Field Trips Galore

Field trips seem to be a reoccurring event for the interns at Keating Magee this summer. As much as I like being in the office, it is also such a privilege to be asked to visit a client or attend a seminar as a representative for the company. The past week I have felt like I'm back in third grade, when I would wake up with butterflies in my stomach due to the excitement that I felt about the upcoming field trip.

Speaking of butterflies...

There are some things that I personally believe you can never get too old to enjoy. Attending the Butterfly Tea at Le Salon is one of them. The Windsor Court Hotel and Audubon Nature Institute teamed up for the second year in a row to a host a tea catering to children and adults alike. Special guests included live butterflies in special terrariums at every table. Seeing the children's faces light up as they realized they had actual butterflies at the table was something that I'll remember most from the day. As I watched them press their little faces against the temporary homes and listened to them try to talk to the colorful insects, I knew that this was an event that they would treasure.

The staff members from Audubon Nature Institute were beyond friendly when it came to answering the children's questions and explaining the displays of butterflies they had featured around Le Salon. The Windsor Court Hotel was more than accommodating to the guests and spoke to the children in a such an exciting tone that I am sure the kids felt they were the most important people in the hotel. It's not everyday that you see a luxury hotel open up its doors to large amounts of babies, toddlers and young kids. Just another example of New Orleans hospitality.

And speaking of hospitality...

This morning Behn, Lindsay and I attended The Hospitality and Tourism Industry: Future Planning with a Panel of National Experts. It was so interesting to hear how New Orleans ranks in comparison to national tourism rates. Needless to say, NOLA is the place to be!

Until next time,

Caroline

The Perks of Being an Intern

This past weekend I got to experience some of the better moments of intern life, getting an inside view at some fabulous events that I otherwise would have never had a chance to attend - Butterfly Tea at Le Salon and the Jade Absinthe Launch (part of Tales of the Cocktail). I did countless mini-projects for both of these events, so getting to attend them was extra gratifying. I got to see my work come to fruition and got to see yet another slice of New Orleans lifestyle I hadn't seen before.











Butterfly Tea
While I'm not exactly in the target demographic for Butterfly Tea, I find it hard to believe that anyone wouldn't like this event. The Audubon Nature Institute partnered with The Windsor Court to create three afternoon Tea seatings, featuring butterflies from the Audubon Insectarium. The tables, the butterfly set-ups, even the sandwiches were so elegant - the amateur photographer in me had to take advantage (as you can see). The event went well overall, but it made for a busy day and I went home a little more tired than usual.

Jade Absinthe Launch
In my four years here, I have never managed to attend a Tales of the Cocktail event. My August birthday meant that this would be my first and last opportunity to see this much anticipated festival - but my empty wallet also reminded me that it probably wasn't going to happen. Luckily, the Windsor Court, one of KM's clients, hosted an event and I was sent to help out and take some pictures. The event was definitely worth the wait. Ted Breaux (left), creator of Jade Absinthe, put on a great show and I really enjoyed meeting him and learning about the product. Absinthe has seen a comeback in the US, and this high-end line is crafted by Breaux himself. The absinthe cocktail samples were delicious and the crowd was VERY interesting. While acting as impromptu "bouncer" I met several interesting people like the President of the Absinthe History Museum, the owner of Pirate's Alley, a few media personnel and some other notables.
All-in-all I would say it was a great weekend to be an intern in NOLA.