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Saturday, October 29, 2016

New Orleans Food in Pictures (part 2)

On Wednesday, I started in on our dining experiences in New Orleans. I had so many middle of the road experiences, that I'm not sure I could say there was much to rave about food-wise on our trip. This is sad to me, because I love food and I often remember trips through dining experiences. 

Sushi Brothers in the Garden District: Great service and really fresh (and large) portions

As I said before, we chose our food based on many different factors, so I don't feel like I have only myself to blame. Usually, my research and use of reviews to pick places to eat serves me better than it did this trip.


Sucre Salon in the French Quarter: I indulged in afternoon tea, while Eric chose from the lunch menu

Tea was good, though had way too many sweet options. Eric had the muffaletta and would have eaten it every day

Revolution Kitchen in French Quarter: We picked this because Groupon. Service was horrible.

Eric ordered the etouffee, which he said was decent. I got the fried catfish. The potatoes were the best part.

Hard Rock Cafe on Bourbon: One of the better meals we had, but I know what I'm getting when I go there

Waffles on Maple in Garden District: This was a bit far out, but it was a fun ride on the
Streetcar. We both got this waffle with mushrooms, eggs and cheese, called the Heart Attack
for some reason. It was good. I also ordered an ice coffee, which gave me a weird allergic
reaction, so I didn't get to drink it. On the bright side, Starbucks was two doors down.
Avenue Cafe in Garden District: This breakfast was THE BEST thing I ate all week. 


Prices were good, service was awesome and foods are natural and organic where available. Ordered Orleans ice
coffee, breakfast croissant and the bagel and lox. It's right on St. Charles Street.

Oceana in French Quarter: THIS is the place to go for seafood. The crab cake was the best one I've ever had

If  you've been to New Orleans, I'd love to know where you ate that you thought was worth another visit.





Thursday, October 27, 2016

Review: Travelon's Urban N/S Tablet Messenger Bag

I know I'm not the only one who travels with a bag full of entertainment and snacks. Yes, I have a designated bag. One that easily fits under the plane seat and has different compartments that will hold my electronics, games, snacks and reading material. Travelon has been designing innovative bags for over 30 years and their new Urban line is nothing less than stellar. They are gorgeous, unisex, anti-theft, very user friendly and comfortable to carry for everyone. 


When we travel, I have a large personal size carry-on and my small purse and Eric is in charge of the bag with the snacks and games and the regular size carry-on (mostly because he's taller and stronger than me and it's easier for him to put it in the overhead quickly). When I saw the Anti-Theft Urban N/S Tablet Messenger Bag, I knew this would be just as good for travel and commuting, if not better, than the Urban Tour Bag we have. The adjustable strap is wide and padded, so it's uber comfy and can also we carried over the shoulder or as a crossbody. It was equally comfortable for me to carry as it was for Eric.


Now, you know that I'm not a large person. I'm 5' tall, so it can be difficult to get bags that work for me, but can also work for my husband who is much taller. 


This messenger bag isn't huge, but it still has the handle pass-through on the back, so you don't have to carry it while you're slogging your way through the airport. I adore that. Sometimes you just need a break from carrying stuff. And sometimes there's no room for you to sit, much less put your bags, so being able to consolidate without juggling anything is an added bonus. Also, it has two mesh expandable pockets for water bottles or your umbrella. This is a must-have for when you're out all day and need to hydrate or for moms who end up carrying everything for the family and have to have more than one bottle or other beverage. 


The new security zippers on Travelon's bag are awesome. They are unassuming and very classic looking. They clip and unclip easily to small d-rings, but aren't noticeable to the casual observer. 


The top (main) compartment locks, as does the small zipper compartmentand the large zipper pocket in the front. This allows you to go into crowded spaces (i.e. the bus, subway, museums, theme parks) without worries of sticky fingers getting into your bag and stealing your money and whatever else you keep in there. 


The zippers are very ergonomic. The wide surface is really important to me, because it is easy to grab and they feel solid in your hand. 


The large compartment is actually really roomy. It's large enough to fit a full-size tablet, so my iPad Mini has a lot of elbow room in the padded slot for it. As you can see, we also had a few magazines in there. If you know how big ESPN: the magazine is, then you can really judge how much room you have inside. 


Not only that, but we were able to stash both of our 3-1-1 liquids bags in it, too. I only show one, so you can actually see inside. This bag is deep



The padded handle on this bag is an improved version of the previous ones, as it has a neoprene padding on it, giving it extra strength. And as you can see, the back of the bag has a nice slot zipper pocket (which doesn't lock, because it's against your body or your carry-on bag's handle) and is padded with mesh, so it's not uncomfortable when the bag hits your side as you're running to make a connection. 

We stashed some antibacterial wipes and a few other necessities in the back, but to show you how much room there is, I put the first Harry Potter in paperback in there (Everyone has a copy of that, right? It will just zip without crushing the cover.




The front zipper pocket is not as large and meant for smaller things you'd like to have close at hand. We threw our headphones in there, but you can also use this for your travel papers, your phone, change, or whatever. 



Here's my box of Zombie Fluxx in the same pocket, which is probably the same size at two standard packs of playing cards.

This front locking pocket is really an organizer's dream. Not only does it have pockets and slots for everything, but it also has a light, a key clip, pen slot and is RFID-blocking, so no one can steal all your credit card and passport information, because that would suck pretty hard.




I love these mesh pockets. They allow you to see what's inside, while keeping everything in its place.

The Urban N/S Tablet Messenger Bag has a slash-proof body and strap, making it one of the safest bags to have everywhere with you. It's a fantastic day bag, commuter bag or even a regular handbag. It's sleek and perfect for a man or a woman and makes you look professional when needed. The fabric and zippers are water-resistant, so you don't have to worry about being caught in a rainstorm, because all your belongings will be protected. I'm loving all the extras on and in this bag. I think it makes a great multi-purpose bag, because it can be used for commuting and for travel. That means you're getting more bang for your buck. 

With the holidays coming up, this just might be the perfect gift (either for you or a loved one).

More details:
Where to buy it: Travelon website or Amazon | check local travel retailers
How much it costs: $64-80
Colors it comes in: Grey (shown) | Black
Other specs: Size: 11.25” x 12.5” x 4”, Strap Drop Length: 12” – 21”, 900 D Polyester


Interact with Travelon online and share the love: 


Disclaimer: I  received the anti-theft Urban N/S Tablet Messenger Bag from Travelon for the purposes of this review, but all opinions are 100% my own.

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

The Good, The Bad And The Downright Unedible

You all know by now I visited New Orleans earlier this month One of the things I was most excited about was the food, as I am when I travel anywhere. In my eyes, food can make or break a vacation. 


I don't really like jambalaya, gumbo or etouffe, which might be a mistake to get psyched up over other foods. I really was looking forward to the seafood on its own, but I really didn't feel like it held up to expectations. There was almost no singular dining experience that stood out to me on this trip and, while it didn't ruin it, it didn't add value to my trip in any way. 


District Donuts in the Garden District: Worth it, but not the carrot cake doughnut

Aside from the staple dishes that were heaped with flavor, I felt that everything else was lacking. Why aren't there more seasonings? I don't get it. I also don't get the rave reviews I've heard from people I know that have gone before me. 


Cafe Beignet on Bourbon: Beignets and coffee are good, sandwiches are meh. There's free live jazz though!


Maybe it's just my personal preferences, or maybe drinking helps the food be more enjoyable. I'm certainly not trying to offend anyone who loves New Orleans foods. Perhaps I just had much higher expectations, considering the Southern brunch spot here at home has much better dishes than almost anything I ate during the week I was gone.


La Davina Cafe: Affogato (gelato with espresso over it) is a-maz-ing

Restaurant at Oak Alley Plantation: Breakfast was delicious

We aren't drinkers and I barely had any booze while I was in the Big Easy. Obviously, that puts me in the minority, but it is what it is.


Voodoo BBQ: This was recommended by our Uber driver, but it's a quick service restaurant. My po'boy was yummy.

Court of the Five Sisters: Brunch buffet. Lots of options and the courtyard is beautiful, but probably not worth the price.

Some of my venue choices were influenced by other travelers, some by Groupon, one by people we met, a few from my own research and a couple on-the-fly, so we had a good range of dining experiences to choose from and we couldn't necessarily blame any one person for not being satisfied, since it was such a mix.


Chartres House Cafe: Chosen on-the-fly for the balcony seating. The fried alligator was awesome. 
The hushpuppies were good, but the shrimp tasted like it was rinsed in dirty dishwater. Pass.
It's been a while since we have had such a meh experience with foods at a destination. In fact, we may not have been that disappointed since the first time we visited Paris and didn't research our options at all. That was in 2006.
Have you ever been disappointed by your dining experiences on vacation? Stay tuned for part 2 on Saturday.
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