With a birthday party on Friday and a holiday party on Saturday -- plus my dad shared some pictures from his October wedding -- I had A LOT of pictures to add! Here are a few favorites:
I created an album at flickr with some pics from Dad's wedding.
Whew!
I'm back in DC after a nice trip back home for Thanksgiving. I have many, many stories. Not sure I'll get around to writing up all of them. (For most of you, either you were THERE or I'll fill you in over lunch one day.) So for now ... here are a few pictures from the trip.
Be sure to check out the slideshow at Flickr. (Psst: If you click on the "i" in the middle of the big image, it'll show the title and description while it runs through the pics, which'll help narrate it.)
It took me a while to get around to writing this post, but the memory is so vivid ... I don't think I'll have any trouble.
I was in New Orleans a few weekends ago for business. It was an exciting and exhausting trip that included a helicopter flight and several hours around huge machinery, among other things. So needless to say, by the time Sunday morning rolled around, I was ready for some quiet time. My flight back to DC didn't leave until close to 5:00pm. I considered changing my flight to hurry up and get back to DC earlier in the day, so I could slip in a nap or an early bedtime, but ended up not being able to make the switch.
So there I was. Stuck in New Orleans with several hours to kill. Nowhere to take a nap. Turned out to be a blessing.
I had to check out of the hotel by 11:00am, so I went ahead and got up fairly early that morning. Showered, etc. and packed. Headed downstairs to check out and left the bulk of my belongings with the concierge. Stuffed a few necessary items into a tote, threw it over my shoulder, tied my jacket around my waist and stepped out onto Poydras St. in downtown New Orleans. I have a reasonable sense of direction and I knew the French Quarter was only a few blocks away, so I decided to go for a little walk.
After a couple blocks -- and a few deep breaths -- I began to feel okay about the day ahead. Honestly, there are few things more relaxing for me than strolling around by myself. Especially in a new or unknown place. It heightens the senses. Every sight, scent, sound ... your senses are kicked into overdrive, absorbing everything. But that's contrasted by the slow, steady pace of your feet carrying you through the space, and the occasional, soft, deep sigh.
Earlier in the weekend, while a few of us were on our way somewhere, I remembered passing an intriguing, intimate cafe. I made a subconscious note to allow my sense of direction to take me back there.
Along the way, I wandered into a few little shops. Browsed through the intricately designed wares. Purchased a few treasures. One artist's gallery, in particular, was just breathtaking. In classic New Orleans style, the shop was completely opened up -- both to the street and on through to the back, where the narrow interior gave way to a lush courtyard adorned with colorful samples of the artist's work. A fountain near the rear of the space offered a peaceful melody that drifted through the air in perfect harmony with the rays of sunlight giving warmth to ferns and other greenery.
I continued my stroll and in a short while, I found myself at the doorway of the cafe that caught my attention earlier. Again, the front of the space was completely opened up to the sidewalk, with the wide entryway framed in tattered French doors with "Cafe Beignet" in faded white paint barely clinging to a glass panel. I passed under the aged awning to step onto the wooden floor of the interior. As I walked to the back of the space toward the counter, I took notice of the small, simple tables and chairs with wire, heart-shaped backs.
I stepped up and ordered one of their specialty sandwiches (Decatur Club, I believe) and a cup of cafe au lait. I headed for a table near the front, hoping to catch a breeze and enjoy the sunshine. But as I approached an attractive table, I noticed a door to the right that was just all too intriguing. With a sense that I was stepping into the Secret Garden, I walked through and was delighted with my discovery.
I found myself in an intimate, brick-paved courtyard. Shaded by a large palm tree on one side and a glorious magnolia on the other, the space felt supremely private, despite my being accompanied by a few other patrons sipping their coffee. I chose a table near the back wall, where I could enjoy the view of the space. Aside from the sound of the occasional turning of a newspaper page or footsteps of those passing on the sidewalk on the other side of the cast iron fence, it was very quiet. Very peaceful.
I sat there for quite a while, taking it all in. We were surrounded by greenery, with one particularly lovely arrangement in a bed to my left. Vibrant and rich shades of green, heightened by the contrast between light and shade, were accented by a few splashes of brightly colored flowers. I remember appreciating that the flowers were still in bloom, realizing that this was probably the last weekend before the cold stamped them out.
And while I was sitting there enjoying my view, a tabby cat lazily strode out from under the brush. He looked perfectly at home as he took note of each of us sitting there, perhaps surveying which was most likely to provide him with a tasty treat. He perched himself near the edge of the patio to keep tabs on us just as another cat came strolling into our courtyard. This one was particularly friendly and immediately approached a patron one table away from me, weaving between his ankle and the chair leg. After this brief greeting, he selected a corner of his own and curled up in the shade.
I stayed for even longer, just enjoying sitting still. I watched other people come and go, some more chatty than others. I observed the cats shifting around as the dynamics of the courtyard's occupants evolved; I was amused at one point as the cats stalked a small bird -- an attempt that was spoiled by an oblivious cafe customer. To this, the cats skulked away to their retreat under the bushes, annoyed.
It was about at that point that I decided, with a sigh, that it was time to move on. So up I got and on I went. Further through the French Quarter, slowly strolling past the work of the artists that line the edges of Jackson Square -- some quite good and fascinating, some less original. One that held my attention for a long while displayed a collection of paintings depicting scenes relating to Hurricane Katrina. Interestingly, the pieces weren't gloomy or depressing. They were all brightly colored, many conveying more a sense of strength and hope than anything else. Images of people paddling boats through flooded streets featured brilliantly shaded sunsets or sparkling night skies. Intriguing.
From there, I found my way to the Moonwalk -- a path that took me right along the water's edge to the Riverwalk and, just another block further, my hotel.
Through all my strolling and curious browsing, I'd managed to arrive back at my hotel just in time to retrieve my belongings and snag a taxi to the airport. Perfect.
Just for kicks, anybody wanna guess what these pictures are of?
... but I can't find candy corn anywhere! And it makes it a tad difficult to make these cookies without candy corn:
When I was in New Orleans last weekend, I found this GREAT pair of shoes. They were amazingly comfortable (probably the most comfortable shoes I'd put on in a while), but still stylish. The color would go with absolutely everything. I was smitten.
Unfortunately, they cost $80. So I started to reason with myself. I thought, "Well, I'll try them on. Maybe they won't look right on my feet or something." (That was before I'd tried them on.) For one thing, it took me several minutes to get a salesperson's attention to get a pair of 7.5s from the back for me to try on. Finally, I grabbed someone ... it took several more minutes before she re-appeared with the shoes.
She abandoned me while I tried them on. Stood up. "Good." Walked over to the mirror. "Very good." Took a look at them in the mirror. "Perfect. I'll take them!"
"Hmm, but I should probably go with about a half-size smaller. Where's the salesperson?" Absolutely nowhere to be found. So I try getting the attention of someone else. No luck. I finally see the original girl across the store, try getting her attention; she ignores me. Nice.
At that point, I was slightly annoyed. So I decided, "Screw this. I'll just buy them online." I placed the shoes on a chair and calmly walked out.
The only problem is ... I have looked for these shoes online TWICE since I've been back home. NO LUCK! I am so irritated! They were perfect! And because of those crappy salespeople, I'm now without these perfect shoes!
Best I can find is the style of shoe in a different color:
They're Privo by Clarks (style is "Mesa," I believe). All I can find is black, orange, red, white and this aloe color. No, no, NO! I want them in stone! Like these:
Got up earrrrrrly this morning and ventured out in the cold to meet up with some ladies from work to participate in the annual Help the Homeless Walkathon. We had a blast!
Admittedly, it was pretty cold. But it ended up being a gorgeous day with the perfect amount of sunshine, so since we were bundled up and moving around (it was a 5K walk from the Mall around the Tidal Basin) we were reasonably comfortable.
And then we treated ourselves to a delicious French breakfast buffet at Cafe du Parc at 14th and Penn. It was WONDERFUL! We had eggs, bacon, sausage, quiche, fresh melon and berries, streusel cinnamon cake, and the most amazing waffles I've ever had. Divine!
View all the pictures from the day here.
I did a fun interview with Lizzie at the "5 Questions for Everyday People" blog. I agree with Lizzie -- I think we would be fast friends. :) Take some time and read through some of her other posts; she's an entertaining writer!
As a side note, she has a class assignment to drive traffic to her blog. So if you like what you see, pass the link around to other folks and help this girl get an "A"!
I seriously doubt that this will work. But I intend to do it religiously until Christmas, just for kicks. Heh. Hope my face doesn't get stuck in one of those weird positions ...
Ohhh ... would you look at this boy!!
I mean, MY GOODNESS! He's just so handsome!
