Wednesday, May 7, 2014

New Orleans Food and Drink

A month ago, my oldest surprised me with a trip to New Orleans!
What a wonderful weekend that was!
We do travel so well together, as we both love meandering around,
no plans, and few maps.
Photos, food, sights and getting lost are the best of destinations.
Yes, we are THOSE people who take pictures of nearly everything we eat!
Don't be hatin'!
Enjoy and salivate, my friends!
Blessed beyond measure!
 No caption necessary!





 
Mid morning pit stop at the Napolean House
I had a bloody mary and V had a Pimms cup...which was quite yummy.
               (I didn't eat the added okra or green beans tho!)
However we did get to go cups!
 
 
Fruit, meat and bread for a quick snack while meandering.



Yes, they sat me in a banana tree!
This was so funny that other tourists were taking pics of us under that danged ol banana tree!

 
 
My view:
 
 
 
 
 pretty tired, but these oysters on the half shell were incredible! As was the iced tea!!!!

 Dinner around the corner......OH MY GOODNESS!  We splurged and splurged!  Wonderful!
We always seemed to get to the eateries right before the rush!  EVERY MEAL!!!
 Something with crab....just had to sop up all the juices! And lick our chins and fingers!
Followed by fried seafood!
 The first beer I actually liked!
 Lunch the next day in the Garden District at the Butchery! (Cochon)    YUMMO!
 BBQ oysters!  Sooooo Good!
 All kinds of different meats!  Amazing tastes and textures!

 Had to get a salad in on this trip, just to be healthy... so glad we did!

 My pretty companion!
 Cocktails!  All Done for her, Bill Jones for me.
 Sweet potatoes!
 Mac and Cheese
Rabbit Stew


Best place for breakfast!

 Yes, you can have an alcoholic beverage on the street while waiting for your breakfast!
 Sat at the bar.  Mimosa for her and , bloody mary for me.....hmmmm I never used to like them.
 Shrimp n grits.
 Gotta have biscuits and bacon.
 Bananas Foster French Toast!  Yes!  We shared everything!!!!!



Afternoon stop at Envie to have a white Russian with espresso!

I love this girl so much!


 
 
 
 Breakfast the last morning!  We were two hours early for the bloody mary bar, so we had coffee and a scrumptious baked donut while we sat and talked and waited!


 Oh My Goodness!!!  Bacon, cheese, horseradish.....all the toppings you ever wanted in a bloody mary!
 Love you sweet girl!  Thank you f or yet another time of my life!
 Omelet and grits before the plane home!
She had grits and eggs and crispy pig's feet Benedict....surprisingly great!
 

 

What a wonderful adventure!
All because the oldest loves to travel, but after seeing the TV show True Detectives, was afraid to come to NOLA by herself..  I am so lucky!
xo Poo, 
Llama 

 

 

Our "Little Place" in the Garden District, and Other FIne Sights.

One thing you must know about my oldest daughter:
She loves to live high!
I benefit from this a lot of the time!
She treats her mama so well!

On my way to sunnier days!




When she surprised me with a trip to New Orleans recently,
we stayed in the Garden District in a beautiful condo.
When we both arrived at the airport,
the poor cabby did not know how to get to our place.
We actually found it on daughter's GPS and guided him,
turn by turn, to our home away from home.
We arrived at night, so we didn't get the full impact of our place.
It was a shot gun condo.
So beautiful!
As we learned later, the Garden District was built after the Americans took over
 New Orleans from the French.
Of course "we" had to show how wealthy and "extravagant" we were!
 From the front porch.


 The front view.



 From the second floor hallway into the neighborhood.

V's master suite with full beautiful bath!
The beds were so high, I felt small.
The first night we both lay in the master bed watching stupid animal you tubes,
laughing until we hurt! 
In my opinion, the best part of the trip, Poo!


 My room:  When we first got to our place, we explored every part of the home.
When we went into my room, V noticed something on the wall above that door.
It was the largest cockroach I have ever seen!
Now both of us are extremely squeamish about large bugs!
To her credit, V grabbed a pillow from the bed and began throwing up, trying to hit the bug
that was at least twelve feet above our heads.
WHO KNEW COCKROACHES COULD FLY!??????
Well, it flew to the floor, and then proceeded to crawl under the door.
We immediately barricaded the door with all of the decorative pillows, never to see the offending bug again!
 From the top of the scary stairs.
Some perspective
V sure got a workout!
From the bottom of the stairs and laundry
 
 From the front door through the kitchen past the second bath to the stairs.
 From the other direction towards the entrance.
 
 Kitchen!  Unused but nice!
 

 
Ready to explore!!!
 

  

 
Time for some sight seeing, picture taking!
 


 
1997  Jackson Square with Asia, Hil and V  then and now 2014

Somewhere there is a pic of V and Hil sitting near this same statue 17 years ago!








 
 
The many strange things you see on balconies!  I love New Orleans!!!!




Love the secret courtyards behind old iron gates!


 
 
 
Duh!
The trolley we depended on for everything!  The seats fold backward on the return trip. 
Windows that were open on a crowded trolley were very welcome.


 
Street musicians were everywhere at lunchtime.  In the middle of the streets, playing for tips.  So much talent here!

 
These two ladies were to very talented!  I could have listened to them, playing classical and contemporary music all day!  We even ran across them while walking down Bourbon street that evening.

 




 







Street artists, literally!
Of course there were dogs!!!

 


We wanted to go on this tour, but missed the time frame.

Nice stop for an iced tea and potty break!



 

Funny fella reading by the river.


 

 

 
Gotta love Bourbon street
 
The Casino to use the restroom, play a bit on Pharoh's, and cool off a bit!
Saw this that seemed to be appropriate for a friend!
One thing on our must see list, was Bourbon Street at night.  After a long day of sight seeing, we rested a few hours, then caught the trolley into town.  It was early but things were just beginning to start up!  Oh the sights you see!  So many drunk and drinking people!  We were not afraid, yet.  We saw, we had a margarita, and we left!  Tour accomplished!
 
 
 
 
 





Where we got our margaritas!

Apparently this is the place for bridal showers?



Beads in trees:

Beads on me!
I did NOTHING to earn these beads!
They were in a bowl at our condo!


At the airport, waiting to board to come back to snowy South Bend!



Just for memory sake, Terry and I went on our honeymoon in 1985 to New Orleans.
Here is proof:


How young we were.... I was 19 and he was 29.
I got strep throat and had to come home early,
but it was a beautiful city then, and is a beautiful city now.
 
So very blessed!