NOLA

There are a few things missing from this post. Number one is the food -- The frog legs, oysters, jambalaya, and gumbo. I mean, damn. They don't mess around. They also don't bat an eye when you grab a "to go" cup for your cocktail, even if it's 10am. Second thing is the music. And number three is PEOPLE. I'm working on it, and I will get there, but I'm still too shy to snap pictures of strangers. And trust me, there could have been an entire post on the people watching. This town is festive, colorful and full of flavor in every way.

Another thing that struck me about the French Quarter is that although it is a place tourists flock to, the locals hang out there as well. It's a mingling that I appreciate. And from what I witnessed, there doesn't seem to be an obvious tension between the locals and the tourists, but rather a strong hometown pride. I could be completely off, but that was my experience.

Architecture, Color & History . . . Yes please

word of the day

Busker: a person who entertains in a public place for donations

The Lakefront

Might I suggest driving across the The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway world's longest bridge over water (23.83 miles) to The Lakefront in Mandeville? It's delightful. So is the town. Great restaurants and shopping.

A huge thank you to our hosts Carrie and Rob, who do the best (worst) imitations of eachother that I've ever seen. They saved me when my rental car went into a ditch, and their three kids can play a mean game of "Would You Rather" in a funky-smelling mini van. I adore these fools.