I was twenty-two, I'd had my share of yeeeears
Oh, it's the last day of August! How the calendar days are flying by.
I've been living in New Orleans for about a month now. That's pretty hard to believe, but true. I'm a lot more used to things than when I first got here which is good.
I now have a full-time job working as an office assistant/receptionist-type person at an eye clinic 40 or so hours a week. It's my first real full-time job.. it's a bit rough, but hopefully I get used to it. It IS a nice thought that I'll be able to pretty much support myself for a while for the first time in my life. That's something I've looked forward to for awhile, and it feels swell. ooh mmhmm yeah. It's interesting to listen to the stories all the (mostly elderly) patients tell. The majority of them are pretty depressing of course, because they involve tales of losing valuables, houses, family members and friends, photographic memories all to the storm one year ago. There isn't much to say except shake your head and sympathize..
Tomorrow I'm catching a flight to Atlanta for the long Labor Day weekend to attend my cousin Bonnie's wedding, and I must say I'm ready for a tiny break from this city. I get restless, you know. My parents and brother are unfortunately no longer attending.. and it's a shame cause I was looking forward to seeing them, cause my brother has a slipped disc in his back.. awful. He's having surgery tomorrow. So Hannah is going to go to the wedding with me and we'll have a jolly ole reunion down in Hotlanta of all places. oh life.
Some cool things I've enjoyed recently:
The Hong Kong Market
It's actually not in New Orleans, but across the river on the "westbank" in Gretna.. and WOW! It's a giant Asian superstore in what used to be a Wal-Mart.. so you can imagine how huge it is. It's full of Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, etc. delicacies.. Stuff I have never seen or heard of before! So Ryan and I just went and bought random intriguing items and sampled them. We bought a can of some fruit called jackfruit and he made a delicious jackfruit curry with venison, grapes, bamboo shoots, etc. last night.. mmm. Also there was a stand at this store where for $2 they will make you one of the most unusual delicious sandwiches I have ever had! I cannot wait to go back. Also: dried squid or squiddles as I like to call them-- not bad.
Mimi's in the Marigny and The Delachaise
two little tapas wine bars I've had the luck to find myself in here in New Orleans. Mimi's has been one of the only places i've been to post-madrid where i've seen foods such as jamon serrano, manchego cheese, croquetas, and patatas bravas on a menu! delicious.. and lots of wines which we havent sampled yet too. It made me a bit nostalgic as always/longing for my Spanish days, but it was a nice feeling to be somewhere that made me feel like that again.. The Delachaise had amazing cheap wine/beer selection AND gourmet foods/tapas..
Cool concerts coming to New Orleans
Man, and I wasn't sure what the show situation would be here post Katrina.. but read 'em and weep--especially for that one week in September.. I won't even be able to go to all these shows out of expenses/fatigue:
Wednesdsay, September 13 - Ted Leo (HOB - New Orleans)
Thursday, September 14 - TV on the Radio (Republic)
Monday, September 18 - Calexico (One Eyed Jack's)
Tuesday, September 19 - Sufjan Stevens/My Brightest Diamond (HOB)
Wednesday, September 20 - Menomena/Long Winters/What made milwaukee (oneeyedjack's)
Thursday, September 21 - Architecture in Helsinki/The Blow (Howlin' Wolf)
Saturday, September 30 - Ratatat (Republic)
Sunday, October 1 - Smog (one eyed jack's)
Sunday, October 13 - Man Man (Spanish Moon-Baton Rouge)
Tuesday, September 26 - Jose Gonzales (Parish HOB - New Orleans)
Thursday, October 26 - Decemberists (HOB - New Orleans)
Wednesday, November 8 - Jolie Holland/Sonny Smith (Parish room)
Sunday, November 19 - Islands
Oh yeah.
Other
Little Miss Sunshine, reading White Teeth, Nirvana's Indian Buffet, Neutral Ground Coffeehouse which is a bit reminiscent of Soma, Dirty Linen Night, St. Joe's bar, Pal's lounge in mid-city with its taco nights, where cute dogs sidle up to you in the hopes that you'll drop some food,. dirty martinis in my room while watching Stephen Colbert..and some more things I'm sure I'm forgetting.
oh my stars, am i ready for a weekend.
I've been living in New Orleans for about a month now. That's pretty hard to believe, but true. I'm a lot more used to things than when I first got here which is good.
I now have a full-time job working as an office assistant/receptionist-type person at an eye clinic 40 or so hours a week. It's my first real full-time job.. it's a bit rough, but hopefully I get used to it. It IS a nice thought that I'll be able to pretty much support myself for a while for the first time in my life. That's something I've looked forward to for awhile, and it feels swell. ooh mmhmm yeah. It's interesting to listen to the stories all the (mostly elderly) patients tell. The majority of them are pretty depressing of course, because they involve tales of losing valuables, houses, family members and friends, photographic memories all to the storm one year ago. There isn't much to say except shake your head and sympathize..
Tomorrow I'm catching a flight to Atlanta for the long Labor Day weekend to attend my cousin Bonnie's wedding, and I must say I'm ready for a tiny break from this city. I get restless, you know. My parents and brother are unfortunately no longer attending.. and it's a shame cause I was looking forward to seeing them, cause my brother has a slipped disc in his back.. awful. He's having surgery tomorrow. So Hannah is going to go to the wedding with me and we'll have a jolly ole reunion down in Hotlanta of all places. oh life.
Some cool things I've enjoyed recently:
The Hong Kong Market
It's actually not in New Orleans, but across the river on the "westbank" in Gretna.. and WOW! It's a giant Asian superstore in what used to be a Wal-Mart.. so you can imagine how huge it is. It's full of Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, etc. delicacies.. Stuff I have never seen or heard of before! So Ryan and I just went and bought random intriguing items and sampled them. We bought a can of some fruit called jackfruit and he made a delicious jackfruit curry with venison, grapes, bamboo shoots, etc. last night.. mmm. Also there was a stand at this store where for $2 they will make you one of the most unusual delicious sandwiches I have ever had! I cannot wait to go back. Also: dried squid or squiddles as I like to call them-- not bad.
Mimi's in the Marigny and The Delachaise
two little tapas wine bars I've had the luck to find myself in here in New Orleans. Mimi's has been one of the only places i've been to post-madrid where i've seen foods such as jamon serrano, manchego cheese, croquetas, and patatas bravas on a menu! delicious.. and lots of wines which we havent sampled yet too. It made me a bit nostalgic as always/longing for my Spanish days, but it was a nice feeling to be somewhere that made me feel like that again.. The Delachaise had amazing cheap wine/beer selection AND gourmet foods/tapas..
Cool concerts coming to New Orleans
Man, and I wasn't sure what the show situation would be here post Katrina.. but read 'em and weep--especially for that one week in September.. I won't even be able to go to all these shows out of expenses/fatigue:
Wednesdsay, September 13 - Ted Leo (HOB - New Orleans)
Thursday, September 14 - TV on the Radio (Republic)
Monday, September 18 - Calexico (One Eyed Jack's)
Tuesday, September 19 - Sufjan Stevens/My Brightest Diamond (HOB)
Wednesday, September 20 - Menomena/Long Winters/What made milwaukee (oneeyedjack's)
Thursday, September 21 - Architecture in Helsinki/The Blow (Howlin' Wolf)
Saturday, September 30 - Ratatat (Republic)
Sunday, October 1 - Smog (one eyed jack's)
Sunday, October 13 - Man Man (Spanish Moon-Baton Rouge)
Tuesday, September 26 - Jose Gonzales (Parish HOB - New Orleans)
Thursday, October 26 - Decemberists (HOB - New Orleans)
Wednesday, November 8 - Jolie Holland/Sonny Smith (Parish room)
Sunday, November 19 - Islands
Oh yeah.
Other
Little Miss Sunshine, reading White Teeth, Nirvana's Indian Buffet, Neutral Ground Coffeehouse which is a bit reminiscent of Soma, Dirty Linen Night, St. Joe's bar, Pal's lounge in mid-city with its taco nights, where cute dogs sidle up to you in the hopes that you'll drop some food,. dirty martinis in my room while watching Stephen Colbert..and some more things I'm sure I'm forgetting.
oh my stars, am i ready for a weekend.