Well Traveled: A Look Back At 2014

It was 1:00 a.m. on January 1, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia and I was walking around outside in the dark with a suitcase.  No, I wasn't drunk.  I'd just returned home from ringing in the New Year downtown with friends.  Just as I was about to crawl into bed, I recalled a conversation I'd had with a well traveled friend weeks earlier.  She said, "Travel is a habit.  The more you travel, the more you will travel."  She then began to tell me of a New Year's tradition in her native Cuba. Walking around with an empty suitcase is said to bring an abundance of travel in the coming year.  Regardless of what others may deem as pure superstition, I've traveled to more destinations in 2014 than ever before.

Downtown Atlanta

The month of March found me in northwestern Spain, a country as near and dear to my heart as the United States.  At the recommendation of a friend whom I'd met while studying abroad in Barcelona in 2012, I'd signed up to volunteer as an English Language Assistance to a group of Spanish business professionals. La Alberca, Spain was my first taste of Spain's countryside and I couldn't have asked for better surroundings or accommodations.

Peña de Francia Mountain

Abadía de los Templarios Resort

Downtown La Alberca

After eight days of nonstop English lessons, I ventured to Madrid, Spain and explored the city for six days.  My expectations of Spain's capital were minimal. Ironically, I found the city and it's museums to be quite majestic.  Not only that, Madrid earned the title of my favorite city in Spain for tapas.

Puerta de Alcalá

The Prado Museum

My return to the U.S. from Spain was prolonged in the form of a long layover in Paris, France.  As enchanting as the whirlwind experience was, the Paris layover was also exhausting.

Eiffel Tower from the River Seine

I rested for three months before hitting the road again and returned to the location of my first solo trip; New Orleans, Louisiana.  Two years had passed since my last visit to NOLA.  I was ecstatic to return for Fourth of July weekend and celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Essence Festival.  Prince headlining the festival was the highlight of my summer.  Scoring tickets to concerts on all three nights definitely made it an Essence Fest to remember.

The French Quarter

Mercedes-Benz Superdome

Before I could unpack my weekend bag, my mom began hinting at a mini family getaway for the month of August.  In need of a vacation from my last vacation, we took a three hour road trip to nearby Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. What better way to restore than along the Atlantic's Carolina Coast.

The Sonesta Resort

Shipyard Beach

With Thanksgiving and Christmas being my favorite holidays, it's a time of the year that I've always preferred to be surrounded by family.  For both, I traveled 75 miles south of Atlanta to my hometown of Macon, Georgia.  It was time well spent at home with family and friends.

Christmas Morning

Christmas Evening

For the first time in 11 years, I rang in the New Year in a new city.  The Windy City to be exact. Initially slowed down by the multiple layers of clothing needed to survive a midwest winter, I quickly regained my wandering spirit and roamed the city from sun up to sun down. Even in frigid weather, Chicago, Illinois is remarkable.

Cloud Gate at Millennium Park

It's been an incredible year of travel.  Not bad for a solo travel girl who blogs while maintaining a full-time career.  Oddly, of all my travels, Paris and Chicago were the only true solo adventures of 2014. The others provided the opportunity to reunite with old travel buddies, form new friendships and travel with my mom for the first time since grade school.  To be surrounded by others who identify with my passion for travel is a blessing.  As readers and supporters of Singles On Lifelong Adventures, you have my infinite gratitude.  I'm looking forward to a 2015 filled with mind blowing adventures! Happy New Year! 

  

             

Follow The Signs | Eating My Way Through New Orleans

Embarking on my first solo trip to New Orleans, Louisiana, I never imagined that I'd meet five women traveling alone just like me. We'd bond over sightseeing, dancing and mounds of creole cuisine. Having visited New Orleans on five occasions, I've been privy to the city's evolution.  But, there is one aspect of the city that never changes. The amazing food.  Try as a I might, I've yet to find a city that does food better than NOLA.  For that reason, I've compiled a list of my all time favorite dishes and the eateries that serve them.  Follow the signs as I eat my way through New Orleans.

Best Beignets

New Orleans is sprinkled with cafes serving great beignets.  But, I loathe having to stand in line for an hour just to get one.  Morning Call Coffee Stand is an answered prayer.  No matter how busy this 24 hour eatery gets, there is always seating in the spacious interior or exterior.
Tip:  Visit the City Park location and burn off all those calories with a stroll through the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden.

Best Brunch Buffet

Everyone has different buffet expectations.  For me, it has to be clean and the food must be freshly prepared.  You'll get both at Court of Two Sisters.
Tip:  They accept reservations.  Make one.

Best Fried Catfish

The seafood platters at Deanie's Seafood are atrocious.  In a good way.  I have yet to meet anyone who has finished their meal at Deanie's.  But oh, what a joy it is to try.
Tip:  There is always a line.  Your patience will be rewarded.

Best Pancakes

You know the pancakes are good when they don't need syrup.  The blueberry pancakes at Café Fleur de Lis are a great way to start your day.
Tip:  Beat the line by arriving as soon as they open.

Best Red Beans and Rice

I'm not a fan of sausage.  You can imagine my surprise when the waitress at Oceana informed me that andouille sausage was one of the main ingredients in their red beans and rice.
Tip:  Be prepared to have a little spice added to your life.

Best Shrimp Omelet

An omelet without shrimp is called scrambled eggs.  Jimmy J's Cafe won my heart with an omelet stuffed with large shrimp, sautéed spinach, red peppers and onions.
Tip:  The restaurant is small.  Get there early or you'll be waiting in this line.

Best Hurricane

Having sampled my fair share of Hurricanes, I consider myself to be a good judge of beverage.  Not a one compare to the Hurricane served in a mason jar at Daisy Dukes.
Tip:  Don't try to finish it as I don't think it's humanly possible.  

From no stars to five stars, I've dined at a plethora of restaurants in the Crescent City.  It's quite possible that a food critic or two will dice this list and balk at my choices.  That's to be expected.  We can amicably disagree. It's impossible to capture the variety and totality of New Orleans cuisine in one sitting.  One thing is for certain, I can always count on these restaurants to produce my favorite eats. Bon Appetit!

Top Ten Essence Festival Moments

"This was the best Essence Festival ever!"

We say it every year.  Who are we?  We are the hundreds of thousands who flock to the City of New Orleans each year for Fourth of July weekend.  We travel from all over the country to join one another for an abundance of community outreach events, creole cuisine, day parties, empowerment seminars, health fairs and concerts known as the Essence Festival.

It was my fifth Essence Festival and I was proud of it.  This year, I had the privilege of meeting a few Essence Fest veterans who'd attended the festival since it's inception 20 years ago. I relished in the stories of Prince's first Essence Fest appearance in 2004, exactly ten years ago to the day.  It made me wonder, "How would I describe Essence Fest to those who have yet to attend?"  A "Party with a Purpose" where days are spent meeting your favorite celebrities at the Ernest E. Morial Convention Center followed by dancing alongside those same celebrities that night at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome?  The task seems daunting.  Nevertheless, here are my top ten Essence Festival moments of 2014.

1.  Prince
To those who failed to make it to the Superdome before 10:30 p.m. on July 4th, may you find peace within. By then, Prince had already graced the stage for two amplifying performances with Janelle Monáe and Nile Rodgers and Chic. Upon taking the stage for his own set, he gifted us in the form of a collaboration with Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews and Lianne La Havas.  All day, there'd been speculation as to whether or not Prince would perform any old hits. He and 3RDEYEGIRL silenced the noise with two hours of every song you've ever wanted to hear him sing.  Now I know why they call him Prince.

2.  Doug E. Fresh
Doug E. Fresh showed us what true disc jockeys are capable of.  He proudly displayed the ones and twos.  He taught us how to do the "Dougie" and had the entire Superdome on it's feet.  The Human Beat Box turned the show into a house party in Harlem.  One thing still remains a mystery. How does he stay so youthful?

3.  Mary J. Blige
After 13 Mary J. Blige concerts, you'd think I'd be able to explain what draws me to Mary.  Is it her soulful voice?  The honesty in her testimony?  Maybe it's her iconic fashion and unique style. Perhaps it's because even though we're no longer singing about wanting to "Be Happy," I can still identify with the pain. There's something about a Mary J. concert that makes you feel as though you're sitting on the front pew in church and the Pastor's sermon is speaking directly to you.  It's no wonder that throughout the night, you could hear shouts of "Preach Mary!"

4.  Jill Scott
When Jill Scott took the stage, the Superdome exploded.  My first thought was "Oh, hell....the naturalistas are about to riot."  You couldn't deny it.  Jill looked great.  In a way unlike any I'd seen on her before.  Before the dust could settle, the seductive songstress declared "Don't let this hat taint your image of me." Case closed.  Go head Jill!

5.  Charlie Wilson
Charlie Wilson was born to do this.  I'd witnessed "Uncle Charlie" perform before, but only this time did I take note that his shows are a masterful execution of uptempo, slow tempo, and praise and worship songs.  He destroys the stage every time.  Nothing could have prepared me for his transformation into a Reggae Rapper.  Is there anything this man can't do?

6.  The Roots
The Roots brought Hip Hop back with the most diverse performance of the festival.  With guest appearances by Biz Markie, Common, Naughty by Nature, and Nelly, it was rap delight after rap delight.  Just when you decided to take your seat, The Roots and Biz Markie serenade the crowd with a rendition of Maze featuring Frankie Beverly's "Before I Let Go."  For a brief moment, we were transported back to a time when Maze featuring Frankie Beverly closed Essence Fest.  Pure nostalgia.

7.  Steve Harvey and Lisa Nichols
I stumbled upon the seminar by accident.  Five minutes in, I found myself thinking "I was not planning on crying today."  Tears flowed as Lisa Nichols shared her story of struggle and triumph alongside Steve Harvey during the "Act Like A Success" Empowerment Seminar.  Steve balanced the room with comical tales of his own trials and resulting faith.  I left the seminar confident in a recent leap I'd decided to take.  I guess it was no accident after all.  

8.  Roland Martin
If you don't run into Roland Martin at least twice during Essence Festival, you're obviously spending too much time at the hotel.   In addition to being an unrelenting journalist and well respected voice in the community, he's also the cool cousin that you see every year at the family reunion. Whether he's interviewing James Fortune at the Convention Center or getting the electric slide started at the Superdome, Roland makes it a point to mix and mingle.  

9.  The Coca-Cola Company and The McDonald's Corporation
Marketing.  Not everyone is good at it.  A select few are great at it.  The Coca-Cola Company and The McDonald's Corporation have mastered it.  Each year during Essence Festival, the two corporations take multicultural marketing to the next level.  They've studied and connected with the Essence Festival target audience and the end result is simply remarkable.

10.  Hall of Fame        
For the 20th Anniversary, a special Hall of Fame exhibit was displayed at the Convention Center spotlighting notable members of the Essence Festival Family. My favorite Hall of Famer is the 44th President of the United States who made his first Essence Festival appearance in 2007 as Senator Barack Obama.

If at this point you've resolved to spend Fourth of July 2015 at Essence Festival in New Orleans, my work here is done.  Happy 20th Anniversary Essence Festival!