Laurie's light travel travel tips

One of my favorite hotels, Windsor Court in New Orleans , will be celebrating February 14 at its Grill Room with a special menu that includes champagne cocktails. The Grill Room Chef de Cuisine, Gabriel Charpentier, will whip up three menus with three price points and optional wine pairings, according to a press release I received this week. The meals "were inspired by foods traditionally considered aphrodisiacs. The multi-course theme includes five, seven and nine course options, which are paired with wines from Napa Valley, New Zealand and France, among others. Complimentary roses will also be offered to the ladies." Sign me up. Windsor Court is already romantic. Even if you're visiting alone, with family, or friends, the hotel's old world classic charm will make you feel like you're in a silent movie. Or perhaps starring in a mysterious novel set in the 1940's. Highlights of the Valentine’s Day menu with liquor and wine selections include: Gulf Oys...

This article originally appeared on Examiner.com, Feb. 12, 2016. If you've turned on your radio, TV, laptop, iPhone, OR brain over the past couple weeks you've been inundated with, you guessed it, promos for Valentine's Day! As if anyone with a beating heart (woops!) could forget, February 14 is Valentine's Day. Awwww. This reporter remembers many-a memorable Valentine's Day. In reverse chronological order, the maladies included: • the year I dumped my sweet boyfriend for the young hottie I worked with (yes, on Valentine's Day) • the year a boyfriend in LA ate a dinner I made for him, loaned me $100, and lied to me about his marital status • the year I wrote an article about trying to lose weight (again) so I could just gain it back with all the chocolate I would be given. But then, there are the sweet memories, too: • the year my live-in boyfriend picked flowers for me and wrote a poem (the poem may have come later; memory's a bit foggy) • the year my f...