2/12/13
Brilliant Bonus Blogger: Linda Joyce
Dream Dates *sigh*
I appreciate Five for Fiction’s invitation to guest blog and meet their readers.
Thank you!
I’ll get to my five Dream Dates
in a moment. First, I’m going to share a personal experience about how words
have different meanings.
I thought that writing about
Dream Dates would be the perfect
segue to a discussion with my husband about a River Cruise in Europe or that
trip to Japan we’ve been talking about forever.
You see, I married the man of my
dreams, so in my mind, a dream date
is the perfect vacation with my Mr. Wonderful.
While at dinner at a restaurant,
I asked, “Honey, I’m doing this piece on dream dates, and I was wondering—what’s
yours?”
“With whom? Or what?”
“With whom?” I was incredulous.
“Yeah. Do you mean from my bucket
list of famous people I want to meet? Like Sally Fields or Bonnie Raitt. Or do
you mean a “what” kind of thing? Like sky diving.”
That was an eye-opener for me. He’s
still my Mr. Wonderful. While we haven’t decided where we’ll vacation in September,
I know we’ll have a dream time.
Here’s my list of 5 Dream Dates:
1) Today, February 12th, one of my dream dates is happening! Mardi Gras in New Orleans. We’re on Canal
Street shouting at the passing parade floats, “Hey, mista! Throw me some beads!”
2) One dance with Tab Beniot—anywhere,
anytime. A few years back, at a Tab concert, my Mr. Wonderful requested Mr.
Beniot to play, Nice and Warm, and
Mr. Wonderful got Tab’s autograph for me.
3) Dinner at Bobbie Flay’s Mesa
Grill in New York City in December, then a Chris Botti concert at the Blue
Note, with a meet and greet. My birthday is Christmas Eve, so this would also
be a great birthday present. (Hint to Mr. Wonderful.)
4) Christmas
at Yellowstone National Park. The park is magical in the winter. Cross-country
skiing, then curling up by the fireplace with hubby.
5) A convertible drive on the Blue
Ridge Parkway. I used to want a motorcycle trip, but these days, I prefer
comfort over “cool.” In case it rains, a convertible top comes up. This trip would
include picnics along the way and a hike or two in search of a waterfall. The photo
is of the car I want sitting in my driveway.
So, it’s your turn. Tell me,
what’s your dream date?
A note about me: I’m an award-winning writer who loves words. I was born in Biloxi,
Mississippi to an Irish/Cajun father from New Orleans and a Japanese mother. My
husband, Don, is a fifth generation Floridian. We now live in Atlanta with our four-legged
boys, General Beauregard, Gentleman Jack and Masterpiece Renoir. Don and I share
a love of college football, boiled peanuts, seafood, and grits with eggs.
My debut novel, Bayou Born,
is now available on Amazon.
Please visit me at www.linda-joyce.com or at my blog: Linda Joyce Contemplates: www.lindajoycecontemplates.wordpress.com
**ONE COMMENTER WILL WIN SPECIAL BLING FROM THE FRENCH QUARTER -- COURTESY OF LINDA JOYCE! THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT THE TOP OF THIS POST ON WEDNESDAY, 2/13/13. CHECK BACK TO SEE IF YOU'RE THE LUCKY ONE!
Posts
24 comments:
Good morning, Joyce!
February 12, 2013 at 8:30 AMWe are thrilled you joined us today. Thank you for taking time away from the fabulous Mardi Party to chat with us and share your top five dream dates. :)
Dinner at Bobby Flay's...Mmm...
Love the title, Bayou Born, and Branna sounds like an intriguing character!
Linda,
February 12, 2013 at 8:38 AMI figured Tab would be in there, somewhere. The Five ladies are great. Have fun out there.
Ginny Lynn
Yay, Linda! I'm so happy you're here with us and I adore both your personal story and the marvelous dates. Pictures of the boys on FB very soon, if you please. And why did I think you lived in Oklahoma right now? Where the snow did I get that??? Laissez le bon temps rouler, ma belle amie!
February 12, 2013 at 9:11 AMCheryl,
February 12, 2013 at 11:11 AMThank you for having me. I love hanging out with such wonderful writers and chatting with readers.
Zulu is rolling by right now. In a couple of hours, Krewe of Rex will appear.
Will be checking back in a little while to say, "hi!"
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
Ginny Lynn,
February 12, 2013 at 11:15 AMTab made a DVD about the loss of the wetlands in southern Louisiana. He lost his home in Hurricane Katrina and was on the road touring. He couldn't get back for more than two weeks.
Yes, of course Tab would be in my list. :-)
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
Maggie,
February 12, 2013 at 11:23 AMHmm, me from Oklahoma? Been there. Have been to the OWFI (Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc) conference several times- BTW it's a Great conference - but never lived there. I have wonderful friend who lives in Tulsa...
Tomorrow, I'm going to have a meal with a long time friend of my grandmothers - Gladys. She has moved back into her home, raised much higher from the ground than before. When I was 10 and lived in Japan, I took Japanese Doll making classes. I made a doll for my grandmother, which I inherited when she died. I'm taking that doll to Miss Gladys.
Tell me one of your dream dates!
smiles,
Linda Joyce
Hi Linda! My husband wants to do the river cruise thing in Europe. Of course, he'd first have to conquer his fear of flying to get there... lol But a dream date, huh? Eat at a Food Network celeb's restaurant in New York then take in a Broadway show. Or dine at Victoria and Albert's in Walt Disney World :-)
February 12, 2013 at 11:44 AMI love your idea of Bobby Flay's and a Chris Botti concert later - sounds romantic!
February 12, 2013 at 12:38 PMSandra,
February 12, 2013 at 12:39 PMCool! Let's go to NY with our dates together! The last time I was in NY, it's been a while, I saw Lou Diamond Phillips in The King and I...of course, he's becoming a celeb chef now. :-)
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
OMG, The King and I is one of my all time favorites! :-)
February 12, 2013 at 12:45 PMNo fair, I already did five :-) However, one that didn't quite make the cut is an Autumn drive through upper New England with stops at the Ben & Jerry's factory, a killer restaurant on the Maine coast for chowder, and a New Hampshire Maple farm for homemade Maple candies and cheese :-)
February 12, 2013 at 12:47 PMMaggie,
February 12, 2013 at 1:03 PMAny restaurant in Maine that serves lobster is a favorite of mine. When Mr. Wonderful and I went a few years ago, he ate lobster three meals a day!
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
Wonderful interview, Linda. Your interviews are always interesting!
February 12, 2013 at 1:39 PMDream dates. How fun! Let's see.
A moonlit picnic on Sunset Beach on Oahu.
Hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti.
A weekend at a winery in Napa Valley.
Trout fishing in Scotland.
Russian Tea Room and a Broadway Show.
Oooooh. I wanna do the Napa Valley one!
February 12, 2013 at 2:19 PMPamela,
February 12, 2013 at 3:35 PMAs much as I LOVE Tab- THE best concert I've ever been to was Chris Botti's. I'm hoping that maybe this year, since my birthday is Christmas Eve, I'll get an early Birthday Present- Chris Botti tickets. :-)
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
Claire,
February 12, 2013 at 3:36 PMI'm going to have to add Hot Air Ballon Ride to my list. :-)
Thank you for sharing your Dream Dates.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
Jink Willis said she tried to post but had connection problems.
February 12, 2013 at 3:39 PMher list:
I tried to post but wasn't able, not logged in or something. They would ALL be cruising the lake on eagle hunts, climbing the hills with my dogs, chasing a flock of mud ducks through the water's edge, grilling catfish by the boathouse, all with my side kick, Wildman.
Miss Jinks,
The greatest pleasures in life can be those close to home and closest to the heart.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
Great ideas...I'd love a trip the Bobby Flays in NY! My hubby would too! Would love to see pictures of the pups as well! Dogs rule! KIM
February 12, 2013 at 4:25 PMKim Turner,
February 12, 2013 at 4:39 PMI mean, it just can't get any better than Flay Food, right?
As for pups, check me out on facebook, I'll post some there.
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
Hi Linda! I loved the post. Mr. Wonderful sounds like a great guy.
February 12, 2013 at 10:40 PMThe convertible ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I miss the south, but visit often. (I'm in New York)
I have so many dream dates floating around in my imagination.(I'm posting a few on this blog soon, but I'll add one more.)
How about a cross-country trip with my man? We'd stop at Mom and Pop diners, old-timey ice cream shops and even find a drive through movie in a tiny town. Yeah...that sounds like a dream.
Linda,
February 12, 2013 at 11:12 PMOkay, I finally did it. My 5 dream dates are
1.) A romantic dinner at Tarrant's in downtown Richmond VA complete with pizza (the best in the city!) and a bottle of Meomi Pinot Noir, my absolute favorite.
2.) A picnic on the beach followed by a night in a beach house that has it's own private pool. I'm not going to elaborate, just notice where I said "private".
3.) Candlelight couples yoga followed by a walk in a big beautiful park and yummy green smoothies.
4.) A dream concert together, someone we both enjoy, in a big city. For me, the ultimate would be either Neutral Milk Hotel or Ugly Cassanova, because neither one is together anymore. Afterward, we could grab drinks and walk the streets together, reliving the beauty of it all in fevered conversation.
5.) A stay on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland complete with kayaking and a visit to the famous lion fountain I can't recall the name of at the moment.
Jenn
Look at all these amazing ideas! Well down, y'all and many thanks for stopping by to see us. Linda, je t'adore!
February 12, 2013 at 11:35 PMJ.M.,
February 13, 2013 at 11:00 PMWhat I like about your dream date- cross-country travel - is that in small town USA you always discover the generosity of strangers. :-) I made a trip once, pre-Mr. Wonderful, with my BFF. We went from Jacksonville, FL to Phoneix, AZ. Boy do I have some stories to tell from that trip!
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
Jenn,
February 13, 2013 at 11:04 PMI'm getting to this a bit late, my apologies, however, I really appreciate your thoughtfulness in collecting your ideas for your Dream Dates. They sound quite romantic. :-)
AND, Congrats! I see from the announcement above that you WON!
I have a wonderful package that will come your way as soon as I get home. (PS We do need a physical address for me to ship the package to you. :-) )
Smiles,
Linda Joyce
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