It's Not a Holiday. It's a Lifestyle.

If you know me well, you know how special Halloween is to me. It's always been my favorite time of the year. The reason may be a bit deeper than you think it is. Sure, my manifesto consists of candy, ghost stories, horror films, dressing up in costumes, and a touch of decadence and debauchery; So it's only natural that I gravitate towards this crazy holiday. Growing up in New Orleans, the city of voodoo, cemeteries, haunted houses, (real) vampires and ghosts galore. It seems fitting that creepy settings and darker aesthetics make me feel at home, but it's also having an incredible party-planner/hostess as a mother who throws epic Halloween parties that makes this holiday so special.

"It's the day my whole life changed," my mom, Donna, said when asked why Halloween was such an important holiday for her. Back in 1985, Halloween night, my parents met for the first time... Soon they were married, had me, later Bella joined our clan, and the rest is history as they say. A history filled with years of block parties, creative costumes (no surprise Donna can create a killer costume - She is a real Jane of all trades), bonfires, hayrides, carnivals and camp-outs.

From as young as I can remember, my parents have always going above and beyond for Halloween, as their way to celebrate the night our family started. So while the candy and ghost stories are a fun perk of the holiday, Halloween is actually special to me because it reminds me of my family's love. <3

To celebrate Halloween memories, and the origins of my crazy, fun, creative, loving family here are a few nostalgic snapshots from my past Halloweens.