Louisiana
📍 Louisiana-Mississippi border
🗓️ April 2000
In the spring of 2000 for Easter and spring break, my parents took my brother and I to the panhandle of Florida. We drove and on the way home crossed the border into Alabama then further on into Mississippi to get a taste for those states, too, which I remember. My mom & dad said we also cut through the tip of Louisiana on that trip. That part I don’t remember, but they were driving so I’m sure they’re right and would mean that was technically my first time in the state.
📍 New Orleans
🗓️ December 2011
My next time back in Louisiana was my favorite. It’s what I would consider my first real visit to the state since it was the first time I actually spent time there. I went with two of my classmates and friends for a conference my last year of grad school. In between sessions at the conference we did all the things — ate beignets and muffulettas, drank chicory coffee, explored the French Quarter, got psychic readings, went out on Bourbon street, the list goes on. I couldn’t get enough! NOLA is so me coded. It’s a place I love and would go back to again and again.
📍 New Orleans
🗓️ December 2014
The last time I was in Louisiana, I was with my parents and brother. It was around Christmastime. We were set to embark on a cruise through the western Caribbean that was leaving from New Orleans. We decided to fly down a few days early and explore the city together since neither my parents nor brother had ever been. I showed them a lot of what I remembered and loved from my time there a few years prior. My boss at the time had also just moved from NOLA. So we added in a bunch of her recommendations too. All in all it was another great time in the city.