This year has gone by unbelievably quickly. In my mind, it’s a blur from Israel to Australia—and nearly everywhere in between. The thing that lures me to pack my suitcase again and again in pursuit of adventure is that sense of wonder in learning new things about the world. My family and friends who know […]
new orleans
Red Beans and Carnival Season
Three years ago, I visited New Orleans during the height of Carnival season. It was nothing like what I’d imagined. All the national media focus on the hordes of drunken bead-throwers on Bourbon Street had burned into my brain over the years and made me give the whole thing a pass. But local friends assured […]
Packing Light (or Not)
When I was a senior in high school, I went on a weeklong trip with a different pair of shoes for each day. The bag I used was a huge wheeled beast that would often wipe out when I turned a corner. It’s taken years for my packing strategy to evolve, but I’ve finally gotten […]
Breakfast at Brennan’s
One Jazz Fest weekend in the early 1990s, I had breakfast at the famed New Orleans restaurant, Brennan’s. My sister and brother-in-law accompanied me, and while our wallets were much lighter after the meal, we had fond memories of that amazing breakfast. A few weeks ago, I returned to Brennan’s for breakfast. I can’t believe […]
Building a Home in the Rain
I never thought that spending a day to build a house in the pouring rain would be a rewarding experience. But on August 28, one day before the Hurricane Katrina five-year anniversary, I did just that—and I’d do it again in a second. To be honest, I wasn’t prepared at all for the rain. Sure, […]