercial candies, pick brands that do not contain high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors or flavors. 

Don’t over buy because you’ll wind up eating all those left over treats. Candy can last up to six months so don’t allow children to eat all their candy right away. Monitor their candy intake and let it be a teaching opportunity for self-discipline and a lesson in health. Rather not trick or treat? Then host a fun party for the neighborhood, friends or your child’s class. Here are some ideas.

Host a Pumpkin Carving Party – Prizes for the most creative, the ugliest and the best-carved jack o lantern. Everyone votes anonymously for someone other than his/herself.

Host a Costume Party – Make Halloween themed food and have a contest bobbing for apples or swinging at a ghoulish piñata.

Host a Movie Party – Guests come dressed in costume or mask and watch a flick. Pick a movie genre…scary movies like the 1978 classic Halloween or Tales from the Crypt. Or a Halloween movie like It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown or The Nightmare Before Christmas.  Or pick a funny movie like the Mel Brooks Classic Young Frankenstein, Beetlejuice or Edward Scissorhands.

Host a Halloween Craft Party – Check out ideas on Pinterest, Martha Stewart or your favorite craft site.

Halloween is here to stay, enjoy it with friends and family while being safe and healthy.

 

Dishin with Denise… Cookin’ Up A Halloween Spook-tacular!


Denise Gianatasio is a Northport Village resident and freelance writer. 
She is a licensed agent at Signature Premier Properties, 172 Main Street, Northport 631-754-3600. Denise enjoys cooking and sharing her recipes and family stories, as she wants to inspire a warm sense of home with her readers. Please feel free to contact her for any advice you may need at  
dishinwithdenise@yahoo.com.

    On the eve of Halloween before the clock strikes midnight, use some creative haunting magic and stir up some fun with the kids this Halloween.  
    In the kitchen lit only by the glow of the full moon and all its alluring mystery…make your home a Halloween haven, spooky, exciting and loads of fun.
    Cast no spells~ just provide imagination, treats, and fill this Halloween with wonder, whimsy and spookiness. Ghostie’s, easy to make on a pretzel stick using jumbo marshmallows as bodies and mini chocolate chips for eyes.
    For a healthier treat create lil’ jack o’s made from bright, fresh orange’s Using frosting or confections sugar mixed with water to create a paste, have your kid’s create and decorate their own pumpkin faces. Use candy corn, black jellybeans and other seasonal candies. I used bamboo toothpicks for the stem of the pumpkin with a basil leave. Use color safe markers or paint to design the faces of lil’ jack. (make the sugar paste or colored cake frosting as glue) Pop the ghostie’s in a 250 degree oven on a pan sprayed with Pam and slightly bake for 6 minutes or so ~ until marshmallows puff a bit. Prepare to set the scene for a hallows eve with mystery and playful preparation ~ perhaps some poems read aloud by: Edgar Allan Poe. The kids will enjoy this scary work of art and the time you spend… so lets raise the spirits in your home!
     All these haunting ways help to strike a smile, create a lasting memory,… so be ready to get out there and enjoy the day one ghoulish creature at a time. Ok, Good night, sleep well~ no scary dreams! Rest up and be bright and ready to have a full day ahead of freight and fun! Happy Halloween, Be Safe!~May your bags be full! …as long as you shout out  “Trick or Treat!”  Dishin’ With Denise xoxo…..    

PS. Save room for dinner…I’m making meatballs, and using triangular and zig~ zag cooked carrots to create… jack o’ balls! … “BOO!”

 

 

Halloween Masquerade


Arianna graduated from Dowling College with a Bachelors in English Creative Writing and now works for a restaurant group as a Training Manager. She loves to cook, entertain and experience life through food. Arianna can be reached at arianna.ruth.johnson@gmail.com
    It’s that time of year…The air is crisp, pumpkin-spice is everywhere and the stores are packed with candy; Halloween is right around the corner. 
    I’ve never been a huge fan of Halloween, but if there’s an excuse to have a cocktail party, I’m in…  Combine that with my slight obsession with masks & masquerade balls, and I have myself a nice little Halloween bash.
    I love to make butternut squash soup this time of year. My favorite recipe has roasted apple and onions that you puree with the squash, and I like to top it with bits of crispy bacon. For this particular party I would put the soup in shooters or demitasse cups so that people aren’t walking around with bowls and spoons; this way they can just sip the soup.  On the side, I would make mini grilled cheese, because who doesn’t love a warm, gooey grilled cheese on a chilly fall day?
    I would put out a couple of different kinds so that your guests can have a choice. One could have bacon and apple inside of it to echo what is in the soup. I pair that with either Swiss or sharp cheddar cheese and put it all between sourdough bread. The other I would make is Brie cheese on cranberry-walnut bread.  If you can’t find cranberry-walnut, because it can be hard to come by, I would use either pumpernickel or sourdough and spread a little raspberry preserve on the bread.
    As for the beverages, you can take the easy, yet still satisfying, route and put out an array of beer, such as Oktoberfest, pumpkin, and hard ciders, or you can make a couple of signature cocktails. This time of year fruit such as pomegranates and pears are in season, and they go very well in cocktails. A pomegranate martini I think is a classic. All you need is your favorite vodka, triple sec, pomegranate juice and pomegranate seeds for a garnish. Another delicious seasonal cocktail is a pear gin spritzer with thyme. I know, thyme in cocktail sounds strange, but trust me…You need gin, of your choice, apple juice, triple sec or Grand Marnier, sparkling seltzer, sliced pear, as well as springs of thyme for garnish. The thyme is there to tickle your senses as you sip the cocktail, so you taste the drink, but smell the thyme. 
    This all is all well and good, but where does the masquerade come in? Well, you can just go to your local party supply store and buy a variety of inexpensive masks and hand them out to your friends! 

 

Use MANual Mode to Learn Photography Quickly, Part II


Larry Kelly has been taking photos for many years. He refined his skills as an amateur photographer and went digital in 2006.  A retired environmental law enforcement officer, he enjoys photography, writing, and coaching others. He can be contacted at lwkelly113@gmail.com.  
    In Part 1 of this article I suggested taking a month to shoot only in MANual mode to learn photography quickly. Rather than letting the camera do your thinking, you make the changes in aperture (f/stop), shutter speed, and ISO (light sensitivity). You do the thinking, instead of the camera. 
    I also said it was ridiculously easy to use MANual mode. And it really is. Once you make the commitment to do this, to take a deep breath and turn the switch to MANual mode, you will be half way there.
     Here’s how it works: Make a setting, say, an aperture of f/8. Look in the viewfinder, press the shutter button half way, and you will see a graph with white blocks to either side of a central point. Line the blocks up to the center point (make them go away) using shutter speed and ISO, if needed. This is the proper exposure as the camera’s light meter sees it.
    Take the shot and evaluate the results using the histogram feature on the LCD display, not the photo. 
    Histogram says too light, or too dark?  Press halfway again and reveal some of the little blocks using the shutter speed, or ISO controls, or both together. Your goal is to have a sharp photo with the proper brightness. Same procedure if you make a shutter speed setting first.  
    So, you do need a little knowledge of aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to begin. There’s lots of basic information available on line, in magazines, and books. It’s really not that complicated. 
      You also need to know how to make these settings and changes on your camera. And you need to know how to display the histogram feature on your camera. A little time with the manual will help you here.
    Now, don’t forget the thinking part!  You need to decide beforehand what you want to achieve. Do you want everything in focus, or do you want the subject in focus, with the beautiful blurred background? That’s an f/stop decision that you make on the camera.   
    Totally freeze the action? Or have it blurred, suggesting energy and action? That’s a shutter speed decision.  
    Not sure about these decisions? Play around, experiment, have fun. But pay attention to the results. Don’t worry about mistakes: Just learn from them.  
     Before you know it you will have mastered a fundamental skill of photography, have a greater knowledge of your camera, and be making the pictures you like to make.

 

Halloween Haunts – Long Island Style


Tammy Severino is the President of RPC Development, a business and development consulting firm for local businesses and not-for-profit organizations. She has more than 20 years of experience in writing, from business writing to journalism to creative writing. In her spare time, this fashionista follows and writes about fashion, travel, and other lifestyle topics.
    Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. It is wonderful to watch the pure joy on children’s faces that comes with dressing up, going to parties and, of course, getting free candy. For adults, it is one of the few days of the year to channel one’s inner child and enjoy all of the fantasy that comes with celebrating the day. On Long Island, there is ample opportunity to celebrate Halloween – from fun to fantasy to downright scary. Read on for some suggestions of how to celebrate All Hallows’ Eve.
    Sadly, Disney’s Haunted Mansion is roughly 1,150 miles from Long Island. But, fear not, there are many places to visit locally for a good scare this October. Darkside Haunted House (Wading River), Chamber of Horrors’ Trilogy of Fear (Hauppauge), and NYZ Apocalypse (Deer Park) are among the scary attractions you will find in Suffolk County. Not to be outdone, Nassau County is home to Bayville’s Scream Park, The Haunted Castle in Sands Point and The Franklin Square Horror. Each offers attractions and/or interactive experiences designed to see how much scream they can extract.
    If you prefer a little less fear factor in your holiday themed ente rtainment, or, perhaps are bringing children with you, there are some events that offer different paths from which you can choose. In Rockville Centre, head to Spooky Fest and choose the option that best works for your group. Yaphank’s Trail of Terror comes complete with a fall festival for families or frightening attractions for the brave of heart. Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns, Old Westbury Gardens’ annual event, features hundreds of carved pumpkins and is always a family favorite. History buffs can take a ride to Old Bethpage Restoration Village for their 1800’s Haunted Halloween day with pumpkin carving, ghost tours, costumes and daytime parade.  
    If you are looking for Halloween fun for the younger set, you have lots of options! From the Ghostly Gala at the Long Island Children’s Museum, to safe trick-or-treating at the mall (nearly all on LI offer this) to strolling through the Haunted Trail at the Girl Scouts of Suffolk County’s Camp Edey location (best for ages 8 and up), you will have fun in a safe, friendly environment with your costumed kiddies.
    Before All Hallows’ Eve officially arrives, be sure to head to one of Long Island’s farms to pick your pumpkin. Bring it home with a bale of hay, corn stalk or pot of mums for the front porch.  Several of the farms offer family-friendly corn mazes – from the simple to the complex – for those looking for some added fun or try a hay ride to complete the experience.
    Whatever you choose for Halloween fun, I wish you a ghoulishly good time!

 

Halloween Costumes 2015


Rachael Severino is an incoming 9th grade school student at Sachem North High School in the Sachem School District. Though still quite young, this aspiring writer has a knack for the written word. She has penned several short stories and poems, and is working on her first novel.
     As autumn’s chill sweeps in, the anticipation for Halloween and its costume styles grows. From goblins and superheros to princesses and witches, many past favorites have returned. There are new favorites to be found each year–and 2015 is no different.
     Star Wars has taken the season by storm. For the new Star Wars movie release, costume makers made sure these characters are readily available. Should you be a Star Wars fan, you can dress your entire family with a variety of characters from this Sci-Fi favorite. 
    Baby and toddler costumes are as cute as ever. From non-threatening sharks to little witches, your baby will look adorable whatever you choose. For children ages 5-9, there is a wide variety from which to choose. For your daughters, there are witches, from the darker to lighter side. Some have lights sewn into the tutu so your little witch can light up even the darkest holiday. Princess costumes have become quite elaborate for those seeking elegance. Should they want to be a Disney princess or an original one, the stores will have it. Boys this age might opt for not-so-scary grim reapers, a character from a favorite series, or a monster. Character costumes are becoming more popular, providing a chance to dress up as someone they look up to. 
    For teens, costumes tend to be cheesy, elaborate, or sexy. Boy costumes are either pun based or fear inducing. For puns, they’ll come up with cheesy puns and create a costume based around it. Scary options include grim reapers, devils, demons, and monsters. For teen girls, there are more pun costumes, styles to impress, and an array of scary selections. Pun styles are similar to those the boys are wearing. You’ll find more mature versions of childhood characters, as well as scary costumes that include lots of blood, gore, and torn tulle in the ensemble.
    Adult costumes have great variety. Looking for a god or goddess costume or bloody vampire? The adult section will have it. Whether you plan to attend a party or trick-or-treat with your kids, you can find great choices from Cinderella’s fairy godmother to Batman’s the Joker. Couples costumes are still a favorite. You could dress as mustard and ketchup, a king and queen, or other characters that go hand in hand.
    Don’t forget Fido. There are old favorites like ladybugs, ballerinas, hot dogs, and a prison uniform. Each year this category grows, so options for your pet are limited only by your imagination. Try pet shops or party stores for the biggest selection. Of course, online shopping allows you to laugh as you look at sillier options from the privacy of your home.
    Halloween is a night where you can be anything you want. Wear a cool costume that you love and have a great night.