New Orleans Day 2 Part 2

After a shower I spent the rest of the day walking up and down the French Quarter.  Since taking up casual photography I've started to love exploring - taking in sights and sounds and people.  I don't feel the slightest bit alone or uncomfortable when I have my camera.  Of course I missed having my dear friend Alonzo with me :).  What can you do?  When you have to work, you have to work.  This is what I saw...

The guy standing next to me says, "that's what drugs will do to you."  Wowza!

This guy had a sweet bike.  Too bad I didn't get a better angle on it.

Royal St

Cafe du Monde

I ate here twice in one day.  Once by myself and again that night because Alonzo was a little upset with me for going without him.  It's alright, I didn't mind going twice :).  I was such a fattie that day!

This is heaven on a plate...

I got some funny looks while taking pictures of my beignets and cafe au lait.

Then a woman at the table next to me asked if she could take a picture of mine because she had already eaten hers.  I said, "of course!"

I win.

The French Market

I watched these guys for a while.  They were really good and the lead singer was super-animated.

He also sang to me.  "I'd marry you...but yo feet too big!"  hahaha!  He said the same thing to another woman too.  It was funny.  I was wearing my riding boots...

An example of parenting at it's finest.  The owner of this child was standing directly over her as she rolled around in this puddle of god-only-knows-what.  If I had to title this photo it would be "Little Suzy gets Spinal Meningitis."

I ran into this guy on an otherwise empty street.  As he passed he said, "Nice boots".  I said, "Hey you too!"  I'm so damn witty I can't stand it!

I loved this band's look.

Alonzo, you were right, Bourbon St is pretty darn terrifying in the daylight.

Who dat say they gonna beat them Saints?!

Today...

I'm an intelligent girl, but lately I've made choices and repeatedly put myself in situations that have left me feeling empty and alone.  The really shitty part (excuse my language) is that I know, full well, what the outcome of these choices will be, and for some stupid reason I continue to make them anyway.  Afterward - when I'm beating my head against the wall - I imagine how, if I had a friend in my situation, I would probably slap her and tell her to wake up and take her finger off the self-destruct button!  

I like to say that life is short not to take risks, but it's also too make choices that leave me feeling the way I feel right now.     

So here is a public promise to myself.  I will listen to that little voice inside my head.  The one that's screaming at me every time I think about doing something stupid.  It's a smart voice.  

My sister-in-law had this posted as her facebook status and even though I'm not exactly religious it made me feel slightly better.

"In life, God does not give you the people you want. He gives you the people you need; to teach you, to hurt you, to love you, to make you laugh.. to make you exactly the person you should be."

Good grief

Why is it that everything I love costs $200???

No fair...I can't justify these...at least not in March...

and this...marc by marc jacobs sweater dress...I can't justify buying a sweater dress in March in South Carolina either.

New Orleans Day 2 Part 1

Saturday March 6.

I wanted exercise and Alonzo told me that I could run down the middle of the street car tracks on Canal St down to City Park where there were some good photo opportunities.  He said it was about 2 miles.  So I strapped on my 10lbs of camera and started running, and running, and running, and about 4 miles later I finally reached City Park.  (I just looked it up on google maps and it was exactly 3.8 miles.) 

He was right about the photo ops.  There were three cemeteries and the Katrina Memorial, and I spent about an hour and a half walking around.  There was a time when I would have been too chicken to explore a cemetery alone, but it was actually pretty relaxing.  

The street cars weren't moving when I was ready to leave so I started running again.  Eventually one stopped near me and rode it the rest of the way back to the apartment.  The driver said to me, "If I could run as fast as you I wouldn't need to ride the street car!"  I told him, "You would if you just ran 4 miles with 10 pounds of camera on your back."  He laughed at me.  I am so funny.

I liked this fountain...

That was Saturday morning.  I'll post the rest later.

New Orleans Day 1

This weekend I went to New Orleans to visit a friend.  NOLA is officially on my list of favorite cities (and not because of Bourbon St either).  My host was equally awesome and we had an action-packed weekend of fun (and lots of food).

This is the view from Alonzo's balcony.  He lives 2 blocks from the French Quarter...amazing.

I got off the plane and we went here for lunch.  I wish I had a picture of the burger I ate, but you can see it on the website.  Apparently Port of Call is famous with the locals, which became evident as we ate and more and more people packed into the tiny bar area, and the bartender said things like, "the usual?" to the guy who sat down next to me.  I think his usual was a gin and tonic and a cheeseburger, but I could be mistaken. 

After our huge lunch we decided we needed a walk.  

So we walked around the French Quarter and saw...

...cool graffiti... 

Beautiful buildings with amazing ironwork balconies...

...and an awesome street magician named Alexander, who was also pretty witty and funny.  He asked little girl on the right (coincidentally named Nola, weird) to help him with his "grand finale".  She was not very enthused about this.  Note the crossed arms and the fierce gaze.  (Do not mess with this child.)

And we saw some unusual porch decor.  (that's a mannequin, not a person)

Then I got to accompany Alonzo and his assistant, Ann, on a business trip to a local costume shop.  (He has the best life.)  I probably could have spent days in this place trying on crazy costumes.  

Out of respect for the show I didn't take any pictures, but I got to see the costume department and meet the ladies behind some seriously intricate costumes.  I was amazed.

By the way, the show my friend is working on is called "Treme" and it will begin airing on HBO in April.  WATCH IT.  

I pretty much fell in love with this dress.

The detail was incredible.

Then we went back to the apartment to get ready for dinner.
We went to Luke (even though it was booked and we didn't have a reservation) he called the hostess and she was able to get him his favorite table.  One day maybe I'll be as important as Alonzo...
This was honestly some of the best food I've ever eaten.  Because of this restaurant, oysters and I are friends again.

Then we met up with his cousin and went to Bourbon Street for some good, old fashioned naughtiness.  Not really.  We saw some boys dance in their underwear and each had 2 drinks and were so stuffed from dinner we decided to call it a night.  (I had been up since 4 a.m.)  On the way back to his apartment we walked the length of Bourbon Street and watched the crazies fall all over themselves.  It gave me great satisfaction to know that I was well in control of my mind and body when everyone around me was clearly NOT.  

So that's day 1.  Whew.  I'm exhausted just from the recap. 

Stay tuned for day 2.