This post is about vampires. . .and asylum. . .and James Bond. Oh my!

October’s a long, busy month, so for sure it’s a slow build, but when you get to the crazy holiday climax at the end – aka Halloween – it just seems right to let loose then, doesn’t it?  Even if you don’t dress up or party, sometimes just watching the entire build up of orange and black decorations appearing everywhere right alongside those bottomless bowls of creepy candy is enough to put a smile on your face and help you get started on the slide to the finish line of yet another calendar year.  And while I know this post about the October 31 holiday is a bit early for some, I’ve received some really cool offers in my inbox recently, and I think they’re worth sharing.

First up is a vine and dine event this Friday at Rosen Centre Hotel with a very clever Halloween twist.  “Love at First Bite” just screams like a gathering of vampires, and yet anyone is welcome to attend.  And check out this menu, a ‘dangerously delicious’ five course meal with openers like a Death Door Cocktail and Oysters with Bloody Mary Mignonette followed by a Blood Orange Sorbet to um, cleanse your bleeding mouth?  But wait, you’ve got to see the rest of the menu because it’s not only incredibly creative, but the wine pairings are bloody awesome:

Grilled Filet Cloaked in Tapenade Served with a Sinful Pinot Noir Sauce and Accompanied with Phyllo Custard Potato and Batonette of Vegetable
Insurrection Shiraz/Cabernet Blend 2014
South Eastern Australia

Grilled Hellish Habanero Chilies with Sleepy Hollow Pumpkin Mousse and Brandied Cherries
Quady Electra 2014

Yeah, I thought you’d get a kick out of seeing that.  But don’t wait a minute longer because the event is this Friday, October 9th, starting at 6:30PM (I know, a bit early for some of the walking deads, but try to make the effort to dress up and get out a little, okay?).  Plus, the price is very reasonable for this type of unique event at $75 per person including valet parking at the hotel on International Drive.  Call 407-996-8551 right now and tell them a ‘Hospitality Spirit’ whispered this news into your ears. . .

Now, if this week is still a bit early for you to strut out your cloak and cape don’t worry, the next two events I’m highlighting don’t happen until the end of the month.  I’ve written about the rockin’ times you can have at Velvet Sessions out at the Hard Rock Hotel before, but this month they are really spot on with the entertainment because you’ll be doing the Monster Mash to music by Soul Asylum.

Plus, it’s an adults-only costume party with the winner getting a two night stay in the plush Hard Rock Hotel Graceland Suite which, as you can imagine, has most likely seen some hard rockin’ itself over the years. Sayin’.  The date is October 29, and tickets pre-purchased on line are $50.  Details can be found here, Velvet Sessions, or by calling 407-503-2401.

Finally, it’s quite possible I’ve saved the best for last, especially for the James Bond fans who are already shaking their martinis waiting for November 6 US release date of Spectre.

Flemings Restaurants are jumping on the Aston Martin theme-night express and offering an excellent opportunity to live out your double agent fantasies by dressing the part and eating, well, let’s just call it stuff that’s good enough for 007 himself starting with an authentic Belvedere 007 Martini, shaken, not stirred of course, and then followed by other proper cocktails like the Clandestini and Bang and Burn. (Wouldn’t you just love to be in on the taste testing and name-that-cocktail for this event?) This “Evening of Espionage” is planned on the big night, Saturday, October 31, and the invite specifies that “M requests your presence” so really, it would be so rude to say no to this one, right?  It also says, “come dressed to kill – any 007 character will do, villain, agent, leading lady”,  with prizes awarded (and I don’t think they’re referring to best clown costume).

And oh yes, that menu?  Let’s just say it ends with a Black Tie Soufflé, so whatever is served before that has got to be incroyable, oui?  This one is $95 per person but come on, James Bond will be there, so what’s not to love about this rogue mission!