Lafayette Cemetery No. 1

One of my favorite parts from my visit to Louisiana was my stroll through the historic Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 in the Garden District of New Orleans.

It's so spooky and beautiful and haunting and lovely and real.

The mixture of stonework throughout the small city of dead is a mix of very, very old and very, very new.

This particular cemetery is actually the oldest of the city-operated in New Orleans.

Reading all of the names and years on the above-ground tombs is just fascinating. Generations of families are buried at the same site, some dating back so far. I found this one especially fascinating, reading "SOCIETY FOR THE RELIEF OF DESTITUTE ORPHAN BOYS".

The true groundskeepers are most definitely the lizards and the plant-life. The flora and fauna is just busting out of the seams of the place.

You might have a feeling of familiarity while walking through here, with good reason... this cemetery is very popular for filming. Double Jeopardy, Dracula, and more.

In honor of Halloween and the spooky holiday season, I thought that sharing these photos would be très approprié.

Love and Prosecco in New Orleans

When you're traveling with a significant other, things can get a little bit tense at times.

I have a friend who insists that surviving your first major trip together is a huge milestone.

While I stand by the theory that New Orleans is easily one of the most romantic and charming cities in the United States, timelines and itineraries can add tension to any scenario. With gas-lit street lamps, gorgeous and intricate wrought-ironwork, and some super dreamy smooth jazz, it's easy to feel like you're on cloud nine.

BUT. With a bustling Bourbon Street, a swingin' Frenchmen Street, crazy sites to see and happening places to be, it's easy to feel rushed. See the galleries, go to this place for this music, go that place for that band, try the rich and heavy food here and there and everywhere. Things can get overwhelming and, quite frankly, exhausting.

Here's something to add to your itinerary: a blocked-out section of time to do nothing. 

Spend part of an afternoon lounging around in bed. Put on that super comfy legging-sweater combo that you packed but didn't think you'd have time to wear. Invest in some quiet reading time, or just time to sit and talk for a while.

Make yourself feel a little fancy, look a little stylish... whatever that means to you. Take your time getting ready. Maybe no one else will see your makeup or your skirt that night, but there's something kind of refreshing about getting dressed up for your significant other and no one else.

Pick up a bottle of Prosecco; or maybe red wine if the weather is chilly enough. Find a comfy place to sit on a patio in a courtyard, or by a fireplace; wherever you're staying. Enjoy each others company.

Goodness knows you've spent the last two or three days enjoying the company of the other hundreds-to-thousands of people you've crossed glances, accidentally bumped shoulders, and exchanged small-talk with.

Maybe you'll have a lot to talk about, maybe you'll have nothing to talk about... but having nowhere to be and nothing to do, is so necessary sometimes.

While I might be the least qualified person to give legitimate relationship advice (is anyone legitimately qualified to give relationship advice, though? like... everybody is different...), I think that the quieter times on vacation together make everything seem a whole lot sweeter, significant more serene, and definitely more memorable.

(Plus... doesn't mean you can't go out later; especially while in New Orleans, after all.)