The Permission to Kick Ass Blog

It’s been ages since I went out to greet the sunrise. This time I walked all the way to Arkansas and back to do it.  

Finally got out and about to do some exploring. Wound up eating some sweet potato pancakes at Arcade Restaurant, where Elvis used to eat. I found some funky local shops and picked up some interesting stuff to commemorate my time here. Then I walked to the Civil Rights Museum, at the Lorraine Motel where Dr. King was assassinated. I don’t…

Lost a little faith in man when I walked out to my car and saw this. Faith restored when I took it to the body shop and the dude did some sort of magic move to pop it back in place (believe me, that was the first thing I tried but he has magic, I swear) and refused to take…

The Permission to Kick Ass podcast is now live. And it’s got its own special section on the site: Podcast You can listen to episodes there, or through your favorite streaming service!

Hot “Scotty” at the local Irish pub. This was the right choice. Today’s adventure… A delightful something called “Take Me Back 2 Cali” recommended by the lady on staff. It was a good recommendation Turns out my midday waffle break was right next door to the place where Johnny Cash first performed live.

I still don’t understand how she reconciles “hates being squirted with the water bottle” with “loves sitting in a just-rinsed sink and getting my ass wet”. Seems to work for her though. Later in the day: I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you want. If you are looking for ransom I can tell you I don’t…

Subtitled: “My nuts are poppin’ today!” “dessert near me” A few words typed into Google Maps and that’s how I happened upon Beale Sweets Sugar Shack. I’d just wrapped up lunch and had a hankering for something sweet, so might as well find something in walking distance, right? I look for local places, wherever possible – so this one, not…

This little place is located walking distance from where I’m staying. It’s called The Beauty Shop restaurant and it actually was a beauty parlor once upon a time. They still have remnants of its past days leftover inside. And apparently this is where Priscilla Presley used to get her hair did. I am way too excited to be eating in…

I just barely missed the marching of the ducks. I’m gonna catch it at some point though…  

Is my Airbnb haunted? I’ve got a closet door in my bedroom that pops open at random, and it always manages to startle me. I kinda like to imagine it’s haunted… Only this ghost only opens this particular door, for mysterious ghostly reasons. Is it inviting me to Narnia? I like the ghost explanation too – more mystery. Why THIS…

Her highness and I hitting the road to Memphis… Her song is loud and proud. And continuous. We’re taking a quick food break so I let her out of her backpack prison. She’s being surprisingly chill. I took 55 and there were some parts of MS that are still pretty icy. If the roads weren’t still crappy I’d probably have…

Unanticipated digital nomad challenge #7532: Never thought I’d be rationing toilet paper so I didn’t have to buy a new pack before I check out of my Airbnb. Try as I might, didn’t make it. Had to buy a 12-pack from the Walgreen’s around the corner with less than 24 hours to go until check out. At least it was…

Today I’m learning Mardi Gras beading at an event called “Sew and Brew,” down at a local coffee shop. Wish me luck!  

So far I’ve been incredibly fortunate with my Airbnb hosts as I travel. Sending up big gratitude today! I have no idea how I’m gonna eat all this cake. But I’m damn sure gonna try! I learned this from a friend and former NOLA resident, Lisa Perk: You have until midnight on Mardi Gras Day. If you pace yourself and…

We interrupt your feed with this breaking news: there is no “neat” way to eat a beignet. You will be coated in powdered sugar. The birds will follow you like you’re Snow White. Just embrace your Disney princess moment, and accept that generous dusting of sugar as avant garde fashion. If you haven’t yet experienced the pleasure of a beignet,…

So grateful for a sunny day and fancy grilled ham and cheese. Can’t get enough of this croque monsieur. I had no idea what to expect when it said it came with a pickled veggie salad but they was goddamn delightful. I found my new favorite place  helps that it has a balcony, strong cocktails, and a séance room.  

Yeessssssssss it’s all coming together… Click here and have a listen of the trailer: https://permission-to-kick-ass.simplecast.com/episodes/coming-soon-permission-to-kick-ass  (don’t forget to subscribe!) I dragged my feet on that damn thing for so long. But listening to the episodes I’ve already recorded with fresh ears has me all fired up again. I can’t wait to share!  Some of my friends and guests are already…

Instead of Mardi Gras parades (they’ve officially been cancelled because of the pandemic), locals are decorating their houses as “floats”. There are a lot of them along the usual parade route (which I’m near). Here are some I saw while out walking. Its nickname? Yardi Gras. It’s even more fantastic because most of the homeowners that participated wound up hiring…

It was kinda surreal seeing it in person. I have such mixed feelings. This is the Oak Alley plantation. My family was intermarried/allied with the family that built this sugar plantation. I believe it’s been used as a filming location for several movies, including Interview with the Vampire. Sadly the human cost of this place has gone largely unaccounted for…

More French Quarter exploration. This time, stuck to the awesomely less people-y Royal St and was happy to see all the artists out painting, set up on the sidewalks  

Today’s adventure… Jazz brunch aboard the steamboat Natchez.  

Just walking around NOLA. Still not entirely sure how I set out to find a bookstore and wound up on Bourbon Street…  

Oh yeah, this is happening. I know you want some too – who wouldn’t want some world-famous stand-in-line-for-them beignets from Cafe du Monde? I learned the hard way that you have to hold your breath when taking a bite of a powdered sugar-coated deep fried pastry. The pigeons are LOVING me and the mess I’ve made I can mail you…

Despite growing up in central Texas and Houston, I somehow never made it to New Orleans. Decided to remedy that straight away… After 6 hours in a car with a yowling cat, I made it to New Orleans. I really like this little place… Well done, Airbnb.

My mom figured out how to make half-pound cookies. I’m in danger.

When you’re home for the holidays at your mom’s, and her baking business has taken over the spare bedroom… I think I can do this for three days. Adapt. Improvise. Overcome.

Her royal highness was displeased with getting her shots. The humans however, were all enamored with the black-cat-in-a-backpack look. Stella came through with flying colors, by the way. The backpack, however, needed a thorough washing. Thus we learned the trick of lining the backpack with puppy pee pads. <3

Radar locked… destruction imminent. Traveling with a cat is interesting. Thankfully Stella is a dog-cat and generally well behaved. Though sometimes I wonder what goes through her brain. Especially times like this, when I catch her thinking deep cat thoughts.

*in my best Tom Hanks in Castaway impression* I HAVE MADE FIRE. (I may be here all night until this thing dies down though, seriously) Fire has a wonderful way of healing things. Even moreso when the flames climb high enough to merit a safety drive-by by the local fire engine company. Just a reminder:

It’s been about a month since everything went down. I’ve packed up everything and moved to the first Airbnb of the great road trip of 2021. Stella really likes my host’s blanket. She looks like she’s meditating.