Dispatch from A Strange Place: New Orleans

David and I spent the weekend in New Orleans, and I am still sorting that place out in my head. We observed so many oddities! Some of it may have to do with the timing of our visit, which happened to fall on the first parade of the Mardi Gras season. People in New Orleans take their costumes very seriously, and any kind of costume will do, as long as it is executed to the extreme. You may notice that … Continue reading

Stella of the Night

This is what Stella Girl looks like at night. She gets nice and cuddly in the blankets with her soft fur and tired eyes. I swear, she gets bags under her eyes when she is up too late. What a sweet girl. Sometimes, she snuggles her wet nose so close to me that my clothes are damp when she finally sneaks away. I love this baby. Here is Stella’s atler-ego, Spooky Stella, the doggie demon who will steal your bacon … Continue reading

Cultural Convergence

A funny thing is happening. Every piece of literature and cinema I take in are tangentially about the same topic. I am, quite unintentionally, observing 1920s Paris and the characters that inhabit it from three (and counting) points of view. First, Rachel recommended I read The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. It is a captivating book about Ernest Hemingway’s first wife, Hadley, and their marriage. It is a beautiful, honest, and raw story that is energizing for its first two … Continue reading