New Orleans and the drive there
In September two friends and I went to NOLA Storycon in, well, New Orleans. They live in Atlanta so I flew there and we drove to New Orleans, enabling me to check a new state off my list: Alabama. Since these are my travel and shopping buddies, of course we had to stop at the outlet mall outside of Birmingham. It was a great success, as well as the lunch pit stop at Yo Mama’s in Birmingham. I’d move there just to be close to that place, so I guess you could say I enjoyed it. Our last stop out of town was Oak Hill Memorial Cemetery. Once in NOLA, we had a great dinner at Dominica, which was a short walk from the apartment we were staying in. On Friday we drove to Oak Alley Plantation, taking a tour of the grounds and clearing out some stock in the gift shop (I have big plans for the Praline Cream Liquor I got there). We found dinner that night at Olde N’awlins Cookery in the form of fried alligator and cajun pasta with shrimp and more alligator. Saturday was the only day we actually went to the con that I flew across the country then drove back across some of it for, and the big draws for me were Charlaine Harris and Delilah S Dawson. They were both incredibly wonderful. The highlight of that day was the group Macabre walking tour we did that featured Delilah S Dawson and Kevin Hearne (I cannot wait for the book they’re writing together). What’s better than casually walking New Orleans with two of your favorite authors? Once back in Atlanta, the highlight of it (aside from spending time with two of my favorite people) was Ponce City Market. It’s the best of the best shops and restaurants in an old factory building. We also went to Oakland Cemetery, but I saved those pictures for the next post.