Traver Diary!
When I'm not in clinic, I'm usually somewhere with good light and worse Wi-Fi. A few places that left a mark and the small, ordinary moments I keep coming back to.
New Orleans / LA · US
29.9511° N, 90.0715° W — May 2026Amy and Allison hosted our annual reunion over Mother's Day weekend, right in the city of my birth. Days blurred into antique shops, second helpings, and jazz drifting through every street. Best of all was catching up with The Club, like no time had passed. If you're ever wandering the Quarter, save room, you'll want to eat more than once.
- ANTIQUE HUNTING IN THE FRENCH QUARTER
- JAZZ DRIFTING DOWN EVERY STREET
- CROISSANTS THAT RUINED ME FOREVER
Washington / DC · US
38.9072° N, 77.0369° W — April 2026Mark and I marked our 32nd anniversary visiting our oldest daughter, Jacquelyn, in DC. We ended the evening at The View, overlooking the White House at sunset!! worth the reservation if you're ever in the city for golden hour.
- SUNSET AT THE VIEW
- 32 YEARS CELEBRATED!
Fort Worth / TX · US
32.7555° N, 97.3308° W — March 2026A quick staycation to see Caroline's brand-new apartment turned into one of our favorite weekends — capped off with brunch at Hotel Drover in the Stockyards. If you're ever in Fort Worth, put it on the list; it's worth the wait for a table.
- CAROLINE'S NEW APARTMENT
- BRUNCH AT HOTEL DROVER
- A WEEKEND IN THE STOCKYARDS
New York City / NY · US
40.7128° N, 74.0060° W — December 2025Caroline, Mark, and I flew in while Jacquelyn took the train down from DC. We window-shopped, dined, and braved freezing temperatures for a few Broadway shows, and got our White Christmas after all.
- BROADWAY IN THE FREEZING COLD
- A SURPRISE WHITE CHRISTMAS
- THE WHOLE FAMILY TOGETHER
Lake Charles / LA · US
30.2266° N, 93.2174° W — November 2025A fast but unforgettable trip to see Ben and Kim Lay, joined by my stepmom, Carol Dodson. We cruised Ben's boat to the casino for Mexican food, then found a new spot in town serving Louisiana-style cuisine — worth seeking out if you're ever passing through. One last brunch before leaving, of course, chasing down the best deal in town.
- A DAY OUT ON BEN'S BOAT
- LOUISIANA COOKING AT A NEW SPOT
Albuquerque, / NM · US
35.0844° N, 106.6504° W — October 2025The Balloon Festival had been on my bucket list forever, and this year Texas Derm finally lined up with it. It was everything I'd imagined — thanks in no small part to our wonderful Airbnb hosts. If a bucket-list trip is on your mind, let this be the nudge to book it.
- THE ALBUQUERQUE BALLOON FESTIVAL
- A LONG-AWAITED BUCKET-LIST TRIP
Napa & Sonoma / CA · US
38.2975° N, 122.2869° W — September 2025Four glorious days sipping wine and tasting our way through Napa and Sonoma, staying in the coziest Airbnb. Alpha Omega stole the show this time — if you only have time for one tasting room, make it that one. Already counting down to going back in 2026. Caption: golden hour at Alpha Omega
- FOUR DAYS AMONG THE VINEYARDS
- ALPHA OMEGA, OUR NEW FAVORITE
- ALREADY PLANNING A RETURN IN 2026
Hawaii (Big Island & Honolulu) / US
0.0000° N · 0.0000° E — 2025A trip to celebrate both of my daughters' upcoming graduations. We swam with sting rays and zip-lined on the Big Island, then flew to Honolulu for the day to swim with sea turtles and visit Pearl Harbor — a must if you're ever on the island, even just for an afternoon.
- SWIMMING WITH STING RAYS
- ZIP-LINING ACROSS THE BIG ISLAND
- SEA TURTLES AND PEARL HARBOR IN HONOLULU
Austin / TX · US
30.2672° N, 97.7431° W — February 2025Jacquelyn and Caroline ran their first-ever half marathon in the middle of a freezing Austin February. We rode the Vonlane bus down, cheered them across the finish line, and celebrated after at Matt's El Rancho Grande — non-negotiable if you're ever in Austin.
- THEIR FIRST HALF MARATHON
- CARB-LOADING THE NIGHT BEFORE
Washington, DC / US
38.9072° N, 77.0369° W — 2025A special trip back to see Jacquelyn, timed around Mark's birthday. We even got to tour the White House — a magnificent weekend, and one we never tire of.
- HIGHLIGHT ONE
- HIGHLIGHT TWO
Washington, DC / US
0.0000° N · 0.0000° E — 2025Washington Mardi Gras, celebrated with Kim Lay and my stepmom, Carol, always falls two weeks ahead of New Orleans' own. DC brings in chefs, musicians, and even king cakes shipped in from Louisiana — worth catching if you're ever in town this time of year. Festivities close out Saturday night with a live parade inside the Hilton ballroom.
- CHEFS AND KING CAKES FROM LOUISIANA
- A PARADE INSIDE THE HILTON BALLROOM
- WASHINGTON MARDI GRAS WITH KIM AND CAROL