At 4:35 p.m., 13Jan10, out of Houston Hobby, Georgia, Larry, Vicki, and I rose into the sky with our bags checked for FREE to begin our second adventure to New Orleans.
Arriving at
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport we retrieved our bags, that we checked for FREE, hailed a cab, and headed downtown to check into the
Loews Hotel near the river and across from Harrah's Casino & Hotel. Our cab driver instructed us that there would be plenty of
Who Dat being yelled over the weekend as the Saints were in town to beat the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Divisional Championship Playoff. She pointed out
Mothers Restaurant right across from the hotel and told us it was a pretty good place to eat. We checked in, got the rooms we wanted (both had river view rooms with King Size beds). The Loews is a really nice hotel.
Our plan was to not blow our wads on the first night, but we wanted to go into the Quarter. We wandered around and all four of us asked each other 1,353 times (exact) "well where do you want to go?, what do you want to do? its up to you....no its up to you." So believe it or not, we returned to the scene of a previous visit meltdown -
Pat O'Brien's. All four of us agreed before we went in to only have one or two hurricanes and we all swore we were not going to repeat the mistake we made 10 years ago. Yeah right....went in...drank one, or two, or four....sang along with the piano players and left grinningly happy.....again.
The next morning, Thursday, we were all survivors....not nearly as bad as ten years ago, and headed to
Cafe Du Monde for coffee and beignets.....of course we had black jackets on and everyone commented that we must have gone to Cafe Du Monde that morning for breakfast. Wondered into
Jackson Square and thru the St Louis Cathedral before realizing that powdery sugar donuts wasn't enough fuel to restart our engines after Pat O'B's. Larry asked a merchant where he goes to eat the best muffuletta....he tells Larry "His house"......then he recommended the restaurant next door....
Franks Restaurant. Muffuletta's were good....our eyes were bigger than our stomachs....and we ended up taking some back to the hotel.
That evening we dressed appropriately and took the St Charles Street Car into the Garden District to dine at the
Commanders Palace. This was a very enjoyable evening as the food, wine, and especially the choreographed service made for a really special evening. The wait staff performed like a ballet, carefully timing and placing every item onto the table. I will go back there again....was an enjoyable evening once Larry decided which cut of lamb he was going to order (just kidding).....hard choices on the menu....all was good. Vicki and I finished dinner off with a bread pudding souffle.... mmmmmmm :)
Friday we needed a BREAKFAST so we went across the street from the Hotel to Mothers Restaurant. Was an interesting place....you walk in.....they hand you a menu....you get in line....order your food at the cashier.....find a table (if you are lucky - pretty busy)...and then someone comes and takes your receipt thus becoming your waiter. Interestingly enough, there were "No Tipping" signs everywhere....almost traumatic for Vicki being the patron saint of waiters and waitresses. Food was good.....service was good after you figure out the system.....go before 9:00 am and there is a really cheap big breakfast for $2.99. We got there at 9:02.
Took the street car again and went to
The National World WarII Museum. A must see as far as the four of us were concerned. Very well presented and layed out. Reasonable - $20 a person includes a 40 min 4D movie about WWII which is very interactive and well produced.
We wandered the Quarter again that afternoon in a drizzling rain. Georgia had been looking for some "cheese and bread" to help soak up our partying. I made a suggestion to stop and have some pizza. Unanimous decision. We stopped in at the
French Quarter Pizzeria for a late afternoon lunch/dinner. Vicki and I ordered "The Central Grocery" pizza made with Pepperoni, Salami, Canadian bacon, olive mix and mozzarella cheese....kinda of a "muffuletta pizza". Again.....good food and good service.
On the way back to the hotel, we all decided to kinda take it easy Friday night....decided to buy some wine and beer and head to the hot tub at the hotel to finish off the evening. On the way back we found the Vieux Carre' Wine & Spirits store (right next door to K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen on Chartes Street). What an adventure in wine and beer purchasing.....apparently you can buy and DRINK your liquor in the store. The place was a party in the front. I picked out a couple of bottles of wine and Vicki asked me how was I going to open them? .....told her I would buy a cork screw at the counter....a guy dressed in a tux overheard me and said "here take this one....on the house"....must be a waiter somewhere in the Quarter. It was that kind of place.
Hit the hot tub and indoor pool. Drank our wine. Slept good.
Saturday morning we headed back to Cafe Du Monde for a last beignets fix. Wandered the shops again with Vicki looking for beads and boas. The Quarter was a bit more lively this morning because of the game happening in the Superdome that afternoon. Was really foggy and damp. We ate one last French Quarter meal at
Sammy's Seafood. Seafood Gumbo was good.....then we headed to the airport to return back to Houston.
Got to the New Orleans airport a bit early, like 2 hours, and sat in a small airport bar drinking bloody mary's and watching the beginning of the Saints/Cardinals game. We were a little concerned about the fog building at the airport that might delay our flight but that was not to be. In fact, we think Larry was the last one on the plane because he went looking for a "Lucky Dog" (hot dog) and actually heard his name being called to proceed to the gate. "Lucky Dog" in hand he made it to his seat and we headed back to Houston.
Final story.....we have just taken off and I look across the aisle and this guy is "chin-to-chest" asleep just drooling away....Georgia and I got a pretty good laugh. He is the next to last picture in the slide-show. Look for pearls. :)
(Click on the slide-show will take you to the Picasa album)
