At All Roads North, we believe that a place is nothing without its people. So often, when we ask our clients the most memorable parts of their journey, it’s not the Instagram-worthy landscape or acclaimed hotel that they mention, it’s the encounters they had along the way.  That’s why our trips are carefully designed to make those connections, providing you with an authentic and immersive experience. These experiences– whether it be with a local craftsman, musician, chef or marine biologist– are the inspiration for our Connections series, where we talk to friends of All Roads North to get an insider’s look at some of our favorite places across the U.S.

Tell us about your New Orleans story?

The first time I visited New Orleans was during Carnival, 1984. My mom came for a work conference so I tagged along. I was 20 years old, in college and had just started working on clarinet. I remember hearing a band in Jackson Square and the music really got under my skin because there was nothing electric, it was all coming straight out of the instruments and hitting my body. 

I came back for JazzFest in 1987 and ’88 and the second time I lucked into a house-sitting situation. Went home, got my clarinet, my bike, some clothes and about $100. Came back, got a restaurant job and started house sitting everywhere I could. Started Panorama Jazz Band with a couple friends to play a wedding in 1995.  It has gradually evolved into 2 bands (the other is a marching band, Panorama BRASS Band) plus a bunch of recordings under the name PanoramaLand (Check out our song-of-the-month club Good Music For You on BandCamp.com). We play every 1st, 3rd (and occasional 5th) Saturday of the month at The Spotted Cat Music Club, 623 Frenchmen St.

Ben Schenck on the clarinet

What’s something that New Orleans does better than anywhere else?  

Celebrate.

What major New Orleans attraction lives up to the hype?  

A real neighborhood second-line. There’s nothing else like it anywhere.

A New Orleans Second Line

What’s your favorite neighborhood to wander? 

I do wander around uptown with my dog a fair amount but I still love the Bywater. It has gentrified quite a bit since I lived down there in the 90s. It’s less authentic, less working-class, but spiffier and still very charming.

Underrated in New Orleans, overrated in New Orleans, personal favorite, and recent discovery?  

Underrated – the parks, the live oaks; Overrated – most of the tourist traps in the French Quarter; Personal favorite just riding my bike around a pretty day. Dropping in on friends. Recent discovery – A tiny Indian restaurant in Algiers called Plume. Unreal tastes.

What’s your Sunday morning in New Orleans?  

Lately, the New York Times with breakfast and green tea followed by meeting for worship at the Friends Meeting of New Orleans (I’m a Quaker).

What restaurant do you take friends from out of town for dinner, a casual local’s favorite, and a weekend brunch? 

Dinner: High Hat Cafe on Freret St. Casual local’s favorite: Sarita’s Latin Fusion: they’re like family over there. Weekend brunch: my house!

Where do you go to get into nature? 

New Orleans City Park

In City Park, some of the golf courses went to seed after Hurricane Katrina. So there are these wild, overgrown spaces with little sidewalks running through them. There’s also a disc golf course nearby and I like that.

What are the best places to hear live music in New Orleans? 

I can vouch for Frenchmen St. It can be hit-or-miss but you can sometimes catch a great band having a good night with an attentive, appreciative audience and you’ll never forget that.

The post Connections: New Orleans with Jazz Musician Ben Schenck appeared first on All Roads North.

Mendocino in November

Mendocino is the lesser-known wine region in California north of Napa and Sonoma Valley. Its coastline is rugged and its atmosphere less refined than its highfalutin neighbors. November is the perfect time to visit to cash in on peak mushroom and crab season as well as the last of the season’s beautiful fall foliage. Plus, there’s no cozier setting to enjoy the last of autumn than amongst the misty ancient redwoods the area is famous for.

In early November, the Feast Mendocino celebrates Mendocino’s mushrooms, with lots of local wine involved in the festivities as well. Dungeness crab season typically begins in mid-November as the temperatures drop. It’s the perfect time to set out on the Pacific with a local crabber to catch your own fresh seafood.

Mendocino Weather in November

Sample Itinerary: Sonoma and Mendocino: A Farm to Table Road Trip

Death Valley in November

Death Valley is the hottest place in North America, with temperatures reaching upwards of 115 degrees Fahrenheit in summer. However in November, it’s the perfect destination to get some late autumn sun at much more pleasant temperatures in the 70’s. It’s the perfect opportunity to explore everything this California national park has to offer– towering sand dunes, sparkling white salt flats and rainbow-streaked, craggy mountains.

Since the summer monsoon season is past, the clear skies make for ideal stargazing in the Gold Tier Dark Sky Park. Plus, the camping season and Ranger Programs start up in the fall so you’ll have plenty of options for activities.

Death Valley Weather in November

New Orleans in November

November is the perfect sweet spot to experience New Orleans during good weather, less crowds and decked out for the holidays. New Orleans is a city known for its zest for life. The Cajun flavors pack a punch, music spills out from jazz bars into the streets and no city throws a better party. However, Louisiana summers are hot and muggy and Mardi Gras in the spring packs the city with tourists.

In November, you’ll find much cooler weather (although still warm) and there are plenty of lesser-known festivals going on. From the Bayou Bacchanal celebrating Caribbean culture in the city to the Fête des Fromages celebrating the area’s French influence, there is a wide range of cultural influences at play in New Orleans– make sure to come hungry. For football-fans, you’ll feel right at home in the enthusiastic football culture. The Bayou Classic is a highly-anticipated game that happens every Thanksgiving weekend.

New Orleans Weather in November

Sample Itinerary: The Best of New Orleans and Cajun Country

Check Out The Other Posts in Our Series Below:

• Best Places to Visit in the USA – Month by Month
• January
• June
• October

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