New Orleans, here we come...if we can find the hotel!

Travelers, make a note! New Orleans is a big city and it seems like there is a Marriott Hotel in every neighborhood. Chris says that if you are driving into the city, plan to take a taxi, or even if you're on a bus, you need to know exactly WHICH Marriott is your destination.

Your GPS could easily get confused!

In our case, it's the Marriott Convention Center, on Convention Center Boulevard. Technically, it is in what is called the Warehouse District, part of Downtown New Orleans. If you have friends visiting you, you can say it is near the Riverwalk and Convention Center and they should know the area.

It's a good idea to load the hotel phone number (504-613-2888) in your cell phone before you leave home. But you knew that!

You Might Never Unfold Your Marriott Dinner Napkin

Ellen and Chris, our intrepid advance team, have landed in New Orleans, and report that the hotel restaurant, Wolfe's, has great fish!

But Chris just can't stop raving about Tyrone. And after watching the video, neither can I.

Tyrone is the king of napkin folding, and he works right at our Marriott. I don't think I could possibly unfold a fleur de lis dinner napkin, could you?

Watch the video and look for Tyrone's handiwork at the hotel!

A side note from Chris:

Ellen and I had dinner at Wolfe's tonight and Tyrone was our waiter. Everything he recommended we loved. I asked him if one of the 723 napkin folds he does was a horse. No, to do a horse requires several tablecloths and several hours using a folding technique known as ruffling.

How Will You Blog, Twitter, Email, and Keep Up with Facebook from New Orleans? Let Me Count the Ways...

If you're like me, you're wondering if it's worth it to lug a laptop all the way to New Orleans, since the schedule is packed with activities that leave little time for the work you know you should also lug down there.

And with the weight restrictions for baggage on most airlines, you could probably use the room in your carry-on that your laptop would take.

But can you really go for four days without checking email...without posting your updates on Facebook...without Twittering about your feasts of beignets and crawfish and etoufee?

Maybe you lined up for a new iPhone today, or you've mastered your Blackberry and can do everything you need with your handheld, but chances are that most of us will have laptops. So then what?

Every hotel is different, so I checked today with the Marriott. The rooms have wired Internet service, which means that you have to physically plug an Ethernet jack into your laptop. And when you do, the Marriott will charge you $14.95 per day; however, Chris worked some wonders and AHP Members who are guests at the hotel will receive a discounted charge of $10.00 per day.

What about wireless? The hotel has wireless service in the lobby. PLUS AHP Members will have complimentary wireless access in the Resource Center on Friday and Saturday.

If you don't want to bring a computer but need to work on something, there is also a business center on second floor, with a printer. That computer costs $5 per minute, plus a per page printing fee.

A few blocks down Convention Center Boulevard, there's a Fed Ex Kinkos Office Center, where you can use a computer station for 20 cents a minute. Kinkos is open until 9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, until 6 p.m. on Saturday, and has all the usual printing and binding and color services. The person on the phone was quite friendly and helpful; if you have questions, you can call them at (504) 585-5750.

The convention center is not all-wireless, as some convention facilities are around the country. I did check that out. An interesting tidbit of information I learned is that we will be coming to town just as the dry cleaning convention is leaving.

Shouldn't they be coming in after us?