Each year I attend a conference for work. Usually, this event is hosted in pretty great Cities, like Boston, San Diego, Philadelphia and Vancouver. Sometimes it’s not: Orlando or Honolulu, for example. This year, we were in New Orleans. I love New Orleans. This 4 day conference always starts late on Sunday night, so I make sure to get in early and enjoy the host City (unless of course, it is in Orlando).
This year, MS came with me and we arrived late on Friday night. It was also JazzFest weekend. Couple a 12,000 person conference with JazzFest and let’s just say, hotels aren’t cheap and restaurants are quickly booked.
This will be a mini-trip report, where over the coming days/weeks, I’ll talk about:
- Le Méridien New Orleans
- Places to Dine
- Places to Drink
- Places to Shop
- My Prior Trip that Nearly Destroyed the City For Me
I really dig New Orleans and I have this irrational, romanticized view of living in the (French) Quarter, wearing a khaki or white suit, holding court in either a fabulous restaurant/bar/antique shop that I own – telling tales and drinking cocktails with anyone who will listen. I think I could channel my inner Southern Gentleman and live in the fictionalized version of New Orleans, don’t you?
Do you love New Orleans, or are you like so many of my fellow conference attendees who just loathe the City?
You are very lucky to get a chance to travel at work. I wish to visit New Orleans sometime soon :)
Work travel is definitely a double edged sword. When I get to visit interesting Cities and can build in some free time it can be great. More often than not it is a quick in/out trip with bad sandwich catered lunches, strip mall dinners and long hours. Couple that with flight delays and missing friends/family it can be pretty rough. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy the work travel I do (mostly), but it is not as glamorous as I thought it would be when I was just starting out.
Thank you for sharing your experience. Looking forward to read more of your travel stories :)