SCREAMING SKULLS' CURRENT TOP 3 BLOG POSTS

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Carved Tibetan Skulls



Check out this amazing carved Tibetan skull, found on my new favourite website: Skull Appreciation Society

Does anyone out there know the history behind Tibetan skull carving? If so, please leave a comment on this post, or drop us a line at screamingskullsweirdclub.blogspot.ca.

Friday, October 19, 2012

misspulga's Reina de los Muertos Hallowe'en Makeup


Last Hallowe'en, misspulga was inspired by sugar skulls to create this one-of-a-kind "Reina de los Muertos" costume. All makeup was original, and hand-painted by misspulga herself. She submitted her photo to the epic Skull-A-Day blog, and had the privilege of being featured on their site [link to blog post].

After a ghoulishly festive All Hallow's Eve with the Vampire and the Werewolf at the Vampire's lair, misspulga returned home and started morphing back into her daytime persona (as can be seen in the photograph below). ;-)



Thursday, October 18, 2012

Most Ridiculous Shoes Ever Made? - MSN Lifestyle Video

These shoes definitely fit the "weird" criteria of SSWC.  I think the artist's commentary on fashion/beauty is successful, because it showcases the crazy lengths people go to so that they may be viewed as popular or beautiful in today's society.  Watch the video (originally posted on MSN.ca's Lifestyle page) below and leave a comment - let us know what you think!




Flying Spaghetti Monster Guerrilla Art at Glendon College, Toronto



















This guerrilla art was created for SSWC by misspulga after a particularly difficult exam in Advanced Statistics at Glendon College, York University in 2011. In this moment of clarity and enlightenment, she was most definitely touched by His noodly appendage. 

R'Amen.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Trip to the Junction Fall Flea

Poster for the Junction Fall Flea
This past weekend, my friend The Collector and I went to the Junction Fall Flea... a hip, "curated" outdoor market near Dundas & Keele in Toronto, presented by Smash and Russet & Empire Interiors. This is the first time we've attended the Flea, but it usually runs the second Sunday of every month - all summer long. 

The atmosphere was fantastic: Hustling and bustling just like a good flea market ought to be. There was delicious food being served from vintage trailers... Manual Labour Coffee, pulled pork sandwiches, seafood noodles, dumplings, and mini-doughnuts fried in coconut oil. 

The vendors were amazing... You can find anything there, from vinyl records and vintage clothing to retro housewares... And everything in between. I scored a very neat looking lock for $3 that I'm planning to turn into a pendant, and an original Game Boy Tetris cartridge for $4. 

The thing I liked most about the Flea was the people... Genuine, down-to-earth folks who truly enjoyed being there as much as the patrons, and were happy to strike up a conversation with you. This event has been such a success that the organizers are looking into holding it indoors throughout the winter. I really hope they do!!! 

Please enjoy the photos I took during our trip including some pics of the *delicious* lunch and beer we had at the Indie Ale House Brewing Co., which is just down the street from the Flea. Also check out the list of vendor links I've provided at the bottom of this post. :-)  

Vintage anatomical heart model!
Vintage John Fluevog boots at Scandimania booth
Fantastic retro telephone seat!
Spoon & Fork Rings!
Well hello there!
Eat Your Heart Out plates!
Communist (?) banner!
Vintage spheres à la Marianas Trench!
Random items for sale!
Vintage Toronto "fine hard candy" tin!
Tattered & Torn - Good Junque display
Emily the Strange candle displayed in Rue Morgue window
Delicious meal at Indie Ale House Brewing Co., including 
Instigator Pale Ale (left) and Broken Hipster (right)
Indie Ale House Brewing Co. logo

[Old Weston on Etsy]
[Ghostface Knitta website]
[The Vintage Cabin website]
[Fair Judy's Facebook page]
[Rebel & Fuss - Pretty Badass Jewelry website]
[Food Sluts website]
[Scandimania on Etsy]
[Tattered & Torn - Good Junque website]
[Covet Garden website]


Monday, October 15, 2012

Mack Brewery in Tromso, Norway

Svalbard, Norway - [Link to image source]
SSWC reader and contributor Chris Parkinson from Hollywood, California writes to us about Mack Brewery in Tromso, Norway. He recently had the pleasure of visiting the brewery and experiencing their beer during a scientific research trip to Svalbard - the northernmost part of Norway. 

To begin with, Chris wanted to share this review of Mack Brewery found on Lonely Planet since it was so eloquently written:

"OK, this brewery isn’t really the world’s northernmost – a microbrewery in Honningsvåg takes that title – but it’s still a venerable institution that merits a pilgrimage. Established in 1877, it nowadays produces 18 kinds of beer, including the very quaffable Mack's Pilsner, Isbjørn, Haakon and several dark beers. At 1pm year-round – plus 3pm, June to August – tours (Nkr130, including a beer mug, pin and pint) leave from the brewery’s own Ølhallen Pub, Monday to Thursday."

Chris writes: So, we could call it the world's northernmost non-microbrewery!!! LOL

Photos courtesy of Chris Parkinson.
The Bottom Line: This is quite a hoppy beer, which may be a turn off to some. However, the interesting mix of sweet, caramel, fruit, 
and bitterness makes it a taste experience.

"It is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to be able to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth". That statement is one of many arrogant statements on the label on the bottle. This is another quote from the label: "We would suggest that you stick to safer and more familiar territory - maybe something with a multi-million dollar ad campaign aimed at convincing you it's made in a little brewery, or one that implies that their tasteless fizzy yellow beverage will give you more sex appeal."


The reason I am repeating words from the label is not because beer labels are all I read (I do read books also). It's because there is some truth in it. Bland pale lagers brewed by corporate giants have been a staple of American beer culture. However, Budweiser is now Belgian and there are many smaller American breweries (thousands) that offer interesting and tasty high-quality beers. Stone Brewing Company is one of them... and they are also trying to have some comedic fun with the situation.        

Thank you, Chris, for your submission! :-)

We here at Planet Obscura and SSWC *love* craft beer... If you have any recommendations or reviews you'd like to share, please e-mail them to us and we will post them on the blog!

screamingskullsweirdclub@gmail.com