All Hallows Eve

I remember being young and getting ready to Trick or Treat on Halloween. My mom always made some elaborate and amazing costume for me and my sisters. Black cats, mermaids, Cleopatra, belly dancer, Toucan. Generally, aside from decorations, Halloween only took place on October 31st. We'd trick or treat then race into our rooms to escape seeing our dad looking quite frightening in his hunchback costume and creepy mask. There was, however, the year we threw the amazing Halloween party at my house complete with a fortune teller, dry ice, a haunted house, face painting and crazy games...I think I was 10.

Now that I'm older, Halloween seems to span the length of a full week, depending on when October 31st falls. This year, it falls on a Wednesday so the Friday and Saturday before provided plenty of costume party options. I hate to say it, but Halloween's have been lacking for me since leaving college. This year, however, could prove to change that. On the official day of ghosts, goblins, ghouls and everything in between, I will be attending the Village Halloween Parade in NYC with a good friend of mine. It has been voted as one of the Best Events in the World, and something I look forward to checking off the list of Festivals to see before I die.

On that note, Festivals I hope to see before I die (list continuing to grow):
- Carnaval in Rio. Check
- Village Halloween Parade, NYC. Soon to be checked
- Full Moon Festival, Thailand.
- Burning Man, Nevada.
- Oktoberfest, Germany.
- Mardi Gras, New Orleans
- St. Patricks Day, Dublin.

Stay tuned for photos from my upcoming NYC Halloween.

Note: A "ghoul" is the original word used to describe what we now call a "zombie"...in case you were confused.