During the Fan Expo Vancouver weekend, I knew I had to visit Arcana Food and Spirits in Gastown again, and they didn’t disappoint! From the neon glow of a “pet psychic” facade outside to the noir-styled interior within, walking into Arcana feels like stepping into another dimension. The entrance is decorated like in Rocky Horror Picture show, but once you’re inside, what’s there is more of a speakeasy than an area for a stage show.
This time around, I brought my friend Susan along. We’ve done paranormal investigations together and while we weren’t planning to run a session on a busy Friday night, I’ll admit the mood makes you half-expect a planchette to slide on its own. I also had to accept one bittersweet update: anyone hoping to meet the Lich King or sip beside the Cthulhu tiki mug and take home now has to make a pilgrimage to Toronto’s Storm Crow Manor. but here, all you can do is drink with them. Their storefront, Mysterious Package Company doesn’t seem to update inventory often, so don’t count on snagging rare barware online.
Continue reading “Storm Crow Manor & Arcana Food and Spirits: Their Loose Haunted Connection”
From the early days when individuals wanted to make contact with the other side to present day, the choices in what to use as paranormal tech is few. They ranged from candles and balls of string to devices that became precursors to what’s used today. Back then, the people didn’t use stuffed dolls programmed to respond to strange activity. And REM pods is still considered a novelty. Some of these toys were created, rooted in belief at the time, and others are just plain weird.
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The most enduring gift