Last week we took off to New Orleans, which from here on out I will refer to as NOLA. Neither of us had been before, and we had our reservations, especially about taking our 8-month-old daughter there. But I'm glad we did, we had the best time exploring and bonding in that city. Zach and I have integrated traveling into our relationship since we were dating, so taking our daughter on her first big trip was special for us both on many levels. We usually travel in December because Zach's job provides a pretty generous winter break and I have always worked in academia in one form or another. The holiday season has also always been stressful for me, so we decided during our first year of marriage that if we could travel during this time of the year, we would. However, this year was different, we had our daughter, and different in the best kinds of ways. Typically we try to travel abroad, but with this being her first significant travel experience away from home, we decided to stay stateside. So NOLA it was.
She did surprisingly well on the flights there. We flew out of Peoria and had a brief overlay in Atlanta. We almost didn't get on our second flight because their system was only showing Zach's ticket info- I almost burst into tears. This was the first time I planned one our trips and I thought it was just about to crumble. The second flight was smooth as well, she played, nursed, and took a short nap in my arms. I found the key to flying with our baby was to constantly have her nursing, so while my breasts were a bit sore after the day of traveling, I was relieved she didn't have a meltdown mid-flight. When we landed, we headed straight to the house we rented for the week. It was through Sonder, a shotgun house with high ceilings, beautiful hardwood floors, pink accent walls, and tall windows; I could have stayed there forever. The location was also perfect, with it being on St. Claude Ave., an up-and-coming neighborhood with lots of funky restaurants, bars, markets, and artist-run spaces, many of which we visited throughout the trip.
We didn't get settled until later that evening, and after a day of traveling, we were ready for dinner and bed. Red’s Chinese was right next door, so we went there for dinner. The menu was a Southern take on Chinese and delicious, to say the least. The next day we headed to the French Quarter for a tour at St. Louis Cemetery no. 1; the resting spot of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau. Once located on the outskirts of the city, the cemetery is the oldest in NOLA and is now centrally located. It has a tremendous and growing history but has seen better days; vandals continue to break in and destroy the above-ground volts. Unfortunately, because of this recklessness, the cemetery is only accessible with a tour guide, costing $20/person, and it was well worth it. After the cemetery, we made our way to the Original Cafe Du Monde Coffee Stand and scarfed down their famous beignets. It was such a beautiful day, so we explored the French Quarter, weaving our way through the streets and taking in the colorful homes.
We had a few rainy days during the trip, I'm not complaining though, as I was craving some slow, quiet days. Some days we stayed in bed until 11 am, just drinking coffee and cuddling. It was refreshing. On one of the rainy days, we tucked away into the New Orleans Museum of Art and wandered the galleries. I was so impressed with the work of Lina Iris Viktor for her exhibition A Haven. A Hell. A Dream Deferred, created specifically for the museum's Great Hall. Her work was thoughtful, engaging, and complex, commenting on the founding and history of Liberia; a settlement founded in 1822 by the American Colonization Society in West Africa for freed slaves, essentially removing them out of fear of an uprising after slavery was abolished. On another we visited The National WWII Museum. Zach and I both love learning about WWII and take every opportunity we can. Having visited many WWII sites through past travels, we both thought the museum did a fantastic job representing the broader perception of the war while highlighting smaller details missed elsewhere.
Since my artwork deals a lot with cemeteries, I try to visit as many as I can while traveling, so we headed to Holt Cemetery. The cemetery is unlike others in NOLA since the graves are underground, causing them to flood often considering the city is below sea level. Almost all the grave markers were handmade and the plots remain in families for years; the coffins are wooden, allowing them to decay faster in preparation for the next burial. The grounds were unkept, but it seemed very intentional and part of the cemetery history. The rain that day had caused many of the graves to flood, and again, I am so glad it was a rainy day because the cemetery felt like it should have. Eerie, drenched, and cold. Offerings to deceased were found all over, including crosses, stones, beads, flowers, candles, letters, stuffed animals, toys, and beer bottles, all reminders of those who had passed.
One morning we walked down to St. Roch Market for breakfast and took our time strolling through the neighborhood. Slow mornings were needed, and our bodies, minds, and baby appreciated it. I spent a good portion of the trip just thinking about how nice it was that we were able to do this together, and that even though she won't remember a single bit of it, how precious these memories are to us. Incorporating travel into her life from a young age is something we both think is important, we want her to value experiences over things.
A few other outings included visiting the Besthoff Sculpture Garden outside the New Orleans Museum of Art. The collection was quite impressive and the grounds were beautiful and well-kept, even considering the construction for the new expansion. And we didn't visit NOLA without seeing Bourbon Street. No, it was not ideal with a baby, but it sure was a great reminder that that is NOT where we wanted to spend our time, money, or energy. That's not to say that Zach and I haven't partied, or that we wouldn't have enjoyed the nightlife of NOLA prior to baby, but at this point in our life, we have little to no interest in getting trashed and sloppy. I've done that, I've been the obnoxious drunk girl, and while I still enjoy a glass of wine from time to time, my body and mind just can't handle it anymore. I have been slowly clearing my life of those pointless nights and replacing them with early, productive mornings, evenings spent in the studio, and time with my family and close friends. My point is, Bourbon Street would have definitely got the best of me in my early twenties, but I'm in a much better place now, and happy.
As a co-founder and director of an artist-run space, it was also important to me that we make time to visit some of the local artist-run spaces. Antenna (right) The Front (center), Good Children Gallery (left) were all located on our street, so we spent one morning gallery hopping. The spaces had their own vibes but were each broken into smaller gallery spaces allowing for more than one exhibit. I'm impressed with how long each space had been active, 10+ years, starting after, and in response to, the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. I am always so thankful to know that artists take it upon themselves to bring light back to the situation, no matter how grave.
On our last day in NOLA, we visited the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. I'm so glad we didn't leave without seeing this museum, it would have been a major travel regret. There were so many artists I had never heard of and a wide range of representation, from artists with traditional artistic backgrounds to those who were self-taught. The New Southern Photography exhibit was phenomenal and beautifully curated; monographic installations of twenty-five contemporary artists each exhibiting a series in relation to the overall group exhibition. I was not overly familiar with Southern specific art before, so I'm so happy we made this happen.
I really feel like we left with a true understanding of what NOLA has to offer, besides what you would normally think of. We choose to do things that fit our interests and made sense for our family. Traveling with our baby is, and will continue to be, a significant aspect of how we raise her, so by focusing on quality time with each other and investing in experiences, we hope to lead by example. This trip was priceless, and we cannot wait to take her back.
