Abney Park, Band with Serious Steampunk Style

Abney Park, before I was privileged enough to experience their performances, first seduced with me with their website. The site is one of the most exquisitely designed portals for a group I have ever seen. The spinning dials and electric images sent shivers down my spine. The band members are all stunningly sexy creatures who embody their characters thoroughly. From Captain Robert's hot throaty voice to the seductive moves of Kristina, Finn, and the strokes of wonderboys Nathaniel and Daniel, prepare yourself to be dazzled. Their shop offers elegant items crafted by authentic steampunk artisans, leagues above your typical groupie merchandise.

Kutna Hora Bone Church

In the suburb town of Kutna Hora in the Czech Republic, you will find the unique "Bone Church", or the Sedlec Ossuary. This Gothic church was was built in the middle of the cemetery around 1400. After 1511 the task of exhuming skeletons and stacking their bones in the chapel was, according to legend, given to a half-blind monk of the order.

In 1870, František Rint, a woodcarver, was employed by the Schwarzenberg family to organize the massive bone heaps. The darkly decorative result is now a popular attraction for followers of the macabre. Four enormous bell-shaped mounds occupy the corners of the chapel. An elaborate chandelier of bones, which contains at least one of every bone in the human body, hangs from the center of the nave with garlands of skulls draping the vaults. Other arrangements include piers and monstrances flanking the altar, a large Schwarzenberg coat-of-arms, and the signature of Rint, also executed in bone, on the wall near the entrance.

This site had some recent exposure on Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman's series "Long Way Round".

The Royal Sarcophagus Society

Looking for exquisite hand-made Gothic gifts and treats for yourself? The Royal Sarcophagus Society and the Sarcophagus store offer beautiful crafts, clothing, artwork, toys and other beautiful oddities by stylish artists like Christine Stait-Gardner, Magda Trzaski and David Keyes.
Their group has a goal of liberating art and "setting it free from the shackles of mass produced, predictable, modern day, dim-witted, dunder-headed profit orientated sameness."
The quality is impeccable and the prices are very reasonable for such elegant items. Support the art, support your own dark tastes, support someone's need for a great day in receiving such a nice gift...

Macabre Travel: Vampire Cafe in Tokyo

If you find yourself traveling to the frenetic and chic city of Tokyo, why not stop by for a lovely evening in the Ginza district? The Vampire Cafe is a gorgeously sexy spot filled with blood red decor, velvets and Gothic decor. The menu is a feast of Gothically inclined dishes which are all plated beautifully. Look for a steak that is 'staked', sauce-drawn crucifixes, red wine 'blood' cocktails and edible coffin salads.

D.L. and Co. Online Sample Sale Wednesday, Super-Luxe Gothic Decor

Do you need to outfit your home in super-luxurious tabletop trinkets? Is your fine dining table missing some handcrafted sterling silver place card holders or claw foot candelabras? Does your mantle lack the scent of hand-poured scents named after the seven deadly sins and vintage poisons? The elegant, upscale brand of D.L. and Co. makes luxurious items for the most glamorous of Gothic homes. Their collection of "modern alchemy" and "curious goods" can be purchased at Sak's Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Barney's New York. However, you can snap up these goodies at an online sample sale Wednesday for 36 hours, (BIG discount) by registering to shop here.

Steampunk Fashion, Taxidermy and Vampire Lit in BUST Magazine.

Color me surprised. This month's issue of women's lifestyle mag, Bust Magazine featured several stories for those of gothic sensibility. I usually associate this publication with crafts, tongue-in-cheek style and profiles of unique women. This issue, did that, but did in a delightfully dark way. One feature profiled taxidermy artist Sabrina Brewer and her delicate, creepy sculptures. Next up, Charlaine Harris, author of the Sookie Stackhouse book series, (and inspiration for HBO's "True Blood".) The dessert of this magazine was a gorgeous fashion spread of Steampunk fashion with an Edward Munch color palette. Get your copy, or take a sneek peek online.

Paris Couture: Alexander McQueen Fall 09

Fashion's bad-boy and genius, Alexander McQueen produced another beautiful spectacle this season on the runway. His dark and twisted sense of humor and Gothic references are mingled with subtle digs at his fellow designers and the current economic climate. Edward Gorey parasol hats and "Brazil" movie-inspired makeup accessorized the models. Escher prints adorned a few dresses, a Poiret cocoon silhouette, snakelike coils, tubes and exaggerated Dior-like shapes rounded out this cheeky macabre collection. A heap of darkened props of runways past sat in the middle of the stage like the corpses of excess past.