Our bestest friends from Oklahoma are in town for a Saturday through Tuesday visit. Saturday they arrived and I had a poolside spread of crawfish & baked bries that I bought at the Mandeville Farmer’s Market & a spinach pie and doberge cake from the Mandeville bakery. I had Abita beer of all flavors on …

I grew up in the Boston area, a place where people travel from all over the world to see unique tourist spots. But when it is in your backyard, it can be easy to ignore. The Freedom Trail, Salem witch stuff, Paul Revere’s Place, & The Boston Tea Party are things you either did on …

I was heading home from one of my “home organizing” (shameless self-promotion) jobs yesterday, when I heard Kaare (pronounced Cori) Johnson, talking on the his local radio show. Yes, I am a huge talk radio geek – I admit it. My 6 yo knows who Neal Boortz is, so that should tell you something. When …

Wow! I have had an outpouring of local community love this weekend. I got so many E-mails from locals who are enjoying my fresh perspective as well as house shoppers and possible transplants who were convinced that Mandeville & the Northshore were the places for them – after reading my blog. The power of the …

“You have to go to Jazzfest, it is the best.” “Don’t miss the French Quarter Festival, it is the best.” “You have to go to the Bacchus Ball, it is the best.” To be honest, my family needs a day at home (I may be regretting that statement when they all wake up). We have …

I was raised in a suburb of Boston, did my undergrad in Maine, did my grad work at University of Florida (yay Gators basketball), lived in Sacramento (McClellan AFB), Satellite Beach Florida (Patrick Air Force Base), Ft. Leavenworth Kansas (did my time in Leavenworth- snicker), Harker Heights, Texas (Ft. Hood), El Paso, Texas (Ft. Bliss), …

Another boring day, sitting my dead butt on the couch eating bon-bons by the dozen. Nahhhh…. I took the kiddos to the pediatrician first thing this morning for their newbie appts. Let’s just say, we had some “issues” at the office. Son #1 has a “needle phobia” and there was NO way – even if …