GOODBYE TALES FOR NOW AND THANK YOU NOLA FOR BEING SO AWESOME!

Cheers to you Nola!

This really went away waaaay to fast! – already over?? but we just started didn`t we? Well that`s what happens when you have a good time! and in Nola its easy to let the good times roll..or laissez le bon temps rouler!

Tales of the Cocktail is over for now…I dunno how but it seems like this years Tales went faster than last year…

After missing Nola for too long – i could have kissed the ground when i landed..I have met both old and new friends, both from the city and from the whole world,  had many nice long walks, seen the oh so beautiful roseate spoonbill – aka “Evangeline Rose” and gators, (eaten them too – well not the spoonbill…) Been to the Museum of the American cocktail and the Southern Food and Beverage Museum.

Had freshly made juice from Louisiana watermelons fresh from the wayside stand, been to interesting seminars and many tastings, eaten the most fantastic food in the world (the charbroiled oysters are to die for and Jacque-Imos food too) seen breathtaking architecture and gardens, danced to great music and more.

Seen the most fantastic cypresses covered with spanish moss, had many good laughs, made new friends, eaten freshly boiled shrimps, and spicy crawfish..

Had many fantastic cocktails, been almost lost in Monteleones corridors which – really – is a part of Tales, investigated the 2nd floor of Muriel`s, tasted vintage rums, had muffaletta and gator on a stick, had 400 year glacier ice balls in my glass, waved my napkin in a second line, walked on the levee watching the river roll by, had fun in the mixohouse and no less – eaten Rick`s saschimi! had Trader Tiki`s tiki cocktails! Rumdoods Ti-Punch! Darcy`s phosphate cocktails! Cocktailnerd`s chartreuse swizzle! Jeffrey`s mesmerizing witchdoctor! and Meade`s awesome Mai Tai and Zaserac!

Been to Lauren Fleurtygirl`s new shop on opening day, eaten snoballs and onion rings, imbibed many many abitas..and much much more and i just LOVED that warm humid air…which tells you that you are in Louisiana..

And i know that everyone who were there have had as wonderful time as i did! Combine a place like Nola with an event like the Tales..= WIN

There you see! Nola is the most wonderful city in the world and Tales of the Cocktail the perfect event, i really recommend a trip down there..Its a place with its own culture, its own music, its own food, its own architecture – its a place like no other – believe me.

And the people in this city get out of their way to make you feel welcome! But Nola isn`t for everyone, its not a city for lukewarm people, you either love it or you just don´t get it.

One of the blogosphere`s awesome bloggers – Jesse Card over at St Croix Libation Society couldn`t have described the people of Nola better than this:

“As New Orleans tries to lick those wounds still evident from Katrina, there is an overwhelming sense of being among the people of the city. Sure, they’ve been beaten down and forgotten by the rest of the country, but there is no crisis of identity.

These people know who they are and are damn sure proud of it.”

The time at Tales and in Nola has all been AWESOME and i thank Nola and her wonderful people and all the good cocktail folks for that. Leaving Nola is always a terrible thing..and i even miss those cracked streets.

Nice in the heat…right outside our house in the corner Elysian/Burgundy or in front of  Maple Leaf.

For next years new Tales-to-be attendants and bloggers here`s some of the things that blogging the Tales of the Cocktail has taught me:

You can plan your sessions and need to do it! But be prepared for spontaneous changes and other unplanned happenings so leave room for that. (like getting drunk at bar Tonique)

Make sure to eat and drink ( which ain´t any problem in Nola..), always carry a bottle of water or two with you.

Take notes during the sessions, lots of them and lots of pictures.

Don`t stay in the French quarter – make sure you see more of the city.

Don´t drink everything that is handed to you just because its free, and always pace.

If you see a row of bloggers in the front row of a session passing bottles between them – pay no attention.

Find out early which one of the elevators on Monteleone that takes you to the top.

Don`t miss the tasting rooms.

If you`re a woman, bring a fan in your purse. If you`re a man, dunno…bring a fan?

Sleep is overrated during Tales, take a few days extra off instead when you come back home – you sure gonna need it.

If you see something and feel that you should buy it – buy it – but please – buy local.

Do not miss the music venues.

Bring enough business cards, you`ll meet a lot of interesting people.

If you happen to buy any beautiful Nola Fleur de Lis sculptures to take home, do not EVER place them in your hand luggage – especially not if you`re gonna go through Amsterdam security…i almost lost my connecetion because they thought the sculptures had “a weird shape” (!) and they did X-ray my entire content 4 times..i was the last person to board my flight..jeez..

That`s all folks!

Hopefully see yall again next year! until then i`m gonna add a new habit to my life – green magic chartreuse swizzles…spiked with strong rum.

See the musical shape of the shutter dogs? check out a violin for example and you`ll see the same shape. In the city of jazz even the shutter dogs are musical..

One of the things i loved the most – sitting on our porch with cocktail in hand in the sunset in the warm humid air listening to the orchestra of cikadas.