Archive of the '2010 New Orleans Experiences' Category

The 2008 T&D Expo was big. Actually it was huge and I walked my feet flat during the conference. It seemed every appointment I had was at opposite ends of the hall and just a few minutes to make it between locations. That is why I am dressed business casual, but wearing running shoes. If I think of it, I’ll set my iPod to pedometer mode. I’d like to track the miles. Chicago was over 183,000 square feet and had somewhere around 600 exhibitors.

Tommy Mayne told me New Orleans is bigger. Lots bigger… They started out with the same exhibit space, but had to add more space to keep up with the demand. At the last count, the floor space was something over 210,000 square feet with over 700 exhibitors. Maybe I better take two pairs of running shoes - in case I get a flat from tread wear. Attendance is up too! Tommy said the 2010 registration is ahead of the 2008 figures for the same time frame. I think Tommy hit it on the head. He said, “If you only go to one conference a year, this is the one to attend.”

I just talked with my friend Tommy Mayne. He is the North American T&D Chair and the man with all the inside information. Actually I hung on and Tommy hit me with nonstop action about the Expo and Nawlins. He and the Crescent City Currents are cooking up a fantastic event for us.

He said first of all, we don’t want to miss the Monday evening reception - this is party of parties!!! Tommy loves to party with his friends and fifteen to twenty thousand of his closest friends have been invited to party at the Expo reception. Tommy said to meet at the convention center and follow the parade to the Aquarium of the Americas. At this point, we have to make a decision - go into the aquarium or go to the festival (we call them fiesta in New Mexico). Food or fish? Maybe for the quick of hand it could be both. And that is just one of the activities he talked about. Stay tuned, there will be more!

I can’t wait to hit the French Quarter for our first meal in the Big Easy. Where to go, that is the big question. We have been surfing the web looking at all the taste treats available. New Orleans is known for its great food and we are partial to the Cajun cuisine - gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish, andouille, turducken, and so many more. Coming from New Mexico it is natural that we go for the spicy side of the menu. We put green chili on everything in New Mexico (even ice cream). Do you think there is a Cajun-New Mexican restaurant? Wow, green chili jambalaya or crawfish etouffee seasoned with green chili - what a taste treat! Those would be right up there with the famous green chili cheese burger and my personal favorite green chili Pad Thai.

Enjoying the host city is part of the T&D Expo experience and how better than jumping on the web and starting planning. After all we have breakfast, lunch, and dinner to enjoy. We have to keep our strength up to cover the acres of exhibits. We have to be fueled for the miles of aisles. I better get back to my surfing time is wasting.

It has been a long hard winter and I am soooo ready for warm weather. The snow is starting to melt on the mountains, but not fast enough. I have been checking out New Orleans on weather.com for the past couple of days and day dreaming. The predicted highs are to be in the mid 70s and the lows in the mid 60s for our conference time.

There is no excuse for missing the companion tours or the technical tours other than there are just way too many things to pick from. How can we do it all? Well, Pam and I coming in a couple of days early - it is the only way to make it fit. We will tour the plantations one day and take a swamp tour the next. I have to laugh at myself about the swamp tour. I grew up in southern Florida. The Everglades were just a few miles from our front door. Swamp tour was also called going to school each day - go figure.