New Orleans part 2 - enjoying being home
On Tuesday lordaerith and I picked up daobear and artemis42 and went to Commanders Palace for brunch. Mmm...such a wonderful place. I had the turtle soup and a poached hen's egg over duck on top of pecan pancakes. So delicious. Sometimes you just have to splurge for the 5 star restaurant (because the brunch is a lot less than the dinner).
After brunch we walked around the cemetery across the street and found the tomb where some of daobear's mother's family are buried. I love New Orleans cemeteries. Then we chilled for a while with DD and mom.
Then we hit the French Quarter where we found that there was a sale going on at Second Skin Leather. Hurray! After that we decided we were hungry so we went to Port of Call so that I could introduce artemis42 and lordaerith to the wonder that is their Monsoons and baked potatoes. Mmm...baked potato with cheddar cheese. Next time I have to remember to just get the potato and not the hamburger too.
After we were done eating, we found out that artemis42 had never been down Bourbon Street at night, so we decided to show it to her. Of course, this was the night before the Sugar Bowl, so it was full of LSU fans and cops on horse back. 2 frozen hand grenades later, we headed all the way back down Decatur and dropped in on queencimmy's bar where there were a bunch of people that we knew and saw the beginning of Clerks 2.
On the way home from the quarter, lordaerith felt that the car was pulling a little to the right. Upon getting home, we discovered that the back right tire was low (and I thought that I heard it leaking).
Wednesday we got up and DD and lordaerith looked at tire and it was pretty much flat (there was a nail in it). So they changed it to the full sized spare we have in the trunk and then we drove DD to the airport. Afterwards lordaerith and I dropped the car off to get new back tires (we needed them anyway) and went to the mall, which was conveniently next door.
As we were picking up the car, artemis42 called, so we picked her and daobear and drove down to see what the Lower Ninth Ward looks like now. I cant even describe what it was like. I just don't have the words. I had seen pictures but ... . I think what got us the most is that there were FEMA trailers there, which means that people are back there trying to rebuild their lives. We then drove up to the lake so we could show artemis42 where we went to high school and also to show her the damage that happened in that area.
Afterwards we picked up food and made dinner with mommy and then hung out for a while.
On Thursday I dropped in at my mom's school to see her class, which was fun. Then I picked up artemis42 and we went to Mojo's Cafe for coffee and bubble tea. I drove her down Magazine, but we didn't have time to stop at any of the cool stores. I did bring her by Maple Street Book Shop, where I found Fagle's translation of the Orestia so I had to buy it. :)
Thursday night I hung out with queencimmy for a while and then lordaerith and i decided not to go out, so we played Guitar Hero II and hung out with mommy and stuff.
Today queencimmy, lordaerith, and I dropped in on mom's classroom again for a little bit and then met up with artemis42 and daobear and their friend J at Cafe du Monde. Then we walked over and visited violetminka at her work and hit the French Market where I bought a cute little shirt.
Tomorrow we are planning to go out to breakfast at Oak Street Cafe and then drive back home to Austin.
Overall, I've had a fabulous time at home hanging out with my family and friends and I'm glad that we now live close enough to drive :)
After brunch we walked around the cemetery across the street and found the tomb where some of daobear's mother's family are buried. I love New Orleans cemeteries. Then we chilled for a while with DD and mom.
Then we hit the French Quarter where we found that there was a sale going on at Second Skin Leather. Hurray! After that we decided we were hungry so we went to Port of Call so that I could introduce artemis42 and lordaerith to the wonder that is their Monsoons and baked potatoes. Mmm...baked potato with cheddar cheese. Next time I have to remember to just get the potato and not the hamburger too.
After we were done eating, we found out that artemis42 had never been down Bourbon Street at night, so we decided to show it to her. Of course, this was the night before the Sugar Bowl, so it was full of LSU fans and cops on horse back. 2 frozen hand grenades later, we headed all the way back down Decatur and dropped in on queencimmy's bar where there were a bunch of people that we knew and saw the beginning of Clerks 2.
On the way home from the quarter, lordaerith felt that the car was pulling a little to the right. Upon getting home, we discovered that the back right tire was low (and I thought that I heard it leaking).
Wednesday we got up and DD and lordaerith looked at tire and it was pretty much flat (there was a nail in it). So they changed it to the full sized spare we have in the trunk and then we drove DD to the airport. Afterwards lordaerith and I dropped the car off to get new back tires (we needed them anyway) and went to the mall, which was conveniently next door.
As we were picking up the car, artemis42 called, so we picked her and daobear and drove down to see what the Lower Ninth Ward looks like now. I cant even describe what it was like. I just don't have the words. I had seen pictures but ... . I think what got us the most is that there were FEMA trailers there, which means that people are back there trying to rebuild their lives. We then drove up to the lake so we could show artemis42 where we went to high school and also to show her the damage that happened in that area.
Afterwards we picked up food and made dinner with mommy and then hung out for a while.
On Thursday I dropped in at my mom's school to see her class, which was fun. Then I picked up artemis42 and we went to Mojo's Cafe for coffee and bubble tea. I drove her down Magazine, but we didn't have time to stop at any of the cool stores. I did bring her by Maple Street Book Shop, where I found Fagle's translation of the Orestia so I had to buy it. :)
Thursday night I hung out with queencimmy for a while and then lordaerith and i decided not to go out, so we played Guitar Hero II and hung out with mommy and stuff.
Today queencimmy, lordaerith, and I dropped in on mom's classroom again for a little bit and then met up with artemis42 and daobear and their friend J at Cafe du Monde. Then we walked over and visited violetminka at her work and hit the French Market where I bought a cute little shirt.
Tomorrow we are planning to go out to breakfast at Oak Street Cafe and then drive back home to Austin.
Overall, I've had a fabulous time at home hanging out with my family and friends and I'm glad that we now live close enough to drive :)