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This week, Moon.com is running a contest in celebration of road trips. To enter, you simply have to share your favorite road trip song with the folks at Moon. The deadline is tomorrow evening at 5 p.m. PST, and the winner will receive a free 8GB iPod Nano and a Moon guidebook of his or her choice.
To help promote the giveaway, I've spent this entire week blogging about road trip-related things, including a long-ago RV adventure on Interstate 40, between Tennessee and Arizona. In addition, I've shared 10 of my favorite road trip routes in America as well as suggestions for road trip essentials – basically, everything from snacks to audiobooks to jumper cables. So, take a minute to check out the posts – and don't forget to enter the contest. Good luck, and happy travels!
For the next few weeks, I'll be hard at work on my Moon New Orleans manuscript, but that doesn't mean that I (a professed perfectionist) can't stop and smell the roses every now and again. Just to prove my point, Dan and I did two fun things this week: a wine tasting class at the Wine Institute of New Orleans (a.k.a., W.I.N.O.) on Tuesday night and a free screening (thanks to the New Orleans Film Society) of Source Code last night. And I must say, despite initial trepidation about this flick, Dan and I both found it most enjoyable, far more entertaining, for instance, than the insipid Insidious, which we also got to watch for free. Not only were the performances in Source Code solid (especially those of Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, and Vera Farmiga), but the plot, even with its rather predictable turns, was also more riveting and less convoluted than I anticipated. Plus its 93-minute running time was the perfect length for such a sci-fi, time-travel yarn. So, all in all, a good way to spend an evening away from the laptop.
Today's post at Come In Character (one of my other blogs) was inspired by the 28th annual French Quarter Festival – one of the largest free music festivals in the American South and, frankly, my favorite festival in New Orleans. Besides the music – which entails hundreds of performances, from solo guitarists to lively zydeco bands – the festival also features a ton of awesome food (the purchase of which helps to fund the free event).
As usual, most of this year's vendors were local bars and restaurants – such as Pat O'Brien's, which served its classic hurricane; The Court of Two Sisters, which offered its traditional turtle soup; and Antoine's Restaurant, which prepared its famous baked Alaska dessert. So, despite the fact that the small, pricey items can add up quickly, sampling food at the fest is a great way to familiarize yourself with the city's local cuisine.
Although Dan and I weren't able to spend all four days at the fest, we did manage to venture outside a few times – and of course, we opted to sample a few dishes along the way. Perhaps our favorite was in Jackson Square: Jacques-Imo's delectable shrimp and alligator sausage cheesecake, a rich concoction that seems more like a casserole than a cheesecake. For a long time now, Dan had wanted to try this dish; when we were in Los Angeles not too long ago, he even attempted the recipe – and though his version came out pretty darn good, we didn't realize how close it was until we tried the cheesecake at the fest.
See, Dan? I told you that you got it right! (And he says I never listen to him!)
As I've noted before on this blog, I feel incredibly blessed to have the hubby that I do. Over the nearly 12 years that we've been together, he's cooked me lots of yummy meals, randomly brought home flowers, listened to my troubles, shared my passion for cinema and travel, tirelessly supported my desire to be a writer, and, most importantly, tolerated my rather high-strung nature – especially whenever a crazy travel guide deadline looms. Even now, as I struggle to complete the manuscript and maps for my latest guide, Moon New Orleans, he's doing his best to support my perfectionistic work ethic while encouraging me to get proper sleep and venture out into the world on occasion.
Although, as with any marriage, we've experienced our momentary rough spots over the years, we're pretty well suited for each other – in spite of our differences. Even long road trips don't phase us too much. During our most recent drive between Los Angeles and New Orleans, for instance, we found ourselves at a truck stop near Benson, Arizona, shortly after witnessing a terrible, flame-enshrouded automotive accident. After using the bathroom facilities, we each gathered a few snacks for the road. Being somewhat indecisive, I was still trying to find the perfect treat to accompany my cup of hot tea when Dan was en route to the register.
“I'll be waiting in the car,” he said. “Do you need any money?”
“No, thanks. I'm good.”
After Dan left the store, a pleasant, female truck driver looked at me and chuckled. “You two must not be married,” she remarked. “Or else you'd know never to turn down his offer of money.”
I smiled. “Actually, we've been married for over ten years.”
“Oh, never mind. I guess you'll never learn.”
Now, it was my turn to laugh. “Nope. I guess I never will.”
After all, that's one of the many things that I cherish about me and Dan. We share everything – including money, a similar sense of humor, and a determined effort not to play relationship games. Maybe that's why we're still married – and the female truck driver, who found my lack of an opportunistic streak amusing, had been admittedly divorced for a good, long while.
Then again, who knows why some couples last, and some don't? Love, like many things, is not an exact science – a fact that I'm grateful to have learned firsthand.
Although I'm a bit late in doing this, I'd like to take a moment to promote a wonderful new anthology of short stories, novel excerpts, poems, and other enticing writings. Published by the folks at The Literary Lab and dubbed the Notes from Underground Anthology, this intriguing collection presents a wide array of stories, one of which is written by my online pal (and helpful beta reader), J.B. Chicoine. Having purchased the book through Kindle for my new iPhone, I've already read several of the entries, including Bridget's heartbreaking story (an excerpt from an unpublished novel that I badly want to read), so I can say without a doubt that I highly recommend this collection – which captivated and entertained me immensely during the long drive between Los Angeles, where my husband and I recently ran our sixth annual Beverly Hills Shorts Festival, and our home in New Orleans.
Not only is the anthology worth reading, but I also relish the fact that, by purchasing it, I'm supporting my fellow writers – both those whose works are included within the anthology as well as those who will ultimately benefit from the Writer's Emergency Assistance Fund, the charity that will receive all proceeds from this anthology. Every little bit helps after all – especially in these challenging times.
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?
This week, Moon.com is running a contest in celebration of road trips. To enter, you simply have to share your favorite road trip song with the folks at Moon. The deadline is tomorrow evening at 5 p.m. PST, and the winner will receive a free 8GB iPod Nano and a Moon guidebook of his or her choice.
