New Orleans: food, music and Mardi GRAS

My first visit to NOLA was during the summer of 2006 right after Hurricane Katrina. My mom and I were there to attend an +AWMA conference and to receive my award. The place was just recovering from the devastation. We stayed in the French quarter but it wasn't as busy or crowded or even as active as it is now. During that trip, I fell in love with New Orleans, the culture, food and the music. My Mom and I had a grand time, walking the streets of NOLA, listening to jazz music, eating oysters, crawfish, gumbo, creole food and sipping coffee and eating beignet at Café Dumont.

In 2011 my husband and I visited NOLA this time to get away from the new year's crowd in New York City and to see how much New Orleans has changed since Katrina. This was an unforgettable trip because I had the best time eating at some of the best restaurants in NOLA. Our culinary feast started at Cochon followed by Emeril's Restaurant and ended with a trip outside of the city to Nottoway Plantation. Of course, it will not be complete without hanging out at Cafe Dumont. We also had the chance to go visit the bayou and explore the air via air boat - which was a really amazing experience. For all those adrenalin junkies out there - an air boat ride is exhilarating.

 

My next visit to NOLA was this year to celebrate Mardi GRAS. We arrived Saturday and stayed until Fat Tuesday, in time to watch Endymion, Bachus, Proteus, Orpheus, Zulu, Rex. It was a wonderful experience to see all those colorful floats, elaborate costumes and those ingenious gadgets such as high chairs, fishing nets, etc. used by seasoned Mardi Gras spectators to catch beads and other souvenirs and to simply just enjoy the parade. It was also fascinating to see NOLA waste management workers clear the debris left over by Mardi Gras and to wake up Wednesday morning to a clean parade route. Our only regret is that we were not able to see the Mardi Gras Indians. According to a fellow traveler we met Wednesday, the best place to catch them is in Treme. Hopefully, we have a chance to visit New Orleans again and participate in future Mardi Gras events...this time we know not to miss Treme!

Little Italy in the Bronx: My home away from home

For three years now, I have called the Belmont Section of the Bronx, as my home. The Belmont section of the Bronx includes the famed Arthur Avenue or Little Italy of the Bronx. The area is lined with numerous small stores that sell cheeses, fresh pasta, bread and pastries, fresh seafood, meat products and goods from Italy, Albania, etc. It is also home to Arthur Avenue Market where you can get fresh produce all year round. The restaurants that call Little Italy home remain family owned and operated. Some have been open since the early 1900's and have served celebrities, dignitaries and politicians.

During summer, there are three street festivals held in the community. The first is the feast of Mt. Carmel, the patron saint of the Church of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. The second is the feast of St. Anthony and to close the summer, the Ferragosto (harvest festival). The photo of my mom which I used for this entry was taken during the 2011 Ferragosto.

Aside from coming alive during the summer months, Belmont comes alive during the Holiday Season - Christmas, Hanukkah, Easter and Passover. Were in visitors from upstate new York, Pennsylvania and other neighboring states visit the stores here in preparation for the holidays.

If you haven't had the chance to visit Little Italy in the Bronx, please come visit our vibrant and wonderful community!  

Alaska: Truly a Once in a Lifetime Experience

Back in 2011, I had the wonderful experience of celebrating the summer solstice and experiencing the midnight sun in Alaska. We visited Glacier Bay National Park, Seward, Kenai Fjords National Park,  Anchorage, Fairbanks, Barrow and Denali National Park. To maximize our trip to Alaska, we decided to get a rental car in Anchorage and experience driving in the last wilderness.

It was the first time for me to experience the midnight sun. So on our first night in Glacier Bay National Park, I decided to wait until the sun would set - I was earlier told that the sun will set in the area around past midnight. So I sort of not slept in order to see the sky change its colors. I practically did not sleep on our first nights at every city/town we visited in Alaska, just so I can compare and contrast "midnight sun".

We timed our trip to make sure that we will be in Barrow, Alaska, the northern most city of the United States during the summer solstice. Our adventure in Barrow was very nice. We got to see the most expensive sewage system in the world. Dipped our feet and hands in the icy cold waters of the Beaufort Sea/Artic Sea (Note: we chickened out to do the polar bear plunge!). We got to taste whale meat and had Chinese and Mexican food at the top of the world. We got to interact with the locals and learned a little about their culture. Although I was freezing, I was so amazed to see kids walking around and playing in shorts and short sleeved shirts.

My excitement about Barrow intensified when Drew Barrymore's movie which was filmed in Barrow came out and I recognized almost every area in Barrow.

I was so amazed at the flora and fauna I had the pleasure of seeing and experiencing. I felt that all the books I have read on environmental science and all the photos of endangered animals came to life and I was seeing all of them. I wish we could have stayed longer and watch the endless animals come to life.

No words will ever be enough to capture my once in a lifetime experience in Alaska. I would love to visit the State once more, may be this time experience winter solstice!

Gustavus, Alaska: A seal welcoming guests

Frozen me at Glacier Bay National Park while waiting for the glacier to cave

Glacier Bay National Park

Kenai Fjords

Kenai Fjords

Enjoying the Festivities to celebrate summer solstice

Fairbanks, Alaska



Reindeers - a.k.a. Domesticated Caribou at Fairbanks, Alaska

Barrow, Alaska

Icy Strait near the mouth of Glacier Bay. So many eagles!

Gustavus, Alaska: what a unique sea creature - star fish climbing a post

Las Vegas: A High School Reunion and Sidetrips Outside of the Strip

Back in November 2012, our high school class met in Las Vegas, Nevada to celebrate our batch's 19th anniversary. Yes, oh how time flies. I can hardly believe that it has been so long since we left St. Scholastica's Academy to pursue college. But it was such a welcome event to rekindle old friendships and catch up with old friends. Of course no reunion will be complete without looking at old photos and trying to guess who is who in our childhood photos.

As my husband and I were planning our trip to Las Vegas, we both decided that to make this trip different, we will visit areas outside of the strip. The trip was also nostalgic for us since this was the first time we will be visiting Las Vegas after our beloved Lola passed away. Lola brought us to Las Vegas for our very first trip to this oasis and boy did we miss her during this trip.

Our trip brought us first to Hoover Dam. Once known as the Boulder Dam. It was our first trip to this magnificent civil engineering feat. My husband being a civil engineer was in awe. I was thinking of all the environmental issues related to it but don't get me wrong, I had a grand time identifying assets and pretending I had to do a fixed assets survey for Hover Dam. The most fun I had in Hoover Dam was crossing the Nevada - Arizona border and gaining/losing one hour every time. (Disclaimer: as an only child, I can easily amuse myself).

Aside from doing a side trip to Hover Dam, we also took a side trip to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area - which is around 20 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the strip. The day we visited the canyon, the temperature had dropped to below freezing and the night before there was snow. In some areas in the canyon, snow was still on the ground. Seeing snow on an otherwise dessert environment was so spectacular for me. I was disappointed though that we didn't see any wildlife. The magnificent colors of the rocks more than made up for the cold, shivering weather and the lack of wildlife.

Aside from attending my high school reunion at Wicked Spoon, I also had the opportunity to celebrate my birthday with my cousin and his friend at Stratosphere. We had a good time talking and catching up and reminiscing our childhood. Dinner on our last night was spent with an old friend and her family. It was a lovely evening meeting her daughter and husband and her parents. My husband and I ended the night with a stroll along the strip and enjoyed ice cream at the Palazzo.

We have often heard that there is so much more to Las Vegas than the strip. If you would like to see something different, a side trip to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Hoover Dam and other natural parks, etc. in the vicinity is highly recommended. Of course, one's first trip to Las Vegas will not be complete without a visit to the casinos, numerous buffets and restaurants, and a stroll along the strip.

Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam



With St. Scholastica's Academy Classmates



A rare view: Snow in Red Rock Canyon



Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area



Stratosphere, Las Vegas