I may like to travel in style but I’m still a cheapskate at heart. Without wishing to give too much away I employ a variety of strategies to extract the maximum value of my dollar or points when traveling. Imagine my delight when one of my well worn corporate codes yielded a very inexpensive room in a proper luxury hotel in Nawlins.
Names have been obscured to protect the guilty but I noticed that there was an additional rate in play at this property that offered an unusually low rate. Never one to look a donkey with presents in the chops I did clicky clicky and locked in my beer rate at the champagne property.
When I checked in the front desk person asked me if I was part of the <<redacted>> group; happily this was the name mentioned on the website so I said that I was and awaited my keys.
I got my keys, a small bag containing some conference materials and a wristband. I was also given an itinerary that started with a cocktail reception that was being hosted by (one hasty LinkedIn search later) one of the very senior people from this globally recognized company.
I considered going to the cocktail party and channeling my inner Up in the Air George Clooney but I figured pushing this would mean a swift end to my enjoyment of these discount codes.
An extra bonus was that my Travelodge rate got me access to the nicest club floor I’ve ever seen. This boutique hotel had a spread that threatened my ability to consume my pending dinner at Jacques-Imos and my date with their Alligator Cheesecake. If you haven’t been, it is an absolute must when visiting this town, waaay more so than Cafe Du Monde.
I chanced upon this pair of Fords peeking out from the window of an otherwise unremarkable tourist trap in the French Quarter. Inside was a placque lauding the achievements of the legendary GT40 but making only a passing reference to the cars on display.
The car nerd in me was severely triggered by the notion that people might think they were looking at genuine GT40s.
As for the rest of my evening? Suffice to say it did nothing to dissuade my notion that this is the real Southern belle of the nation.
Until next time.
The Short Way Across 