Musings from the Big Easy

We got into New Orleans today. It turns out one of the better seafood places in town is in our hotel! So of course we had lunch there.

After lunch my husband went to the room to rest and I went out into the French Quarter to explore.

Highlights of the day:

• In walking around the Quarter for about two hours, about 25 blocks (I got a little lost - big surprise!), I enjoyed live performances of jazz, rock, blues, zydeco and gospel - I even got to hear a live rendition of "When the Saints Go Marching In"!
• I stopped at a bar I read about in "New Orleans, Mon Amour" described as a "locals" hangout and imbibed in a delicious pear flavored hard cider
• I came across a patio with statues of Pete Fountain, Al Hirt and Fats Domino
• I ate alligator sausage gumbo, crawfish bisque and a barbecue oyster po' boy
• Hubby and I stopped at the bar in our hotel and had something called a *snickertini* - consisting of Bailey's Irish Cream, Frangelico and Godiva Chocolate liquor. Yummy!
• For dinner we had Krystal Burgers - double yummy!
• There's a bar down the street from our hotel called "Bourbon Cowboy" (get it?) and as we walked around a bit after dinner we saw a lovely young woman riding a mechanical bull with no top on...the *girls* were jauntily bouncing about. Mind you we saw this from the street, as all the doors and floor to ceiling windows were wide open.
• In my wanderings I came across a really cute little building announcing their imminent reopening and advertising *Furnished rooms for rent - long or short term* - and for a moment I really regretted not being able to rent an apartment for two or three months due to job, mortgage, mother, etc. (sigh)

Tomorrow morning (Sunday) we're going to a jazz brunch at Antoines!

Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez!