My previous winters in Chicago always left me wishing I could be somewhere warm...

New Orleans is more than what to see and do. It's more than beads hanging off of street signs. New Orleans is tasting powdered sugar on the fingers, cobblestones that rise and fall with every step; big porches with small details. It's big music, marching through the streets and gentle hospitality.

The energy of Cirque Du Soleil Mystere left me feeling like I was a little kid, being pushed on the swings higher and higher.  The sense of intimidation at first, soon turning into exhilaration.