YOU’VE FOUND THE SECRET MAGICAL BOOKSHELF BACKSTAIRS! These were painted by Mark the Magician Swindler! Once known as “the creepy back stars” from the kitchen that nobody liked, now this area is a librarian’s treat! The list of books champions guest authors who have visited the hotel, a few by in-house authors who live in the hotel, as well as a few titles that played a role in the hotel’s make up. Starting at the bottom, we step higher and higher over:

1. The Subterraneans by Jack Kerouac,
2. Hex Files: the Goth Bible by Mick Mercer
3. The Witches’ Book of the Dead by Christian Day
4. Vampire The Masquerade by Mark Rein-Hagen,
5. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien,
6. The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice,
7. Fear Itself by Stan Rice,
8. HOWL by Alan Ginsberg,
9. The First Noelle by Blair Murphy,
10. Piercing the Darkness: Undercover with Vampires in America Today by Katherine Ramsland,
11. Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck,
12. The Werewolf Lotus by Blair Murphy,
13. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manuel by Gary Gygax,
14. The Alternate Realities of Chef Thom by Thom Pulliam,
15. A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare,
16. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley,
17. The Re-Enchantment of Everyday Life by Thomas Moore,
18. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie,
19. Mark Swindler by Mark Swindler!

The new carpet padding on each step makes it neat and cozy to ascend in socks.  At the top of the stairs hangs the painting Transfiguration by Alex Grey.  One can visually just keep ascending further and further into the painting.

The other night, Mark heard visiting guest singer Tommy Amoeba slowly marching up the adventure-cave reading each step aloud as if entering a curious, giant bookshelf suddenly being discovered and explored. What fun! This secret little pocket deep within the hotel is now wonderful! Great job Mark Swindler!