As the velvety richness of October creeps in, I am once again, enamored by the romance of the season. Enchanted by the golden light and memorized by trees ablaze with amber leaves, the air spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and the damp of a withering and exhausted garden. To me, this is the beauty of Halloween. Haunted, misty forests, lingering roses slumped and blackened by an early frost and shadows of bare branches playing tricks in the night as they dance in the moonlight. For me, this is the frightful fascination of the season – Elements collected and gathered from a once vibrant garden, bent and shrivened to an unrecognizable state and tales of vintage ghost stories with spine shivering morals. Building from beauty something that is captivating and yet, not quite right. This is how one can play chic against eerie… This is my version of Halloween.

I think I must have been an odd child. I believe that my Halloween costumes are proof alone of this. I was seemingly always coming up with crazy ideas and falling in love with fanciful tales and characters that were well beyond my childlike comprehension. As an adult I watch some of the Halloween movies I was enamored with as a kid and I have no idea what my parents were thinking. But hey, it was the 90’s and early 00’s so things were different and maybe they just knew that all of it was going over my head. I simply went to Hollywood Video and picked out a VHS tape and watched it over and over again, becoming obsessed, hoping to emulate my favorite actors and characters as much as possible and Halloween was definitely proof of this. When I wanted to be a Vampire for halloween I watched Dracula Dead and Loving It – It is not a great film, or even a good one, really, but I loved it (and still do) for some unknown reason and was somehow allowed to watch it which is truly the more confounding part of this tale. And I simply had to be one of the floating, bed post rocking (you will only get this if you know the film) sexy female vampires. So I studied and memorized and plotted and designed. And off to goodwill I went to get an ivory neglige or some kind of wedding dress for the costume party and my makeup was done in a moody vampire fashion and I was adamant that my artist father paint realistic puncture marks on my neck so I could really be the bride of Darcula. I was at the most, 10. 

I have long been in love with autumn. A most elegant season, all dressed up in chocolaty jewel tones and perfumed with the scent of damp earth, decaying leaves and wood burning fires… It is no wonder that, once again, October has completely captivated my attention. With its effortless beauty and the forever shifting scenes of golden light and transforming foliage, I find myself melting into fall’s misty mornings and wind whistling nights. Tempted into candlelit, novel reading hibernation by steaming cups of tea and bowls of homemade soups, falling in love with longer shadows and the song of the rustling leaves that lull us into this cozy state. A period of rest, a time to recharge. It is a season of cozy charm and of chic richness. It is a time of year that simply feels like coming home.

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a witch. Wished that one day, my magical powers would reveal themselves and I could step into an unknown yet perfectly familiar place. That I would eventually live in a little cottage in the woods with a leather bound spell book, a roaring fire and a silky black cat, casting broomstick silhouettes over full moons and lighting candles by gently blowing on the wick – It is a whisper of a wish always in my heart. A magical dream that is forever etched onto my soul, no matter how impossible or impractical. I simply have always known that I was meant for magic.

Inspired by the legend of a Headless Horseman, this Halloween fête will transport you straight to a Sleepy Hollow feast boasting a hauntingly chic tablescape and ghoulish treats.

Haunting libations inspired by a few of my favorite spooky flicks. From an enchanting witch’s spell to a cocktail worthy of a headless Hessian, these potions are the perfect addition to a night of fright.

An elegant take on Halloween decoration. With bouquets of eerie branches and Addam’s Family-esque centerpieces, be inspired to create your own All Hallow’s Eve flair.

With a hearty chicken pot pie, velvety mashed potatoes, honeyed green beans and caramel apple tartelettes, the table is perfectly set for an autumnal comfort food feast.

This hot chocolate picnic is an equestrian inspired dream.