Travel Archives - Page 59 of 84

An Ode to New Orleans

November 26, 2019

An Ode to New Orleans

New Orleans, NOLA, Thanksgiving, trip, southern style, Tuckernuck

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It feels so good to back in the city that I love for a week of Thanksgiving. Typically, this is a time for homecoming, but my family decided that meant going to New Orleans, a place that means so much to all of us. My first visit to the Crescent City was on a birthday trip with my mom. That was already eight years ago and I’ve made about two trips a year since then. There is something about this city that I just can’t shake. Like a siren song, it calls me back. Like Bob Dylan once said, “There are a lot of places I like, but I like New Orleans better.” This is my ode to New Orleans.

A huge part of that love, I have to thank my dad for. I always look to him as a world class cook and I inherited my love of food from him. If you want to see an example of pure bliss, then you need to see him enjoy a bowl of jambalaya in the French Quarter. On this trip, we’ve yet to have a mediocre meal. Although the crown jewel of dining won’t be until Thanksgiving at Brennan’s, we are eating our way around the city. On this trip, I’ve made it my personal goal to focus on new-to-me places. In all of my visits, I’ve only scratched the surface. I can’t wait to share a Version 2 of my New Orleans City Guide. To see the original rendition, be sure to read up here. It honestly may be one of my favorite posts I’ve ever written.

Even though New Orleans is another major U.S. city, my time in NYC has helped me see it in a different light. Compared to the constant speed and volume of people, I can better appreciate the laidback and down-to-earth quality of NOLA. The people here are sincere and extreme friendly. I’ve never met a local that I didn’t enjoy talking to. Besides, I find it easy to get along with anyone who values good food and good music.

When David and I first started dating, I was very pleasantly surprised to find out that he loved New Orleans just as much as I did. I don’t want to say it made me know he was the one, but it definitely helped! Our first solo trip as a couple was to New Orleans for their annual Jazz Fest. We had booked the trip after only been dating for a few months. In hindsight, it may have been a little risky, but it’s one of the best memories with him.

This week in New Orleans is just flying by. On each trip, David and I think long and hard about what a life for us would look like here. Although I’m not sure if we’ll ever fully take the plunge, I will love the city as if it were my own. It may be too early to tell, but I think this trip could be the most fulfilling one yet!

Love from New Orleans,
Katie

If you are more interested in travel than style, be sure to visit my exclusive travel page, here.

Spending Thanksgiving in NYC

November 22, 2019

Spending Thanksgiving in NYC

Thanksgiving, NYC, holidays, season, J. Crew, plaid

Thanksgiving is my official start to the holiday season. It’s such a magical time of the year and I truly believe that New York is the epicenter. During this time of year, five million people flock to the Big Apple. There’s a lot of love here and it shows. This year, sadly, we’ll be traveling to the Big Easy and will be missing out on the Thanksgiving day festivities. If you’re lucky enough to visit the city next week, here are my top tips for spending Thanksgiving in NYC.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Balloon Inflation

Here’s the inside scoop from lifelong New Yorkers. A hidden gem on the day before Thanksgiving is to venture to the Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side. Here, the parade festivities start even earlier when they begin to inflate the balloons for the parade. It’s a fun, behind-the-scenes look at the annual event and would be so fun if you’re traveling with kids.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Last year was one of the coldest New York Thanksgivings on record (because of course it was!). Surprisingly, I still decided to brave the single digit temperatures to walk across Central Park and watch the start of the Macy’s parade. Even though I only lasted about twenty minutes in the freezing cold, I felt like a kid watching some of my favorite cartoons in gigantic balloon form. This is an essential NYC experience that you simply cannot miss out on.

Thanksgiving Dinner at World-Class Resturants

Of course, the Thanksgiving holiday calls for some good eating. That can be a little trickier if you’re traveling and have to stay in a hotel room, but NYC has so many options for you! So many world class restaurants will open that day. Some of my favorites to note are Claudette in Greenwich Village and The Polo Bar in Midtown. No matter where you’re hoping to eat, be sure to make reservations right now!

Hotel Hop for Beautiful Christmas Decor

Even now, the city is starting to come alive with holiday decorations and cheer. In my opinion, no one does this better than the upscale hotels in Midtown. Even if you’re not staying at these hotels, they are open to the public and have the most opulent Christmas displays you’ll ever see. My personal favorite is the Lotte Hotel, but the Plaza absolutely deserves mentioning. While you’re in the neighborhood, don’t forget to do some window shopping at the major department stores. They have turned holiday window displays into an art form!

The holiday season is absolutely perfect in New York City and Thanksgiving is only the beginning. No matter what you wind up doing in the city, you can’t go wrong! Take in as much seasonal activities as you can, but don’t forget to visit city landmarks and museums. Enjoy all that the city has to offer!

Love from NYC,
Katie

Thanks for stopping by! As always, if you are more interested in travel than style, be sure to visit my exclusive travel page, here.

Surviving a Long Road Trip

November 19, 2019

Surviving a Long Road Trip

road trip, travel, safety, comfort, pets

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I may look somewhat put together here for last night’s date night in Tampa, but that was definitely not true over the weekend! David and I loaded up a rental car to make the 18 hour drive down to Florida. Our dog will be spending the next few weeks with my parents, for reasons that I’m not quite ready to share yet. Although it would have been so much quicker to fly, we knew that wasn’t going to be the best for Tripp. We drove straight through and now can enjoy a little escape from the NYC cold.

When I was a kid, we would make long, cross-country hauls multiple times a year. For almost every holiday and break, the car would be packed up to get to our distant destination. Sometimes making a longer drive is the easiest option. That is especially true when you think about the craziness that is holiday travel. Since I know so many will be getting ready to travel far for Thanksgiving, I thought about the best things to keep in mind for surviving a long road trip.

Rules for the Road

One of the top things on my to-do list before a long road trip is to buy enough snacks. Even though it’s an extremely sedentary activity, driving or riding in a car for long hours can be very demanding. For our 18 hour trip, I packed a variety of snacks to keep us perked up and alert. Having a mix of sweet and salty gives you options for whatever you may be craving.
Speaking of eating… Although it can be tempting, it’s important to keep your meals light on the road. After a heavy lunch, I can feel my energy level plummet and all I want to do is nap. For obvious reasons, this is not so good while driving. Even if I’m just the passenger, I try to stay awake to keep the driver, David, company.
To fill the time, music is absolutely critical! You have a few different options here. You can either invest in Satellite Radio, make a fun playlist, or be at the mercy of FM radio. For this latest trip, we were in the last category and the music variety was not in our favor. Next time, we will be sure to pack all of the cables we need to get our own music playing.
No matter where you’re starting or where you’re going, the earlier you begin the better. Since driving from New York means passing at least four major US cities, we left our apartment well before five am. By the time we hit any sort of traffic, we are already in South Carolina and more than half way done with the trip. Rest up!

What to Wear

Since I knew we were going to be in the car for the long haul, I thought about what I would be wearing well in advance. Comfort is key and mobility is the key to comfort. This can look very different to different people depending on your personal preferences. Personally, I found myself very comfy in a pair of stretchy jeans and soft long-sleeve tee. The choice, though, is yours!
Am I only the one who thinks the ACs in cars are really fickle? One minute I’m boiling and the next I’m frozen. To give myself the upper hand, I had an extra sweatshirt on hand. Giving yourself an extra layer, whether it’s a bulky sweater or jacket, also works wonders as an impromptu pillow.
Even though a pair of sneakers seems like the most obvious choice in footwear, I’m here to say “reconsider”. Wearing anything for 18 hours straight, especially a pair of shoes, can be extremely uncomfortable. I wanted to kick mine off almost as soon as we hit the road. It would have been so much easier to wear a pair of slip on shoes or sandals Next time, I’ll know better.
Even though I’m a Floridian, I’m still so forgetful when it comes to sunglasses. I would rather squint for hours then remind myself to pack a pair. Of course, this is not the best idea for eye health or the safest choice while driving. It’s a good idea to have your most protective sunglasses on hand even if you end up not needing them.

Caring for Your Pets

In a way, your pet’s comfort is more important than your own. Since they won’t have a full understanding of what’s happening, making them as comfort as possible must be your number one priority. You do this by packing the car around the needs of your pet. Depending on the personality of your pet, this could be with or without a cage. I know Tripp would have be miserable if he had to spend 18 hours in his kennel. Instead, we made him a nice little alcove in the van that we rented. He had plenty of room to spread out and I could reach back to comfort him or give him treats.
Along with my personal belongings, I kept a bag of Tripp’s things with me in the front of the car. That way, whenever he needed something, I already had it by my side and could pass it back to him. This included, treats, toys, a few bottles of water, and his water dish. I also kept a copy of his most recent vet statement in my tote bag, just in case. It gives you peace of mind as you drive along with such precious cargo.
We found great success in keeping Tripp close to his regular schedule. This included his meals and bathroom breaks. In reality, we arranged our stops around his time frame. Although it took a little longer to get to our destination with more breaks, Tripp had less stress and was much more comfortable.
If you’re still worried about traveling long distances with your pet, I highly recommend talking with your vet about prescribing an anti-anxiety medication. We did this weeks before hand and were so thankful we did. We had a little test run prior to understand how the medication would affect Tripp and know the perfect dose we would need to give him. About halfway through our journey, I could tell Tripp was getting a little upset and wanted to sit with me. We gave him a pill and was able to rest much easier until we got to Florida.

Long, long car rides are never ideal, but can actually be enjoyable! The company was obviously a huge part of that (love you David), but it was doubly true because we were prepared for the voyage ahead. The next time you have big trip on your hands, and want to save some money, you may want to consider making it a road trip! Like the cliche goes, it’s more about the journey than the destination.

Love from Florida,
Katie

Thanks for stopping by! As always, if you are more interested in travel than style, be sure to visit my exclusive travel page, here.