Mardi Gras

Visiting family first to fight the jet lag, and staying in NOLA for the full Mardi Gras in preparation for Shannon’s reign as Queen.

It was bitter cold in Chicago, so we didn’t get as much walking in as we’d like. But it gave us an excuse to hang around the Art Institute.

Staying with the parents in Edwardsville without ever going into St. Louis was surreal. It feels like we’re really just done with our hometown.

New Orleans, on the other hand, feels increasingly like home. The weather was perfect for our parade, and the first year without beads was a huge success. I worked for 4 days during the quiet time, but we were both pretty sick anyway.

This trip has caused Shannon and I to reflect on how different it is to be in a social network where people have different jobs and don’t talk about technology and product development. They’re also all rooted in a shared place; though our group is full of people who have lived elsewhere in the US, they are all of New Orleans, now.

1. 2 nights at Kimpton Gray Hotel in Chicago meet-up
2. 2 nights at Edwardsville in St. Louis
3. 13 nights at Virgin New Orleans in New Orleans for Freret XIII