New Orleans

It is SO fun seeing people do what they love doing instead of only doing what they have to do! This is the Smoking Time Jazz Club performing on Royal in December, 2011. Fun, fun, fun!

We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary at the Court of Two Sisters. The brunch is absolutely amazing! We also had the best meal of our life at dinner here just two days prior.

We took an airboat tour at Lafitte, Lousiana (named for the pirate Jean Lafitte). Steve, our guide, was an amazing wealth of information and it was obvious that he cared deeply for this place. United lost one of our bags so after zipping through the swamp at 45 mph during a monsoon rain, two of us were soggy for two days until our bag finally arrived.

Charlie & Aly just before the rains.

 Married for 25 years! I have been fortunate to be married to, work with and travel with my very best friend. And to do this for two and a half decades! How cool is THAT?

It is a great, great joy to watch my daughter find love also.

We stayed at the Hotel Provincial on Royal street in the French Quarter.

I'm modeling my Eiffel Tower glasses while viewing the sights from the Nachez steamboat on the mighty Mississippi river.

This is the paddle wheel of the Nachez steam boat on the Mississippi river.

Sue is feeding a bird at the New Orleans Aquarium. Aquarium? I know, huh? It's OK, they have fish too.

Told ya!

All in all, New Orleans is a great get-a-way in the middle of the winter. It's not beaches & sun, but it's warmer than Alaska, provides some great fun and some adventure and it inspired our cooking to an all new level. We took a cooking class and it has improved our meals already.