Posts from — August 2011

Today’s schedule was absolutely packed, but somehow I was so busy that I barely had time to notice.  Since I’m still not feeling up to par (and not eating much more than vegetable soup broth), I decided to forgo my office desk by mid-afternoon and instead finish my 2012 event budgets in the comfort of home.  Though I’ve never found enjoyment in staring at an Excel spreadsheet for hours on end, the fresh bouquet of hydrangeas hovering over my keyboard made my mundane task much more palatable.  Note:  The three empty Jamba Juice cups, stack of papers with hand scribbled notes and tall soy misto from Starbucks were all removed to maintain the quality of the photograph.

As I’m sure we’ve all experienced, it’s quite possible to feel like you need a vacation to aid in recovering from your recent vacation. With an empty refrigerator and lack of clean towels, I placed myself on a self-imposed regimen of unpacking suitcases (blah!), picking up stacks of dry cleaning and washing a few mounds of dirty laundry. And while I rarely mind tapping into my domestic side for hours on end, I realized that my evening quickly slipped away before I had the opportunity to upload the photos or posts from my recent trip to New Orleans (which I promise to complete by the day’s end). Though I didn’t quite tackle every item on my to-do list, I found a bit of solace in my crisp, freshly washed sheets, glass of mint green tea and the new issue of Elle Decor magazine. It’s always refreshing to end a rather unglamorous evening on a lovely and relaxing note.

For whatever reason, I felt completely under the weather all day long and couldn’t help but ignore my looming to-do list and instead curl up on the sofa and drift in and out of sleep. Luckily, I made a little nest with blankets and pillows and planned to soothe my nausea with fruity popsicles and Netflix movies. Though tonight’s relaxation will greatly augment tomorrow’s workload, I’ll never regret a low-maintenance evening that includes falling in love all over again with Tom Cruise in “Top Gun.”

To be honest, I was too exhausted to plan any activities for today that didn’t involve a large dose of caffeine and an air conditioned hotel room.  But I knew that I could leave the Big Easy without first making a visit to the World War II Memorial.  Since my maternal grandfather served in the Navy, the museum tour was so memorable as I learned about the history surrounding his station in Papua, New Guinea.  As I was leaving the museum, I noticed a veteran and his son making their way into the exhibits.  He looked so proud — which brought tears to my eyes — and made me think about the many veterans who have passed away before the museum experience was available to them (especially the gorgeous memorial in Washington D.C.).  I have no doubt that my grandfather would have enjoyed walking hand in hand with me this afternoon.

The past few days have flown by at warp speed, so I couldn’t have been more excited to conclude our conference and spend the day enjoying everything New Orleans has to offer.  Between shopping at quaint shops like Bungalow and eating delicious faire at several local restaurants (the brussel sprout salad and chili roasted almonds at Sylvain were amazing), I also managed to walk along the city’s sidewalks (a total of 7.2 miles!) and discover some wonderful neighborhoods, boutiques and attractions.  Even though I didn’t have time to visit the renowned Café du Monde, taste an authentic Po’boy, tour the Lafayette Cemetery or ride the city’s trolley along Canal Street, I thoroughly enjoyed every ounce of my trip and would easily return for another visit (especially since I still have so much to explore).

| Browsing the quaint boutiques on Royal Street |

| Loving the unique street signs in the sidewalks |

| Still not getting over the notion of drinking while in public |

| Stopping by a French café tucked between rows of art galleries |

| Admiring the strands of dangling beads |

| Enjoying the pretty balcony on Bourbon Street |

| Devouring the chili roasted almonds from Sylvain |

Flying out of town for a conference is undeniably hectic with presentations, group dinners and early morning breakfasts all crammed into a few chaotic days.  While it’s fun and educational, it’s also remarkably exhausting.  And since Bourbon Street can be so overwhelming, I wanted to remember the festive details that stood out from the moment I dropped by bags in the Royal Sonesta Hotel.

| My sidewalk to-go cider |

| Rows of colorful boas adorned each Bourbon Street boutique |

| Eclectic dolls promoted the history ongoing practice of voodoo |

I love putting together my daily posts and celebrating the little moments that make each day memorable.  And so far, there have been quite a few moments that I wished I could have captured – the tears as I watched the newly unveiled Arthritis Foundation national video (airing on TV during September), the fun I experienced while singing karaoke in front of a large crowd and the laughter our team shared while dressing up in farm apparel for tonight’s Krewe parade.  Fundraising can certainly be a challenging career, but sometimes it just takes a little inspiration from a ballroom full of amazing colleagues to remind me why my mission is so important.

Today, I began the first series of our national fundraising conference in New Orleans.  Colleagues from all fifty states have joined together to share their approaches, lessons and successes while broadening our horizons and learning a few new strategies over the next several days.  Fortunately, I’m staying until Sunday, so it will be a whirlwind trip filled with lots of meetings, quality time with friends (my boyfriend’s flying in with some pals on Friday), a few great meals and hopefully a bit of poolside relaxation.

When it comes to packing, I’m kind of a perfectionist.  Instead of just throwing lots of random pieces into an overstuffed suitcase, I always organize my outfits by walking through each day of my trip and considering the myriad of obligations that I’ll be dressing for.  And while I always pack days in advance out of sheer excitement and usually follow a rather detailed and time-consuming method that involves a printed checklist, my extra late start to the morning had me laying out everything I planned to pack before quickly tossing the pieces into my luggage and racing off to my appointments.  I’m so excited to mix business with pleasure over the next few days and with temperatures slated for the high 90s, here’s hoping that I didn’t forget my sunglasses and bikini in my mad rush to the airport.

There’s no better time to sail than the summer and these nautically inspired threads are chic on land or water.  Whether keeping the rays at bay with a cute cap or walking the Navy Pier in a pair of espadrilles, sometimes simple is best when it comes to seasonal dressing.  What favorite trends make your August wish list?