One of the things I love most about living in LA is that it’s a beautiful microcosm of so many cultures around the world. •• I went for the first time to the Dia de Muertos (Dia de LOS Muertos In Anglophone countries) Novenario procession at Olvera Street, a historic quarter of Mexican shopkeepers in downtown LA. I recommend everyone in LA do it at least once. •• Getting exposed to other cultures isn’t just about sampling great food and observing celebrations - though those things are great. It’s also about being exposed to other viewpoints on life. •• The underlying idea of Dia de Muertos, that dead relatives and friends can still be present as long as they are preserved and celebrated in our memories, that death should not be seen as scary and intimidating but as a natural part of life, that there are more ways to respectfully remember the dead than sadness and melancholy - is in my opinion, such a beautiful and healthy viewpoint. •• What do you think? . . . .