Due to unforeseen events, Sharaya and I ended up spending a full day exploring the glorious city of New Orleans. Because we are who we are, we went full glam. There's truly no other explanation other than "we were together".



One of the most important things about travelling with people is making sure you travel the same. Some people are up bright early to head to the beach and tan, or check off one of the ten tourist spots they have on the itinerary. I am very much a "get out in time for brunch and probably take a bath around 7PM" kind of traveler. Thank goodness my sister is too. So needless to say, we strolled. We walked from one end of Bourbon Street to the other. Walked the Garden district and all along the Riverwalk.





On our travels we happened upon a black cat, a house in full Halloween regalia (there was a soundtrack), and a tarot card reader. I sat back and watched Sharaya  get her cards read. As the reader went through every card and explained their meaning and relation to Sharaya's life, I realized it all related to me perfectly. Sadly Sharaya didn't get much out it. When the reading was over we were given cards with instructions to go to a jazz club on Bourbon Street. We were to find an employee and give them a secret message. Upon this exchange, the woman unlocked a large wooden door in the middle of the club, sent us up the stairs, and hastily locked the door behind us.





We found ourselves in a small hideaway above the chaos of Bourbon Street the Saturday before Halloween. We were given drinks made by a small British witch - the vodka was blood red, and the drinks were strong. We were serenaded by Sinatra while we lounged on velvet.



After a short reprieve, we ventured to the private balcony and admired the crowds. Men dressed in drag, women dressed as woodland creatures, and everything in between filled the landscape. The rhythms of pop, house music, and smooth jazz spilled out into the street with patrons crossing between clubs and bars and restaurants. And by 9PM, when the chaos reached new heights and the party crowd started rising from their slumbers, we were in bed watching the Kardashian's and eating chocolate. It was a magical day indeed.

About a year ago my boyfriend got me into riding bikes again - something I haven't done since Nixon was in office. Hugging the Delaware River is a canal path that runs up and down the Pennsylvania and New Jersey coast. When we want to go for a decent ride, this is where we go. It is beautiful, peaceful, and smooth. It has become one of my favorite workouts.

So when Sharaya and I were strolling down the street in New Orleans, on our way to VooDoo Festival, and we happened upon Blue Bikes, we couldn't say no. Literally. We stood there for a couple minutes toying with the idea before Sharaya pushed me over the edge.




Mind you, this one hasn't ridden a bike in the last two decades, and I haven't ridden on an actual road probably ever so the confidence here was completely unfounded.

We ended up in sketchy neighborhoods, major roadways, pothole-ridden parking lots, and -oh yeah!- the actual literal freeway.




Despite discussing packing it in and giving up, we ended up finding a nice bike path that brought us right to a gorgeous section of City Park. After a mini photo session, we returned the bikes to a nearby station and headed into the show.





The entire event really authenticated our "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" endeavor to get to the show. It had been just over two years since we saw our favorite band. After travelling by car, plane, bike, and by foot we finally made it to the front row for a truly amazing show.

It's finally time for my Girls Trip to New Orleans to experience Voodoo Festival with my sister! It's been just over three years since my last festival experience so I am very excited. My favorite band is playing, its Halloween themed and it's in Louisiana! One of the few states I have yet to visit!

Being as it's over a thousand miles away, a flight was necessary. I went with a budget airline so I compiled my carry-on slightly differently than normal. One of my top tips for air travel is to utilize seat map tool on Seat Guru. No matter which airline I am flying on, I check there to see if bringing my own entertainment, power, and beverages are necessary. In this case they definitely are!



1. iPad
Whether or not there is in-flight entertainment, my iPad is necessary. This is my main tool for schoolwork and freelance writing. I found laptops to be too bulky, so I bought an iPad case that comes with a keyboard that connects via Bluetooth. I highly recommend it!

2. Comb / Hair Accessories
I have long, coarse hair and a lot of it, so bringing something to clean up with after a three hour long up-right snooze is essential! If the flight is going to be extremely long, or I have a long itinerary after I land, I'll put my hair into a high bun so it doesn't lose it's volume before the action starts.

3. Makeup Remover wipes
The air in planes is so drying that my skin feels the affects pretty quickly. In order to prevent clogging my pores and adding some moisture to my face, I use these makeup remover wipes to give myself a nice refresh.

4. Wallet
Duh! But really though, I keep all my travel cards (Oyster for London, SEPTA for Philly, etc.) in my wallet just in case. Never know where you're gonna end up sometimes!

5. Sinus medication
The shift in air pressure really affects my ears. There have been times where I couldn't hear for a few hours after landing. Now I take a small dose of sinus medication roughly thirty minutes before departure - when boarding commences - and have found that my ears don't get clogged or sore at all. I highly recommend this one!

6. Noise-cancelling headphones
I've found myself moving away from earbuds in general, but this big guys have been my go-to for air travel for some time now. I have found my ears pop less, the music is less tonal and I can't hear the crying baby a few rows back. Win all around!

7. Portable charger
You never know when your flight is going to be delayed, or you have to sit on the tarmac for a few hours. Also better to be safe than sorry!

8. Granola Bar
There have been too many instances when I arrive at an airport so late that all the shops have been closed and there is no where to buy food. Or, I'm in flight with three hours to go and the hunger overtakes me. In my youth I packed Pop Tarts, but those crumble so easily. Larabars are my favorite any time of the day but I especially love them on trips when I might not be getting the fruits and veggies I should be.

Oh San Diego, you never disappoint...

I was under the impression that the longer I lived on the East Coast, the fewer differences I would notice between the West Coast and this one. There were some obvious culture shocks when I first moved here, like how much people consume alcohol, and how close everything is. As time goes on I'm finding there are some parts of the West Coast that are so ingrained in me, they may never fully disappear.

When I first moved across the country, that was one of my largest identifiers. A lot of the cultural and social differences could be explained away with, "Well she's from Seattle". It was understood that over time, I would assimilate and that excuse wouldn't be necessary. For the most part this has become true. If I'm asked where I'm from, I say Bucks County. The naivety and ignorance that plagues most transplants has, for the most part, worn off. I've gotten used to bringing my own alcohol to certain restaurants (more on that in a minute) and leaving the house later on Fridays in the summer due to the volume of traffic.

At work last week, I stumbled upon someone from my neck of the woods. This is so rare. The number of people I know out here that have lived on the West Coast can fit in an elevator. This stranger and I had a moment - I asked how long she's lasted out here, she asked me if she should regret it. It got my brain buzzing. Which really is the best coast?

The East Coast - the Jersey shore, specifically - has the better beaches, hands down. California can fight me on this one. Most beaches in Jersey are accompanied by boardwalks, filled with arcades, soft serve ice cream, carnival rides, and shops. Depending on which town you are in (Ocean City, NJ is notorious for being a dry town) the boardwalk comes alive at night with club music and the bar scene. I used to think Fitzgerald was making it up in all of his novels, but Summer Fridays are a real thing in the corporate world: work a few hours extra during the week, and take off early on Fridays to get down the shore.


Sorry, Mom. This is an interesting topic because it's plagued me ever since I moved here. Back in 2016 when I first landed, alcohol wasn't even sold in grocery stores. It was in the last two years that Acmes and Giants have expanded to sell wine & beer. Also a recent change: liquor stores are open later than 5PM. Finally. Food is romanticized out here - and for good reason. It just tastes better. Which makes this next bit more infuriating: there's this ridiculous notion that only so many restaurants and businesses per town can hold a liquor license. This means if you're eating at a place that doesn't have one, you can bring your own. I've heard every argument in favor of this rule, but I still hate it. This policy is written on store windows and Google reviews like it's some kind of frat party. I won't have it. Deduct a point from the East.




Believe it or not, some have said that I'm laid back. I laugh whenever I hear it, but it's been said on more than one occasion. The West Coast is low-key and chill compared to the East Coast. One of the biggest pulls for this place was that it's more my speed. I remember one Sunday as a preteen I asked my parents if we could go downtown after having just gotten home from church. My mom responded with something along the lines of, "why can't we do one thing at a time? Take it easy." Take it easy - the West Coasters mantra. Out here, just about everyone speeds because just about everyone is late to something.


I live forty five minutes north of Philadelphia, a hour and a half from New York City, an hour from the Jersey shore, and an hour from (what they call) mountains. I'm three hours from the nation's capital and six from Boston. There is always something to do and somewhere to go. I suffered from my favorite musicians never touring in Seattle, indie movies that were shown only in LA and NY passed me by. Now there are endless possibilities!


For the time being, I'll ride it out here. But by god, I miss those mountains.