Friday, February 28, 2014

NOLA - Day 3

I guess I drunk a bit more than I thought the night before.  I was dragging a bit.  The old folks woke us up (how can they burn the candle at both ends?!) at 8:00AM.  

Sunday

Breakfast...


Took my time getting ready, read the paper, lounged, pooped and then it was time for...

Jazz Brunch...


Muriel's

Muriel's Jackson Square Restaurant.  I had the Louisiana Duck and Chaurice Hash.  Unfortunately, no picture.  It was really good and Hunter was a bit peeved because I left nothing to share.  Also saved room for Muriel's Red Velvet ice Cream Sandwich.  There was a very good trio playing jazz.  Oh, also had two wonderful cocktails...getting into the swing of things...but I have no idea what they were called.

Krewe of Barkus...

Photos: Krewe of Barkus parade in New Orleans

It rained and rained and rained.  Go here for cute pictures.



Another Krewe...




The place was a mess and we were soaking wet.

Guess what time it is?

Tea...

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Nap...


Harmony cat-napping

Happy Hour...

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I am a glutton.

Dinner...


Tommy's Cuisine

Tommy's Cuisine.  I'll be honest, I have no idea what I had.  Red wine?  Yes.  Fried bacon wrap oyster things?  Yep.  And then something else....I do remember I liked it.

Play time...






































Another random act of kindness.  Hunter and I had to separate at the table.  I ended up with  a husband, wife (Wanda), and her mother (Nona - 92) from Florida and Joe (86) from New Orleans.  They did not know one another.  Joe, Wanda, and Nona enjoyed watching the game.  Husband was the only other one playing along with me on our side of the table.  We played for a while.  Wanda gave Joe $30 in chips (her husband was winning) and she and Joe started playing.    The table was hot....yeah!  They ended up with roughly $300 and Joe kept trying to give it back to her and she would only take her $30.  I thought it was very sweet.


Polo Lounge and Bar...

File:Red Wine Glass.jpg

I am now at home, detoxing and resting comfortably.

Great trip! 



Thursday, February 27, 2014

NOLA - Day 2

Day 1 is just below if you need to catch up.

Saturday

Club Level...


We were up and ready to go by 7:00AM.  Didn't want to miss any grazing time.  I tried to get Hunter to sit in that crazy ass chair/sofa (what do you call it?).  He said, "No."  They had all kinds of fruit, cereal, five types of juice, cheeses, charcuterie, oatmeal and hard boiled eggs.  Just a few nibbles before breakfast.

Breakfast...

The Grill Room: Dining Room

Back to The Grill Room...free coupons for breakfast.  Had the Crescent City Egg White Omelet.  They should of called it Butt Load of Mushrooms with a Bit of Egg White.  Good thing I wasn't even hungry.

Jackson Square...

jackson_square






























Well, I had decided to do a few things on my 1001 list while in New Orleans.  So let's get busy.  Found a cartoon guy to do Hunter and my caricature.  He made some comments about how large Hunter's head was that he would do me first so at least I got in the picture.  People started to gather, people started to wince, people asked if I had a good sense of humor, my mother made a very disapproving face, my father raised his eye brows, some young women commented that I was much prettier than that, I started to panic.  Then he drew Hunter.  People smiled, people chuckled, my dad gave a thumb's up.  Then....I got to see it.  NOT HAPPY.  Even the dumbest rock knows to make the chick look good.  Sigh.  And Hunter made me give him a tip too!!

Needless to say, I opted NOT to do the other things I had planned.  No shots for fear of becoming the drunk chick with the tiara on her head, sitting in the gutter, missing a shoe.  No having my palm read for fear of being told I will suffer from anal leakage the rest of my life and never have grandchildren...my two biggest fears.

Curious aren't you?

Ever since I have discovered Bitchy Resting Face, I have told Hunter to stop making that face.  Now I am told by my beloved, "Stop looking like your caricature."  

Now, I am heading to Atlanta to meet up with Ina for lunch.  Any other Atlantans that are up for it, e-mail me, I've got drinks and dinner available:)

So, Ina, this is what you need to look for...I guess:


French Market...


There were so many people we actually lost my mom and dad.  Of course my father refuses to remember to take his phone with him, so we really did lose them...or they ditched us.  Every city I go that has a "market" ends up looking exactly the same.  So we headed to Bourbon Street for art and lunch and drinks.


We got a muffuletta for later.



Lunch...

restaurants now

Green Goddess  Hunter swears it has one of THE best Bloody Mary's.  I had Rolled Uttapam with a spicy sangria.  

t
Tea...

File:Red Wine Glass.jpg

Nap...


Harmony cat-napping

Hunter ate the muffuletta.  Why not?

Happy Hour...

File:Red Wine Glass.jpg


Dinner...

cochon

This time we went to Cochon Restaurant.  Same guy just around the corner.  Need a reservation for both lunch and dinner.  We have a friend who played football with Hunter in high school who lives in  New Orleans.  We have not seen him for over twenty years.  He recently got in touch with Hunter a few months back so we met him and his wife for dinner.  Now Matt doesn't do Facebook so we were not sure if we would recognize him.  

Hunter also works with a guy that goes down to New Orleans four times a year and always brings Hunter a muffuletta from Central Grocery.  He knew we were coming here and got us a bottle of wine, Hunter a double Blantons, and two appetizers.  So sweet.  Dinner was at 7:00PM, left at 11:00PM.  Had lots to talk about.

I had Paneed Pork Cheeks with cauliflower puree & beet relish.  Really Good.


Hunter and Matt

Street Walking...

We opted not to go to Bourbon Street but no matter, the drunks were out and about.  I saw an older man with two young "ladies" stumbling about.  Did see a lady with bottoms and pasties...maybe she was part of a parade?  Since we were successful the night before, we decided to hit Harrah's Casino again.  Maybe we could find my folks.  We enjoy playing Craps.  Word to the wise, when drunk do not gamble.  One man was so drunk he could not even stack his chips let alone place an intelligent bet (is that an oxymoron?)  They were everywhere and Hunter does not have a lot of patience with them. 

Bar...

 
Windsor Court Polo Club & Cocktail Bar

Beats the free swill at the casino.  Met a guy who does wine consulting/food pairing.  Lovely Cajun accent.  He kept feeding us different wines that he and his friends were drinking.  One of his friend's daughter used to baby sit for Johnny Manziel and wanted to know what we thought about Johnny.  This guy's wife was so drunk, she thought we were going to say bad things so she kept yelling across the bar for us to shut up.  Husband kept apologizing for her, but damn if I didn't have to bite my tongue.  Couldn't take it...I want happy drunks.  Off to bed we went.  Made it to 1:00AM.  Can you believe my parents stayed up longer than we did EVERY night?!

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

NOLA - Day 1

I am back from my adventures and am on a diet.  I ate, and ate, and ate.  From the minute I got up until the chocolates on the bed at night, I ate.  I have mega camel toe with my yoga pants because they are stretched soooo tight.  But...it's all worth it!

What we flew...

US Airways A330-200

At 1:00AM the morning we left, a huge storm blew into Knoxville.  Kept me up for roughly an hour.    Huge tree down just past our driveway.  We flew from Knoxville to Charlotte , straight into the storm that hit us.  Then Charlotte to New Orleans, back through the storm.  Ugh.  A bit rough and we were delayed one hour but all in all not bad.

Where we stayed...


The first time we visited New Orleans we stayed here, Windsor Court.  The second time we came to the city, we booked reservations but they kicked us out...something about President Bush and NAFTA being there.  So, this time we tried it again.

Where we slept...

Windsor Court Hotel: New Orleans' Top Luxury Hotel


Hunter's reputation must have proceeded him.  Yep, upgrade!!!  Actually, we booked with AMEX and one of the perks is they upgrade you, if available.  We had a lovely room on the club/concierge level.  They served a continental breakfast, tea, and then evening hors d'oeuvres.  Booze was available from 1:00PM on.  Thankfully, they closed at 9:00PM.  You would have thought we hadn't eaten in weeks.

FRIDAY

Lunch...

Cochon Butcher: Le Pig Mac.... 2 pork patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed

Cochon Butcher's Le Pig Mac.  Grammy had the Cubano, Hunter and Papa Mike had the Muffaletta, and I had that bad boy above with a root beer.  Living Large.  Highly recommend.

Pralines...

Southern Candy Makers
We got to see a tow truck hook up a car just when the owners came out.  That was entertaining.  Lots of begging and pleading and $100 later, the couple got their car.  In all fairness, the tow sign was small and facing the other way.

Krewe of Cork...






And Hunter didn't even have to take his top off!  This started at 1:00PM and people were already drunk...hey, it's the Krewe of Cork.  If you want beads, bring a kid, a cute kid.

Art...




Tea...

File:Red Wine Glass.jpg

Works for me.

Nap...

Harmony cat-napping


Happy Hour...

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Still working.


Dinner...

 

We were just going to wing it and ended up just eating in the hotel.  AMEX gave us $100 food credit.  Meh.  I never do well with dinner on travel day.  Just tired I guess.  Plus I had already had two glasses of wine and two plates of hors d'oeuvres from upstairs.


Krewe of Oshun...







This parade started at 6:00PM and were at the end when they passed our hotel...at 9:00PM.  The poor band/dancers/baton twirlers were exhausted.  


Finally...



Harrah's Casino...why not?  Up at 4:30AM, in bed by 11:00PM.  Light weights.