toourspooky (read: air-conditioned)hotel
doesn’tsoundsobad.
First, though,we’vegotanappointment
withresidentpsychicandmediumCari
Roy.Wemeet in thecourtyardofNapoleon
House, thehouse-turned-restaurant that
waspreparedasaplaceofrefuge forMr.
Bonapartehimselfduringhisexile (hedied
beforehecouldmake it there).There is
nothingwackyorscaryaboutCari—she
greetsmewithahugandasmile, tucking
herbouncyblondhairbehindherearsand
orderingmeaPimmsCup tomatchhers.
“Loveyourboyfriend,by theway,”she
says, grabbingmyhands. “Greatenergy.”
That’show itgoes fortherestof the
hour:Cari, socasuallyandaccurately
commentingon intimateandunprompted
partsofmy life,bafflesme. Igeta lump in
mythroatwhenshesensesI’verecently lost
a familymember: “Igetastrong ‘E’ sound
inthename,”Carisays. “Notagrandparent.
Anuncle, right?”Inod.She’sspot-on.When
shetellsmeshe feelshispeacefulpresence,
I’mnotpanickedorupsetorevenrolling
myeyesasI’dexpectedto. I feelgenuinely
comforted.Theseghostswerewelcome.
H
ere’s the thingabout trying to
sleep—alone, let’snot forget
— in themosthauntedroomof
themosthauntedhotel inNewOrleans:
Whetherornotghostsarerealbecomes
irrelevant,becauseeven ifyouare99.9
AMERICANWAY
OCTOBER2015
81
KREWEOFBOO!
Oct. 24
Kreweofboo.com
Thebestpart:Youdon’t
have tobeaNewOrleanian
toget involved, asKrews
come fromallover thecoun-
try toparticipate inNOLA’s
OfficialHalloweenParade.
FRENCHMENSTREET
Anytime
Frenchmenstreetlive.com
Thebestpart: For adults
who like todressupon this
wickedweekend, French-
menStreet has thebest
of theBigEasy, plusgreat
musicandnightlife.
HALLOWEENNEW
ORLEANS
Oct. 29 toNov. 1
Halloweenneworleans.com
Thebestpart:All pro-
ceedsof this 100percent
donation/volunteerLGBT
festgo toProjectLazarus,
aNOLA-basedhome for
menandwomenwithAIDS.
VOODOOMUSIC+
ARTSEXPERIENCE
Oct. 30 toNov. 1
Worshipthemusic.com
Thebestpart:The
lineuphas something for
everyone,withbands like
FlorenceandTheMachine,
ZacBrownBandandOzzy
Osbourne, plusplentyof
local favorites.
HALLOWEENINAMERICA’SSPOOKIESTCITY
Looking foraholidayhaunt?Hereareour four favorite fests.
FROMTOP
:
avoodoo shop in theQuarter; absintheat
PiratesAlleyCafe
