Mardi Gras 2013: Let’s Get This Party Started
HAPPY MARDI GRAS!!! Okay… technically, it is the Friday before Mardi Gras, but the party is alive and well in New Orleans! It’s my favorite holiday. It’s superior to Halloween, and it’s a shame the rest of the country is in the dark about what a festive time they’re missing. Free stuff, parades, costumes, masks, music, having a drink at 9am… what’s not to love?! If the rest of the country knew what a wonderful week of celebration this was, they’d be planning their parade routes for next Carnival season. I’m heading back to New Orleans today with good friends to enjoy the festivities over the next four days, and I can’t wait! I didn’t get to go last year, and there’s nothing like the thrill of the first parade and that first catch of beads. To celebrate, here are photos from previous Mardi Gras celebrations in 2009 and 2011. 2009: Laryssa’s First Mardi Gras 2011: Bringing the Friends In putting this post together, I realize these photos are on the tame side – something I vow to fix on my trip to Mardi Gras this year. Laissez les bon temps rouler!...
5 Things to Do In Memphis (If You’re Not an Elvis Fan)
Memphis never has been a city that intrigued me. For some reason, I held this begrudging view that Elvis was the best thing that happened to an otherwise terrible place. You see, we Nashvillians and Memphis(ites?) have a pretty good Tennessee city rivalry going. Nashville has superior neighborhoods, shopping, food, professional sports, and obviously better music (this is Music City after all), so what’s the point in wasting gas to visit an inferior, crime-ridden place like Memphis? Kidding, obviously. Despite my passionate disinterest, when Gunner’s massive Southeast US road trip took him through Memphis for a weekend, I couldn’t balk at the opportunity to see him and explore a new city, even if it was Memphis. After eating the food, walking the streets, and hearing the music, my perspective began to change. This list is responsible for the small part of my heart that was captured by a nearby place that took me several years to visit. It’s what changed my mind about Memphis – and it had nothing to do with Elvis. The Barbecue Nachos at Central BBQ. It sounds a little strange – my expectations were low – but the barbecue nachos were so decadent and tasty! Barbecue steeped in a mild sweet barbecue sauce, topped with cheese and jalapenos…it’s the first time since New Orleans that I’ve had a real food epiphany. What do I mean by that? I mean I will definitely return to Memphis – if only for the barbecue nachos. Visit the Lorraine Motel. Just across the street from Central BBQ’s downtown location is the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968. The museum was under renovation when we were there, but even still, seeing that motel balcony in person was just as moving. It’s hard to believe the racist society MLK fought against was within my parents’ lifetime, and even more unfathomable is that the assassination happened less than 20 years before I was born. If you’re in Memphis, it’s definitely worth a stop to pay respects to one of the greatest American spirits to have lived in modern history. Within the Lorraine Motel is the National Civil Rights Museum, which does charge an admission fee. ($10 for adults, $9 for students.) Explore Mud Island. I raised my eyebrow when Gunner suggested we go to Mud Island, a neighborhood just outside of Memphis. It is an island situated right on (in?) the Mississippi River, and contrary to what its name suggests and my initial mental image, it’s not a gross or dirty place at all – it’s actually quite pleasant! There’s a nice waterfront park, perfect for a quiet afternoon spent reading,...
The Road Less Traveled: The Natchez Trace Parkway
In 2011, I wrote a post about wanting to explore the Natchez Trace. Last month, I finally did it – about 260 miles of it. The Natchez Trace Parkway is a historical scenic highway, stretching 444 miles long. It begins in Nashville and ends in Natchez, Mississippi. It’s known for being a nice, quiet, leisurely drive – and in that regard, it didn’t disappoint! Immediately, I couldn’t believe how relaxing it was to drive at 55mph, without tractor trailers or commercial vehicles of any kind. There are no distractions on the Trace; no neon signs, fast food restaurants, hotels or gas stations… just my car, Simon and Garfunkel, and the open road. I could breathe. There are numerous historical stops and lookout points along the Trace, and I made four myself – two of which were still in Tennessee. The second stop was one I’ve been interested in since I learned it was on the Trace: the place where Meriwether Lewis met his unfortunate/bizarre end. Definitely worth a stop for history buffs, or to pay homage to one of the greatest American explorers. The Trace is beautifully slow. It were as though I was driving through a painting, even in the dead of winter. It’s not a road taking you anywhere fast. It’s about the journey. It’s time to get lost in your thoughts and imagination, and wonder about the different types of people who traversed this ancient path throughout the centuries. I was constantly being gripped by the historical elements along the trail, especially when I stumbled across the Pharr Mounds. Just dirt piles, you say? They’re ancient burial grounds for a tribe of nomadic Indian hunters, dating back 2,000 years! Thing I Wish I’d Done #1: Brought a Map. The Natchez Trace Parkway goes through remote places in the Deep South that are still hidden from the reach of cell phone towers. It’s great if you’re trying to escape the digital age, but it’s not so good if you’re trying to load Google Maps when you’re low on gas or in DESPERATE need of a restroom. (Let’s just say Hernando De Soto isn’t the only one who’s roughed it in Northern Mississippi…) Thing I Wish I’d Done #2: Gotten off the Trace near Tupelo, rather than in the middle of nowhere. The signs along the Trace for anything off the Trace are not very informative at all, exit signs merely tell you the route number and the name of the nearby town, but offer no clues if it’s worth your time to get off there. And once you do decide to get off the Trace onto a random road, there is no...
Enjoying the Gulf from Ship Island, Mississippi
Hattiesburg is high on my list for most frequented destinations, if only because it’s where Gunner lives. If you haven’t been that way, summertime in the deep south is sweltering. The humidity is oppressive, only giving way occasionally in the form of an afternoon thunderstorm. It doesn’t take long for me to begin yearning for the Gulf and a cool ocean breeze in the midst of these conditions. A Day Trip to Ship Island Gunner presented me with a great day trip idea to one of Mississippi’s barrier islands: West Ship Island, Mississippi. Blindly agreeing without doing any research (and also excited to go on a trip someone else had planned), I was expecting the standard American beach with a little built up touristy-ness, kinda like Atlantic Beach, or perhaps Destin — and I was presently surprised by Ship Island’s ruggedness. About Ship Island There aren’t any accommodations on Ship Island – for the mass populous, anyway. However, there are bathrooms and showers, and full snack bar outfitted with air conditioning and alcoholic beverages. (Traveler Be Warned: The “margarita” comes in a can!) Ship Island’s charm exists in its sole purpose: to be a barrier island. It isn’t built up like Myrtle Beach or the Outer Banks, but it isn’t meant to entertain for longer than a day. Even after 6 hours, I realized that amenities aren’t really missed here. People come to Ship Island to relax and stare at the Gulf. While I loved having a rough, undeveloped beach close at hand and still enjoying the conveniences of indoor plumbing – there were man-made conveniences that I found to be an eyesore: the dreaded blue beach chairs and beach umbrellas. But I get it’s provided in an effort to make a day trip to Ship Island an easier trip for folks and to cut down on the overall amount of crap people bring, plus make a little additional income. (Umbrellas and chairs are available for full and half day rentals, by the way. We just brought towels and laid on the beach and ended up getting a lovely sunburn – we’re so old school.) It does cut down on the natural rustic charm of the island, but the chairs don’t go on forever. Walk past them for a quiet part of the beach all to yourself. The Aquatic Wildlife My goodness, I’d never seen a more active ecosystem at any other beach! I’m not sure if it’s due to Ship Island’s position in the warm Gulf, or the limited amount of disruption from humans – but there were SO MANY hermit crabs hanging out right where the waves were breaking. A...
Finding Adventure in the Deep South
Instead of going to Texas as my previous post suggested, I’ve figured out how I’m going to spend my time off without spending it all chugging along on the interstate and refueling every 400 miles, but still reaching my intended destinations (Hattiesburg – to visit Gunner; Atlanta – to visit family for Thanksgiving). The Natchez Trace The Natchez Trace is a scenic route beginning in Nashville (conveniently) and ending in the southwestern corner of Mississippi in a little town called Natchez. It winds through Civil War battlefields and other historical stops such as Elvis Presley’s birthplace and where Meriwether Lewis is buried. Since Gunner moved to Mississippi two years ago, it’s been a drive I’ve been meaning to explore. I’ll leave Tuesday morning and bumble along the Trace until early afternoon, stopping occasionally along the way. Surprisingly, Wikipedia has provided me with the most succinct and helpful information regarding what sites can be found along the Trace. I’m planning on staying in Tupelo one night and in Jackson or Vicksburg the following night, while spending a few hours taking in each city. I’ll then meander around Natchez on Thursday morning/afternoon and arrive in Hattiesburg on Thursday night. An autumn day on the Natchez Trace Hattiesburg Although completing the Natchez Trace takes me a few hours out of my way, I’ll loop back around to Hattiesburg on Thursday evening once Gunner is done with his scholastic obligations. I’ll hang out in Hattiesburg for about a week, spending some much-needed time with Gunner that isn’t at the rendezvous point in Birmingham. Finding adventure IN Hattiesburg will be a challenge I haven’t worked out yet; I’ve been there numerous times and while I love it because Gunner is there, I often want to poke my eyes out when Gunner goes to work and I’m left alone, as there isn’t much to quench the adventurous spirit. and finally…the Amtrak experience I have family in Atlanta, and I was planning on driving from Hattiesburg to Atlanta for Thanksgiving, and then back to Hattiesburg– a drive I’ve done before, and it isn’t bad, but it’s 6 hours each way and I was looking for another option. So, what’s an American girl to do when airplanes are too expensive and a car ride just seems boring? Take the well-reputed, infamous American railway system, of course! Hattiesburg, also known as the Hub City, is home of an Amtrak station. I wouldn’t have known this if Gunner and I hadn’t gotten lost downtown the last time I was there and discovered the train station. Since learning this factoid, I’ve been trying to figure out how I can utilize this odd...
Time Off with No Passport
My employment on a series I’ve been on since June 13 came to an abrupt end yesterday afternoon when we kept hitting legal walls with our talent and locations. It became apparent that nothing would materialize before Monday, the day we were scheduled to shoot, and so, I cleaned off my desk and left, with no employment on the books until I return from my trip to South America on January 11th. A few weeks ago, I would’ve lept at the opportunity to have a full 2 months off — hello, more travel time! — but as it became apparent that I’d only have 3 weeks off around Christmas, I focused solely on my South America trip and finally began obtaining the dreaded Brazilian visa, and was grateful for the work at a time of year that traditionally has been dead. The Brazilian Visa There are several Brazilian consulates scattered across the United States – probably 6 or 8 in total – and they each cover a jurisdiction consisting of the surrounding 4-5 states. It takes 10-12 business days on average to process a Brazilian visa, with the exception of Atlanta, which takes a whopping 20-22 business days. I realized with horror that Tennessee falls under Atlanta’s jurisdiction. I’m joined at the hip to my passport — the thought of being without it for one month was terrifying to me. I pleaded with the folks at Travisa to allow me to send my application to Texas, which had a much quicker turnaround time, but was denied. Due to my work schedule, I knew I couldn’t pop down to Atlanta and try to get it done faster, so I conceded and mailed off the requirements to Travisa’s Atlanta office with a pleasant “Thank You!” note in hopes it would brighten the spirits of the consulate and they’d process my visa a bit faster. No luck. Travisa sent me an e-mail on November 1st letting me know my documents had been received and dropped off at the Brazilian consulate, and they would be picked up on November 28th. Well, whatever. I was to be in Nashville working, anyway, what would I need a passport for?… The Brazilian consulate in Atlanta, where my passport is being held captive for the next 3 weeks. (Thanks, Google street view!) Hello, Free Time With the legal debacles at work, I find myself sitting at home on the couch on a Friday already bored out of my mind. I’ve told myself all year that whenever I would be presented with a solid 2 weeks off, I was going to dart off to Costa...
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I'm Laryssa, and when I'm not working in film or television, I'm attempting to travel -- or I'm here, providing resources for working in film or travel. Read more Elsewhere on the internets
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