Going Back to New Orleans

It was the scene of our honeymoon, almost 13 years ago, and thanks to the AIA, we made it back to New Orleans. Though K had to spend the better part of our visit at the conference, having Grandma and Grandpa along made for an
especially fun return to
the Big Easy.

Another unexpected plus was our room. We had arranged for a suite so that while Esmé and Theo slept we would have some place to escape to and maybe, just maybe, read or watch a little TV. Instead what we got was something on the scale of palatial. Kitchen. Living room. Private patio. A conference table with seating for 12. The patio alone enhanced our stay in countless ways. K didn't make it home most nights until after 7 pm.
He'd bring in jambalaya, or etouffée or some other local delicacy and we'd open a bottle of wine and pass the evening al fresco. Laissez les bonnes temps roulez!

Meanwhile we passed our days mainly soaking in the French Quarter. With music on every corner, Esmé was entranced. She danced. She learned how to work a slide trombone. She shook that tambourine. We did make it out of the Quarter for a steamboat ride down the Mississippi on the Natchez where we enjoyed a surprisingly yummy lunch of fried catfish (it was a Friday), mac 'n cheese, collards, beans, cornbread and bread pudding.


Having G + G along meant we could treat ourselves to a night out. We chose Antoine's, one of the Quarter's oldest restaurants and one that we didn't get to on our first visit. It was quite a trip. The decor was in line with a country club circa 1960. Before excusing myself to the ladies room I predicted I'd find a faux trellis motif and kelly green carpeting. And you know what? Score! The menu was also of another era and I had to order the Oysters Rockefeller which was originated by Antoine's kitchen. And though we were tempted, we did not get the baked Alaska which was another signature dish served tableside with a lot of pomp and circumstance. They don't call it dessert here until they've set it on fire, that's for sure. Other dessert choices, peach melba and cherries jubilee. Truly the restaurant that time forgot.












All and all the food was spectacular. You just don't get food like that anywhere else. We breakfasted at Brennans and brunched at Commander's Palace (really our best meal, I think). At CP they had a strolling jazz trio that played Bye Bye Blackbird at Grandpa's request and My Blue Heaven at K's. Esmé enjoyed the culinary experience and even declared Grandma's turtle soup her favorite!

The travel was tough with two flights each way and pre-4 am wake ups and despite it all the kids did great. I am so impressed with what they're able to handle. As the last few posts indicate, we've been on the go a lot lately and they've taken it all in stride. They truly encompass that NOLA savoir-faire: let the good times roll!

April in Tampa

April is the cruelest month everywhere but Florida where there's plenty of sunshine, warm, but not too warm temperatures and flowers, flowers and more flowers. We were excited to see Nana and her new (at least to us, she moved last June) apartment, and we were anxious to see how the sunshine state does Easter.

We opted for a 6 am flight which meant waking our children at the ungodly hour of 4:30 am. And now with it all behind us, I'd do it exactly the same way again. We went from our car to the shuttle, through security and onto the plane... the only way to go when traveling with wee ones. The flight was on time and by 9 am we were touching down in Tampa. Perfect.

We were able to check in early which was a double blessing as a quick glance out our hotel window revealed an egg hunt underway. K rushed Esmé down to the scene where she was able to snag the last egg (pink, thank God) and meet the Easter Bunny himself. Fun.

Then it was on to Nana's. Her apartment building is stunning. The Mirasol was built in the 1920s as a hotel and retains much of its original charm and mystique. There's a gorgeous tiled pool set against a marina. The views are breathtaking.

Per Esmé's request, Nana cooked up her signature spaghetti and meatballs. Even Theo couldn't get enough of it.

That night K was ever so kind to give me the night off, meaning he put the kids to bed in our one-room hotel room, volunteering to sit in the dark as they drifted off to sleep freeing me to go down to the waterfront for a glass of wine and sunset. It was a genuine treat, though would have been even better to share it with him.

The next day was Easter morning where we discovered the EB even does hotel rooms. After a quick egg hunt (Look Mommy, there's an egg in the bathtub!), we visited our favorite breakfast buffet and then swam in the pool. We had 2:30 reservations at Oystercatchers where Nana and the Scarborough family joined us for a delicious and neverending Easter brunch with beautiful views of the water. Esmé loved spending time with Carly. And the Easter Bunny dropped by once again.

The next day we headed to St. Pete to our favorite stretch of Gulf beach–- The Don Cesar Hotel.




It was a fun day, lunch at the hotel and then an afternoon on the beach that unfortunately had a sour ending. During a long, trafficky ride back to Tampa complete with one of those crazy Florida rainstorms I started to experience an ever-mounting sensation of nausea. Suffice to say we made it back to the hotel just in time, and the illness didn't leave me until 3 am the next morning. I was pretty convinced, from experience, that it was food poisoning. However we just went through the same ordeal with Esmé this past weekend so now I'm inclined to believe that it's a bug. If so, then Esmé and I have each experienced three different stomach bugs within the past month. Theo has had two (fingers crossed, fingers crossed), and though K has managed to dodge these small plagues, an India trip did leave him with a case of "New Delhi belly" so needless to say the plumbing at TLGH has been pushed to the extreme.

Our last day was spent at the hotel pool. This afforded me an opportunity to catch up on some rest while E + T could still frolic with K and Nana. And then before we knew it, it was 4 am and we were once again rousing our brood for the return flight home. In both directions K was upgraded to business class (one of the benefits of frequent travel). We refused it for the flight down, and instead they offered us the first row in coach which was perfect. We had a bit of extra leg room and were positioned right by the bathroom making the flight that much more comfortable for our troop. On the return flight we didn't have time to negotiate the arrangements, so instead K sent me up to business class with Theo. Though I appreciated the cozier seat and the opportunity to eat a hot (though lackluster) breakfast after having eaten very little recently, I would have preferred to have stayed together. I think the gentleman next to us would have also preferred it that way as well. Theo managed to knock over his can of diet coke soaking both him and his seat. Oops.