The Blog of Mireya Medina

We finally had our first full day off in New Orleans so we decided to make the most of it. We started the day bright and early and took a drive to Café Du Monde. We were seated and chowing down on Café Au Lait and Beignets by 9:00AM, just as the rush started. After the delicious breakfast we figured we needed to run at least 3 miles but opted instead for a nice stroll down Decatur to do a little souvenier shopping with the rest of the overfed tourists Of course we would have to stop at the local market to buy a few spices for home and some Beignet mix and Chicory Coffee. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention one interesting thing we had noticed while the line was building earlier at Café Du Monde: people were showing up in red dresses and running sneakers. So, we walked and shopped and noticed more red dresses. We figured it must be some kooky local race since New Orleans is notorious for having parades for all sorts of occasions Eventually we decided it was time to get our car out of the lot that we were paying too much to park in, to make our way back to our hotel where we were basically forced to pay too much to park already. We got back, freshened up and ditched the car and headed for the Car Stop across from our hotel to ride back to the French Quarter. At the car stop we noticed more red dresses. We made a transfer at Canal St. from the St. Charles car and saw more red dresses. We rode to the river and got off the car and walked up the air conditioned stretch that is Riverfront (No red dress spoted) and did a little more shopping before heading back to the French Quarter for lunch. We took the Canal St. car back up to Bouron Street and headed into the Quarter. It was then that we came upon the Sea of Red! Red Dresses EVERYWHERE. Apparently the Red Dresses are a social running and DRINKING club. We had noticed people chugging beer early in the morning and though we found it a bit odd, we figured hell it’s New Orleans! No, this club actually DOES THIS EVERYHERE. Google them, you’ll see! So we’ve included some fun pics of the mayhem so everyone could appreciate the scale of craziness. All this walking finally made us hungry enough to sit for lunch. We walked and looked for something truly CREOLE. We came upon K joe’s from TLC’s the Food Budha and figured we’d give it a try. It was worth every penny. We had some of the BEST Bloody Mary’s we’ve ever had, yummy! Appetizers of Fried Green Tomatoes topped with a Crawfish Remoulade were melt-in-your-mouth delicious. And our entrees; Tony had the stuffed crab and I had the Shrimp Creole, were both delicious and super filling. We were too stuffed for dessert so we waddled our way back to Bourbon to walk back to catch the Street Car back to the hotel. We arrived and dropped our stuff off before making our way back onto the Streetcar up the street to a nearby diner to have a few beers. (a funny footnote; there are little gaming rooms and cigarette machines in every dinner in New Orleans) Shockingly, the Dolphin game was on so Tony cried through the first Quarter while we had our beers. We had chosen the diner because the beers were cheap and honestly, our budget for the day was totally blown at lunch. Regardless we had to eat and the menu was cheap, with specials for $6.50, and it was already dinnertime, so we ordered up and ended up eating the WORST food we’d had all trip. Oh well, you can’t win them all, lol. Eventually we stumbled back to our hotel and packed up before turning in for the night. It was a GREAT day Back in our trusty MATRIX we made our way to St. Augustine where we shut of the computer for a while.

** There will be much video to post..

Yesterday, Friday, August 13, 2010 we received a fantastic WELCOME from the folks at Neutral Ground Coffeehouse. Our 45 minute set went so well they asked us for an encore unfortunately, I didn’t have anyone to video or photograph for me so I have none to show :*( They asked us to come back so I’m sure the next time we’ll make sure to get video. The room is so cool or actually so warm

Earlier in the day we took it easy and just drove around to look at the sights and put down the camera so we wouldn’t have to experience it through the lense anymore.

Tonight I will have much more to post from our day, today…and BOY was it CRAZY out there

Later!

Good afternoon folks! What a trip so far! Other than the unstoppable rain, everything in New Orleans has been just what we had hoped for Yesterday, Thursday August 12, 2010, was chock full of fun. After our jog around the Garden District, in the rain, Tony and I came back to the hotel, had some breakfast and went to check out Fairgrinds Coffeehouse. We were pleased from the minute we saw the place. A true Independent Coffeehouse that supports independent arts of all kinds. We stopped in for a sec then headed out again. As we were leaving we noticed one of the cemetaries that the tourists take tours of so we decided to stop and do our own little walking tour. After our little walk, we got back in the car and headed to our hotel where we left the car and hopped on the Streetcar headed to Canal Street and Bourbon. When we arrived the rain was still coming down but that did not stop us from walking down to the French Quarter where we checked out the House of Blues and even bought a couple cigars at the Cigar Factory on Decatur. We then had lunch at Pierre Maspero’s (the old Slave Exchange). The food was GREAT! We had the crab cake appetizer and the jambalaya and both were awesome. After rolling out of there we decided the walk would do us well so we walked back to Canal where we waited at the Car Stop for the Streetcar to arrive. Right as we were about to get on our Streetcar, the Streetcar that runs horizontally across Canal let their 20 passengers off and they all came to our stop to wait for the transfer also. Our Streetcar arrived just in time, because the rain began coming down in buckets right as we were boarding and the driver got all the passengers on – we looked like Sardines in a can – but we were just happy we weren’t on the street anymore We got back to our hotel and took a power nap before we got ready for our show. We got there and set up and just as we were about to start, we were surprised by a visit from our friend Juan S. who happened to be in New Orleans for a trade show. He was even nice enough to video some of our performance. Our show at Fairgrind’s was nice, the patrons there were welcoming and attentive and we met a few people who really enjoyed our music. The owners Robert and Elizabeth were so hospitable and attentive as well and they sat through our entire show. Thank you to both of them for making us feel very much at home. After our show we went back to the hotel to unload our stuff and get ready for a night of fun. We took a cab into Frenchman’s Street where we caught LIVE music at EVERY bar we went into. We heard a New Orleans style JAZZ street jam and heard some GREAT Blues at a few of the bars. We even met a young band from Chicago (Filligar) who really ROCKED the joint they were playing at! Eventually we started running out of gas so we went back to Bourbon Street to find some fuel. We each ate a slice of yummy pizza that helped energize us just enough to make our way back to the hotel, with the help of a cab, of course, LOL!

This morning it has been raining non stop again and we’re still a little tired from our night out. We had a very late breakfast at a nearby dinner and we’re getting ready now to take a drive and take in more of the sights. Catch you all later

** I’m posting new videos as well.

I was in such a hurry this morning to jog and beat out the rain (WE LOST, LOL!) That I forgot to mention the AWESOME BBQ we had last night about two blocks from our hotel. VOODOO Barbecue!!! YUM!!! Tony had the brisket and I had the pulled pork, slow cooked for 18 hours…..mmmmmmmmm Melts right in your mouth

We finally got the video up on the blog, YAY! Yesterday we arrived in New Orleans about 3:00PM and were situated in our hotel room by 3:45. After unpacking and showering we went for a drive looking for a place to dine. We’re staying in the Garden district and driving around you get to see some of the most amazing homes right on the street we’re staying; St. Charles Avenue. I’ll post some video of that soon enough. The old trolley passes right in front of our hotel so we went to Walgreens and bought some passes so we can go into the French Quarter this morning. We were so tired last night that we called it an early night and were in bed by 10p. We are now recharged and ready to take in some of the sights before our show tonght at Fairgrinds Coffeehouse at 7PM. We’re going to go for a jog now before breakfast so I’ll leave you short on words but full of video if you’d like to see them see ya later!

It’s Wednesday, August 11, 2010 and we’re on our way to New Orleans travelling from Dunlap on I-59. I’m hoping we can stop somewhere where I can get a wireless signal to send this off, I think there are enough Mc Donald’s to find a hotspot, lol. Tony and I have driven through some of the most rural areas and still found the Golden Arches…yes, it speaks volumes, but I digress. Instead I’d like to share a little of our experience hiking yesterday in Fall Creek Falls with Isela, David, Abigail, David Jr. Tony R and Reese. I was told that it’s the highest waterfall on the Eastern Seaboard, but I haven’t fact checked that one so you can wikipedia that one We started at the nature center and hiked uphill to the outlook where we caught our breath and then took some pics and ood and awed before we headed down a rocky path down to the basin of the waterfall where we ood and awed some more before we took pics then sat to really soak it in. It’s always amazing how small we can feel in the presence of something so majestic. The kids had fun in the waterhole at the basin though the ground was incredibly rocky and there I got some great shots. Eventually it started getting a bit cloudy and we started back up the rocky path to the midway outlook as it started to pour. David and Tony R. went to get David’s truck so he could come pick us up as our legs started to burn from the hike. Eventually David got there and we said our goodbye’s to Tony R. and Reese and piled into Isela and David’s truck for a 40 minute drive back home where Nancy and Oriente had the table set already for supper and were on the move making pasta. Isela jumped in and together her and Nancy made us a yummy Chicken Parmigiana and Fettucini Alfredo and Fettucini with Marinara, what a feast! All the carbs helped replenish our energy for our drive later that evening into Chattanooga. Unfortunately I left my camera behind, but we visited the Chatanooga Choo Choo and Isela got some pics so I hope she’ll send them to me for me to post eventually. We had coffee overlooking the old bridge and relaxed for a bit before heading back to pack up our car in preparation for today’s drive. This morning my alarm didn’t go off but we were up by 6:20 AM and my aunt was already up brewing a pot of coffee for us We got ready and headed out by 7AM.

* I will attach photos of yesterday. ** I was limited in my use of bandwith while in Dunlap and could not upload video so I hope to be able to put some up when we’re situated in New Orleans

Today Tony and I finally had the opportunity to do one of the things we have most wanted to do, Whitewater Rafting. What a blast! Isela, David, and his daughter Abigail, Tony and I drove from Dunlap to the Ocoee in an an hour and half and were suited up and ready to ride an hour later. Adventures Unlimted was our outfitter and we’re so happy we chose them. They suited us all up with safety helmets, life vests, and paddles and after giving us a ride upriver on an old fashion "cheese-wagon" style schoolbus we were given a safety lesson and briefing by our guide. We were blessed with the BEST guide ever; Dean AKA "Reverend Dean the Dunking Machine," and he was true to his title…WE GOT SOAKED!!! and I don’t mean water rushing upon you, I mean Tony fell into the water! LOL! He took us through some fantastic class III and IV rapids and we had one of the best first experiences we could have hoped for. He branded our team; The Woolies and everytime we made it past a rapid we pointed upwards and touched the ends as we chanted, "Woolies!" We got to jump out and float downstream in one portion of the river and though the water was way colder than we’re used to it felt terrific. After over 2 hours on the river we came to the end and got our self-bailing raft out of the water and posed for a pic together. After getting all our gear together we got back on the bus back to the outfitter where we changed and after saying goodbye to Dean we departed back to Dunlap. My aunt was waiting back at home for us with a Cuban home cooked meal of carne con papa and rice and beans, yum! After having a beer while relaxing on the porch we will now be turning in for the night to get some much needed sleep. Goodnight!

It’s late and boy are we tired, lol, but i’d like to fill you in on the last two days but I’m finding it a bit difficult so I’m going to make it short and sweet and post some video that will tell more of the story. Saturday was a pleasant day;Tony and I went to lunch with Tony, Missy and Reese and a yummy burrito place, I think the name was Swanky’s. Then we chilled for a bit until we had to leave to Downtown Nashville for our gig at Joe’s Crab Shack. Our gig went well. My cousins Isela and her hubby David, Tony and Missy, Kimberly and Frank, and Tony’s old friend Alice came out to see our show and made enough ruckus to fill the room thanks! We also noticed a few bobbing heads in the crowd, which pleased us quite a bit and our waiter Josh did a little dance for us after telling us how much he enjoyed our stuff. After our gig we went out walking to take in the sights and ended up at a little bar, and I can’t even remember the name right now but it was a real Country bar with a decent cover band and we had a couple of drinks before we made our walk back to our cars and bid adieu to eachother for the evening.

This morning (Sunday) Tony and I were awakened by a hungry little Reese with a very tempting invitation to Nashville’s very famous Pancake Pantry. We jumped out of bed and got ready and headed out with the family. After about a 30 minute wait standing in a pretty long line we got our table and were told by the busser, who prepared our table, that shortly our waiter would be there to make all our breakfast dreams come true, and they did! After breakfast we went back to the Roque residence and got our car packed up before we made our way to Dunlap where my aunt and uncle Nancy and Oriente own a nice home and where we will be staying for the next three days. On our way we made stopped at a rest stop where we saw a couple of very unique butterflies one had died and one was in its final stages so they were easy to photograph. When we arrived at my aunts we were greeted by Isela and David, Abigail and David Jr, and my uncle and aunt and after a quick sandwich we were on our way up to the mountain to see the property Isela and David own and will be building their home on (I’ve attached a pic of Tony and I standing at the back end where they have a lake). We also went up to a bluff where the community shares a common area that overlooks the valley. What a sight! I’ll attach some pictures but they will do it no justice, it really is a site to behold. After driving around and spotting about 10 deer we made our way back down the mountain and had dinner waiting that my aunt had prepared. Now I’m very tired and my eyes are closing on their own so Good Night friends

Tony and I finally made our way up to Nashville on Friday morning after leaving the hotel in GA. The ride was beautiful as usual. The rocks, the mountains, the air, whew! I knew we had arrived! Our ride up was smooth sailing, no glitches this time, thank God. It was a beautiful day and we were so ready to get this show started so we made our way to Brentwood, TN, it’s a community about 20 minutes from Downtown Nashville where our friends live. We were welcomed by our great friend Tony Roque who’s comfortable abode and hospitality makes every Nashville visit a wonderful one. His lovely wife Missy and beautiful little girl, Reese, came home shortly after that and we did a bit of catching up. After our brief chatting session Tony and I brushed over some material, got ready, and were on our way to Columbia, TN where our first gig was. Tony followed us in his truck so that guaranteed us 1 fan/friend at least! LOL! We arrived at Legend’s Steakhouse and were showed where we would be setting up. It was a decent sized stage adjacent to the Main Bar. We set up and shortly after that our friend Kim showed up with her hubby and a few friends and we were very happy to see a few more familiar and friendly faces. We started playing and everything just fell into place as usual. Our friends enjoyed the show and so did the locals. We even made a new friend who enjoyed our title song (Branded) so much he asked us to replay it and asked if he could join in with a Djembe. I will follow this posting with a video of the road and our performance of Branded with our new friend All in all a GREAT SUCCESS!!! Thanks to all who came out!

http://medinaband.wordpress.com/ …. for all the videos from our trip!

hey kids…so we headed out yesterday to Nashville in the afternoon, later than we had intended. It was smooth sailing until we arrived in GA…the closer we got to Atlanta the worse the traffic got. We thought it might be typical Atlanta traffic. Unfortuantely, it wasn’t! It seems that the kind construction folks of Georgia thought it would be a good idea to close 3 lanes at 11PM on I-75 Northbound. YAY for us!!! Well of course we ran out of gas, and I mean that metaphorically. We were just too beat to continue so as soon as we approached the State line we found a decent priced Days Inn and turned in. I will attach some videos as soon as I figure out how to…LOL! We went for a run this morning and are now headed out and on our way to Nashville. Later!