Oct 30, 2020

A Very Venus Halloween

Happy Halloween from Venus EEEEEK Fleur! This year, Halloween is unlike any other—most of us will be at home, relaxing in front of the fire rather than spending time with friends. Halloween also happens to fall on a very special full moon—the Harvest Moon—this year.

Let’s place an emphasis on creating a gorgeous, sumptuous, warm, and cozy Halloween at home. Let’s celebrate the ancient holiday in the most luxurious and hauntingly sophisticated of ways, just as Venus would.

Here are a few ways to ring in the holiday at home, surrounded by elegance, beauty, mystery, and magic—think spookily gorgeous decor, simple costumes, a few eerily delicious recipes, thematic cocktails that even the most discerning of ghouls would love, some movie recommendations, and a wonderful way to end your All Hallow’s Eve on a mindful, positive note.

Moonlight Decor

Create a spine-chillingly sumptuous scene to celebrate the holiday. Light a few candles that will warm your space with their flames and fill your Hallows Eve Hall with the incredible scents of rose and the night-blooming Tuberose. Incense is also incredible for setting the scene, and if you have a fireplace, we recommend putting it to good use. Watching the flickering fire is an amazing and soothing Halloween activity.

Place arrangements of long-lasting flowers in elegant tones around your home. Our Susan Miller collection is comprised of gorgeous roses placed in astrological boxes that will make your Halloween a star-worthy occasion. Our Florentina Vase with a singular dark blue rose is an ideal Halloween piece—it’s refined and, in dark blue, chillingly elegant. Our Fleura Vase with silver roses is another perfect piece—it’s reminiscent of space, alchemy, and magic. For a super traditional Halloween look, we recommend our Le Petit Suede with orange roses. This is also a great party favor if you’re having a few friends over.

Dim the lights and place a cashmere throw on your couch in a dark tone such as black, navy, or burgundy.

Place a few gold or silver pumpkins on your coffee table, and consider draping some black or silver faux spider webs around the house. Now the scene is set for a cozy evening in.

Set your dining table with dark glasses, bowls, plates, and gold, burgundy, or black napkins if you have them. Arrange pumpkins, candles, and some painted or natural branches from outside to create a stunning, fairytale-esque Halloween tablescape. For place cards, cut bat shapes out of black construction paper and write the name of each guest on a bat with a silver pen.

Make a playlist of classic old Halloween songs such as “Monster Mash”, “Thriller”, and “This is Halloween,” and allow for it to float like a ghost through your home, making the scene playful and festive.

 

Witch’s Brew

It’s Halloween, so treat yourself to a gorgeous, holiday-ready cocktail.Here are two intoxicatingly beautiful and delicious concoctions to make:

Smoking Blackberry Sage Margarita 

This margarita has a gorgeous, dark tone, incredible flavor, and spooky garnishes that smoke.

Ingredients:

  • 2 ounces of 100% agave silver tequila
  • 1 ounce of fresh or bottled organic lime juice
  • 8 medium blackberries
  • 5 leaves fresh sage
  • Stevia to taste
  • 1 dash of orange bitters
  • Ginger juice, if desired
  • Dried sage leaves, Blackberries, and/or Dry Ice for garnish

Directions:

  1. Muddle the blackberries and sage together in a cocktail shaker until broken down and fragrant
  2. Pour in the tequila, lemon juice, bitters, ginger juice (if using), and stevia
  3. Shake well and pour the concoction over either a cube of dry ice (if using) or regular ice if using the dried sage leaf
  4. If you’re using the dried sage, light the tip on fire right before serving, and place it into the cocktail

The Lemon Ghost Cosmopolitan

This martini is chilling. It’s as white as a ghost and has a gorgeous, fruity flavor.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz vodka
  • 1 oz white cranberry or pure pomegranate juice
  • .75 oz blood orange or elderflower liqueur
  • .5 oz of fresh or bottled organic lemon juice

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with lots of ice
  2. Shake ard until the outside of shaker is frosty and cold
  3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
  4. Garnish with red cranberries

Hallow’s Eve Evening Meal

Once you’ve had your happy hour drink, it’s time to enjoy a gorgeous Halloween meal. Here are two recipes that are delicious, festive, and utilize seasonal ingredients. Before eating, be sure to thank and bless the food and the earth for the gorgeous meal that awaits. Beware: these recipes are so delicious, you may not have any leftovers.

Anti-Vampire Cauliflower Garlic Soup

This creamy, delicious soup is packed with the immunity-boosting garlic. It’s flavorful, warming, and will keep vampires away so that you can enjoy your Halloween without fear.

Ingredients:

  • 2 bulbs of garlic
  • 2 small or 1 large white onion, diced
  • Two small carrots, peeled and chopped, optional
  • 4 cups of chopped cauliflower
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 1/2 tsp rosemary
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 3.5 cups of vegetable stock
  • Sea salt and pepper, to taste
  • Rosemary sprigs for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  2. Cut the tops of the bulbs of garlic so each clove is slightly exposed. Place each bulb on a small piece of tinfoil then drizzle 1/4 tsp of extra virgin olive over each bulb. Wrap up in the foil and roast for 35 minutes. You can make extra garlic to serve on top of the soup or on the side.
  3. Add the onion and carrot, if using, to a soup pot with a splash of the vegetable stock and cook until starting to soften, for about 5-6 minutes
  4. Add the cauliflower, stock, rosemary, and thyme. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the bulbs and add to the pot
  5. Simmer until the cauliflower and carrots are completely soft and tender, for approximately 20-25 minutes
  6. Carefully pour into a blender and mix until smooth and creamy
  7. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste
  8. Garnish each bowl with a sprig of rosemary

Spooky Steamed Mussels with Tomato and Garlic

These sea creatures appear to be eerie, but in reality they’re harmless—and filled with flavor and nutrients. Serve the muscles over a bed of mushrooms for a delicious entree.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped fine
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 cups drained canned tomatoes in thick puree, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon of dried red pepper or chile flakes
  • 4 pounds of mussels, scrubbed and debearded
  • 1/8 teaspoon of fresh-ground black pepper
  • Sea salt to taste
  • Mushrooms

Directions:

  1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, for about 5 minutes
  2. Stir in the parsley, tomatoes, thyme, and red-pepper and/or chile flakes. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally
  3. Discard any mussels that have broken shells or that don't clamp shut when tapped and plae the mussels into the pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook, shaking the pot occasionally, just until the mussels open, for about 3 minutes
  4. Remove the open mussels. Continue to boil, uncovering the pot as necessary to remove the mussels as soon as their shells open. Discard any mussels that do not open
  5. Stir the black pepper into the broth. Taste the broth and add sea salt
  6. Prepare the mushrooms in a pan until tender and season with sea salt, pepper, and herbs
  7. Place large spoonfuls of the prepared mushrooms in each bowl, top with mussels, and ladle the broth over the mussels
  8. Garnish with fresh herbs and more garlic
  9. Serve with red chili flakes for extra spice and color

Dress to Impress

Most of us will be staying home this Halloween—but we can (and should) still dress up. Because we’ll be at our own lairs, consider dressing in something luxurious, comfortable, festive, and beautiful—and then adding a few accessories to make it into a costume. 

A few ideas? Wear your most exquisite robe with a wizard hat and carry a wand for a spellbinding look. Dress in something plush and cozy and wear a pair of dog ears—and paint your nose with a heart for a loving dog nose. Wear a black dress that you love with a tiara and gloves for a Breakfast at Tiffany’s costume. Wear all green (or perhaps brown pants and a green top) and carry a few branches—now you’re a tree! Wear a colorful dress with gloves, your best jewelry, and a tiara and you’re a princess.

Chilling Film

Halloween night is the perfect time to watch a spooky and excellent movie. Here are a few classics that are scary, but also incredibly well made. Not into scary? We put a few cute Halloween movies on the list, too!

  • The Shining
  • Dracula
  • Hocus Pocus
  • Get Out
  • Casper
  • Practical Magic
  • Halloweentown
  • Silence of the Lambs
  • The Witches of Eastwick
  • Sleepy Hollow
  • Clue

Full Moon Meditation

For a perfect end to your Halloween evening, do a full moon meditation. Open your curtains to let some of the glowing Harvest Moon light into your home. Sit or lie down and close your eyes. If you prefer to, put on a guided meditation, or select some soothing music. Relax, follow your breath, and simply watch your thoughts pass—without clinging onto any of them. Focus solely on gratitude and calming yourself. By doing so, you’ll harvest a life of beauty, abundance, and calm.

Happy Halloween from Venus ET Fleur! Photograph scenes from your spooktacular and elegant Halloween meal, cocktails, costumes, and/or decor, and tag us on Instagram. We’d love to share your concoctions, visions of your home, and costumes with our spellbinding community.