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Dia de Los Muertos is an annual Mexican holiday that celebrates and honors people who have died. The holiday isn’t approached with sadness, but rather happiness and merriment as many believe that the dead awake during this time to celebrate with their living loved ones. 

The celebration is complete with dancing, parades, mariachis, and plenty of good food as droves of people come out to pay homage to those that they’ve lost. And while many people celebrate in the U.S., Mexico City is the epicenter of this holiday, so it’s the best place to experience all that it has to offer.

The holiday technically takes place on November 2nd, but formal celebrations usually begin on October 31st, when the dead are thought to be ushered in. But if you head to

Source: thesun.co.uk

With Halloween just around the corner, a lot of us are engaging in all kinds of ways to add a little more fright to the season. And while annual haunted houses and hayrides are great for a manufactured scare, some of the braver among us are looking for the real deal.

If you’re one of these brave souls, then you might consider checking into a room in one of the following hotels. Largely believed to be among the most haunted in America, these hotels are sure to give you a memorable experience of the spookiest variety. So, go ahead and book a room… If you dare.

The Roosevelt Hotel - Los Angeles, CA

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If you prefer your ghosts to be of the famous variety, then book a room at The Roosevelt Hotel in

Somehow, we’re already midway through October, which means the Halloween season is in full swing. There are costumes to consider, parties to attend, and candy to buy. But beyond all of that, one of the very best ways to celebrate the season of spooky is by going to a killer (see what we did there?) haunted house. 

Of course, not all haunted houses are created equal; some are realistic and truly terrifying, while others are more cheesy and funny than spooky. That’s why we honed in on the best options from San Francisco to Miami, so you can be sure you’ll get all of the scares you need to properly celebrate the season. 

Orange County

Knott’s Scary Farm

For the month of October, Knott’s Berry Farm is transforming into Knott’s Scary Farm, the

Source: modernismweek.com

Modernism Week is an annual Palm Springs event that takes place every February to celebrate mid-century modern architecture, design, fashion, art, and culture. The affair draws thousands of people to its more than 350 events, which include paneled films, lectures, home tours, nightly parties, and a whole lot more for mid-century enthusiasts. The event has become so popular, in fact, that it now features a smaller but no less compelling Fall Preview that gives you a glimpse into what the February event will hold.  

Dubbed a “mini-Modernism Week,” this year’s Fall Preview will take place on October 17-20 and features over 50 events that allow you to engage with the beauty of mid-century design. For instance, there’s a

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Founded in 2002, Austin City Limits (ACL) is an annual music festival in Austin, Texas, that draws droves of people (about 450,000) from all over the country for its seemingly endless lineup of huge bands and musicians.

Each year, the festival takes place in Zilker Park on two consecutive three-day weekends, with each day featuring concerts from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. The concerts run the gamut of genres, from folk and country to rock, hip hop, and indie, so you’ll find all kinds of people enjoying what the festival has to offer. 

Source: aclfestival.com

Speaking of what ACL has to offer, in addition to some of the best musical acts in the world, it features a variety of tents offering unique experiences. For instance,

Architectural salvage stores offer treasure troves of goodies for interior and architecture enthusiasts. These stores specialize in buying and selling parts from demolished and remodeled structures, functioning similarly to vintage clothing shops but with elements for your home. For instance, you might find a beautiful chandelier, antique doorknobs, or an ornate marble mantlepiece from an architectural salvager. 

In addition to items in these stores typically being cheaper than brand new pieces, they’re often better quality too. Today’s market tends to prioritize quantity and affordability over quality, which means contemporary pieces often feature lower-quality materials and construction than many of the pieces that you might find at a salvage shop. 

Photo by Brett Sayles from Pexels

If you like German beer, bratwurst, and bands, then you’ll love Oktoberfest. The traditional festival has taken place in Germany every year since the early 19th century, and cities all over the U.S. are celebrating through festivals of their own. Oktoberfest officially started on Saturday, but celebrations continue in various locations through October.

To help you figure out where to enjoy the festivities this year, we rounded up the best Oktoberfest celebrations yet to come from San Francisco to Miami. So put on your favorite German garb and prepare to dance, eat, and drink your face off at any of the following events. 

Alpine Village - Los Angeles

Alpine Village hosts the oldest Oktoberfest celebration

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Located in the Santa Ynez Valley, Solvang is a small city in Santa Barbara County that’s steeped in Danish culture. During the early 20th century, an estimated one in 10 Danes left the poor economic conditions of Denmark, seeking greater opportunities in the United States. Three of these Danish immigrants, Reverend Benedict Nordentoft, Reverend J. M. Gregersen, and Professor P. P. Hornsyld, joined forces to create a Danish colony in 1911, which is what’s known as Solvang today. 

“Solvang” means “sunny field” in English, and it very much lived up to its name during its establishment, featuring abundant farms, primarily for dairy farming—work that many Danish immigrants were doing in their home country. As the city expanded and

This month, the first net-zero energy and LEED Platinum-designated building in Orange County will open at the ENC Nature Preschool, a school designed to educate children, engage parents, and provide a research forum for early childhood and environmental education. 

Housed adjacent to the Environmental Nature Center, the preschool is one of only three preschools in the world that's LEED Platinum Certified, the highest designation that a building can receive for sustainability and energy efficiency. The Newport Beach-based school is also planning to participate in the Living Building Challenge.  

The Living Building Challenge is, "a green building certification program and sustainable design framework that visualizes the ideal for the built

Source: visitgreaterpalmsprings.com

Nestled in the foothills of the Mojave Desert, Joshua Tree is a census-designated place in San Bernardino County. With just around 8,000 permanent residents, the Joshua Tree community is small but mighty, and surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery this country has to offer. 

The high-desert area is best-known for Joshua Tree National Park, but it also offers plenty of lesser-known gems for art, design, and architecture enthusiasts, largely thanks to the artists, thinkers, and makers who flock to the region for the inspiration offered by its unique landscape.

Source: dwell.com

For instance, the High Desert House, designed by Kendrick Bangs Kellogg, belonged to artists Jay and Bev Doolittle who