Cajun Country meets NYC: Burlesque, alligator appetizers + music at Louisiana Tourism event

This week I attended the Cajun Country media event at Bourbon Street Bar in midtown Manhattan.  It was sponsored by the State of Louisiana and the Acadiana Tourism Coalition.

I enjoyed live music (by Grammy-winning artists), sipped Pinot Grigio and chatted with a dozen burlesque performers and tourism reps.  I learned a great deal about Cajun culture and the thriving arts scene in Lafayette, LA.

Performers with the "Les Marionettes" troupe performed musical selections from their show "Dream of the Marionettes", which is part of the FringeNYC festival.

>> Check out my article on Examiner.com for details: "Louisiana promotes Cajun Country tourism at Manhattan's Bourbon Street Bar"

@LeslieTravel posing with two of the friendly performers from the "Les Marionettes" theater company.

In retrospect, I dressed a bit too conservatively for the occasion! I was told the dancers' stunning costumes were handmade by a Lafayette, LA local.

The live band got the crowd on its feet!

The music was a fusion of Cajun and other styles.  The musicians were all multi-taskers: the guitarist co-wrote the "Dream of the Marionettes" show, and the bassist doubled as an accordion player.

>> Click here to view the full article, which includes a slideshow and video of "Les Marionettes"

NY Destinations: Bachelorette parties in NYC - from tame to wild!

My latest article on Examiner.com is a topic I hold near and dear: bachelorette parties in the Big Apple.

Many of my NYC friends are getting married and I have been to my share of bachelorette parties in recent months. It turns out the countless hours of drinking and dancing at "hen" parties have served a higher purpose: research.

In writing this story, I decided not to include any salacious details from the bachelorette parties I've attended in Manhattan. After all, what happens in the East Village stays in the East Village. Isn't that how the saying goes?

I had intended to include a photo from my own bachelorette party at the Awesome 80s Prom. (Note: it was G-rated, so I'm not breaking the Girl's Code). However, the photo did not appear in the published article because of problems with the new Examiner website.

Here it is, exclusively for readers of LeslieTravel! (Well, at least until Examiner fixes its Pub Tool).

Leslie (in pink hat) and friends with an actor at the Awesome 80s Prom in Manhattan.

Scroll down for an excerpt of the "NYC Bachelorette Parties" article.  The full text appears in my NY Destinations column.


Manhattan bachelorette parties for every type of bride 
by Leslie Koch  
Originally published in NY Destinations column on Examiner.com

Planning a bachelorette party in New York City can be a challenge-- even for the most nightlife-savvy Maid of Honor. With thousands of bars and clubs to choose from, the planning process can be overwhelming.

Will your bashful bride enjoy a racy All Male revue? Or will she cower on stage eyeing the 'exit' signs?

And where can you possibly take your outrageous college roommate who is barely ready to settle down to a life of wedded bliss?

Fortunately, Manhattan offers bachelorette party options for every type of bride. Whether tame, adventurous or downright wild, your bride will have the night of her life at the following venues...

>> Keep reading on Examiner.com

NYC Traveler Tweetup: $2 beers, travel talk and all-around good times!

New York City travel professionals flocked to the East Village on Tuesday for a night of $2 beers and bonding.

The second ever NYC Traveler Tweetup attracted a mix of writers, bloggers, editors, and a dynamic PR/publisher duo.

The tweetup coincided with #TravelTuesday on Twitter.  It was a testament to Twitter's ability to bring  together strangers with common interests and turn them into offline friends.  Well, at least drinking buddies!

NYC Traveler Tweetup regulars on Tuesday.

>> Check out the slideshow below for more photos of the tweetup...

Traveler tales

Seth Miller (@WanderngAramean) kicked off the evening with stories of his recent West African adventure. He told a captivated crowd how he thwarted a taxi driver's extortion attempt in Togo and shared photos of 'medicine' from a local market.  (The dried monkey heads were a clear favorite).

He also revealed an interesting possibility for group travel.  Apparently, ordinary citizens can rent an entire airplane and hangar and stage a multi-leg "party plane" journey.  You need only convince hundreds of your closest friends to contribute to the costs.

The concept is intriguing but-- I have to admit-- I don't know if I can fill a 737 with my closest associates.  Be sure to ask Seth for details the next time you log on to Twitter!

The old gang

Seth was joined in this second round by the rest of the original tweetup crew.

Ty Francis (@WelshWonder) revealed more tidbits about drinking culture in the Old Country and Charu Suri (@butterflydiary) shared advice on traveling as a vegan.

Alayna Francis (@GirlPR) and yours truly (@LeslieTravel) recalled their Manhattan adventures in the magical time before Giuliani enforced carding at megaclubs. (The 'Club USA' slide was a memorable highlight for these Long Island natives).

Matt Stabile (@TheExpeditioner) talked shop with writer Maria Russo (@traveladdictgrl), a frequent contributor to "The Expeditioner." He gamely tried on my giant sunglasses, which represent the latest in travel fashion (and something that Jersey Shore's Snooki might wear).

As expected, cigar aficionado Tom Johansmeyer (@tjohansmeyer) and partner in crime Laurie DePrete (@SceneByLaurie) escaped for a mysteriously long smoke break.  Undoubtedly, they were soaking up the Avenue A street culture and will feature their experiences in future blog posts!

The tweetup vets welcomed newcomers, including the mysterious globetrotter @MundoSurfer and travel writer Alexandra Bregman (@alixbregman).

Talking shop at Tuesday's NYC Traveler Tweetup.

A small world

The tweetup was a melting pot of traditional and new media.

Frommers editor Jamie Ehrlich (@JamieTravels) chatted with writer Jeffrey Tanenhaus (@EssentialNYC), author of the "NYC Essential Guide" iPhone app.

Jeffrey leads bus tours of Manhattan and-- in an interesting coincidence-- his bus crossed my path on Saturday night in the East Village.

I was talking about the tweetup to my husband while walking down Bowery.  I turned my head slightly and spotted a double-decker tour bus stopped at a light. The guide was none other than my new Twitter pal Jeffrey!

I darted into the road and started shouting, "Jeff! Jeff!" from the median.  After a few confused seconds, there was a spark of recognition in his eyes and he waved back.

Pleased at having become part of the NYC experience for this busload of foreign tourists, I didn't care that I looked like an insane stalker.

I hope that, after seeing how friendly New Yorkers are, these tourists decided to get off the bus in my neighborhood! (But not too many of them, of course).

To be continued...

Now that I'm hooked on tweetups, stay tuned to LeslieTravel on Twitter and Facebook for details of the next NYC Traveler Tweetup in September.

Hope to see you there!

>> Click on the slideshow for more images of the second ever NYC Traveler tweetup!



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