I hadn’t planned on spending New Year’s anywhere other than my home in Florida; but when Kansas State won the Big XII Conference Championship (as previously detailed here), it caused K-State to receive an invitation to the 89th annual Sugar Bowl in New Orleans against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

After checking with a few friends who already had New Year’s plans of their own, I decided to make the trip solo, under one condition: Win or lose, my trip was going to be fabulous!

And although the trip had its ups and downs, I dare say that’s exactly what happened.

First, Southwest Airlines canceled my flight into New Orleans, and I was a bit concerned they wouldn’t be back to normal operations in time to honor my flight home. Luckily for me, I found a reasonable fare flying American Airlines into Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport and out of Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, planning to Uber my way back and forth to New Orleans. However, my good fortune found a pair of sisters, fellow K-State fans, in the same predicament who offered to give me a ride from Mississippi while I kept them awake until checking into our respective hotels at 1:30 a.m.

Seeing the weather ahead of time, I dug into the depths of my closet to find my sorority windbreaker from 1994. For reasons unbeknownst to me, I’ve kept that windbreaker all these years, and I knew it would be perfect for wintertime in cloudy and foggy New Orleans. I loved pulling out this “vintage jacket” — it made me giggle the entire three days I wore it.

Turns out it was the perfect attire for the Sugar Bowl Parade, where I had pre-arranged to ride the K-State float and throw out purple beads while cruising through the French Quarter. It was the most incredible experience — seeing fans raise their hands, making eye contact and, without words, ask for a round of beads to be thrown their way. I laughed and squealed with delight across the entire route. Even after the float was parked and the parade was over, I continued to throw out beads from the top of the double-decker float. Such extraordinary fun and a fabulous memory!

Over the three days in town, I bumped into old friends and made new ones. I love how bowl games automatically connect people with such unexpected ease.

I stayed at Holiday Inn Superdome Downtown, an amazing location within walking distance of the big game. I also had a balcony overlooking a portion of the city skyline and a fantastic view from the 14th floor. Inside the Holiday Inn, I found Clarinet Bistreaux with breakfast, lunch and dinner options. On game day I enjoyed a creole shrimp Benedict with spinach and artichokes atop a homemade biscuit, and a spicy bloody Mary to kick off my football morning.

Kansas State led early against Alabama (as I cried happy tears of disbelief) before the Crimson Tide put their foot on the gas and never looked back. Within a matter of minutes between the end of the first half and beginning of the second half, my misty eyes of disbelief were replaced with speechless dismay. ‘Bama is the real deal and unabashedly took my alma mater to the woodshed.

Finally, my New Year’s Eve meal was at Josephine Estelle, a lovely restaurant inside Ace Hotel. I enjoyed a simple dinner of Brussels sprouts with bacon jam, homemade canestri and the lightest white chocolate dessert with grapefruit Champagne granita. While enjoying my meal, I was seated next to a family who appeared to be meeting their daughter’s boyfriend for the first time. Normally, this wouldn’t be of much interest to me, but the boyfriend was wearing his Kansas State team football sweats, and the conversation was about several players on the team. Admittedly, I was eavesdropping quite a bit. But in those moments, I realized my trip to New Orleans was exactly as I’d decided it would be … 100 percent fabulous.

— Carrie Cox, account executive