Our Halloween & Day of the Dead Celebration

This year has been unconventional, to say the least, so we didn't dress up and go around with our friend's kids for trick-or-treating, or threw a party, or even handed out candy. Instead, we watched a live stream of Rocky Horror Picture Show benefiting the Wisconsin Democrat efforts and had take-out. Here's how we, officially, celebrated Halloween.

I've been wanting to do something around the Mexican Day of the Dead celebration, called Dia de los Muertos. We didn't do traditional foods, but instead, we had a theme of skulls and then learned a bit more about the holiday and how people remember their dead. Please don't @ me telling me that these two holidays are not similar and we didn't do either of them right. 

We had this great backdrop with a skeleton mariachi band and banners that I added a traditional marigold swag. It gave a really jovial feel.

I had a cool spread that I planned and not all the things I had on my list even made it onto this platter or the other. Some of the things you'll see here:

• Skull deviled eggs - I used my own recipe, but I also want to tell you that this is not as easy to cut out faces and mine were very sad, but I tried. 
• Beet tahini dip (the pink) - I used cooked beets available in the salad section at Trader Joe's. 
• Cinnamon sugar snakes - I used Hawaiian crescent rolls for these. 
• Humbolt Fog goat cheese - this is the white cheese that has an edible layer of vegetable ash.
• Purple Moon cheese - Clearly, this is the purple coffin-shaped cheese. It gets this color by being soaked in red wine. 
• Cucumber skulls
• Salami
• Cornichon/gerkin pickles
• Pumpkin gouda (the bone-shaped and cubed cheese) - It has flecks of peppers and pumpkin seeds in it. It doesn't taste much different than regular gouda.
• Sweety drop peppers - These are hard to find, but they have them right now at New Seasons. 
• Kalamata olives
• Blackberries
• Seedless black grapes
• Avocado dip (see below)

This was my skull board with hot items. The large skulls are just pizza crust from a can filled with cheese and chili. I love this fun pan I used though.

Here's a closer pic of these two fun food items: 

• Shrunken potato heads - These are just little potatoes baked with faces cut into them. These go with the avocado dip above. 
• Bread of the dead - This flatbread features little mushroom skulls. I happened to do my own thing here by using canned pizza dough that I brushed with black food coloring and olive oil. I also didn't find any pesto gouda, so instead I used pepper gouda I found at Trader Joe's that is white, orange and green. I substituted baby bella mushrooms for white mushrooms, so they weren't as easily recognizable, but I think it came out well anyway.

Here's our whole spread with our Mexico Mayan pyramid backdrop. I also picked up these two little pumpkin dip bowls at Michaels, along with the little Catrina skull, and this sugar skull votive luminary at Target. 

You gotta toast with something, too, so I made this Spiced Cider (minus the marigold petals, because, no thanks, and I was too lazy to look for it). I pulled out some Halloween sprinkles I had and rimmed my mugs using honey as a "glue". Hint: use more honey than you expect to need. 

There's plenty more you can do to enjoy a cool Mexico Day of the Dead celebration, including creating an ofrenda to remember each of your lost family members and friends, watch Coco on Disney+, watch some things about traditional celebrations (here's my YouTube list with a bonus Halloween house in New Orleans), and a fun backdrop or two. I bought this Dia de los Muertos one and this Mayan pyramid one, which will make another appearance.

How did you spend this past weekend? Did you celebrate either Halloween or Day of the Dead? 

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Enjoying Florida Like a Pro

Sometimes, the best vacations can be somewhere in between an exotic getaway and a cozy staycation - like visiting a different state, for example! Domestic holidays are a cost-effective way to change your environment and have an adventure, and one of the most popular destinations in the entire US is Florida. It’s no surprise - ‘the sunshine state’ has it all, from beautiful scenery to beaches, to nightlife and shopping, and all with a healthy dose of sun and heat. But if you have limited time, the options can be overwhelming! Here’s a list of the highlights to help you narrow down your activities and make the most of your vacation.

Image credit Pexels

Beautiful Nature

One of the most famous parts of Florida is the Everglades National Park, and for good reason. The Everglades is the second biggest national park in the country, only beaten by Yellowstone, and it can be pretty spectacular. A boat trip out on the water is a fundamental part of any Florida vacation, where you can see some of the incredible wildlife, including both alligators and crocodiles!

Beaches

It isn’t the land of sunshine for nothing, and Florida is full of beautiful beaches for you to enjoy. Miami beach is perfectly located if you want to enjoy the sand and sea with easy access to amenities and the rest of the state, but you can also get off the beaten track a little and find some wonderful gems. Whatever you decide to do, you absolutely can’t make a trip to Florida without sampling at least one of the beaches.

Nightlife!

When you’re not out on the water or lounging under a sunshade, you’ll want to enjoy the incredible nightlife Florida has to offer. Warm, clear nights contribute to a thriving cultural scene, with Duval Street in Key West boasting a particularly brilliant atmosphere with its Caribbean vibes. Don’t worry about hitting the bars too hard either; in Florida you can order a Reset IV, available 24/7, to cure hangovers and make you feel your best for the rest of your vacation.

Museums

Once your hangover is cured, you might be interested in exploring the cultural side of Florida. Though you might not think it at first, the state has plenty of fascinating museums and galleries to keep you occupied, not least the fabulous Salvador Dali museum in St Petersburg, which is a must-not-miss for art fans.

Shopping

Florida wouldn’t be Florida without its shopping experiences, and your vacation is the time to treat yourself. Every big city in the state has a bustling center and marketplaces, so a trip to Florida is definitely an excuse to whip out your purse and have a look around.

Family Attractions

For a family holiday, you can’t get much better than Walt Disney World. It’s a hugely popular amusement park, world-famous, full of legendary rides and experiences including Space mountain. Whilst Florida is stuffed full of amusement parks, including Universal Studios, this one really can’t be missed by anyone, even if you don’t have kids!

Eventually, we'll be able to travel safely, and when we can, Florida can be a great destination, even if you don't want to go to the theme parks. In fact, that makes it much more affordable.

How to Take The Stress Out Of Your Next Travel Trip

The chances are that things might still be a little different the next time you get to travel abroad. The last thing you will want from any vacation is added stress, so here are a few things to consider as you begin to dream about your next big adventure. 

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Airport Transport

Airports can be exasperating with all the queues and protocols you have to go through. Once you finally pick up your luggage, the last thing you want is to be struggling with local transport systems. Consider booking ahead a dedicated travel service that can transport you straight from your airport to your accommodation. Rather than merely being an essential part of the journey, you could book a high-class vehicle and make this a luxurious and memorable part of the vacation. Look for well-reviewed and trusted transport providers. In Arizona, for instance, the phoenix transport service has a fleet of vehicles that can suit your needs, whether traveling alone or as part of a family group. Services like this often have a global network and vehicles in multiple locations, so check out if they also provide your destination services. 

A Local Guide

A knowledgeable local guide can be a godsend if you travel somewhere that is culturally very different from your home country. The local guide can help you navigate a city. Their local knowledge will often result in you getting cheaper tickets for local attractions or handy little tips that can help you stay away from the money-grabbing tourist traps. A local guide could also help, especially if you want to get a real flavor of the local culture, pointing out neighborhoods that might be hidden gems and eating at restaurants the locals may use themselves. 

Check Your Destination’s Travel History

While a destination might look glorious from the glossy brochures, it is always worthwhile to do a little digging and find out more about your chosen destination. If a country is politically volatile or continuously shifting in and out of being a restricted health area, it might not be wise to book too far ahead. Another aspect of exotic travel is ensuring you have the right vaccinations. Please do your research and plan ahead; sometimes, it is advised to be vaccinated months before traveling.

Create an Itinerary

A lot of us, when we travel, don't want to over-plan. We want to respond to any little discoveries we might stumble upon or even take into account the day to day weather forecasts. But a loose itinerary might be a wise idea if you want to avoid queues and guarantee access to must-see attractions. An itinerary will allow you to book ahead and ensure you get what you want out of the trip. It is wise to leave space in the itinerary so you still have relaxation time and don't feel you have to rush if you want to spend longer in one location. There are even templates out there that will allow you to update the itinerary as you go.