Category Archive for Alternative Canada
Vancouver Goth Halloween events! Van Dusen Glow, Playland Fright Nights, Aesthetic Perfection, pumpkin patch.
Gourd heavens… your Pumpkin Queen is back!
Halloween season lasts only a short time, and I’m keen to celebrate it to the fullest. In October, Vancouver unveils several Goth-friendly events for All Hallow’s Eve — including haunted houses and glowing gardens.
Read on for my run-down of the spookiest Halloween activities in Vancouver, Canada. Plus, a happy reunion with Daniel Graves of Aesthetic Perfection, during his Into the Black concert tour!
No basic pumpkin spice lattes for this Goth… I pick my cucurbits from the source.
Fall Outfit: I wore a candy corn sweater by Chaser Brand to visit the pumpkin patch. I paired it with a black bowler hat, tights, a short skirt and platform boots.
Shop my style below:
Vancouver’s Lower Mainland has several pumpkin patches that you can visit in the autumn. I went to Richmond Country Farms as it is closer to the city and has plenty to do, including a farmer’s market and wine tasting.
To access Richmond’s fields of pumpkins, you must take a short “hay ride” (on a wagon-car with live music). On the way, we passed kitschy farm characters and displays. The “Transylvania” house was spooky… but if you ask me, the huge 1990s cell phone was scarier!
I’m in my element, surrounded by cheery orange pumpkins. Anyone who visits this pumpkin patch can choose one to take home, as part of the admission.
These fresh pumpkins are perfect for making pie. (Ours turned out amazing, with plenty of spices the way I like it).
The farm also has a corn maze… just watch out for Jack!
I’m pleased with this pretty pumpkin… as well as my new Apple iPhone 11, which took all the photos in this post. The battery life and camera are a major upgrade: love the Portrait Mode setting for photographs like this.
Wearing a bowler hat and Chaser Brand Halloween sweater. Fall fashion is by far my favorite.
Now, let’s enter the Carn-Evil…
Every October, Vancouver’s PNE / Playland theme park transforms into Fright Nights. Their Halloween attractions include multiple haunted houses, and horror-filled spectacles.
(Speaking of… why is Rob’s leg dissipating into the ether?)
Love the frightful feeling of an amusement park after dark, with the rides lit up in neon and bathed by fog.
“I always feel like somebody’s watching me…” This photo is deja-vu of our Stanley Park Ghost Train escapade last year.
Krusty the clown has taken over the tent and turned into a neon rave…
(Can’t believe how good iPhone 11 photos look, with the low light setting!)
Stranger Things feels. Are you a fan of scary rides? Or do you prefer to ride the merry-go-round?
Be sure to catch the three nightly shows by Monsters of Schlock. The Great Orbax and Sweet Pepper Klopek perform painful stunts in the name of comedy — including stapling items to the face, and swinging a sledgehammer into a block covering the nether regions (above left!).
I was especially enthralled by Orbax and Pepper’s second show, which puts the spotlight on science. Pepper sat on the custom-built electric chair, and high voltage coursed through his body. The duo showed how he could turn lightbulbs on by grasping them, and use his tongue to light a flame!
Of course, we went to several of Playland’s haunted houses, each with a different theme or spin.
It was my first time doing a “3D haunted house,” where you put on glasses that distort your vision. This made it hard to tell whether a crazed inmate was a flat picture, a mannequin, or a live person… until she reaches out and tries to grab you!
The Fright Nights ticket also gives you access to the theme park rides. All aboard the rickety roller coaster, Music Express, swinging Pirate Ship, and Hell’s Gate (hail!)
One of the haunted houses was themed around phobias. The rooms represented various fears, such as giant spiders and snakes that lurch toward you.
As you’d guess, I was most freaked out by the germophobia room, which simulated a dirty toilet and sink! (Outside, this Die & Dine Diner display looks like a recipe for E. coli…)
Won’t you join our mad tea party, with a spinning teacup of poison?
And this is the last photo I took before I died.
Like at Universal Studios Osaka Japan, the staff dresses up in frightening masks and runs around scaring guests!
PNE / Playland Fright Nights was a blast. You can join the fun at the theme park “Where Screams Come True” until October 31st.
I also had a hoot at VanDusen Glow in the Garden, where I strolled through mesmerizing Halloween displays and colorful lights.
I’m wearing a festive sweater by Chaser; click for more below:
The VanDusen Gardens transform into a Halloween wonderland every October. This year, the theme is centered on owls, who cast a “hootenanny” spell on the grounds and made them glow.
As you wander through the outdoor paths, you’ll encounter glowing creatures of the night (such as a giant glowing blue spider).
An illuminated scarecrow looks over the dark pond. (This image is more proof of the powers of the Apple iPhone 11 camera…)
The trail leads to intricately carved and glowing pumpkins, which look like owls and other forest animals. (Did you carve a Jack-o-Lantern this year?)
Cinderella vibes, in front of the enormous pumpkin lit by orange and green lights.
An evening at Van Dusen Glow in the Garden will surely get you into a Halloween mood. This seasonal event at Vancouver’s botanical gardens ends October 27.
October has been good to me. I got to reunite with my friend Daniel Graves of Aesthetic Perfection, and watch his energetic show with openers Empathy Test.
(You might recall that we met up at Montreal Kinetik festival years ago, as well as Leipzig’s Wave Gotik Treffen!)
Aesthetic Perfection took over Vancouver’s Pub 340, as the fifth to last stop on their North American tour.
Aesthetic Perfection is a joy to see live. Daniel Graves is one of most engaging performers I’ve seen, and the venue let the crowd get right up to the stage to sing and jump along.
The band played songs from the new album, Into the Black: a gritty industrial yet melodic powerhouse, featuring musical collaborators like Richard Z. Kruspe of Rammstein.
Aesthetic Perfection also tore up the room with older favorites like the electro-synth bop of “Antibody.” Daniel conveyed the impressive range of his voice and songwriting throughout the night, coming back for an encore with the melancholic “All Beauty Destroyed.”
The room was buzzing after Aesthetic Perfection’s live: my friends agreed this was one of the best performances we’ve seen in ages. (For a glimpse of what we experienced at the front of the stage, enjoy these video clips in my Instagram post.)
Daniel is famously lovely to fans, and came out to the bar to hang out and give hugs.
Daniel Graves is bringing his spiffy moves and superhuman voice to Germany next. Take my word: this is a Goth concert you can’t miss!
You can find Aesthetic Perfection’s upcoming tour dates on their Facebook and Instagram. Give their new album Into the Black a listen, and may you get to experience the magic in person.
Let’s end with some snaps of the Halloween-themed food I’ve been indulging in this season.
Vancouver’s La Glace parlor released a pumpkin pie ice cream, while Mon Paris Patisserie offers a pumpkin caramel chocolate on a stick. I tried Psypah psycho red wine, and pumpkin ravioli too.
Plus, there’s all the freshly baked pumpkin pie I’ve been eating. With all these seasonal treats, I might turn into a pumpkin soon!
Now, it’s time to pack for Mexico, where I’ll be spending Day of the Dead. (Read about my upcoming Dia de los Muertos trip here.)
There’s no better way to get in the mood than by wearing sugar skulls. These creepy-cute accessories are from Cufflinks.com. Love how their lapel pin and silver cuff links add Gothic flair to an outfit.
(Cufflinks.com has accessories with every theme imaginable, and you can also customize items. See more skull styles from them below).
Psyched to be in the Yucatan (Merida and Campeche) and Mexico City, watching graveyard ceremonies and taking part in Day of the Dead parades…
Keep an eye to my social media @lacarmina to preview these Gothic travel adventures.
I leave you with some limited edition Halloween fashion: tis the season to get spooky. These designs are only available right now, so take a second to check them out below. Happy Samhain!
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Alternative Montreal travel guide! Hipster Alt Hotel, virtual reality museum, Thierry Mugler futuristic Goth fashion.
If you’re an alternative or artistic type, then Montreal is a destination you’ll adore!
Particularly in the summer months, the city has a full calendar of edgy events. I was excited to return to Montreal, and see more of the groundbreaking museums and Gothic stores.
Read on for a guide to offbeat, hip travel in Montreal –– including close encounters with robots and aliens!
My alternative travels began with a stay at the aptly-named Alt Hotel Montreal. These hip boutique accommodations have contemporary rooms, and art everywhere… I was pleased to find what looked like a pentagon Pokeball on my concrete wall!
(This black dress is by The Reformation, worn over a white baby tee like in the 90s. Sandals by Lola Ramona, and more dresses by Ref below…)
Alt Hotel is conveniently located in Griffintown, which is a short walk from Quartier des Spectacles, the Gay Village, and other downtown districts.
I had a room on the top floor, with tall windows and these cool views of Montreal. From one of the panes, I could even see the experimental Habitat 67 by Moshe Safdie (the community housing that looks like a stack of Legos).
The staff at Alt Hotel Montreal makes sweet efforts to give their guests a memorable stay. They knew I loved dark chocolate, berries, and local wine — so I found this welcome plate in my room, upon checking in.
I always prefer to stay in modern design hotels, and Alt checked all of my boxes. The bed was excellent quality (which is not often the case, in hotels), and the bathroom finishings were new.
Hotel Alt strikes a balance between luxury, design, and affordability, making it a nice choice for young travelers.
Be sure to head to the 7th floor, which is a covered terrace for guests. From the balcony, you can spot the Farine Five Roses sign (a local flour company, and Montreal landmark).
Once a poor industrial neighborhood, Griffintown has transformed into a hip Montreal hub. I was happy to discover that Alt Hotel was a block away from Adonis (a Lebanese grocery store / deli), and La bête à pain (a spectacular French bakery / cafe).
(I’m wearing a black mini dress by The Reformation, and red shoes by Lola Ramona.)
The lobby welcomes visitors with this cheery rainbow wall, which is made up of square photographs. Alt’s interior design is made for Instagram, with “selfie stations” and guides to trendy restaurants.
Salut Alt Hotel Montreal for the fabulous stay. I’m very happy that I made this cool boutique hotel my home-base.
Now, let’s teleport into the future… I went to Hum(ai)n, a Montreal exhibition that lets you interact with AI, and discover new worlds through VR!
The high-tech installation is inside Centre Phi, an art space for avantgarde, multidisciplinary works.
I went to the Humain exhibit with friends both old and new. As you can tell, we adore Gothic and Japanese street fashion.
Many of the exhibits have an interactive element, such as Ophelia the robot lady. You can ask her questions in either English or French, and each conversation helps her learn what it means to be human.
At first, Ophelia’s replies were simple and “robotic” — but now, after speaking to hundreds of visitors, she responds with remarkable depth and humor!
There were about a dozen stations to explore, each with a different take on virtual reality, artificial intelligence, or biotechnology. Is the “rise of the robots” something to worry about? Only time will tell…
My friends and I participated in “Algorithmic Perfumery,” which creates a unique fragrance based on your answers to a series of questions. The data includes your preferences, personality, and response to multiple scents.
Then, the machine mixes the custom perfume. The results were hit and miss: some of us felt that the resulting fragrance wasn’t to their liking.
The Phi Center is in a historic building, which was quite the contrast with the VR headset stations. This one is “Emergence” — when I look around, I see myself running in a crowd of thousands. Using the wireless controller, I can change my direction and try to race into vertical beams of light, which alters the pattern.
Some of the immersive narratives were rather intense. “7 Lives” is a Japanese production that includes traumatic experiences (jumping off the Tokyo subway platform, and being berated by an angry Japanese mother).
When you put on the VR headset and headphones, you find yourself immersed in a new universe (you can look around in all directions, and react to sounds and visuals like in real life).
The “films” range from fantastical toys in a gymnasium, to psychedelic ayahuasca visions in the Amazon rainforest. As you can see from our reactions, they truly transport you to a different time and place!
What does it mean to be human? Are we creeping closer to the singularity? Montreal’s Hum(ai)n exhibit lets you ponder these questions, and witness the latest developments in art and technology.
(PS: be sure to book tickets in advance from Centre Phi, as there are limited time slots.)
I got to see another futuristic exhibit at the Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal. The fine arts museum houses the world premiere of “Thierry Mugler: Couturissime” — a retrospective of the imaginative designer.
The visionary French designer, photographer, and perfumer rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s. At the time, Thierry Mugler’s garments looked like they came off a runway on Mars: he became notorious for his flamboyant, sci-fi and fetish inspired couture.
Montreal’s “Couturissime” is set in several dramatically-lit rooms, which match with Mugler’s pomp and glamour. The first room showcased his visionary stage costumes for Shakespeare’s Macbeth, including oversized black ruffs and spiked codpieces.
Thierry Mugler made costumes for many musicians, including David Bowie, George Michael, and Lady Gaga. This skin-tight dress was worn by Bowie; the peaked shoulders are typical of his “power dressing” approach.
The screen shows music videos and concert footage from over the decades, with artists wearing his creations.
“Thierry Mugler: Couturissime” includes over 150 garments, over 100 photographs, sketches, and more. His gowns span a variety of styles; of course, I fawned over these Mugler Gothic dresses.
No wonder Mugler makes an Alien fragrance… he had quite the affinity for extraterrestrial space couture!
I loved seeing the decadent fabrics and details up close. Mugler liked to break conventions and had a sense of humor; one mannequin had a “beer can holster” attached to her thigh!
Wouldn’t you like to wear a sequinned creation by Mugler? (Below are some of his designs for sale; click to see.)
As you can see, Mugler was inspired by fetish and S&M subcultures. He incorporated latex, leather, flogs, and other paraphernalia into his designs.
The exhibition also included a showcase of local fashion designers. How cool to see Matières Fécales (above) featured in the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
I hope these photos inspire you to see the Thierry Mugler exhibit for yourself.
Speaking of Montreal fashion…. if you’re a “creature of the night,” then you should stop by Boutique Creatures, a Goth store in the Mont Royal district.
I met up with Joe McHarg, owner of Creatures. He also runs Cabaret Berlin, an alternative event space. The club has frequent Gothic and underground music nights, as well as a Tech Noir synthwave party (I’m so bummed I missed the date!)
Creatures stocks a variety of underground brands, inspired by Goth and punk subcultures. The boutique focuses on original, local designs — including their own Creatures fashion line.
In addition to Victorian dresses and hard shell bags, Creatures sells art and prints by Quebec creators.
Creature’s fashion line is one-of-a-kind: Joe picks out the fabrics by hand, and everything is stitched locally. I’m wearing one of his dark creations, a long sleeved top with mesh panels and scalloped edges.
From skull wallets to glitter backpacks, Creatures has something for anyone who loves alternative fashion.
The jewelry case features deadly earrings by Quebec’s Equinox Art.
The O-ring leather chokers are also made by hand. Love how Boutique Créatures focuses on quality items, and supports local Gothic artists.
Montreal has other terrific alternative fashion shops, particularly in the Mont-Royal area. Here’s a peek at Kitsch n Swell, a vintage / pin-up / retro boutique. (I featured them on Touring Bird, the new Google travel project I’ve been working on — you can see all my TB.D Montreal tips here.)
Diabolik is another diabolical dark fashion shop. I spy Hell Bunny dresses in the window.
Montreal’s fashion, art, and museums are out of this world! The city is also known for its food scene — and that’s what I will show you in the next post.
I hope this story inspired you to book a flight to Quebec… before the robots become our overlords…
(Dress by The Reformation, with more below. The white top and other designs are for sale on my Depop.)
LA CARMINA
