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TRAVEL MEMORIES: New Orleans   Why fly to the Big Easy when you can just spend days driving there? They say it’s not the destination, it’s the journey that counts and in this case, also the beignets. Cruise down memory lane to New Orleans. Feels like you can hear the jazz music floating through the streets and taste the po’ boy sandwiches already! Especially if you have po’ boy sandwiches around.  New Orleans isn’t just a place, it’s a feeling. NOLA is a celebration of song and an explosion of color. It’s movement and magic and history and art. It feels like the whole city is pulsating and the lucky visitor is welcomed to dance along.    A visit to Bourbon Street, while touristy without a doubt, is a fun place to start. The neon lights, radioactive drinks, and bustling crowds feel like everyday is Mardi Gras. And while you may think the namesake hints at what you’re likely to find mixed in your drink, it’s actually an homage to the name of France’s royal family at the time of the city’s development in 1721.  Right at the tippy top of Bourbon Street, be sure to check out Jean Lafitte’s BlackSmith Shop Bar, a dark and musty tavern that’s managed to survive two great fires and is considered the oldest structure in the entire United States used as a bar. It truly feels like time travel and you’ll be enchanted by the ambiance.    More drinks and memorable ambiances live at Carousel Bar where you can sip on something cooked up by head mixologist, Marvin, at an actual carousel in Hotel Monteleone; at Arnaud’s French 75 where you can (and really must) order its namesake cocktail, or feel a little extra fancy at Sazerac Bar .  Talented musicians and riveting jazz music blanket the streets...in a good way! You can hit up Maison Bourbon and The Jazz Playhouse along Bourbon Street or venture out to the greater French Quarter (and famed Frenchman Street) for renowned venues like Blue Nile, Preservation Hall, d.b.a., Tipitina’s and the memorably titled Chicken Wah Wah among many, many others. Stroll the streets and if you hear something good, pop in, drop a tip, and move on to the next amazing musical experience.      The French Quarter is both the oldest neighborhood in New Orleans and, as you may have guessed, one of the most delicious (as in lots of great things to eat!) For a cup of that famous Louisiana hickory coffee and mouthwatering desserts--they’re called beignets and are little sugar-dusted bites of heaven-- look no further than Cafe du Monde under the big green tent. Established in 1862, this iconic location is open 24 hours a day and always in high demand!  Still in need of some caffeination? Get your full coffee fix at French Truck Coffee, the unmistakable bright yellow shop where they make their own beans and they can be found at various locations around the city.    If you plan on eating pretty much nonstop from morning till well, the next morning in this kind of town, kick off your day with a must-have breakfast at Brennan’s  where it’s all about Creole cooking and Bananas Foster for dessert. Get your hands on a local favorite, the muffuletta sandwich, at Central Grocery and Deli which looks exactly as advertised! Class it up with outdoor seating in the courtyard of Cafe Amelie surrounded by a jungle of plants and high brow menu items.  If you’re looking for a little culture fix, New Orleans also offers an array of museums covering art, history, and even Mardi Gras. History buffs hustle on over to the National WWII Museum which uses personal storytelling and artifacts to begin to unpack this massive and world changing war. The New Orleans Museum of Art known as NOMA, boasts an amazing art collection that dates from Italian Renaissance to today as well as a five acre sculpture garden. IF you’re looking for something a little off the beaten path, the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, The Old Ursuline Convent Museum, or The Museum of Death might be right up your alley!    If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle, take a walk and take a look at the mind-blowing rainbow that is the Bywater neighborhood in New Orleans. Filled with Bohemian vibes, cute cafes, thrifty shops, the Bywater boasts some of the most colorful homes you’ve ever seen that are just asking for a photo op.   

Ah, the refreshing simplicity of a classic road trip! Just you, the open road, some good friends, and a state of the art GPS system. Each mile invites us to sing along with the radio at the top of our lungs or simply bask in the glow of a glorious sunset. And while you’re not getting lost (even with the best GPS system, believe me), you’re making the kind of memories that last. Buckle up and pack your bags, we’re reminding ourselves that life is sweet because well, as we sing with the radio at the top of our lungs, life is highway.  EPIC PIT STOPS WORTH PULLING OVER FOR   Road trips are all about where you want to go. But also where you want to stop. That's right: pit stops. Now, there are pit stops and there are PIT STOPS. We're talking about the off-road gems that are totally epic--the kind of places that make you whip out your camera and wonder why you haven't been here before!   Get ready to raise your pinky finger as you waltz through the grand halls and endless gardens of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.  @biltmoreestate #historichome   Nevada’s Valley of Fire isn’t called that for nuthin’. Stretch your legs and casually admire some prehistoric petroglyphs in the red sandstone that feels like you’re walking through a sunset.  @valley.of.fire #NVStateParks   Wonder where Hemingway got his inspiration? And a cocktail or two? The literary giant famously checked in to New Orleans’s Hotel Monteleone where the bar is an actual, revolving carousel. @hotelmonteleone #MonteleoneMemories Wanna learn more about the best of the best of NOLA?    ROAD TRIP FLICKS TO GET YOUR READY TO HIT THE ROAD        Remember that crazy time you and your bestie hit the road only to outrun the law and find yourselves flying over the Grand Canyon in your ‘66 Thunderbird? Oh, wait. I think that may have been someone else. Either way, road trip movies inspire some of our best adventures so grab some popcorn and start planning your next on-wheels getaway.   Thelma and Louise (1991) Little Miss Sunshine (2006) Easy Rider (1969) It Happened One Night (1934) Almost Famous (2000) National Lampoon's Vacation (1983) Y Tu Mamá También (2001) The Muppet Movie (1979) Planes,Trains, & Automobiles (1987) The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)   MUSIC MAKES TRAVEL SWEET    Your trip= 47 hours. Your playlist= 47 hours. Wait, how? Spotify’s very handy, sort of new “soundtrack your ride" feature lets you customize your perfect playlist to match your musical tastes and how long you’ll be out on the road. Sweet! Get started HERE 

  If East Hampton was a member of a 90s boy band it would definitely be the sporty one. You know, with all its surfing, swimming, fishing, and sailing stuff. But it would also be the artistic one. The land of magical sunlight and sprawling natural landscapes, East Hampton has long been the muse for painters like William de Kooning and photographers like Peter Beard who venture to the Long Island’s east end to get inspired. And you will, too! Get an eyeful of some fun facts about the East Hampton art scene. Read more HERE.   NOT TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY  The natural sunlight in East Hampton is really something to write...errr paint...home about! Maybe it's water molecules in the air that catch light in just the right way. Maybe it's something artists can only see. But what's clear is this so-called never ending golden hour's effect on everything from still life paintings to portraits.      SHIP HAPPENS In 1960, founding Director of the Department of Education at the Museum of Modern Art, Victor D'Amico and his wife Mabel bought a World War I Navy barge. Then they turned it into an art studio. I mean, what else? Today, The Art Barge sits in Napeague Harbor just outside Hither Hills State park and offers classes in ceramics, studio painting, and photography for artists and aspiring artists alike.         HOME AWAY FROM HOME  Believe it or not, when the prince of  pop art wanted to get away from it all, he high-tailed it to Montauk. Andy Warhol set up his relaxation station in a 30 acre, oceanside estate fondly known as "Eothen" meaning "from the east" back in 1972. And, of course, Warhol would invite friends over--pals like Mick Jagger, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Liz Taylor, and John Lennon just to name a few!      INSIDE THE STUDIO We may never know exactly what was going on inside of the mind of so-called "action painter" Jackson Pollock, but you can get a look inside his art studio. The Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center still stands today in a wooden farmhouse in the town of Spring, East Hampton and is where Pollock and wife Lee Krasner both lived and made art. Pollock set up shop in the barn while Krasner painted in the bedroom. Tours are available courtesy of the Stony Brook Foundation where you can still see stray paint from Pollock's work scattered across the excavated floorboards.     ART-CHITECTURE The new Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill East Hampton isn't just a building that houses art, it's a work of art in itself! The relationship between art, nature, and light that East Hampton is so famous for continues to play out in the space's innovative layout both inside and out. Designed by Herzog & de Meuron, the museum is constructed from natural up-cycled wood, illuminates much of the art using skylights, and overlooks a sprawling meadow filled with wildflowers.    EXPLORE

Two words. Two perfect hot, sweltering, summer day words. “Beach Day.” You can feel the sand beneath your toes and permanently stuck in your bathing suit bottoms just hearing it! A day at the beach can be so many things. It’s salt in the air, it’s blue skies that stretch on forever, it’s the perfect beach read, it’s the sunburn you never saw coming, and for some, it’s the surfing. The thrill seekers among us head to the beach to zip up their wetsuits and ride the waves. And probably still get a sunburn. Even if you’ve never stepped foot on a board, there’s something so quintessentially summer about surfing, you can’t help but feel like you’re riding the waves right there with them! This week we celebrate surfing and one of the reasons why life is sweet, especially in summer. SURFIN’ USA (AND BEYOND!)     The Beach Boys harmonized the praises of surfing in America but it turns out, chasing waves is a great way to travel the whole world. And if you have the balancing skills to be able to stand up on a big oval in the middle of the ocean, then more power to ya! From the Philippines to Costa Rica we’ve got your top spots to hang ten. Or you know, things surfers say!   Jeffreys Bay, South Africa UluWatu, Bali, Indonesia San Clemente, California, USA Oahu, Hawaii, USA Puerto Escondido, Mexico Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia Cloud Nine, Siargao Island, Philippines Playa Grande, Costa Rica Hossegar, France Nazaré, Portugal   TASTE OF SUMMER!   What’s better than an all inclusive trip to Hawaii??? Probably nothing. But in the meantime, some popsicles to honor one of the top surfing destinations will do! Just take one of Hawaii’s favorite drinks, the Lava Flow cocktail, add a little freezer time and you’ve got a poolside treat that’s a little taste of paradise. Ingredients 2 cups frozen pineapple chunks 1 cup pineapple juice 1/2 cup canned full-fat coconut milk 4 oz. coconut vodka (optional) 3 cups frozen sliced strawberries 1 1/4 cup apple juice 4 oz white rum (optional) Plus popsicle molds and sticks!  Directions Combine pineapple, pineapple juice, coconut milk, and coconut vodka in blender until smooth. Put aside. Blend strawberries, apple juice, and white rum then place to the side. Fill popsicle molds, alternating between the pineapple and strawberry mixtures. Pop in popsicle sticks and freeze for 3 hours. Cool down and enjoy!   Recipe and image courtesy of www.thelittleepicurean.com All About Art in East Hampton     If East Hampton was a member of a 90s boy band it would definitely be the sporty one. You know, with all its surfing, swimming, fishing, and sailing stuff. But it would also be the artistic one. The land of magical sunlight and sprawling natural landscapes, East Hampton has long been the muse for painters like William de Kooning and photographers like Peter Beard who venture to the Long Island’s east end to get inspired. And you will, too! Get an eyeful of some fun facts about the East Hampton art scene. Read more HERE.   EXPLORE

 Looks like someone’s got a birthday coming up! And not to gossip or anything, but she’s getting pretty up there in years. Break out the party hats and start singing because it’s America’s bday! She’ll be 244 this year. Doesn’t look a day over her bicentennial. And her slightly younger upstairs neighbor, Canada, will be hitting the big 1-5-3 on July 1st. These gals have seen a lot over the decades with all the proud moments and growing pains you’d expect. This year, the party might look a little different but you can still RSVP. And with a little creativity, tech savvy, and spirit it’s guaranteed to be a celebration that’ll go down in history.   It's a Celebration Independence Day might look a little different this year but she’s still going strong!     Los Angeles’s Grand Park is moving its annual block party online with all the comedy, live musical, cooking demos, and fun a patriot could dream of!   @grandpark_la #blockparty     You can (still) dance if you want to! Catch Chicago SummerDance’s special Independence Day SummerDance in Place broadcast to learn some new salsa moves and bust ‘em from the privacy of your living room.   @chicagodcase #chicago4th     Do sandwiches exist in cyberspace? The Wawa Welcome America Festival says yes! The longstanding Philadelphia festival and founding father of Hoagie Day is doing it all virtually!   @july4thphilly #celebratephilly    Oh, Canada Quiz   What do you know about the US Neighbor to the North?   YYZ is not just the name of a famous classic rock jam but an airport in which Canadian city? Poutine is a delish dish that comes from Quebec and is made up of french fries, gravy, and what other ingredient? The red and white Canadian flag features what symbol front and center? What nickname was given to Canada’s one dollar coin? Hint: Think bird with a real case of the giggles. You oughta know the name of this famous Canadian singer-songwriter whose music recently inspired a Broadway musical. Answers:  Toronto/cheese curds/maple leaf/Loonie/Alanis Morissette   Stay Cool in these American Art Museums The Metropolitan Museum of Art  New York, NY   The Art Institute of Chicago Chicago, IL   High Museum of Art Atlanta, GA   San Francisco Museum of Modern Art San Francisco, CA   National Gallery of Art Washington, DC   The Museum of Fine Arts  Boston, MA   Los Angeles County Museum of Art Los Angeles, CA   Philadelphia Museum of Art Philadelphia, PA   Rhode Island School of Design Museum Providence, RI     Guggenheim Museum New York, NY  

More often than not, the most amazing cities in the world boast the most amazing art museums. And while you can learn a great deal about the history of important movements and iconic artists within those hallowed halls, there's something so raw, real, and "right now" about the art you find when you're just walking down the street! Take a look at this shortlist of cities around the world that are home to some of the best street art to simply stumble upon.       São Paulo, Brazil Beco do Batman is a hidden treasure in  São Paulo and the place to go for vibrant street art. Located in the neighborhood of Vila Madalena, Beco do Batman does, in fact, translate to Batman Alley and yes, you will find some walls dedicated to the comic book character. It all started with a single Batman drawing back in the 80s and the street art never stopped!                  Source: Nana Marques    Berlin, Germany   Nearly a mile long, the East Side Gallery in Berlin, Germany is not only the longest open air gallery in the world but features the longest intact section of the Berlin wall in existence today. Artists from all over the world flocked to the scene when the wall came down and the gallery officially opened in 1990. Must-see murals include  Birgit Kinder’s "Trabant" (which features this common East German car "bursting through" the wall) and Dmitri Vrubel’s notorious " My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love," more widely known as "Fraternal Kiss."                     Source: GetYourGuide   Toronto, Canada   Perhaps the most Instagram-able part of the Canadian city, Graffiti Alley is a 3 block stretch of street art running parallel to Queen Street West. And it's all city-sanctioned. After some spats over the difference between murals and vandalism, the  Queen Street West Business Improvement Association succeeded in their fight to keep art alive. Since 2011 StreetARToronto, or StART work to secure funding and approval for public works like these.    Source: PlanetWare   Melbourne, Australia   At the edge of the Melbourne's East End, an area brimming with galleries and creative types, lies Hosier Lane. The cobblestone laneway is a little dead end street with a lot of personality. Massive masterpieces occupy every square inch of the block and give insight into the culture and politics of its daring artists.    Source: Wikipedia Buenos Aires, Argentina   Breathtaking street art runs rampant throughout Buenos Aires, in areas like Plaza Matienzo, near the Mercado de las Pulgas fleamarket, and in the off-the-beaten-path neighborhood of Villa Urquiza just to name a few! What is definitely worth a look is the world's biggest mural completed by a single artist! The massive masterpiece was completed in phases by artist Alfredo Segatori over the course of about a year and a half. It covers three buildings and is entitled "The Return of Quinquela" in reference to the famous Argentinian landscape artist,  Benito Quinquela Martin, who is featured at the center of the mural.    Source: BA Street Art   Rishikesh, India    The so-called "Yoga Capital of the World" is chock-a-block with ashrams and temples for spiritual studies including the Beatles Ashram. And therein lies some pretty special street art throughout its abandoned grounds. Built in 1968, the  Ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi hosted the Beatles during their stays where they wrote hit songs and maybe even honed their yogi practice. After its abandonment just a few years later, artists gave the empty space a creative makeover where art and nature live in harmony.     Source: Jessica Beavon   Brooklyn, NY   Located in the outer-borough of Brooklyn, New York, the Bushwick Collective is an outdoor street gallery featuring artists from all over the world. Founded by Bushwick native Jospeh Ficalora in 2012, the gallery began as an effort to celebrate and beautify the neighborhood and has since become a major destination for street art admirers and tourists.    Source: Mad Hatters NYC   Bristol, England   What better place to see anonymous England street artist, Banksy's work in its natural environment than Bristol, England? Here you can get a glimpse of Banksy's cheeky " Well Hung Lover" painted on the side of a health clinic as well as the modern-day parody of Vermeer's masterwork, known here as " Girl with a Pierced Ear Drum." The streets of Bristol are all adorned with other well-known artists in addition to hosting "Upfest," the largest annual street art festival in Europe.    Source: Independent