Dia de Los Muertos - Rodrigo y Gabriela

Wikipedia:  Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de los Muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico and around the world. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. The celebration takes place on November 1 and 2, in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars honouring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favourite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts. They also leave possessions of the deceased.

I have always enjoyed the artistic creations associated with this celebration, so colourful and detailed, joyous yet sad.  It is this day of remembrance that is root of America's Halloween ... which derived from Hallow's Eve, the night before All Souls' Day.

A friend of mine posted a celebration in London's Old Vic Tunnels hosted by one of the city's Mexican foodies and headlining the Mexican guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela ... all factors made this a sure win.  I decided this would be my "Halloween" celebration this year, and set out to plan a traditional Dia de los Muertos costume for the event.  Makeup, dried roses, and some fabric, trim, and lace to make a skirt.

The Old Vic Tunnels are a very cool venue, underneath the current Waterloo train station, consisting of a series of cavernous, damp brick train tunnels that you arrive at by walking down a long graffiti covered tube.  The hosts decked it out with various haunting art installations, performing artists, creepy silent movies, and thousands of candles.

Complimentary gauc and tacos came with the deal, and they were serving up Jasmine Margaritas.  Everything was top notch.  It was quite a hoot to be all decked out in dress, and people responding quite nice to our costumes!

I have loved Rodrigo (and I guess his lovely partner as well) for quite a while, and it was exciting to see them play in such a great scene.  I have included a video typical of their music, as well as a slideshow with some pics!  A great memory was made ...