On Our Radar: New Orleans Wine and Food Experience

The New Orleans Wine and Food Experience is May 26th through 29th.  It features tastings, speeches and dinners and seminars

Highlights for us would be the Royal Street Stroll on Thursday which combines jazz, art, antiques, wine and food for an evening of tasting and shopping. We're not sure why these ladies were wearing togas at a previous year's stroll; but it looks fun!

The Riedel seminar: we did this on the Oasis cruise a couple of years ago and Max Riedel taught me that size and shape make a difference, in wine glasses that is.

Wine Lovers Musical: we're strangely curious about this audience participation show that combines wine tasting and musical numbers. 

Stay at the Hotel Montelione where Anne stayed for "Tales of the Cocktail" or the W New Orleans, because we always have a fun time at a W.

On Our Radar: Montreal

In case our other Memorial Day Travel Ideas weren't quite European enough in feel for you, here's another idea: Head north across the border to Montreal. With the cobblestone streets, sidewalk cafés and French speaking natives, you'll think you hopped the pond and are in France. We're heading there ourselves next week, so will report back with the full scoop on what's new and not to be missed.

We're most looking forward to the shopping, including the Unicorn Boutique, which houses smaller designers not found frequently in the states, including Eve Gravel (shown), and  Harricana by Mariouche, which features creations made of recycled furs.

We'll be staying at the Opus Hotel, conveniently located at the corner of Rue Sherbrooke and Boulevard Saint-Laurent. We first became a fan of the Opus after touring the equally chic Vancouver property years ago.

We'll be in Montreal May 20-24. Follow our tweets from our trip at JSGAnne.