We’ve just returned from our whirlwind trip to New Orleans – a city that seems removed from the rest of the country in its culture as well as its geography and architecture.

What a beautiful city with an old soul. Unlike newer urban areas with their slick high-rises and clean lines, there’s a quirky beauty in even the smallest nooks and crannies of the Big Easy.

There’s also a pervasive exuberance that I think must be a big part of the fighting spirit of New Orleans – we felt like there was plenty of positive energy to soak up, made only that more festive by the city’s preparations for its second-favorite holiday – Halloween.

In addition to the voodoo vibes across the French Quarter, the celebratory air of the city was evident in the ghostly deocrations we spotted on storefronts, front porches, and of course balconies, everywhere we looked.