New Orleans, Louis Duncan's Legacy, Peruvian Food, Carnival Scents & More: Endnotes 15 September

Every Friday, we celebrate the weekend — and all the reading and relaxing and daydreaming time ahead — with Melissa's favorite book- and travel-related links of the week. Why work when you can read fun stuff?!

This post is part of our Endnotes series.

New Orleans is best known for its French Quarter and the action on Bourbon Street. But there’s so much to enjoy away from the hubbub; here are Thrillist’s 10 must-visit spots outside of the French Quarter. Today, we’re advocating for the Garden District. As you can see in the photo above, it’s soothingly leafy and sun-dappled. The streets are lined with stunning mansions from the mid-1800s featuring Gothic Revival, Colonials, Georgian, Victorian, and Greek Revival architecture. You can ride a streetcar — rumbling along the avenues for about 150 years — or take a walking tour of the neighborhood. Don’t miss the Buckner Mansion or the Commander’s Palace, a mansion-turned-restaurant that’s won seven James Beard Awards and serves up ‘Haute Creole cuisine and whimsical Louisiana charm.’

• Forget everything you think you know about the phrase ‘goody two-shoes.’ The first English children’s novel — The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes — ‘told the tale of a bold heroine who forged her own path.’ Smithsonian has the story.

• You probably know from our podcast episode about circuses that I love whimsical costumes and feats of derring-do. Look at these adorable carnival-inspired candles that smell like cotton candy, caramel popcorn, and chocolate waffle cones.

• In the book Bunnicula, a young boy has permission to stay up on Friday nights as late as he wants, reading and eating snacks. I think about that a lot. Here are some ideas for quick-to-make snacks and cocktails to go along with your Friday night reading.

• Oooh! Side-by-side photos of international spots, then and now.

• I could not resist this headline: How an Evil Sea Captain and a Beloved Queen Made the World Crave KFC. This story has everything! Hen Fever, a venomous sea snake, gold, Charles Darwin, and more.

• This is so cute!

• Lois Duncan’s Down a Dark Hall has long been one of my favorite books for Spooky Season, but I haven’t read her other books. This piece from Crime Reads has me interested in reading more of her work. ‘Lois Duncan’s horror and suspense books for young adults served as roadmaps to growing up, surviving trauma, and becoming our true selves.’

• I will never tire of gazing at 20 of the world’s most stunning libraries.

• Lit Where You Eat: Authors Who Work as Booksellers.

• I wish we had one of these in the Prague metro:

• An ode to the comic strip Spy vs. Spy. ‘This is the essence of Spy vs. Spy: delightfully stupid without ever being mean, delightfully simple without ever being dumb.’

• If you’ve heard our podcast episode about Peru, you know that Peruvian cuisine has a strong Chinese influence. It’s deliciously evident in the recipe for chaufa, Peruvian fried rice. Get the story here and the recipe here. (gift links)

• Another ‘gotta click it’ headline: The Smallest House in Britain Is Just 72 Inches Wide. (BTW, it’s also adorable.)

New Episode of The Library of Lost Time

In each mini-podcast episode, we discuss two books at the top of our TBR, then share a fun book- or travel-related distraction. Get all the episodes and books galore here.

In this episode, we get excited about two books: Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison and The Tao of the Backup Catcher: Playing Baseball for the Love of the Game by Tim Brown and Erik Kratz. Then Andrew, from the (excellent) Overdue Podcast, makes his case for the Amazon adaptation of The Wheel of Time. [transcript]

Links

• Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison

• Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison

• Hear Dave talk about Rachel Harrison’s book Such Sharp Teeth

• The Tao of the Backup Catcher: Playing Baseball for the Love of the Game by Tim Brown and Erik Kratz

• Rollergirl: Totally True Tales From The Track by Melissa Joulwan

We’re delighted to have Andrew, co-host of the Overdue Podcast, as our guest to share his ‘Distraction of the Week.

• 10 Reasons Why The Wheel Of Time Has Been Hailed As A Masterpiece

• How to Read The Wheel of Time Books in Order

• What to Know About The Wheel of Time Books Before Watching the Amazon Prime Series

• Video: The Wheel of Time Season 1 trailer

• Video: The Wheel of Time Season 2 trailer

• The Wheel of Time on Amazon

• Listen to the Overdue Podcast

• Twitter: Overdue Podcast, Andrew, Craig

• Overdue episode: Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

• Overdue episode: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

• Overdue episode: Where Are The Children? by Mary Higgins Clark

Try a new-to-you book from the backlist this week!

Top image courtesy of AevanStock/Shutterstock.