Southern Sonoma Country Life

Canadian Captain Wendy Williams to Lead First Virgin Voyages Ship

I have yet to take a cruise, but if I was to take one anytime soon, this would be a good place to start. Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Voyages President and CEO Tom McAlpin have announced the appointment of Captain Wendy Williams as Master of cruise ship Scarlet Lady. When Captain Williams takes the helm of Scarlet Lady in spring 2020, she will become the first Canadian woman to be captain of a ship for a major cruise brand. The company also announced a brand-new lineup of itineraries for their premier 2020 season.

“Captain Wendy's extensive maritime background makes her an excellent choice to lead the Scarlet Lady, but it is her spirit and drive to approach life at sea differently that make her the perfect fit to join the Virgin Voyages family,” said Tom McAlpin, president and chief executive officer for Virgin Voyages.

Originally from the coastal city of Sept-Îles, Quebec on the Northeastern coast of Canada, Captain Williams resides on her hobby farm on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Captain Williams has more than 28 years of experience working on ships at sea. Her extensive background includes more than a decade as a deckhand in commercial fishing off the western coast of Canada as well as working as a ferryboat captain. Although she has spent more than 15 years working on the bridge of mega cruise ships, her role with Virgin Voyages will be her first promotion to Master of a cruise ship.

“I have salt water in my veins and nothing brings me more joy than being at sea,” said Captain Wendy Williams. “It's a dream come true to be working with Virgin Voyages, a company that is focused on creating an incredible experience not only for our Sailors but for our Crew as well; while also taking action to minimize our footprint on our oceans.”

Just last year, Virgin Voyages announced its Scarlet Squad program, an initiative dedicated to bridging the gender gap in leadership roles across the maritime industry, where women represent less than three per cent of the workforce. The program aims to recruit, support and mentor female shipboard talent, and to grow opportunities for leadership roles in marine, technical and hotel management positions on board.

While Virgin Voyages is still in the early stages of the crew for Scarlet Lady, the company has already recruited Captain Williams as well as nearly a dozen other female officers, including Jill Anderson as hotel director, Christin Wenge as safety officer, Lindsay Kerber as environmental officer, among other incredibly talented women engineers as well as second and third officers.

Virgin Voyages' intention is to create an onboard environment where everyone has an equal opportunity to reach their full potential.

New Voyage Offerings

In response to the U.S. government's frustrating new restrictions on travel to Cuba from the United States, Virgin Voyages has developed a lineup of new itineraries featuring destinations that its sailors expressed interest in exploring while on a voyage aboard Scarlet Lady.

Continuing the company's mission to provide its sailors with epic day and nighttime experiences, the all new itineraries will feature multiple late-night sail aways, including a midnight departure on all new sailings.

Virgin Voyages will now offer five-night Riviera Maya sailings to Cozumel/Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. Cozumel and Playa del Carmen offer opportunities for sailors to experience some of the world's best diving, as the area is home to 26 coral species. Sailors will also have the opportunity to explore ecological and archeological treasures, including Mayan ruins, or opt to explore neighboring Tulum, the elevated Bohemian sanctuary with picturesque beaches and diverse nightlife.

For those who just want a quick getaway, Virgin Voyages' four-night sailings will now become Fire and Sunset Soirées including a sunset departure from Key West and a midnight departure from Bimini. Sailors will experience the cultural and boating paradise of Key West, paired with a day of rejuvenation in Bimini, Bahamas that's topped off by an exclusive late-night beach bonfire soiree. This celebration under the stars is exclusive to these sailings, and the artistic fire installations draw inspiration from the fireball sculptures on Branson's Necker Island and the alluring communal nature of a traditional beachside bonfire. Sounds great to me!

In response to Sailor demand for longer voyages aboard Scarlet Lady, Virgin Voyages has developed special seven-night sailings for the 2020 festive holiday season. Those looking to get a jump start on their holiday planning can opt for the all-new Holidaze and Nights and New Year's Ahoy voyages, which fall over the Christmas and New Year's holidays respectively, and feature stops in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic and late-night sail aways in both Bimini, Bahamas and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

All voyages will feature a stop in Bimini, Bahamas, home to The Beach Club, a private club for Virgin Voyages Sailors while Scarlet Lady is on the island.

For more information on Scarlet Lady, future Sailors and First Mates (travel partners) are invited to check out Virgin Voyages by visiting www.virginvoyages.com.

ABOUT VIRGIN VOYAGES

Virgin Voyages is a global lifestyle brand committed to creating the world's most irresistible holiday. With operations in the US, UK, and Europe, Virgin Voyages currently has four ships on order with master shipbuilder Fincantieri.

With its inaugural season scheduled for 2020, Virgin Voyages' first ship the Scarlet Lady was designed to reflect a yacht's sleek luxury. Featuring spaces designed by some of the top names in contemporary design, the Scarlet Lady will be Adult-by-Design, a sanctuary at sea for the 18+ traveler.

A dose of 'Vitamin Sea' will be naturally intertwined across the entire ship, with well-being activated through a mix of high-energy moments coupled with relaxation and rejuvenation. The Scarlet Lady will also feature alluring entertainment and 20+ world-class intimate eateries on board. Putting a twist on luxury, which the company refers to as Rebellious Luxe, Virgin Voyages will offer incredible value for its sailors with all restaurants, group fitness classes, soft drinks, and many more Virgin surprises included within the voyage fare.

Scarlet Lady will sail from Miami to the Caribbean in 2020, hosting more than 2,770 sailors and 1,160 amazing crew from around the world. Keep watch on virginvoyages.com for more updates.

 

Follow Virgin Voyages:

Instagram: @virginvoyages

Facebook: @virginvoyages

Twitter: @virginvoyages

LinkedIn: Virgin Voyages

YouTube: Virgin Voyages

Adventure Into Another World With Off The Map Travel on the French Island La Reunion, Deep in the Indian Ocean Between Mauritius and Madagascar

In my search to share unique and original travel experience opportunities with my readers, I look for amazing adventures and locales that are not exclusively priced for just the multi-millionaire budget. This one certainly fits the bill as a once in a lifetime trip:

Off the Map Travel has introduced an adventure to “another world,” taking guests through prehistoric jungle scenery to spectacular volcanoes and a night sleeping under the stars in a clear bubble on La Reunion Island.

Deep in the Indian Ocean between Mauritius and Madagascar, La Reunion Island is the setting for the new “Like Nowhere Else on Earth” experience.

On this French island at the crossroads of African, Indian, European and Chinese cultures where English, French and Creole are spoken — and a place likened to Hawaii with its landscape and volcano-filled topography filled with overgrown trees, lush foliage and volcanoes, La Reunion offers a natural paradise where it’s easy to imagine dinosaurs roaming during the Mesozoic Era.   

Begin your island adventure with a helicopter flight over the cavernous ravines, moon-like volcanoes and lush forest before landing at Hiker’s Eden, a lodge retreat deep in the mountains. There you'll enjoy a Creole lunch cooked over an open fire followed by an on-land exploration upward through the area’s lava tubes and caves created by the island’s volcanic lava flow to a ziplining experience through the jungle.

The evening offers even more adventure. Just outside of the small village of Les Makes, 1500 meters above sea level and in the middle of the tropical forest, settle into one of four individual bubble accommodations where the night sky and surrounding wilderness form a natural outdoor blanket. Each transparent bubble provides a sleeping and relaxation space and is connected to a shared bathroom and lounge. “Picture Jurassic Park all around you,” commented Jonny Cooper, founder of Off the Map Travel.

“La Reunion is a dramatic land of fiery volcanoes, steep-sided jungle landscapes and starlit skies – off-the-beaten track and offering a taste of Creole culture with a splash of luxury,” Jonny Cooper continued. “It’s an area unmarred by tourism and filled with adventures.”

Off the Map Travel’s La Reunion “Like Nowhere on Earth” program is offered year-round, with the most popular travel months between May and October. Although the itinerary can be tailored to each guest, an example seven-night, eight-day itinerary with Off the Map Travel (www.offthemap.travel) is priced from $2465 USD per person, based on double occupancy (prices at the time of this writing).

Included in the price are:  daily breakfast; all transfers; accommodations in hotels and villas in the coastal town of Sainte-Gilles; one night in a see-through bubble; a tour into the lava caves; a jungle zipline and a heli-hiking experience to Hiker’s Eden with lunch. Flights are additional. 

For additional information, visit https://www.offthemap.travel/destinations/indian-ocean/la-reunion/.

Off the Map Travel

Off the Map Travel is a team of travel experts who work with experiences and destinations that allow people to explore hidden wonders of the world. Specializing in soft adventure and viewing of the Northern Lights, Off the Map Travel creates tailor-made itineraries that offer a distinctive vacation based on first-hand experience. Off the Map Travel vacations anticipate travelers’ needs with pre-planning and customization. Each bespoke itinerary is tailored to the ages of participants, creating experiences for families, groups, couples and singles that are comfortable and luxurious, with activity levels appropriate for all participants. www.offthemap.travel

For more information on tailor-made Off the Map Travel itineraries visit www.offthemap.travel; call 1-646-701-0041; email info@offthemap.travel or join in the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube or Pinterest

 

Blossoms, Bees & Barnyard Babies — Sonoma County Farm Trails, Spring Tour April 27th & 28th

RSVP is required to receive event map.
Click here to join the fun !

New Route for 2019 Camino Walkers — Sea of Arousa Camino Espiritual Walk and Boat

CaminoWays.com, the Camino experts, have launched a wonderful new North West Spanish Camino route available for pilgrims in 2019: the Sea of Arousa Camino walk and boat, also known as Camino Espiritual. I have friends who have walked all or parts of the trail and several who are planning their own pilgrim walks. This new route will no doubt lighten the load of international pilgrims on this increasingly popular bucket list activity, walking and weaving through beautiful coastal landscapes, villages and ancient monasteries from March through November.

The Sea of Arousa Camino trail was recently approved by Santiago Cathedral as an official Camino de Santiago route. The trail takes pilgrims through quaint coastal villages, lush forest tracks, vineyards, sandy beaches and ancient monasteries following an alternative route to the classic Camino Portugues.

This fascinating Camino trail is also known as Camino Espiritual as this unique Camino includes a boat trip across Arousa Estuary retracing the route taken by the body of St James on its way to Santiago. 

Not to miss on this trail:

Wonderful Pontevedra Old Town

Picturesque granaries in the village of Combarro

Forest trails to Armenteira Monastery

A swim at the beach in Vilanova

Boat trip across Arousa Bay to Padron

A short break on the Sea of Arousa Camino Espiritual from Pontevedra can be walked in just 4 days but if you'd like to receive your Compostela certificate it's recommend that you start your walk from Vigo or Baiona to walk at least 100kms into Santiago.

PRICE / WHAT'S INCLUDED

Self-guided tour, 5 nights from Pontevedra to Santiago starts from around $550 per person sharing; including 5 nights' accommodation with breakfast, luggage transfers, boat ticket, holiday pack with route information, 24/7 assistance number

An 8-night self-guided tour from Baiona to Santiago starts from around $850 per person sharing;  including 8 nights' accommodation with breakfast, boat ticket, luggage transfers, holiday pack with route information, 24/7 assistance number. 

Dinners, airport transfers and hotel upgrades are also available. Flights, lunch and insurance not included.

More details about this route click here: SEA OF AROUSA CAMINO ESPIRITUAL 

To book you can visit caminoways.com or contact Camino travel experts at info@caminoways.com

The Petaluma Museum Association Presents An Exhibit of Scott Hess' Photographs Inspired by On A River Winding Home — Opening Reception Saturday April 6th, 5 to 8 Pm

Celebrate Earth Day: Get back to nature in Sonoma County

 

 

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Discover  more of the amazing bounty offered by land and sea as Sonoma County celebrates Earth Day this year with events, festivals, volunteer opportunities, or by simply getting outdoors and breathing in the glorious spring air.

There's so much to do and see here that Earth Day — Monday, April 22nd — is more like Earth Month. Start a week early with a events at Quarryhill Botanical Gardens, Alexander Valley Vineyards, Windsor Earth Day and Wellness Festival, or a tour at Safari West.

Near the actual day, there are opportunities to volunteer for a beach cleanup or take in an art exhibit that showcases climate change. Celebrate the weekend after and experience Earth Day on stage, an annual family friendly festival in Santa Rosa. 

Earth Day is a time to connect with the land and with each other in the great outdoors that we're so thankful for – all 1,576 square miles of it. More than 60 regional and state parks make Sonoma County one of California's most diverse natural destinations. Hike among towering redwoods; watch for whales, otters, or sea lions along rugged Pacific coastline; paddle through the inviting cool waters of one of three rivers, and get to know neighboring small towns.

Find more outdoor activities at www.sonomacounty.com/outdoor-activities.

Earth Day events:

Quarryhill Earth Day Celebration
April 13
The peacefulness of the Quarryhill Botanical Garden that stretches over 25 acres — home to more than 25,000 rare and endangered plants — provides the ideal setting for celebrating the many ways we can conserve and protect our planet.
Quarryhill Botanical Garden, Glen Ellen
www.quarryhillbg.org
www.sonomacounty.com/sonoma-events/quarryhill-earth-day-celebration

Earth Day Tour at Alexander Valley Vineyards
April 13
Celebrate Earth Month at Alexander Valley Vineyards with a special tour hosted by owner Harry Wetzel, IV, focusing on the decades of sustainability at AVV. The 1.5-hour tour will look at the environmental, economic, and social elements of sustainability that have been implemented since 1962 at Alexander Valley Vineyards.
Alexander Valley Vineyards, Healdsburg
www.avvwine.com
www.sonomacounty.com/sonoma-events/earth-day-tour-alexander-valley-vineyards

Windsor Earth Day and Wellness Festival
April 14
This earth-friendly and health-friendly event on Windsor Town Green features entertainment for all. Pick up spring produce and food at the Windsor Farmers Market. There will be children's games, activities, and crafts, health and wellness booths, and more!
Windsor Town Green, Windsor
www.townofwindsor.com/339/Earth-Day-on-the-Green
www.sonomacounty.com/sonoma-events/earth-day-and-wellness-festival

Earth Day at Safari West
April 14
Have an Earth Day adventure at Safari West! Once a year, the whole world comes together to celebrate the wildlife and wild places that make the planet wonderful. This Earth Day, Safari West is inviting a bunch of friends to help make the Sonoma Serengeti that much more special. Discover amazing organizations fighting to conserve species the world over! And of course, enjoy a safari adventure all your own.
Safari West Wildlife Preserve, Santa Rosa
www.safariwest.com/calendar/earth-day
www.sonomacounty.com/sonoma-events/earth-day-safari-west

Earth Day Beach Clean Up
April 20
Join Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods and Partners for their annual Earth Day Clean Up of North Jenner Beach and the Lower Russian River in Jenner, which is part of Sonoma Coast State Park. Come join the Steward Ship, partners and communities to clean up the river and beach, by sand and kayak. 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Jenner Visitors Center, Jenner
www.stewardscr.org/events/earth-day-registration
www.sonomacounty.com/sonoma-events/2019-earth-day-beach-clean

Reflectivity - Artists on Climate Change + Four Elements Festival
April 20
Healdsburg Center for the Arts presents the exhibit Reflectivity - Artists on Climate Change, April 20 - June 2. In addition to the opening reception on April 20, Reflectivity will feature the Four Elements Festival, a one day street festival and celebration of Earth Day. The Four Elements Festival will be on Plaza Street from 1-5 p.m. with art activities for kids, Sonoma State's Center for Environmental Inquiry, Symmetry Arts tree stilt walkers, guest speakers, and live music.
Healdsburg Center for the Arts, Healdsburg
healdsburgcenterforthearts.org
www.sonomacounty.com/sonoma-events/reflectivity-artists-climate-change

Earth Day on Stage
April 27
Santa Rosa's 10th Annual Earth Day Festival is a free, family-friendly festival that brings the community together through fun activities, live performing arts, and inspiring exhibits that raise environmental awareness. Don't miss out on this opportunity to celebrate the Earth with great people, local food, beer and wine.
Old Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa
www.srcity.org/2139/Earth-Day-OnStage
www.sonomacounty.com/sonoma-events/santa-rosa-earth-day-festival

Travel Pick — Visiting London? Take a Spy & Espionage or Wartime London Tour

London is known for its war time history and is rich with political heritage of World War II. If you're a history buff and/or a fan of spy/espionage stories (true or fictional, although it's hard to tell the difference, these days) and you're planning a trip to London, check out Evans Evans' collection of new, small group half day tours in which you have the chance to travel back in time to London's wartime era and learn about a side of the city that you never knew before. I quite fancy taking one of these tours & if I do, I'll be sure to share my experience.

Imagine yourself a spy as you learn about London's Cold War espionage or discover the devastating effects of the Second World War as an expert tour guide brings London's wartime story to life.

London's longest-established and largest sightseeing company invites you to explore London's intriguing, hidden gems from the past. With a group of no more than 16 guests, you'll experience a side of London that few know about, such as the dark, secret world of international espionage or the ruins, battlefields and monuments where iconic leaders and soldiers once stood during WWII. Small group sizes make for a more intimate and authentic way to connect with expert tour guides who will give you the inside scoop on historical monuments, landmarks and important wartime 

Spy & Espionage Tour of London: On this behind-the-scenes tour, explore the shadowy world of London with tales of treachery, tragedy and subterfuge. Learn about Britain's top intelligence agencies and the different roles they play in protecting the country. See the home of MI6 that was famously featured in several James Bond movies, the headquarters of MI5 and visit the public sites where spies exchanged top-secret information to the Soviet Union. Visit locations used by Intelligence Services to recruit their agents and be shaken and stirred by the stories of some of Britain's most infamous traitors and double agents. Your tour will finish in style at the St Ermin's Hotel where you see the former headquarter of MI6, and an original coded message written on silk hangers in the lobby. Afterwards, enjoy a vodka martini in the hotel's Caxton Bar where, in the 1950's, Guy Burgess handed over top-secret papers to his Russian handler.(3 hours, from April 1 – Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 – March 31) $95

Wartime London: History enthusiasts will never forget this iconic tour as they discover the devastating effect the Second World War had on the city of London. Expert tour guides bring the story of this devastating chapter in British history to life over 75 years later. Explore the ruins of a church destroyed during the bombing and the bomb damage from the First World War. You'll also see where Sir Winston Churchill delivered his VE Day speech to a jubilant British Crowd, important wartime headquarters such as Churchill's Cabinet War Rooms and Dwight D. Eisenhower's Supreme headquarters and Downing Street, where Neville Chamberlain famously broadcast the British declaration of war on Germany.Pass through Parliament Square en-route to Whitehall, where along the way you'll see the statues dedicated to notable Allied figures including Churchill, Eisenhower, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Sir Arthur “Bomber” Harris, as well as several monuments dedicated the Battle of Britain, Women of WWII and the Cenotaph- the site of Britain's national war memorial. (3 hours, from April 1 – Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 – March 31) $102.25

For more information and reservations, please visit www.evanevanstours.com or call Evan Evans at (866) 382-6868.

A Series of ExtraordinaryNew Intrepid Women's Expeditions Mark International Women's Day

The world's largest experiential travel company, Intrepid Travel, has introduced four new Women's Expeditions to mark International Women's Day, giving truly intrepid female travelers an opportunity to learn about the everyday lives and challenges facing women around the world.

Women-only tours, led by female guides, provide a unique insight into the lives of women in Kenya, India, Nepal and Turkey. Travelers will meet people from all walks of life and hear their inspiring stories, from Becky, the first female overland truck driver in East Africa, to Syrian refugees forging a new life in Istanbul.

The new trips build on the success of the original Women's Expeditions in the Middle East, launched on International Women's Day 2018. The range has proven one of the most popular in Intrepid's 30-year history, growing from just four departures to 36 in the space of a few months.

Intrepid is committed to diversity and inclusion at all levels of the business and in 2017 set the ambitious goal of doubling its number of female tour leaders globally by 2020. Thanks to the work of Intrepid's local teams in destinations including India, Morocco and Indonesia, the company has increased its number of female leaders by 70% and is on track to meet its target in 2020.

The new trips include:

Kenya: Women's Expedition (10 days)

Journey through Kenya with Becky, the first female overland truck driver in East Africa on this unique expedition. Starting and finishing in Nairobi, you'll visit women-only villages, safari in iconic and lesser known National Parks such as Samburu and Mount Kenya, join a cooking class with local women in Samburu National Reserve and swim in thermal baths in Hell's Gate National Park. Meet Kenya's female wildlife rangers and understand the challenges they face in a male dominated industry. You'll also spend time at Umoja Village, a women's-only Manyatta (settlement) which offers sanctuary for survivors of genital mutilation, rape, and forced marriages, and hear their stories. Finally, you'll visit the au Mau caves and hear how women played a key role in helping the Mau Mau war veteran win the war against colonial rule. From $3,215 USD per person.

Turkey: Women's Expedition (12 days)

Meet the women changing the face of tourism in Turkey and learn about fascinating ancient traditions on this new trip from Intrepid. Beginning in Istanbul, you'll spend an afternoon with some Syrian women and discover how they are trying to put their displaced lives back in order. From there, you'll head out to sea with a female skipper in Üçağız and learn about Intrepid's efforts to improve female participation in Turkey's tourism industry. In beautiful Cappadocia, hike among the fairy chimneys and enjoy a home-cooked meal in a cave with a local family. Enjoy a soak in an Ottoman-style hammam in Istanbul and learn about this ancient woman's ritual before taking a dip in the Mediterranean on a women's only beach in Antalya. Take part in 'altın günü' or Gold Day Eskisehir, a day for women to socialize and gift gold to a friend in need. From $1,720 USD per person.

Nepal: Women's Expedition (13 days)

Join an all-female hiking crew for an unforgettable trek in Pokhara on this inspiring new trip from Intrepid. As very few women have the chance to become mountain guides, Intrepid is working with local suppliers to train and empower women from local communities in this field. Hear first-hand how these women are breaking tradition and becoming breadwinners for their families. You'll also visit Seven Women, an organization empowering marginalized women through education, skills training and income generation - and cook some delicious Nepalese food. From $1,895 USD per person.

India: Women's Expedition (12 days)

Led by one of Intrepid's amazing female guides, travelers will celebrate the female-only Gangur Festival in Rajasthan, with Rangoli making, henna painting, dance show, and traditional dress. Enjoy a home-cooked meal at the home of a local family in Delhi and explore Jaipur with the female rickshaw drivers. Shop for clothes, accessories and crafts in support of the development and empowerment of marginalized women and girls in Rajasthan and visit the center where they produce their creations. Finally, stop by a cafe run solely by female acid attack survivors and hear the heart breaking yet overwhelmingly inspirational stories of perseverance and strength. From $1,215 USD per person.

For more information about the Women's Expeditions, or to book, visit:

https://www.intrepidtravel.com/womens-expeditions.

 

Experience Life in New Orleans of the 1800s With a Visit to the 1850s House Museum

Amongst the pageantry, music, decorations, masked balls and parades of Mardi Gras, a festive table is an integral part of the carnival party. There are many versions of the traditional Mardi Gras King Cake, though the classic French Galette des Rois — puff pastry with frangipani filling is one of the most delicious and decadent, served with an old-world punch after a tasty crawfish boil, platters of Creole crab cakes, shrimp and grits, dirty rice . . .  

Wherever I find myself on my travels in the U.S and abroad, I make a point to seek out museum homes that have been preserved or meticulously recreated to offer a glimpse into the history of a specific place and how its inhabitants actually lived their daily lives. And so I was happy to discover Louisiana State Museum's The 1850 House in New Orleans open during my first visit to the Big Easy, a couple of weeks prior to Mardi Gras. The formal dining room was decked out in the colors of the season, purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power.

The 1850s House offers a a glimpse of upper-middle-class life in antebellum New Orleans, the most prosperous period in the city’s history. 

This particular house doesn’t represent one specific family, though is does reflect mid-19th century prosperity, taste and daily life in New Orleans. The house is furnished with art and décor of the era including a set of John Slidell’s china, Old Paris porcelain, New Orleans silver and notable paintings and furnishings that, taken as a whole, transport visitors back in time.

The 1850 House is part of the Lower Pontalba building. Built on opposite sides of Jackson Square, the Upper and Lower Pontalba buildings were designed and financed by the Baroness Micaela Almonester de Pontalba, whose father, Don Andrés Almonester y Roxas, was a Spanish colonial landowner who helped finance The Cabildo, St. Louis Cathedral and The Presbytère.

Inspired by the imposing Parisian architecture the Baroness favored, the distinctive rowhouses were designed to serve as elegant residences and retail establishments on the lower floors. The Pontalba family sold the Lower Pontalba Building in 1921 to philanthropist William Ratcliffe Irby, who bequeathed it to the Louisiana State Museum in 1927.

To put its timeline into perspective, La Nouvelle-Orléans was founded by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville of the Mississippi Company in 1718. The French colony ceded to Spain in 1762 with France regaining power, on paper in 1802. In 1794 the nearby St. Louis Cathedral was built on the site of an earlier Catholic cathedral. It is the oldest Catholic cathedral in the United States. Louisiana became a state in 1812 with New Orleans its first capital. Napoleon sold a huge swath of the Northern territories to the U.S. in the Louisiana Transfer in 1803. 

New Orleans reached around 102,000 or double its 1830 population by 1840. By this point, New Orleans was the wealthiest city in the nation, the third-most populous and the largest city.

In 1849 the state capitol was relocated to Baton Rouge. According to GoNola: "In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Carnival in New Orleans was an informal celebration by individual families. Some folks would take to the streets, going from house to house, to celebrate.

The Spanish, who controlled Louisiana from 1763 to 1803, were much more conservative than the french. They discouraged public drinking and celebration. That let up a bit after Napoleon sold Louisiana to the Americans. By 1830, public celebration on Mardi Gras became an organized parade in Mobile, Alabama. People in New Orleans took to the streets, but in a more disorderly fashion. Beginning in 1837, New Orleans had parades, but they were rowdy, almost riotous. By the 1850s, the city leaders considered closing down public celebration of Carnival."

It was in 1857 that a small group of businessmen, three of whom were from Mobile, took steps to “save” Carnival. The men from Mobile were familiar with  “secret societies” and formed a similar group in New Orleans, naming it the Mystic Krewe of Comus. A tightly-organized, two-float parade was held on the night of Mardi Gras, 1857. Afterwards, the Krewe held a private bal masque.

Though the parade caught on,  the Civil War and the Union occupation of New Orleans shut down public celebrations.  Twelfth Night Revelers would wait until January 6th, 1870 to parade again.

Carnival parades gradually spread into various neighborhoods of New Orleans. The need for crowd control and law enforcement economics forced the city to divert these widespread celebrations into more-standard routes. Whether it is Uptown, Downtown, or in the West Bank, carnival lives on and thrives in the New Orleans of today.

Open Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 am to 4.30 pm, at 523 St. Ann Street, New Orleans, admission to The 1850s House is a bargain at just $3 for adults and $2 for seniors, students and active military. Click here for more info.

A Visit to The National World War II Museum in New Orleans

My first visit to New Orleans was loosely planned as a three-night, four-day, past faced city-break of one of my bucket-list U.S. destinations. I would listen to the world's best jazz, eat great southern food, explore the French Quarter and the Garden District by foot, tiptoe around the above ground marble chambers of one of the famous old cemeteries and do my best to steer clear of the overtly touristy entrapments. I'd read that the city's expanding war museum was a big deal, but somehow, no one I know who has visited New Orleans in recent years had mentioned this as a top pick for the itinerary of a history buff such as myself. 

Good thing Historic Hotel Monteleone offers a history package that included passes for The National WWII Museum, which, in its own words "tells the story of the American experience in the war that changed the world — why it was fought, how it was won and what it means today—so that all generations who visit will better understand the price of freedom."

How could I resist? As a frequent flyer British/American I have trawled my family around the monumental Imperial War Museum and Churchill War Rooms in London as well as the superbly interactive, haunting World War I In Flanders Museum in Ypres. I couldn't help but wonder if The American version of a National WWII Museum might disappoint by nudging out the allies in its primary focus on the story of the war from an overtly U.S. perspective. Thankfully, I found it to be an enthralling, riveting, well balanced museum experience, running out of time with a one-day visit to complete the last of its compelling blend of sweeping narrative and poignant personal detail. 

Through its immersive exhibits and galleries, multimedia experiences and expansive collection of artifacts, the museum's mission to inspire people, young and old, to embrace the lessons of the monumental global conflict of World War II through its stories of heroism, human tragedies, voices of liberation and the fruits and responsibilities of victory makes it all the more relevant in today's world and into the future.

The museum, which was established and operates on endowment funds, was founded by academics and friends, Stephen Ambrose, (1936-2002) PhD and Gordon H. “Nick” Mueller, PhD, an historian and his colleague in the History Department at the University of New Orleans and Vice Chancellor of the University. Ambrose’s role as founder of the institution that would later become The National WWII Museum was strengthened in many ways by his celebrity as a bestselling historian who was sought after as a speaker and film consultant. The museum first opened its doors in the year 2000. It is located in downtown New Orleans on a six-acre campus, where five soaring pavilions house historical exhibits, on-site restoration work, a period dinner theater and restaurant.

I'm going to have to plan a return visit in a couple of years. The museum is in the midst of a $400 million capital expansion project that will quadruple the size of the original Museum facility, add state-of-the-art programs and exhibit space, enhance the library and archives, and expand collections and conservation space.

My visit began as I boarded the L.W. Pete Kent Train Car Experience, a clever, interactive introduction to the museum designed to transport guests as newly enlisted soldiers by 1940s military-style rail. There is much ground to cover, both figuratively and literally after guests go through the initial multi-media European theater of operations and the global build up for invasion.     

The Boeing Center was a highlight for me, with its magnificent flying machines, salvaged long after the war from long abandoned, remote locations, dismantled, shipped back to the States and, in the case of My Gal Sal, devotedly rebuilt by retired veterans over 12 long years to once again grace the heights, if not the skies. Read the amazing story of My Gal Sal by clicking here. 

I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with friendly, engaging, knowledgeable and passionate military veteran volunteers throughout the museum. If stepping aboard a simulation of the most successful submarine in World War II is not nearly as terrifying as its actual fifth and final war patrol on October 25th, 1944, then that's a good thing. Reliving the general gist of USS Tang Submarine's epic battle against Japanese forces in a recreation of its subsequent sinking sufficed. 

The D-Day Invasion of Normandy exhibit tells the story of the American effort in equal measures with the allies during the largest ever amphibious invasion, on June 6, 1944.  I was thrilled to hear from one of the veteran volunteers what a pivotal role New Orleans had in the D Day Invasion. It was New Orleans native, Andrew Jackson Higgins, manufacturer of the Higgins Boat, whose shallow draft barge-like boat helped get soldiers, jeeps and tanks on shore. His boat was the first of its kind and some 9,000 were built in New Orleans and shipped to Europe for use in the D-Day Invasions. President Dwight Eisenhower dubbed Higgins: "The man who won the war for us."

The National World War II Museum is located on Andrew Higgins between Camp and Magazine streets.

On a personal note, my paternal grandfather served in the British Army. He was based in Sorrento after Anglo-American forces took back Italy in 1943, through to the end of the war. I toured The National WWII Museum's Allied Invasion of Sicily and southern Italy with considerable interest given the level of detail, photography, oral history and artifacts that helped me form a clearer picture of the experience my greengrocer grandfather had on disembarking his ship in the Mediterranean.

It was the first and last period of time my grandfather would leave his beloved family business in a small town in the English countryside. He would joke with me as a child that we should take his weekly cash earnings from the green grocery business to America. It strikes me now that this jolly and gregarious, food-loving supplies officer most likely made a whole lot of American and Italian friends during his two years with the allied forces south of Naples. He never spoke of the war, other than to talk of the crates of giant lemons he was sent from the Amalfi coastline during the first few years after he'd returned home.  

If I was choking up at how little I really knew or understood of my grandfather's war time experience, each and every section of the museum was filled with veterans and families of veterans looking to learn more of the stories of servicemen and women who served in World War II. My grandfather was one of the lucky ones who survived. How he would love my American adventures, after all — as well as the son of southern Italian immigrants to the UK who talked me into a new life in California shortly after we were married!

Here's my grandfather, Frank, in the one photo I have of him from World War II, pictured at far right, clearly making friends and influencing the Italians! According to my dad, his father had as "good a war" as he could have hoped for, one of the better memories he talked of was having lunch with British entertainer Dame Gracie Fields and her second husband, Italian-born film director Monty Banks on the Isle of Capri, where she lived the rest of her life.  

The total death count for Americans in WWII was around 420,000. This was the bloodiest war in human history, killing over 60 million people world wide. Let us never forget. 

If you go:

Pre-purchase tickets to save time in line. Entrance is $28 for adults, $26 for seniors and free for all WWII Veterans. 

The National WWII Museum is located at 945 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130 and is open daily 9 am to 5 pm (closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Mardi Gras Day and Thanksgiving). 

Maximize your time with a recommended itinerary available online at nationalww2museum.org/itineraries. If you'd like to see it all, plan on a two day itinerary. Ticket cost for a second day is an additional $7. 

There is a great gift store with piles of books and interactive DogTag experience with which you may follow your assigned war hero's story at stations during and online, after your visit.