When Lucy picked me up at the airport in New Orleans, we realized that I've visited her in every city she's been a resident since we've met. (The others were Dallas and Nashville, and I promised to visit her in New York when she makes the move.) Though I wish I could have all my people nearby, it's nice to get to visit each other around the globe, and time together seems to be a bit sweeter because we know not to take it for granted.

The weekend in Louisiana in August was steamy, tasty, rich in culture, and slower than usual (in a very good way). It always surprises me how different American states can be from one another. Whenever I visit a new place, I like to make a list of the details I observe to be unique. In New Orleans, I remember most how beads appeared everywhere (e.g. telephone poles, porch fences, mail boxes). I also noticed how there were street musicians on what seemed to be every corner of the streets in the French Quarter. It was my favorite.