We were this >< close last week to booking crazy-low priced flights to Valencia. Alas, sometimes it's really hard to get your ducks to line up in a timely & efficient manner, and by the time all was situated, the sale was over… we missed it by hours. It was heartbreaking; I even lost sleep over it. Ugh.
The bug had bitten!
Kate's making plans for a UK/France visit in early winter; Rusty's making summertime CA plans; and I will likely go to Spain in June, hopefully overlapping a bit with Maddy & Kate as they meet up during summer travels.
In the meantime, I'm taking Annie up on her offer to come & stay in New Orleans at the end of February when she's there for a conference. She'll be there for a week; I'll head down mid-week… we'll have evenings and perhaps an afternoon or two together. I've already scouted yarn stores. I think we'll catch a concert in a nearby park one evening, and maybe go to Emeril's for dinner on another… what shouldn't I/we miss??
Speaking of Emeril and food and travel, I really enjoyed his Amazon show, Eat The World. His show on Food Network was one of Maddy's favorites when she was a kid, and we'd often watch together… so perhaps I've a little soft spot for Emeril. BAM! ;)
Create Your Own Visited States Map*
I am looking forward to coloring in this map (and my world map) a little bit more in 2017!
*According to my rules, if I've driven/traveled across you numerous times and/or got lost in your mountains for an afternoon, I've "visited" you.
You know you always have a place here in Massachusetts!
Vicki, go to Peche for dinner…unbelievably good….on the edge of downtown. Walk around the garden district and go for lunch at Stein’s on Magazine Street. It’s not Cajun or Creole but an incredible deli w/ lots of atmosphere.If you can get out of town, go to the Whitney Plantation or one of the creole plantations. enjoy. One of my daughters lives in NOLA. Mary in Cincinnati
You my dear Vicki need to come to New England – we are lovely friendly people and your New England map is way too gray. By the way I wound Aegean today for my peace cowl – the colors are fab…. so please come to Boston in the springtime… you have friends here (Patty and Carole) and I even know Patty in real life (strange world)
It may not help ease the pain of missing cheap flights to Valencia, but since you have several people urging you to come to New England, please consider stopping by NJ on your way! I’m in central NJ which is fairly rural and full of alpaca farms, so you wouldn’t be spending time in Newark or Trenton!
I see Alabama calling out like a beacon. . .
I have not been to New Orleans in years, but one place I highly recommend is a stop to Preservation Hall on St. Peters Street. It is a must do, imo!
I could fill in almost every state, but I’d visit any one of them again. I hope you don’t take Utah off your list. New Orleans is such a fun place, but it’s been years (1989) since I was there. You will certainly enjoy eating your way around the city. And Spain!! How wonderful.
I’ve been to/through LA numerous times, but never actually to New Orleans. I can’t wait to visit vicariously! (I know my stomach will especially enjoy the experience 😉
We visited N’awlins a couple of years ago and enjoyed it immensely. Best opportunity to sample all the good Cajun/Creole stuff in one go (and not crazy expensive) was The Gumbo Shop on St Peters St. The shop was OK from the outside, but inside was a restaurant with fantastic food. This was a recommendation from a friend who is a foodie and Southerner and she was so right.
I haven’t made it there, but a friend who is a gifted musician hits Snug Harbor as part of his pilgrimage to Jazz Fest each year.
Also, National WWII Museum was stunning. It took us hours, but you could partake of as much or as little as you like.
Finally, I went to Mardi Gras World. Yes, kinda touristy, but as someone who gets claustrophobic in big crowds, it was my chance to see a slice of Mardi Gras without the thousands of drunken revelers. You and your camera have the best time taking pictures of how they build those fantastic floats.