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While exploring New Orleans, many visitors make time to venture beyond the city's borders – and embrace the unique attractions that southern Louisiana locales like the Northshore, the Great River Road, and Cajun Country have to offer. While all of these regions are worth experiencing, I admit to harboring a particular affinity for the plantation homes that lie along or near the Great River Road. Despite the complicated history of Southern plantation life – and the horrendous practice of slavery that allowed many plantations to thrive – I've always enjoyed visiting these antebellum homes, if only to have a better understanding of America's past.
As I've expressed on my American Nomad blog before, two of my favorites are the Destrehan Plantation and Laura: A Creole Plantation. Over the weekend, though, my husband, Dan, and I had the delightful opportunity to experience two other plantation homes in southern Louisiana – Madewood Plantation House (pictured above, 4250 Hwy. 308, Napoleonville, 985/369-7151) and Oak Alley Plantation (3645 Hwy. 18, Vacherie, 225/265-2151) – both of which were well worth the 1.5-hour drive from our apartment in the French Quarter.
Admittedly, I'd been to Oak Alley on several previous occasions, though never with Dan. As for Madewood, however, this was the first time that either of us had ever seen it in person – mainly because, unlike Oak Alley and the other plantations along the Great River Road, Madewood lies a bit farther afield. In fact, it's considered a “bayou plantation” – likely because of its proximity to Bayou Lafourche. Honestly, though, I was excited to visit both plantations with Dan – though the two experiences turned out to be quite different.
On Saturday night, Dan and I were invited by Keith and Millie Marshall, the owners of Madewood, to attend their annual Christmas Heritage Banquet. So, shortly after five in the evening, we found ourselves headed southeast on Highway 308, hoping that we wouldn't miss Madewood amid all the other houses that lay along both sides of the road. As soon as we saw the looming white “house,” though, we knew we'd found it – and I must confess, we were both impressed by the understated elegance of this Greek Revival-style mansion (pictured above). In fact, we couldn't believe that the home, outbuildings, and well-tended, 20-acre grounds were privately owned!
Once Millie had spotted us and introduced us to her two dogs, Clio and Pandora (pictured to the left with Millie), she offered us a brief tour of the mansion's lower floor, which consists of several high-ceilinged rooms, including a parlor, a dining room, a ballroom, a library, a spacious foyer, another well-furnished sitting room, and the bedroom in which Dan and I would be staying overnight. Upstairs, meanwhile, there are four more bedrooms, including the former bedroom of Naomi Marshall, Keith's mother, who bought and renovated the mansion in 1964, and a nursery (pictured below) furnished with children's beds, a stroller, vintage toys, and an adult-sized canopy bed. All the bedrooms offer full or half-canopy beds, queen-sized or king-sized mattresses, access to private bathrooms, air conditioning, and wireless Internet access, and some even provide access to the breezy verandah.
Naturally, Christmas decorations were everywhere – fragrant wreaths hung on the doors, garlands were draped above the thresholds and along the banister (pictured to the left), eerie-looking angels were suspended above the tables in the ballroom, and two enormous, extensively decorated trees stood in the ballroom and parlor. Beyond the high ceilings, stylish moldings, gorgeous chandeliers, and tall windows (which I rightly assumed would be lovely in the daytime), the house boasts an impressive hodgepodge of furniture, artwork, family mementos and photographs, and other artifacts, including Mardi Gras tiaras, Millie's mother's vintage spoon collection, a seemingly anachronistic painting with a curious backstory, more silver pitchers and demitasse cups than I've ever seen in my life, and, perhaps my favorite items, two old music stands with attached candleholders that seem reminiscent of The Phantom of the Opera. While the furnishings in many open-to-the-public plantation homes appear to coincide with particular historic periods, the eclectic nature of the items at Madewood make it seem less like a museum and more like a real home – which is, of course, part of the charm of this tranquil plantation.
As I discovered later in the night, Keith (a journalist, a historian, and Madewood's business manager), had found and chosen many of the furnishings himself – a task in which he seems to take a lot of pride. Madewood, after all, has been in his family for nearly five decades, ever since his mother purchased the property, which had been part of a former sugarcane plantation that lay between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Originally commissioned by Thomas Pugh and built by architect Henry Howard around 1846, the Madewood Plantation House had survived the American Civil War and passed through the hands of several families, including the Godchaux and Baker clans, before Naomi claimed it in 1964. Keith was 17 at the time, and apparently, the relatively empty though stately mansion required a lot of love and care to become the house it is today.
In fact, it wasn't always a bed-and-breakfast. For a long time, it was simply home to the Madewood Arts Festival – that is, until the mid-1980s, when Keith was spared from a staggering utilities bill by a doctor who had called to inquire if Madewood accepted overnight guests. After that, the rest, as “they” say, was history.
Interestingly, the only original buildings on the property are the mansion, the outer kitchen, and the former carriage house. Keith was in fact responsible for relocating the other buildings to Madewood's grounds, such as the Charlet House (pictured to the left), a two-story cottage linked to the main house by a shady patio (pictured above). This early-19th-century riverboat captain's house now contains three sumptuous suites, including one with a fireplace and a private screened porch ideal for honeymooners, the Porteus Suite, and another (pictured below) noted for a former inhabitant – Brad Pitt, who stayed there during the filming of Interview with the Vampire.
Following our tour of the house, Dan and I ventured to the old kitchen (pictured to the left), which, in the fashion of most plantations, was separate from the home. There, Janet Thomas, one of Madewood's amiable staff members, graciously served us some hot wassail (a yummy spiced ale that, yes, lured me back for seconds and thirds, but I digress...).
A local church choir (pictured to the right) then regaled us with Christmas carols in the foyer, after which Dan, the Marshalls, all the other guests (numbering around 50), and I took our seats in the dining area, where we were treated to salads, scrumptious tomato soup, wine, and a Christmas-style buffet, complete with turkey, cornbread stuffing, spinach casserole, cranberries, and a yummy mashed concoction made of pumpkins, sweet potatoes, apples, and raisins. During dinner, the Marshalls, who were serendipitously the other couple at our table, shared stories of Madewood and their previous experiences as journalists at The Times-Picayune. Besides the fact that Keith was a Rhodes Scholar alongside President Bill Clinton, the other takeaway that impressed me was the fact that Millie had interviewed novelist Anne Rice early in her writing career, which sparked a lifelong correspondence. Apparently, like the actor who played the vampire Louis, Anne is also a fan of Madewood.
After dinner (and my first yule log dessert), Dan and I took our coffee and Christmas cookies onto the rear porch (pictured to the left), a comfortable place to relax in the cool night air. Eventually, the other guests went home or ventured to their bedrooms, and we were finally able to access our own bedroom (the bathroom, after all, had been needed during the party). Situated beside the rear porch, the room featured a handsomely carved, half-canopy, queen-sized bed, an old-fashioned armoire and dresser, two relaxing day beds, and other vintage furnishings – it's no wonder, then, that I'd noticed guests taking photos of it all night. Although the unfamiliar mattress and one annoying mosquito made it hard for Dan to sleep, I enjoyed the chance to stay in an authentic plantation – particularly one in which the guests are free to wander. That's certainly not the case with the major plantations-turned-attractions along the Great River Road – and that's probably why so many guests and party attendees had been there many times before.
Its authenticity is why Sister, Sister was filmed there back in the mid-1980s, and why location scouts from Django Unchained considered it as the model for the villainous Calvin Candie's house in Quentin Tarantino's soon-to-be-released film. But, despite Madewood's lack of televisions and in-room telephones (which, frankly, only adds to its peaceful vibe), modern conveniences certainly exist there. Our bathroom, for instance, boasted a whirlpool tub and terrific water pressure, and I also appreciated other little touches, such as having coffee brought to our room before breakfast. It's this balance between old (like the former kitchen pictured above) and new (such as having individual thermostats, not to mention contemporary kitchens in addition to the original one) that makes Madewood such a unique place – and yet, at the same time, challenging for some guests, who come expecting nothing but modern luxuries. It is a real plantation home, after all, with the quirks of any 166-year-old place – just as the French Quarter is a real place, and not merely a squeak-free tourist attraction. So, it's good to keep Keith's words in mind when staying there: “Madewood will teach you flexibility – you just go with the flow.”
Of course, Madewood wouldn't be the hospitable place it is without its small, capable staff, which, besides Keith and Janet, includes Janet's great-nephew Michael Johnson; his wife and the house/event coordinator, Angie Johnson (who met Michael at Madewood); Angie's sister, Alice Himel; and the caretaker, Warren Freeman, whose family has cared for the property since the Civil War. As Millie said on Sunday morning, “See, you come to Madewood, and you never know where the day will take you. We all become part of the family!”
After relishing a Southern-style breakfast of eggs, grits, biscuits, and the like in the decked-out ballroom (pictured to the left), Dan and I chatted with Keith, Millie, and an Austin couple who had been to Madewood on three separate occasions, then took one last stroll around the house and grounds (which include a small cemetery, pictured below) before heading to Oak Alley for an afternoon tour of its impeccable house and grounds. But that's another story entirely, which I'll save for a future post.
In the meantime, if you're looking for a bed-and-breakfast that offers a glimpse of the 19th-century lifestyle of Southern aristocracy, consider staying at Madewood during the holidays – or at any time of the year. Standard rates (Sun.-Thurs. $229-265, Fri.-Sat. $259-298) include a wine-and-cheese reception in the library, a candlelit dinner of regional favorites in the dining room, coffee and brandy in the parlor, and a full breakfast for two. Special packages and weekend getaways, however, are also available. Given the reception hall in the rear cottage and the spacious grounds, it's also not a bad spot to hold a wedding, a reunion, or any large gathering. But, more than anything, it's a wonderful place to escape the city for a while, and of course, it's a convenient home base for exploring other area plantations (such as Oak Alley, pictured above).
If I ever have the chance to stay there again, I'd happily book the same bedroom in the main house, though I wouldn't mind giving one of the others a try as well. After all, as with most bed-and-breakfasts, each room or suite at Madewood has its own unique spirit – and I don't mean the ghostly kind.
So, have you ever slept at a plantation? If so, which one – and how was the experience?
My husband, Dan, and I will soon be embarking on our seasonal move from New Orleans to northern Michigan, and while we're both eager to dwell again amid the tall trees, clean air, and peaceful waters of our home near Big Bear Lake, there are many aspects of the Big Easy we'll be missing during the summer – namely, the music, the architecture, and, of course, the food. In particular, I'll surely find myself longing for raw oysters, boiled crabs and crawfish, shrimp po-boys, muffulettas, fried green tomatoes, oyster artichoke soup, and, yes, turtles – not the animated kind, mind you, but the dessert cookies that consist of shortbread, dark chocolate, and pecans, and can be found in most local grocery stores.
Just consider the photo
below – wouldn't you miss them, too?
While working on the third edition of Moon New Orleans, I've made sure to include an entry about the Steamboat Natchez, one of my favorite diversions in the Big Easy. Launched by the New Orleans Steamboat Company in 1975, the current Natchez is actually the ninth steam-powered sternwheeler to bear the famous name. Equipped with steam engines that were crafted in 1925, this authentic vessel was modeled after the Virginia and the Hudson, two sternwheelers of old. Today, this nostalgic riverboat – which leaves from the foot of Toulouse Street in the French Quarter – offers daytime harbor excursions and dinnertime jazz cruises on the Mississippi River all year round. During the daytime trips, you can visit the steam engine room, listen to live narration about the history of the port, opt for a Creole lunch, and enjoy a concert of the on-board, 32-note steam calliope (which I can often hear from my French Quarter apartment), while the nighttime cruises feature buffet-style dining, live jazz by the Dukes of Dixieland, and gorgeous views of the city.
Reflecting on the cool breezes that I've often enjoyed while riding the Natchez riverboat, I couldn't help but promote it and the nearby Creole Queen (also docked along the Crescent City's riverfront) on my American Nomad travel blog. Still fixated on the cool breezes – especially given how warm this summer has been in northern Michigan – I decided to explore other sternwheelers around the country, from the Pride of the Susquehanna in the Northeast and the Minneapolis Queen in the Midwest to the Colorado King in the West and the Belle of Louisville in the South.
So, do you enjoy taking riverboat trips? If so, do you have a favorite?
Here in America – and the rest of the northern hemisphere – today is the summer solstice: the longest day of the year, the official beginning of summer, and a great time to plan a summer vacation. If you're looking for a coastal getaway, you should consider the northwestern part of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, an area rife with beaches, dunes, lighthouses, wineries, golf courses, and resort towns. Besides featuring this region – which happens to be one of my favorite parts of the Great Lakes State, where my husband and I spend our summers – on my American Nomad blog, I've also covered it for My Itchy Travel Feet as well as National Geographic Traveler. So, read all about it, enter the Moon Michigan giveaway at My Itchy Travel Feet, and pack your bags for this incredibly stunning and diverse place.
As I mentioned last week, Dan and I are currently in Los Angeles, preparing for our sixth annual Beverly Hills Shorts Festival. Despite our professional responsibilities, we've had a good time seeing some of our old pals, but given that today is Fat Tuesday, I can't help but think of the shenanigans that I'm missing back home in New Orleans. All night, revelers will continue to celebrate Mardi Gras in the streets of the French Quarter – and I'm a little sad that I won't be there to experience it this year.
Why else would I try to relive it on Come In Character? Isn't that what writers do – live vicariously through their characters?
So, if you have a minute, stop by CIC and celebrate with us! After all, everyone deserves a happy Mardi Gras – no matter where he or she is at the moment.
Ever since Dan and I purchased a 25-foot travel trailer in the summer of 2000, we've logged thousands of miles on the highways and byways of America. Although we no longer own the travel trailer – or, sadly, have the same kitty that we had back then – we still spend a lot of time on the road every year.
Most recently, we covered nearly 1,900 miles between New Orleans and Los Angeles, where we'll soon be overseeing our sixth annual Beverly Hills Shorts Festival. Such an exhausting, three-day drive – on some rather boring stretches of Interstate 10 – would have been nearly unbearable without such on-the-road diversions as audio books, wireless Internet, conversation, and random roadside attractions.
So, what helps you pass the time on lengthy car rides?
While I'm extremely proud that my latest guidebook, Moon Florida Keys (Avalon Travel, 2011), is now available in bookstores across the country, I'm especially proud of the fact that most of the photographs included within its pages were taken by either me or my husband, Dan. Not only do these images make this first edition feel even more like a labor of love, but they also allow us to relive our incredibly memorable research trips to the Florida Keys. Of course, seeing our photos in print also means that it's easier to miss that famous island chain, especially the food down there. This photo, for instance, was taken by Dan on the night we first tasted the delicious key lime pie (incidentally, my favorite dessert) at Mrs. Mac's Kitchen in Key Largo – and all I can say is... I sure wish I had more than a picture right now.
P.S. If you're curious about the Florida Keys, consider “liking” my Facebook page. Thanks!
My husband, Dan, and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary this past weekend at a romantic little restaurant in the French Quarter – and while I'm still happy to be with my sweetie after all these years, I find it rather hard to believe that more than a decade has passed since we exchanged our vows in that little chapel on the Las Vegas Strip. As with most people, I just can't believe how fast the time has flown. Of course, when I reflect on all the places we've traveled together since meeting in early 1999 – from Chicago to London to Yosemite National Park to many towns in between – it does seem a bit easier to fathom, and all I can say is that I look forward to many more years with my favorite traveling companion. Happy anniversary, Danny!
In my last post, I told you about a trivia contest that I was running on my American Nomad travel blog at Moon.com. Well, I'm happy to report that there were two winners – Sean Landon and Shannon Edris – each of whom won three of my guidebooks. So, congratulations, you two!
To ring in the new year, Moon.com is hosting yet another travel giveaway. One lucky reader will win a $250 Southwest Airlines gift card in exchange for answering a simple question: “What U.S. city, town, or national park do you most want to visit in 2011?” For a few ideas, check out my list of the best places to travel in the U.S., which features everything from Santa Barbara to Chicago to Washington, D.C. Good luck, fellow travelers!
Last week, on the heels of wrapping our fourth annual Big Easy International Film Festival – an independent film festival that my husband, Dan, and I operate in downtown New Orleans – I discovered a wonderful surprise at my mailing place in the French Quarter. Behind the counter, amid other packets and packages, lay two boxes, each addressed to me and filled with numerous author-allotted copies of my brand-new Moon Florida Keys guidebook, the first edition of a mainstream travel guide about that unique archipelago in southern Florida.
Soon after lugging them back to my apartment (and rubbing my sore arms back to life), I cracked open one of the boxes and perused the guide with Dan. Following the rather lengthy research, writing, revision, and proofing process that had resulted in the production of this guide, I must admit to feeling a great sense of pride as Dan and I turned each page, taking in every photo, map, and callout box in the 375-page guide. Especially rewarding were the photographs, most of which were taken by either me or Dan and all of which reminded us of our latest Florida Keys adventure.
In celebration of this long-awaited delivery, I posted a trivia contest on my American Nomad blog. The first person to correctly answer all five questions – the answers of which can all be found in my Florida Keys guide – by 11:59 p.m. CST on New Year's Eve will win three of my signed guidebooks: Moon Florida Keys, Moon Michigan, and Moon Baja RV Camping. If you're curious about any or all of these amazingly diverse destinations, give the contest a try! Except for a bit of time spent Google-ing the answers, what, after all, do you have to lose?
If I were a Catholic, I might say, “I can't believe it's been nearly a month since my last confession!” But given that I'm just a humble atheist, I'll simply say, “Holy crap! Has it really been almost a month since my last freakin' blog post?!”
As I noted in mid-September, life has been busier than usual. At the moment, I'm trying to wrap up work on the fourth edition of Moon Michigan and gearing up for the third edition of Moon New Orleans, but I'd be seriously remiss if I didn't mention the fact that Dan and I have recently made our seasonal trek from northern Michigan to the Big Easy. Though we're both missing the quietude and fall colors of the woods beside Big Bear Lake, we're happy to be back in New Orleans. Unfortunately, however, the city is not completely how we left it. The much-publicized Gulf oil spill has definitely left its mark, causing one of our favorite French Quarter restaurants, the Oceana Grill, to cease serving raw oysters, at least for a while. Of course, that won't stop us from venturing into the Quarter again tomorrow, in search of those deliciously slimy mollusks. Here's hoping we can scare a few up!
As my sporadic blogging might indicate, I've been busier than a one-armed paper hanger (as my mother would say) over the past several months, and this week is no exception. Between working on the fourth edition of Moon Michigan and proofing the first edition of Moon Florida Keys, I don't seem to have much time for anything else. But I simply have to take a minute to share some good news with my online pals.
Two weeks ago, I found out that my proposal for the third edition of Moon New Orleans has earned me the chance to write the guide that, for the past decade, I've longed to write. Don't get me wrong – I've loved exploring destinations like Southern California, Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and Key West – some of the previous destinations that I've written guides about. But I've always dreamed of authoring a guidebook to the Big Easy, my beloved hometown and my favorite American city, so imagine my delight when I learned yesterday that the book contract is currently on its way to me. Though I have plenty of other tasks to finish first, I simply can't wait to get started!
Okay, enough about me. What's happening with you crazy cats?
Over the weekend, I recounted a recent tour of the historic S.S. Keewatin in Douglas, Michigan, on my American Nomad blog. If you're curious, you can read all about it there, but in the meantime, here are some of the photos that I couldn't post on my other blog.
the main lobby for boarding passengers
the purser's office, located in the lobby
a porthole amid the sleeping quarters
the bridal suite
the preserved wheelhouse
smokestacks and lifeboats on the upper deck
amusing potty doors at the adjacent bar on the dock
four friends having lunch beside Kalamazoo Lake
And, of course, if you ever have a chance to see the Keewatin for yourself, I highly recommend taking the Grand Tour, as Dan, Warren, Missy, and I did!
During the course of my travel-writing career, I've often been surprised to find that many of America's national parks, such as Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which straddles Tennessee and North Carolina, charge no entrance fee. Well, this weekend, even those that do will be waiving such fees, according to the National Park Service. So, if you have the time, head to your nearest national park unit. For me, the closest one is lovely Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on Michigan's Leelanau Peninsula. Of course, my favorite national park is Kentucky's Mammoth Cave, the inspiration for my first-to-be-completed and soon-to-be-revised novel. Although I wish I were headed there this weekend, I'm excited about my upcoming getaway to Saugatuck, a resort community alongside Lake Michigan, where the hubby and I will be venturing with some old friends of his.
Naturally, if you can't make it to a national park this weekend, you can always vie for the free annual National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass that Moon Travel Guides is giving away. As one of their authors, I'm sadly not eligible (sniff, sniff), but most of my blogalicious friends are, so good luck, everyone!
Despite the fact that maintaining my American Nomad travel blog and working on back-to-back travel guides tends to stymie other beloved interests – such as playing my guitar, reading books on the hammock, writing this blog, and revising my novel – I'm grateful for my travel-writing career and delighted that my English degree has been put to good use. Frankly, I'm proud of the way my latest guide, Moon Florida Keys, is turning out, and I'm excited to be working on the fourth edition of Moon Michigan. Reflecting on my career thus far, I'm even happy with the work I did for Insight Guides, a London-based company for which I updated and revised several books, including ones about Los Angeles, San Diego, and America's national parks. Still, there's one place that I have yet to cover in book form, and given some of my previous posts – which explore everything from Cafe Du Monde to king cake season – I'll bet you can guess which one... Although nothing's carved in stone yet, it looks like I might be writing the third edition of a guide I've long wanted to write. Let's just hope that Avalon likes my book proposal!
So, what about you? Any good news?
While Dan and I enjoy moving around the country as we do, there's a danger that we'll sometimes long for a place we've just vacated or, in the case of New Orleans this spring, skipped altogether. Although northern Michigan is absolutely beautiful right now, we can't help but long for southern Louisiana, where we'd normally be right now, wandering the historic streets of the French Quarter, munching on raw oysters, visiting with my mom and grandma in Baton Rouge, or fishing with my dad in the waters south of New Orleans. Of course, with the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, fishing might not be a possibility for a while anyway – not that that's much consolation. I'd much rather be missing a good fishing season right now than wondering about the negative effects that this spill is bound to have on Louisiana's fisheries and tourism industry – only four and a half years after Hurricane Katrina and the Army Corps of Engineers caused their own share of problems.
Normally, Dan and I wouldn't be in northern Michigan at this time of year. During the month of April, we're usually in the Big Easy, roaming through the French Quarter, noshing on raw oysters and muffulettas and shrimp po-boys, and listening to live music at annual events like the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. But, alas, we decided, for a variety of reasons, to head up north a little earlier than usual. And, wouldn't you know that, while the weather is perfect in New Orleans, it's a bit chilly in northern Michigan, so chilly in fact that it actually snowed this past weekend?!
I woke up on Saturday morning to the sight of snow on the rooftops...
...and snow on the steps...
...and snow on the ever-present Christmas tree in the yard! While I was tickled to death, running around the yard, taking photographs, Dan was inside, fuming. As he said, instead of snowflakes falling to the ground, he wished “they were little bits of 80-degree sunshine.” Well, honey, it'll be summer soon enough. In the meantime, I aim to enjoy the cool weather while it lasts.
I know I've been absent from the blogosphere in, well, forever, but I just have to say... I'm so eager to be back in northern Michigan again. True, I'm still hard at work, trying to wrap up my Moon Florida Keys guide and wondering what a good night's sleep used to feel like, but it's still awesome to be on Big Bear Lake again, surrounded by trees and enjoying the relative solitude.
While I admit that the trees look even better during the autumn months, I'll take what I can get, scraggly, post-winter trees and all.
This past weekend, I had to put my Florida Keys travel guide aside and focus on one of my other ongoing projects: the Beverly Hills Shorts Festival, a small independent film festival that my husband and I began five years ago. For this year's fest, the opening night party took place at Hollywood Billiards, while the actual films were screened at Raleigh Studios on Melrose Avenue. It was inevitable that filmmakers would ask about the origin of our name – given that the entire event took place in Hollywood, not Beverly Hills – but a change of venue was unfortunately required this year. Hey, better to have taken place in the wrong neighborhood than not at all, right?
Anyway, despite the fact that I'm stressed out from my never-ending travel guide work and still recovering from a head cold, I enjoyed plenty of moments from this weekend's event. The party on Thursday night was, of course, a highlight – as were all the informative, funny, and often poignant behind-the-scenes tales revealed during the post-screening Q&As. One particularly touching moment occurred after the first drama program on Friday night, when Pauley Perrette (zany Abby Sciuto on NCIS) revealed her own personal connections to To Comfort You, the short drama in which she stars as a dying young woman.
The rest of the festival was just as memorable. Although our attendance was lower than in previous years, those festival-goers that did attend seemed pleased with the film selections – which always makes me and Dan feel proud. So, despite snafus like having the wrong HD deck on Friday and fighting L.A. Marathon traffic on Sunday, it went fairly smoothly.
And, as always, we couldn't have done it without our awesome volunteers, especially Jen, Angel, and Doug (thanks, guys!).
But, of course, now that the weekend is over, I've had to double my efforts with the travel guide to make up for lost time. Although I was able to get a little bit done in the projection booth – including a post about other film festivals – there's a lot left to be done before I can put the Florida Keys behind me for a little while. Of course, it doesn't help that Dan and I will be in Michigan in roughly two weeks – a fact that has already conjured up visions of lighthouses and tall trees and places that are a world away from southern Florida. I swear, the life of a nomad sure takes some getting used to – for one thing, it's hard to leave our friends and family behind in each port of call – but at least the scenery changes a lot.
