Dia de Los Muertos

Folks, grab your beverage of choice...this is a long one.
I finally got to attend the Dia de Los Muertos at Hollywood Forever, and it was unreal.

The good karma was palpable, and the burning sage was sweet and comforting, though it made me sneeze a bit.

I have to give a shout out to the girl who sold me the Frijoles necklace...I have no pics of her or the necklace yet, but I was proud to buy something from a lonely girl sitting by the water...she had no booth or tent, just her wares.
I speak no Spanish, and she speaks no English, but we managed, and they're beautiful.

The only other things I bought were two Ramones t-shirts by Johnny's grave.
Gabba gabba hey, y'all.

Here are my pics, though I don't think that they do the event justice.

Here's one altar...



And another...



And here is evidence that some people simply cannot live without one another (I'm thinkin', a bit of a mama's boy, but oh well...)





Here's another altar that I thought was amazing (and which gave me a bit of a giggle):



And an image laid across a grave which I fell in love with:



And yet another display I loved:



And just one I thought was really cool:



Here's a great argument for not letting the grass grow under your feet while waiting for Mr. Right to show up...





And one altar for those partial to mid-century modern style - truly inspired!!!!



And now, we enter the mausoleum...



As familiar as I am with Hollywood Forever, these two crypts were new to me.
You know how it is on most graves...'Beloved spouse, parent, friend...' the usual laundry list.

I think it's wonderful that these epitaphs share with the world not what these two people were, but what they obviously meant to one another.





Oooooohh! I'm spooookeeee!
Honestly...who knew that the lighting in a mausoleum could be so flattering??



Here's my angel with a broken wing...I've loved this statue for years, and shooting her last night cost me a badly twisted ankle, but it was well worth it --
Schatzi, thank you for coming to get me, since I couldn't walk to find a cab.

There's nothing like watching 'The Omen' with an ice pack on your foot when the rest of your friends are at a party....grrrr.



Finally...



Carmen, I love you, and miss you so much.
You held me just moments after I reached this earth, and I watched you leave it.
Precious, both moments.

I haven't yet spent a day, had a vodka, or bought shoes without thinking of you, and can only imagine that you're on vacation, and I'll see you soon.

But you're not, and I won't.
Trust me, I have to keep convincing myself of this.

Next year, you'll have an altar, built by me.

Please give props to my other mom.
Night, all...