291 S D St, Virginia City, NV
The Mackay Mansion Museum is currently open to the public for tours daily, from 10am to 6pm. Private, exclusive tours can be tailored to your needs. The Mansion is a living museum where historical pieces are displayed and offered for sale. There are also a variety of unique gift items available, as well as fine art and Persian rugs.
The lavish grounds can accommodate up to 400 persons for weddings, reunions, concerts, holiday parties and fundraising galas. The grand gazebo and party terrace provide a wonderful ambiance for any social occasion or event.
The Mackay Mansion is steeped in history, from the mining office which is housed inside to the historic V&T Railroad, which transports you to the rear of the property. In additon, it is rumored to be haunted .... we'll let you be the judge!
Here's what they say: you might see:
1) Little Girl Dressed in White: This entity has appeared to many whom have slept in these bedrooms. Johnny Depp saw this apparition while staying here during his filming of “Dead Man.”
2) An Elderly Female: She appears to float around and “linger” in favorite spots on the 2nd floor. Perhaps she is a former lady of the house?
3) A Former Colonel: This apparition chooses to sit in the kitchen as his favorite way to pass the time. Long after his death, his presence remains, and has been felt by many psychics.
4) A Focused, Conscientious Woman: This apparition (possibly a servant) seems to keep herself busy, making never-ending trips up and down the staircase ... in a vain attempt to complete her chores?
The lavish grounds can accommodate up to 400 persons for weddings, reunions, concerts, holiday parties and fundraising galas. The grand gazebo and party terrace provide a wonderful ambiance for any social occasion or event.
The Mackay Mansion is steeped in history, from the mining office which is housed inside to the historic V&T Railroad, which transports you to the rear of the property. In additon, it is rumored to be haunted .... we'll let you be the judge!
Here's what they say: you might see:
1) Little Girl Dressed in White: This entity has appeared to many whom have slept in these bedrooms. Johnny Depp saw this apparition while staying here during his filming of “Dead Man.”
2) An Elderly Female: She appears to float around and “linger” in favorite spots on the 2nd floor. Perhaps she is a former lady of the house?
3) A Former Colonel: This apparition chooses to sit in the kitchen as his favorite way to pass the time. Long after his death, his presence remains, and has been felt by many psychics.
4) A Focused, Conscientious Woman: This apparition (possibly a servant) seems to keep herself busy, making never-ending trips up and down the staircase ... in a vain attempt to complete her chores?
These recipes may not be served in the Mackay Mansion, but they should be!
Caramel Apple Martinis!
Ingredients
1 oz. Baileys Irish cream
1/2 oz. apple schnapps
1/2 oz. butterscotch schnapps
2 oz. half-and-half or whole milk
coarse sugar
ground cinnamon
Instructions
1. Rim glass with coarse sugar mixed with cinnamon.
2. For each cocktail, pour all ingredients into a drink shaker.
3. Fill shaker with ice then shake and strain cocktail into a chilled glass, with or without ice.
1 oz. Baileys Irish cream
1/2 oz. apple schnapps
1/2 oz. butterscotch schnapps
2 oz. half-and-half or whole milk
coarse sugar
ground cinnamon
Instructions
1. Rim glass with coarse sugar mixed with cinnamon.
2. For each cocktail, pour all ingredients into a drink shaker.
3. Fill shaker with ice then shake and strain cocktail into a chilled glass, with or without ice.
Bourbon Pumpkin Pie Milkshake
Ingredients (half for single serving)
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cream or half-and-half
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup pureed pumpkin
1/2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup graham-cracker crumbs
2-3 ounces bourbon
pinch of cinnamon
frosting and sprinkles, for rim
whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
1. Add all ingredients to a blender and mix until combined.
2. Rim glasses with a light coating of frosting then dip in sprinkles.
3. Pour milkshake in a glass and sprinkle cinnamon on top.
4. Top with whipped cream, if desired.
Makes two milkshakes
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cream or half-and-half
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup pureed pumpkin
1/2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup graham-cracker crumbs
2-3 ounces bourbon
pinch of cinnamon
frosting and sprinkles, for rim
whipped cream (optional)
Instructions
1. Add all ingredients to a blender and mix until combined.
2. Rim glasses with a light coating of frosting then dip in sprinkles.
3. Pour milkshake in a glass and sprinkle cinnamon on top.
4. Top with whipped cream, if desired.
Makes two milkshakes
Lip-Licking Luscious!
Black Devil Martini

DIRECTIONS
Stir and strain into chilled martini glass, garnish with olive.
- 2 oz. dark rum
- 1/2 oz. dry vermouth
- Black olive
Midnight Martini

Black Martini
Ingredients:
3.5 oz black vodka
.5 oz blackberry brandy or Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur (you can also use cherry juice according to another recipe)
Berries for garnish
Directions:
Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or serve on the rocks in an old-fashioned glass. Thread raspberries and blueberries onto a cocktail skewer, and place in drink.
Ingredients:
3.5 oz black vodka
.5 oz blackberry brandy or Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur (you can also use cherry juice according to another recipe)
Berries for garnish
Directions:
Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or serve on the rocks in an old-fashioned glass. Thread raspberries and blueberries onto a cocktail skewer, and place in drink.
Test Tube Blood Samples

Combine blood-orange juice and orange liqueur in a large pitcher. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Pour into test tubes or small glasses.
Midnight Mary

Original ingredients for the Midnight Mary:
1 1/2 oz North Shore Aquavit
1/2 oz Benedictine (not B&B)
3/4 oz lime juice
1/4 oz galangal syrup
1/4 oz simple syrup
1 1/4 oz clarified tomato water
Fresno chile bitters
Nitrogen frozen basil foam
Garnished with heirloom tomato and pigmy basil
An easy at-home version that has proven delicious:
1 1/2 oz North Shore Aquavit (or sub other brand of aquavit, gin, or tequila — all work very nicely)
3/4 oz lime juice (fresh-squeezed)
1/2 oz simple syrup, or to taste (1:1 sugar to water)
3 cherry tomatoes, halved
3 basil leaves (or other fresh herbs of choice)
Pinch of salt
Place halved tomatoes in the bottom of a mixing glass. Add lime and simple syrup. Muddle well to extract liquid from tomatoes. Add remainder of ingredients. Add ice, shake well, and pour through mesh strainer (to collect solids) into a chilled coupe.
1 1/2 oz North Shore Aquavit
1/2 oz Benedictine (not B&B)
3/4 oz lime juice
1/4 oz galangal syrup
1/4 oz simple syrup
1 1/4 oz clarified tomato water
Fresno chile bitters
Nitrogen frozen basil foam
Garnished with heirloom tomato and pigmy basil
An easy at-home version that has proven delicious:
1 1/2 oz North Shore Aquavit (or sub other brand of aquavit, gin, or tequila — all work very nicely)
3/4 oz lime juice (fresh-squeezed)
1/2 oz simple syrup, or to taste (1:1 sugar to water)
3 cherry tomatoes, halved
3 basil leaves (or other fresh herbs of choice)
Pinch of salt
Place halved tomatoes in the bottom of a mixing glass. Add lime and simple syrup. Muddle well to extract liquid from tomatoes. Add remainder of ingredients. Add ice, shake well, and pour through mesh strainer (to collect solids) into a chilled coupe.
Hallow-Rita Halloween Margarita

Hallow-Rita - Halloween Margarita (Serves 1):Ingredients needed:
- 4oz Newman’s Own Limeade
- 2oz. Orange Juice
- 2oz Tequila
- Splash Triple Sec
- Fresh squeezed lime and lime slices
- Ice
- Natural Orange Colored Sugar from theMischief Maker Package
- Lime Tree Cove Hawaiian Black Lava Salt
- in a cocktail shaker, squeeze limes over ice, add limeade, and orange juice
- Add triple sec and tequila
- Add Orange sugar
- Shake
- Wet rim with a lime slice
- Rim Beverage with Lime Tree Cove Hawaiian Black Lava Salt
Candy Corn Cocktail

2 oz. Pineapple Infused Vodka
1.5 oz. Orange Sherbet, softened
1 oz. Pineapple Juice
1 oz. Milk
1 oz. Simple Syrup
Directions
Combine Pineapple Infused Vodka and pineapple juice in cocktail shaker with ice. Strain over fresh ice into a clear Collins glass. Combine softened orange sherbet and ice in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Strain, and pour over bar spoon to layer in the rocks glass. Then, combine simple syrup and milk in cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Layer milk mixture on top of sorbet mixture.
Simple Candy Corn Shooter
Ingredients:1/3 oz Galliano
1/3 orange curacao
1/3 oz cream
Preparation:
- Pour the Galliano into a shot glass.
- Float the orange curacao on top.
- Float the cream on top.
Candy Corn Jello Shots

This recipe is a little time consuming and complicated, but super original and well worth the effort. Created by MyScienceProject.org
White Layer
1 envelope Knox unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup canned, unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Vanilla Schnapps
Sprinkle the gelatin over the coconut milk and water in a saucepan and let sit for a few minutes. Heat over low heat, stirring, until the gelatin starts to dissolve. Add the sugar and stir till dissolved. Cool till just warm. Stir in the vanilla schnapps.
Orange Layer
3 oz. pkg Orange Jell-O
1 cup water
4 oz. Orange sherbet (about one scoop)
1/2 cup Vanilla schnapps
3 Tbsp Butterscotch schnapps (optional)
Orange food coloring (if desired)
Bring the water to a boil. Add to Jell-O and stir till dissolved. Add sherbet while still warm and mix thoroughly as it melts. Allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in vanilla and butterscotch schnapps. Add a few drops of orange food coloring to make the color more vivid if you want to.
Yellow Layer
3 oz. pkg Pineapple Jell-O
1 cup water
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
1/2 cup Vanilla schnapps
Yellow food coloring (if desired)
Bring the water to a boil. Add to Jell-O and stir till dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in coconut milk and vanilla schnapps. Add a few drops of yellow food coloring for more vivid color.
Directions:
Mix the white layer first and fill your Jell-O shot cups about 1/3 full (about ¼ inch deep on a 2oz cup), then chill till firm. Mix the orange layer and fill the cups till they’re about 2/3 full. Keep in mind that you’ll need a little room at the top because you won’t be filling the cups to the brim with the final layer. After the orange layer has chilled, mix up the yellow layer and top off the shots.
White Layer
1 envelope Knox unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup canned, unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup Vanilla Schnapps
Sprinkle the gelatin over the coconut milk and water in a saucepan and let sit for a few minutes. Heat over low heat, stirring, until the gelatin starts to dissolve. Add the sugar and stir till dissolved. Cool till just warm. Stir in the vanilla schnapps.
Orange Layer
3 oz. pkg Orange Jell-O
1 cup water
4 oz. Orange sherbet (about one scoop)
1/2 cup Vanilla schnapps
3 Tbsp Butterscotch schnapps (optional)
Orange food coloring (if desired)
Bring the water to a boil. Add to Jell-O and stir till dissolved. Add sherbet while still warm and mix thoroughly as it melts. Allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in vanilla and butterscotch schnapps. Add a few drops of orange food coloring to make the color more vivid if you want to.
Yellow Layer
3 oz. pkg Pineapple Jell-O
1 cup water
1/2 cup canned coconut milk
1/2 cup Vanilla schnapps
Yellow food coloring (if desired)
Bring the water to a boil. Add to Jell-O and stir till dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in coconut milk and vanilla schnapps. Add a few drops of yellow food coloring for more vivid color.
Directions:
Mix the white layer first and fill your Jell-O shot cups about 1/3 full (about ¼ inch deep on a 2oz cup), then chill till firm. Mix the orange layer and fill the cups till they’re about 2/3 full. Keep in mind that you’ll need a little room at the top because you won’t be filling the cups to the brim with the final layer. After the orange layer has chilled, mix up the yellow layer and top off the shots.
Liquified Ghost Martini

2 oz. vodka
1 oz. vanilla simple syrup
1 oz. cream
2 oz. soda
Prep
Mix vanilla simple syrup, cream, vodka and soda together in a cocktail shaker, then serve in a chilled martini glass.
Bloodsucker Cocktail

1 1/2 oz. Bacardi "0"
1/2 oz. Cointreau
2 oz. pineapple juice
1 Tbs. strawberry or raspberry puree
Prep
Pour rum, Cointreau and juice into a shaker with ice. Shake mixture, then pour into a rocks glass. Dip the end of a drinking straw into the berry puree, hold the tip of your finger over the other end and use the straw to squirt puree into the bottom half-inch of the drink, where it will sink in red blobs. Do not stir.
1/2 oz. Cointreau
2 oz. pineapple juice
1 Tbs. strawberry or raspberry puree
Prep
Pour rum, Cointreau and juice into a shaker with ice. Shake mixture, then pour into a rocks glass. Dip the end of a drinking straw into the berry puree, hold the tip of your finger over the other end and use the straw to squirt puree into the bottom half-inch of the drink, where it will sink in red blobs. Do not stir.
Mad Scientist Potion

There are lots of misconceptions about dry ice (who knows, some of them may be true in some places), but these are my experiences:
-Dry ice is not outrageously expensive. It’s about $1 a pound and you’ll need about 1 pound per gallon of potion.
-It’s not sold everywhere, but it’s not terribly hard to find, either. I used this Dry Ice Directory to find a place close to me that sold it. I live in a fairly small town in the middle of Louisiana and I found two grocery stores within 10 minutes of my house that sold it.
-It doesn’t keep for very long. Storing it in your freezer for a few days is not the best idea–you’re likely to open up the bag and find nothing there. I try to buy it at the very last minute and then keep it wrapped up in towels, paper bags, and an insulated cooler until I’m ready to use it. Air is the enemy. It evaporates quickly--thus the spooky mist.
-It will hurt you if you’re not careful. You need heavy-duty gloves or even an oven mitt and some tongs. Don’t let your kids play with the brew unsupervised (although it’s pretty funny to watch your dog bark at and then hide from the dry ice clouds).
Place the Kool-Aid and sugar (or whatever drink you’re using) in the jars. Feel free to use your favorite brightly colored drink when you’re brewing up your crazy concoctions--even alcohol!
Carefully (if I were REALLY smart and safe, I’d wear goggles, but my version of living dangerously involves breaking dry ice with a meat mallet and no safety goggles) break the ice into chunks that are roughly 4-6 inches long/wide somewhere. Basically, just try to not get them too small or leave them too big. Place one piece at a time into each jar, saving the rest to refresh the bubbling potion effect later. Another option, to be safe and not accidentally ladle dry ice into individual cups, is to place the juice containers inside of a larger glass container that contains just the dry ice and some water. That way it bubbles all around the beverage you’re drinking, but not in it.
The easiest way to serve this to a large crowd is to place a large bowl in an even larger bowl that has the dry ice and some water in it. That way, you don't have to worry about accidentally scooping dry ice chunks from the punch into individual servings.
-Dry ice is not outrageously expensive. It’s about $1 a pound and you’ll need about 1 pound per gallon of potion.
-It’s not sold everywhere, but it’s not terribly hard to find, either. I used this Dry Ice Directory to find a place close to me that sold it. I live in a fairly small town in the middle of Louisiana and I found two grocery stores within 10 minutes of my house that sold it.
-It doesn’t keep for very long. Storing it in your freezer for a few days is not the best idea–you’re likely to open up the bag and find nothing there. I try to buy it at the very last minute and then keep it wrapped up in towels, paper bags, and an insulated cooler until I’m ready to use it. Air is the enemy. It evaporates quickly--thus the spooky mist.
-It will hurt you if you’re not careful. You need heavy-duty gloves or even an oven mitt and some tongs. Don’t let your kids play with the brew unsupervised (although it’s pretty funny to watch your dog bark at and then hide from the dry ice clouds).
Place the Kool-Aid and sugar (or whatever drink you’re using) in the jars. Feel free to use your favorite brightly colored drink when you’re brewing up your crazy concoctions--even alcohol!
Carefully (if I were REALLY smart and safe, I’d wear goggles, but my version of living dangerously involves breaking dry ice with a meat mallet and no safety goggles) break the ice into chunks that are roughly 4-6 inches long/wide somewhere. Basically, just try to not get them too small or leave them too big. Place one piece at a time into each jar, saving the rest to refresh the bubbling potion effect later. Another option, to be safe and not accidentally ladle dry ice into individual cups, is to place the juice containers inside of a larger glass container that contains just the dry ice and some water. That way it bubbles all around the beverage you’re drinking, but not in it.
The easiest way to serve this to a large crowd is to place a large bowl in an even larger bowl that has the dry ice and some water in it. That way, you don't have to worry about accidentally scooping dry ice chunks from the punch into individual servings.