It began in the fields when the year was dying. The Celts called it Samhain—a night when the border between worlds turned porous as breath. Fires burned on the hills; the living disguised themselves to fool the dead, who wandered freely, homesick for warmth. Cattle were slaughtered, hearths were blessed, and every shadow felt personal. It was the year folding itself shut. Centuries later, the Church pressed its seal upon the fire. All Hallows’ Eve, they called it, the eve of saints and souls. But the fire would not behave. It danced in doorways and behind church glass, wild as memory. The saints stayed in their windows; the ghosts stayed in the streets. Years passed, and the night put on different masks. Lanterns carved from turnips. Apples bobbing in water. Faces painted white. It crossed oceans, found new soil, learned new songs. The fields became suburbs. The bonfires became doorbells. The disguises, more flattering. But the impulse—the small, lovely terror of being seen and n...

  Taylor Momsen, who Michael K once described as "the hardest bitch of the playground," originally rose to fame for her role as Cindy Lou Who in 2000's How The Grinch Stole Christmas starring Jim Carrey. She later acted in Gossip Girl while kicking off her career as the lead singer of the band The Pretty Reckless since 2009. Well it seems Momsen wants to return to her festive roots this year by releasing a Christmas album. The singer posted on her socials about the band's EP that will be releasing on October 31st. Talk about a Nightmare Before Christmas, amirite?!  Source: Blabbermouth

Picture it: London, 1889. A magazine called "Tit-Bits" (for real!) introduces a contest to its single female readers, asking them to answer a very provocative question for the time: Why Am I A Spinster? The prize? Five shillings split among 21 winners. Cha-ching! Now, single hors of the Manor, before I pose the same question to you and ask, " Why are YOU a spinster?", let's have a look at some of these inspiring answers from the past: Now, DO tell, Peckersluts, Why ARE you a spinster?

 

Behold a gazebo in a Victorian garden surrounded by an iron fence (which is surrounded by a much higher iron fence) on the grounds of a gigantic mansion (with a tower that's five stories tall), on an estate which encompasses an entire city block. Although once it was surrounded by other palatial estates it is now all alone, surrounded by apartment buildings and businesses. But, like a grande dame who is now of diminished circumstances, it maintains its dignity despite its bustling surroundings. There's stories of it being haunted (nothing like the glamorous dump I work at, though) and although it's not open to the public I did get a behind the scenes tour about 30 years ago, courtesy of a bartender I was good friends with who moonlit as security there part-time. I went there one night before he finished and he walked me through the whole place. He even took me up to the attic floor and showed me the original antique bowling alley, though he kinda hurried through that part. ...

Here's Lily-Rose Depp at the Chanel SS26 fashion show on Monday. The nepo baby and Chanel ambassador sported a black tweed peacoat and a face like a slapped arse. The embodiment of charisma and charm!  Source: Christophe Ena - AP

Welcome, music sluts, to anther edition of Manor Music Monday, today with an added skosh of sass, brass and class - and heaps of talent, too, from a flirty dame who started out as a jazz songstress, then segued to becoming a fine actress, then segued right back to being a jazz songstress. You can hear her perform scads of delightful tunes tonight at the Manor's "Bush Diver" after-hours lounge and ramen dinette, so be sure to swing by. And get this: yours truly actually met this songstress. Can you believe? Lucky me! Can you guess who it is? If you guessed Monica Lewis, you win! When I met her, it wasn't long before she passed, unfortunately. She was in her early 90s, chipper as can be and attending an anniversary screening of the movie "Earthquake!" in which she appears. I nabbed her before she went inside. She was so delightful, so sweet, and surprised that I knew her primarily as a singer. "I thought everyone forgot about that," she said and rega...

The fog lifts, the dead arrive, and Peckerwood throws a party only the afterlife could survive. By 10:45 the fog machines had unionized and refused to work without hazard pay. Candles hissed in protest. The chandeliers flickered like a dying Broadway star refusing to leave the stage. Outside, the wind howled through the magnolias like an ex-lover with opinions. Inside, The Midnight Manor opened its doors to the annual Peckerwood Halloween gala—a social experiment that asked: what happens when the dead are better dressed than the living? The valet was losing his mind. The first car that pulled up was a hearse. Bela Lugosi stepped out wearing Tom Ford and an expression that said he was above this, though he absolutely wasn’t. He swept through the foyer like a man expecting applause. Moments later, a red Tesla arrived and disgorged a congressman who insisted he’d been invited by “someone in communications.” Everyone silently agreed this was a cosmic clerical error. He spent most of the ni...

  Sheer dresses have been terrorizing red carpets for what feels like centuries and it seems designers are still not sick of showing off people's chonies as a fashion statement. Jenna Ortega sported this red look and her signature scowl at the Givenchy Spring 2026 show for Paris Fashion Week. The colour suits her quite well but the design feels played out. Charlize Theron also attended the show wearing an outfit from the new collection: What do you think of these 'fits, Peckers? Source: Pascal Le Segretain / Getty

Gifs - we love them here at the Manor, and some of them we love more than others. Like the one above, for instance - it's my all-time favorite! So in honor of our fervent use of gifs around here, share with us your favorites! And think of this post as our official gif library to borrow from when in need. Oh, and here's my runner-up:

  We welcome celebrity guest chef, Alice Evans.   

 (Full disclosure: I'm not 100% sure if this Chevy is a '55 or a '56, but I chose '55 just because, so please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) 1955 was an eventful year. A 15-year-old Black girl named Claudette Colvin didn't give up her seat on a bus to a white woman. She was pulled off the bus and physically harassed as she was taken to the police station, but she became a plaintiff in a case that led to bus segregation being ruled unconstitutional. The Broadway smash hit "Peter Pan" starring Mary Martin was shown in its entirety on NBC, becoming the most-watched TV special up to that time - and it was IN LIVING COLOR! In 1955, Marian Anderson became the first Black performer to sing at the Metropolitan Opera in NYC, and Nat King Cole had a gigantic hit with a lovely little song that seems appropriate for this time of year: Happy Open Post darlings! Photo Credit: AK

Simone Ashley walked the runway in Elie Saab at the L'Oreal Paris Défilé Show for Paris Fashion Week yesterday. The 30-year old Bridgerton star looked absolutely radiant in this number. Gold is definitely her colour! Source: Getty

Greetings fellow hussies, and welcome to another kickin' edition of Manor Music Monday. I say "kickin'' cause DJ Li'l Scratch will be playing some fantastic tunes to get you movin' and grovin' tonight at our exclusive after-hours "Love Hole Lounge." Hold on tight - wheeeee! - 'cause were speeding straight to the heart of Memphis soul with a songstress who was born in Missouri. Confused? Don't be. But be prepared to be wowed. Yes, it's the invincible Ann Peebles. Born in Missouri to a family of 11 children, she started singing as a wee one in the choir of her father's church - and also with the family's group, The Peebles Choir, who were often the opening act for touring gospel stars like Mahalia Jackson and the Soul Stirrers. It wasn't long before she was stepping out as a solo performer, and in the 1960s, she was slaying with her own brand of gritty, deeply felt R&B at clubs in St. Louis, then Memphis. It was in Memphi...

Saw this sweet 'ol gal the other day and though time has not been kind to her, she takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'. This 71 Galaxie 500 Country Sedan has clearly been through it, but she keeps on keeping on. I don't know the backstory, but maybe 50-plus years ago it was the first car a young couple bought, and maybe they raised a family, maybe they loaded groceries in the back, or took their kids to intramurals, or maybe they went for a drive to let off steam after an argument, or maybe they just turned up the radio when a good tune came on, like this beautiful 1971 song: This is probably what it looked like when it was brand-spanking new, right off the assembly line: Respect this gas-guzzling survivor, and have a happy Sunday Open Post, darlings.  Photos: AK

Aaron Sorkin's 2010 film, The Social Network , is getting a sequel over 15 years later. The new film is going to be called The Social Reckoning  and will star Jeremy Strong as Mark Zuckerberg. The film will tell the true story of how FB engineer Frances Haugen (played by Mikey Madison) enlisted the help of Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horowitz (played by Jeremy Allen White) to expose Facebook for its harmful effects on teens and its knowing proliferation of misinformation, which contributed to acts of political violence. The original exposé was published in 2021.  The Social Reckoning is set to start production next month, with an anticipated release date of October 9, 2026.  Sources: Variety, The Associated Press

Cats love ducks! Ducks love cats! Everyone's making out! Yes, it's another start to a new weekend at The Manor, so please gussy yourself up and meet us at "The Middle Wicket Lounge" - it's right near the Guest Houses on the north side - where we'll be serving a divine luncheon with telephones at each table. Yes, telephones. Confused? You shouldn't be: 

 

Hey there, it's the summer of 1961 and Zeb's the name, and farmin's the game. This here's what ya call an Open Post, and ya'll can talk about pretty nigh anything, whether it's farming, or new farming implements, or crop yields or the effects of the rain on the latest crop yields or whether t'would be wiser to rotate your crops. The sky's the limit! (a picture the little lady took of me last year) Have fun and keep a civil tongue in yer heads for this is OP. Right now I'm driving my 'ol F-1 to town to pick up half a ton of manure. Hey! Maybe when I get back you can all grab a shovel and help me spread it around the south 40. You can stay for supper after. The Mrs. is one heck of a cook. Now excuse while if I turn up the radio. This new song just came on and I saw'd it on Ed Sullivan last Sunday. Happy Wednesday Open Post! Photo Credit: AK; RawPixel Long Bell Lumber Co

  Source: Grabbriette on instagram Charli XCX married George Daniel of The 1975 in July and photos have been surfacing from the couple's celebrations. This includes a photo of a cigarette platter that also had custom matchbooks with the couple's names on them. While I am sure many weddings over the decades have had cigarettes supplied for guests, there is something so funny to me about presenting them this way. Mary-Kate Olsen famously had bowls filled with cigarettes at her wedding to her now-ex husband Olivier Sarkozy. Maybe ciggy platters are a bad omen for marriages? Time will tell! Congratulations to the happy couple! Pass the engraved ashtray!