Jam-Packed-July.

Unlike June, the month of July is bound to be busy-busy-busy.  It's not just my birthday month (I still cannot believe that I am going to be a whopping 38 years old) - but it's a New Orleans Festival kind of month.  Although the weather will feel like we are out frolicking in the middle of a fiery hell, the booze is sure to be icy cold and company is guaranteed to be utterly fabulous.  :0))

Coming up in a mere four days (July 13th - to be exact) - is the 7th Annual San Fermin in Nueva Orleans (Running of the Bulls).  Roller derby girls dress in black and red while wearing Viking horns on their heads (to emulate the bulls), while men (mostly) dressed in all white with red sashes RUN to get away from the bulls.  Oh, and the bulls are armed with wiffle-ball bats - where they beat the poor runners with if they get caught.  The festivities start EARLY (NOLA-style) at 6:00 AM (looks like I'll be drinking my breakfast... hahaha) and end around 1:00 PM.  Everyone will be returning to my house for a siesta, and then at 7:00 PM, the party will re-start at my domicile.  There will be lots of beer and lots of wine and lots of good friends.  Excitement!!  I love to throw a good party (people usually joke that they couldn't run for public office after attending one of my soirees) and the company will be excellent.

^^  San Fermin in Nueva Orleans 2012

**Picture courtesy of www.nolabulls.com

 ^^  My tee-shirt that I received with my VIP Package

^^  My kerchief, VIP Bracelet (AKA "Booze Permit"), and Beer Number

One of the most awesome things about The Running of the Bulls is that there are NO children allowed in the VIP tent (because of the copious amounts of alcoholic beverages) and strollers are prohibited along the skating/running route.  Any and all children under the age of ten MUST be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian (which certainly narrows things down when baby carriages are not allowed).  Once again, New Orleans is catering to those without children - probably one of the last cities in the United States to do so.  ::double-fist-pump::

Another great thing that will be happening in the Point over the same weekend as the Bull Run, is the re-opening of our local library.  It's been under construction for about 10 months (it was closed when we moved here and that was in mid-October).  It's literally only a few blocks away from our house - which is great - because we won't have to go all the way to the Algiers Library (which is about a 15-minute ride down the Parkway).  

^^  Who doesn't love a local library???

The next weekend AFTER the Running of the Bulls and the re-opening of the Hubbell Library, there is the up-and-coming Tales of the Cocktail starting on July 17th and running through the 21st.  Here is a brief description:

"The five-day event, from July 17-21, will feature a series of seminars, mixing competitions, "spirited" luncheons and dinners, complimentary events and invitation-only events. Popular and up-and-coming liquor brands will be showcasing their latest products in tasting rooms. And, as always, there will be "Spirited Awards" given out in sixteen different categories, including "American Bartender of the Year," "Best American Cocktail Bar," "World's Best Cocktail Menu" and more. The top four nominees for each category will be announced on June 7, 2013 on www.TalesoftheCocktail.com."

Depending on my liver recovery from the weekend of the 13th, I may or may not make it to any of the festivities offered by Tales of the Cocktail.  I'll probably need to save my liver strength for my birthday... 

Which we will be celebrating a few days early (the husby has to go on a TDY - Tour of Duty - for a month at the beginning of August).  So, he won't be "technically" missing my birthday, but he'll be busy arranging and packing things, so we're planning the festivities a couple days early.  I'm so stupidly excited because we are going to the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas for the extra-special PENGUIN EXPERIENCE.  I have been looking forward to this since we purchased our membership back in February!!

^^  Oh, Mr Penguin... how I love thee!!

And here is my most favorite video of a baby penguin named "Cookie".  I can't play the video very often (with sound) because it drives poor Choggie absolutely apeshit crazy (and she starts looking behind EVERYTHING trying to find the source of the noise).  And although "Cookie" is currently living at the Cincinnati Zoo, we have just had three new penguins born here in New Orleans.  I certainly hope that they are available to at least see (even if we can't touch and hold them).

After the Aquarium, I anticipate going out to eat somewhere... but the "where" has yet to be determined.  I always lean towards my tried-and-true Cajun-Creole happy place, K-Paul's, but I'm also looking at some other places where we haven't tried yet.  Quite honestly, I'm in the mood for an awesomely dirty-deluxe burger from The Company Burger - but since I can go there pretty much any old time, I probably won't choose to go there for my birthday.  

So, it's looking like my July is going to turn out FAR BETTER than the previous month.  Things have been just so depressingly crazy - it's about time I have something positive to look forward to!!

Happy-happy-happy!!

x0x0

Musical Wednesdays. Our First Time is Coming Up!!

Details, details, DETAILS!!!

Husby and I usually pick up our local independent paper - The Gambit - and besides the off-beat articles, they have a listing of all the different things to do (usually in each individual neighborhoods).  So, we were amazingly happy to see that Algiers Point will be holding a free concert every Wednesday night until July 17th.  They do request that patrons do NOT bring their own coolers/drinks - as they sell water, soft drinks, beer, and mixed drinks - and those proceeds go to keep the concerts free.  Since I'm planning on having a Hurricane, I'll just treat myself to one once I get down to the concert/mini-festival... I'm sure there will be some food vendors, too...

Which means... we'll be able to walk to the levee with our folding bag chairs, meet some friends, and hang out for an evening.  :0))

Drum roll, please...

Wednesday, June 5th, 2013

@ Algiers Ferry Dock

200 Morgan Street

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Free Admission

Presenting:

Bag of Donuts 

Band Info

^^  Bag of Donuts (stage make-up free!!)

**Photo courtesy of the Bag of Donuts Facebook Page**

********************

Algiers Brass Band

Production Info

Band Info

^^  Second Line 

**Photo courtesy of the Algiers Brass Band**

^^  Artist portrayal of the Algiers Brass Band

**Credit for photo will be given as soon as I find out who the artist is.  Otherwise, this image is supplied by Google**

********************

I'm going to Instagram it up - and I think that husby might be taking his Canon (which takes way better shots than my iPhone 4S - but my phone isn't too shabby!!) and I'll be sure to get some good pics of the shows AND the crowds.  New Orleans people love to dance and shake their money-maker (after they've had a libation or two) and don't mind posing for pictures.

I'm seriously looking forward to a mid-week night out!!  :0))

x0x0

Week-ending. Improvements.

This weekend has been pretty crazy, yet productive.  On Saturday morning (at 0'-dark-thirty), I loaded up the car, picked up breakfast, and headed over to Harvey to help my two friends with their yard sale. Of course, I ended up with books:

^^  I haven't read any of these yet...  (still trying to get through Koonz's "Odd Thomas")

And I also received a lot of clothes (especially shorts and capris - I didn't realize how much weight I actually dropped - SIX SIZES - squeeeeeeeee!!).  So, I was happy-happy-happy that I didn't have to go shopping (which I detest - trying on clothes, getting frustrated, and then ending up kind of pissy about the whole shebang).  I'm usually not the *thrifty* type, but I'm pretty sure my husband is thrilled that I didn't blow the bank.  :0))  Besides, I fully anticipate losing more inches.  So, when these new-to-me clothes get too big, I'll just pay it forward to someone who can use them.  Karma, baby.

 ^^  I don't care how long I live here in New Orleans, I still love looking (and taking pictures!) of all the palm trees.  I was sitting underneath this one... quite shady, actually.

On Friday (okay - my days are sadly out-of-order), I went with A. to Lowe's and picked up some tropical plants for our tiered deck.  It needed help, desperately.  We have a bunch of elephant ears growing wild (and I think they look pretty good), so we picked up tropical ferns, Boston ferns, a pretty purple wandering Jew, and some smaller accent pieces for the other side table.  This is where I'm at thus far:

 ^^  View of the happy table, chairs, umbrella, ferns...  A. thinks I need some sort of indoor/outdoor carpet under the table.  I'm a bit torn on that one...

 ^^  Coming around the corner from the entrance...  I'm still working on that other corner, so no pictures yet.  I feel like I'm creating a secret garden, because there is NO indication that any of this is back here from the outside of the fence.  I love that aspect...  something that looks bland and generic from the outside, but lush and beautiful once you walk inside...

^^ KMart had these lights on sale...  24' of 100 lights for $6.99.  The cool thing??  If you bought one, you received a second box for half off.  So, I ended up buying four boxes.  :0))  White decorative lights are the bomb-diggity all year round.  So it's not like they'll end up in a closet somewhere...  I'll use them regardless of whether or not it's inside or outside.  

So, after the gym tomorrow morning (I'll be leaving here at 9:00 AM - but setting my alarm clock for 7:30 AM so that I can get my housework out of the way), I'll go to the pool for about an hour to do laps, and then I plan on finishing up the back porch.  I've also got some Mardi Gras beads to hang up.  And then, I'll be close to having a proper New Orleans "courtyard".

We also have a series of Wednesday Night Concerts in Algiers Point starting this week.  I'm going to get the info and post tomorrow.  Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!!  

x0x0

At This Juncture:

We're back to our regularly scheduled blog.

Memorial Day Weekend. Crawfish Saturday.

Memorial Day Weekend???

Started with a bang.  BOIL time!!

There is NOTHING better than a boil, great company, and plenty o' booze.  I actually find myself feeling bad for those who think a "party" consists of high-end cupcakes, some sort of fizzy drinks (non-alcoholic, of course), and worrying about how everything looks.  How does one do it??  To me, that would be the second circle of hell - I'd rather deal with crazy drunks rather than the Joneses.  True story.

Let's start off with Friday night.

So.  Went to Perino's last night (I had such a hard-on for some properly fried oysters).  We sat in the bar area (which also has electronic gaming machines - so no one under the age of 18 was allowed - SCORE!!) and ordered our deviously delicious seafood.

I had a basket of sweet fried oysters and curly fries.  Husby had the fried shrimp (which are JUMBO) and he drank a couple of Abitas.  Needless to say, I drove home.  ;0))  Perino's is THE place to eat fresh Louisiana seafood.  It's not fancy (not by any means), but the beer is frosty and cold, the menu is simple, and the food comes to you hot and fresh.  One of our very good friends introduced us to this very local restaurant, and I won't eat oysters anywhere else.  The decor is awesomely tacky, though...

^^  An alligator sucking down a beer??  WINNING!!

^^  Cheezy mural outside Perino's...  the crab isn't really looking boiled.

But the gator has a beer and is wearing "over-hauls".  <3

After dinner, we stopped at Barnes and Noble (again) on the way home - I had just found out that the new Joe Hill book was out (I've given up waiting for the trade paperback/regular paperback versions - I'm rough on my books and I love to have them forever), so I picked that up and found a book which was a collection of short stories/novellas by some of the best horror writers in the genre.  So, I started reading that today (Sunday - as I'm a bit behind).  :0))

So... on Saturday, the neighbors were having a crawfish boil.  Oh, yes.  I picked up a Bananas Foster Cake (banana cake with rum custard - if I were religious??  I would've had an epiphany!!) and some Mike's Hard Cherry Lemonade from Rouses Market (which is one of my favorite local stores here in NOLA)... and bestowed my friends with the gifts.  I also drank some Abita beer, white wine, and a lovely mixed (girly) cocktail.  Delish!!

 ^^  It was 10* cooler under the overpass.  I was glad to get some shade!!

^^  Looking down a side-street on the way to my house...  I love how I can see the city (even when it is beyond the levees AND across the Mighty Mississippi)...  shots like this make me appreciate living in New Orleans.  The difference between a "big city" and a "little neighborhood" are obvious, but not unreachable.  This city is FANTASTIC.

^^  Live crawfish.  Waiting to be boiled.  And, yes.  That is a boat paddle in the upper right-hand corner of the picture.  Certainly necessary for getting every last live crawfish into the boiling pot.

^^  It takes 30 minutes to boil the crawfish, potatoes, onions, mushrooms, garlic, and corn (along with cayenne and other Cajun spices) on a 80,000 BTU gas burner.  Sounds like the space shuttle taking off, it's so loud.  And when everything is done, it's spread out on a large table and everyone eats what they want - it's a communal experience.  We were really lucky - we had some out-of-country visitors (a married couple from Brittany, France - and an Irish woman on a short stay from Dublin).  It was very cool to teach them how to eat the crawfish and they really enjoyed the whole experience.  

^^  After dinner, L. (who works for the New Orleans Saints), took out her ring that she received when the Saints won the Superbowl.  It's from Tiffany's - and it is HUGE.  Weighs over 2 ounces with all the  gold, diamonds, and onyx... and it is heavy.  

^^  Here I am, wearing the ring (to give you some perspective, my solitaire is 1.2 carats - and the Superbowl ring makes it look minuscule)... I can honestly say that I don't think I've ever worn a piece of jewelry that is so very expensive...  

^^  View from the front porch after the boil.  Everyone is keeping their lights off, because right now - the termites are swarming.  Yes, you *did* read that correctly.  However, it was a really balmy night and the wind coming off the Mississippi River was lovely.  So, we braved the swarms.  ;0))

I didn't get home until well after midnight and managed to sleep until 8:00 AM.  Woke up, showered, dressed, popped some Tylenol, and headed to another friend's house because I was on doggy-sitting duty for her four pups.  Hung out there for about an hour and a half, ran the dogs until they were tired, watered and fed them, and headed home.  Where I promptly fell asleep on the couch while reading one of my new books (no, the book wasn't boring or badly written - I was just wickedly tired).  I managed to snap some pictures of the pup-dogs, though...  they were so happy to see me and so very cute!!

 ^^  Petey (the ugliest-pug-in-the-world) is wrestling with Clementine... the hairiest dog in the house.

^^  Petey's profile.  He has a massive under bite and the worst breath.  ;0))

I didn't get pictures of Sophie and Bootsy... as Sophie had jammed herself under an end table and Bootsy moves TOO fast for me to get a decent picture of her.  Maybe I'll be able to get a photo in the morning (when I head over to the Grotto to water, feed, and wee everyone).  

Speaking of tomorrow, I don't think we're planning on doing much.  I borrowed the Lord of the Rings trilogy from my friend, K. - so I'm thinking it's going to be a pretty laid-back day.  I'm thinking that we'll probably do some upscale bar-food (spicy buffalo wings, home-made pizza with a ton of roasted veggies, and some jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese, wrapped in bacon, and broiled) and we'll probably graze for most of the day.  Besides, it's supposed to be hot and humid here again, and I think it'll just be in our best interest to take it easy.

Because... come Tuesday, I'll be back at the gym for my 3+ miles on the treadmill and then off to the pool afterwards to hopefully start a tan of sorts and swim some laps.  I love, love, love to swim!!  

I hope everyone had a wonderful, relaxing, fun, happy, awesome weekend... because we most certainly did (and are technically still working on it).

x0x0

Rain. Drugging the dog. Hiding.

^^  The sky will be falling most of the day, Chicken Little.

Well, the bad weather has finally moved south.  I woke up this morning to the loud rumble of thunder (at least it wasn't the uncontrolled, loud, obnoxious neighbor's children - the bastages) and promptly messaged my friend and gym partner, L. to let her know I wasn't going to be able to make it to my workout.  Seems like laziness is in the air, because she was still in bed.  Le sigh.  I'm up, but still wish I was snuggled under the soothing blankets of Big Puff (that is what we call our big awesome bed in this house).

 ^^  View from the back deck...

^^  Looking toward the French Quarter (the big green house is actually a recording studio)...

The sky looks so angry.

And since Choggie is terrified of thunderstorms, I ended up giving her a benadryl in order to calm her down.  She's currently holed up in the master bedroom closet - sleeping.  She gets so panicked during a storm, she tries to jam herself into the smallest places (and a 100-pound dog can't fit under the coffee table - it's physically impossible).  Disclaimer:  Our vet suggested the benadryl solution for when it is thundering/lightening outside.  I'd rather give her that instead of some weird prescribed anti-anxiety medication.  It appears to work rather well for her...

^^  Hide-y holed up in our bedroom closet.

My motivation is missing.  I really need to find it.  And I'm just really sucking today.  There is one consolation... I cleaned the house pretty thoroughly on Monday.  So, I have a minimum of work to do today, and I think I'm going to fire up the crock-pot so that I don't have to worry about dinner.  :0))  I also bought the book "Game of Thrones"... so I'm eager to start it.  If it's as good as the reviews say, I'll probably end up reading it right through today.

Sometimes thundery, rainy, gloomy, overcast days are absolutely needed (and it's not just Choggie who is hiding from the world... it's me, too!!).

x0x0

Not just the Westbank. It's really the BESTBANK.

As most of you know, the mighty Mississippi curves around and through New Orleans.  Some sections of the city, such as the French Quarter, Irish Channel, Uptown, Marginy, and the Garden District are on the Eastbank (and, yes, it is indeed spelled as one word).  The area I live in (Algiers Point) happens to be on the Westbank.  You can get here two ways - via the Crescent City Connection (the much-bitched-about bridge) or the Canal Street Ferry can carry you AND your car for a mere $1.00 each way.  Of course, parking is a bitch on the other side of the river... and the meter maids are vicious.  VICIOUS, I say!!

Anyhow, people can be really weird when it comes to what area of the city you live in.  Some uppity-ass Eastbankers also like to call those of us on THIS side of the river "Wankers" (W(est)+Bank+ers).  Hell, my husband will say to me "Are you ready to go back to the Wank?"  So, to counter all the Eastbank negativity, I scored this AWESOME tee shirt yesterday at Fleurty Girl:

^^  New tee.

So take that, you weirdo Eastbankers.  I need to find out from some of our friends if there is a derogatory name for those on the OTHER side of the river.  Not that I'd use it or anything.  ;0))

x0x0

Voting. Comics. Stormtroopers. Pizza.

This morning we headed out to the Algiers Point courthouse in order to vote on whether or not the Crescent City Connection (the bridge from the Westbank to the Eastbank - connecting the city of NOLA) should have an additional 20 years of tolls.  We also voted on a new Juvenile Court Judge, but because we don't have children, I just picked the name I liked best.  Not very informed, but both of the people running were from the Democrat party, so it didn't really matter to me.  Had it been a Republican vs. Democrat... well, I *am* a liberal-godless-Yankee, so I would've gone with the blue ticket.  ;0))

Oh, and I voted "no" on the bridge tolls, too.  New Orleans has the only bridge on the entire Mississippi River that has a toll (just a little bit of trivia for you).

On our walk over to the courthouse, I came across this disabled Dollar General trolley trashed underneath a "No Parking" sign.  The ironic thing, is that there isn't a damned Dollar General within 15 miles of this location.  So... it's appearance is most definitely mysterious...

^^  Abandoned trolley...

We had to cross the bridge (the same bridge we just voted on) to get to Metairie, which is where one of the bigger comic book shops are.  Here are some pictures I snapped on the way there (don't worry - I wasn't driving!!)... 

 ^^  Crescent City Connection Bridge (CCCB)

^^  Super Dome!!  You know you're in the heart of New Orleans when you see this...

With today being May 4th and all (May The Forth Be With You), we headed out to a couple of our local comic book shops to get some goodies.  Husby is an Avengers and Fantastic Four fan, and I enjoy the cheezy-ass comics like SpongeBob SquarePants and the Smurfs.  And we have:

^^  Fine promotional literature...  

^^  My Score...  all free!!  :0))

 ^^  An Imperial Guard...  right on the parkway!!

^^  So exciting...  I got to meet a Storm Trooper!!  

The only thing more exciting would've been to see Darth Vader!!

After all our comical excitement, we headed back home so that we could walk the dog (who has some serious gas - it would probably be best to NOT light a match in my living room right now) and figure out what we wanted to do for lunch.  I had a craving for pizza, so we decided to go to Mo's Pizza in Westwego.  Yes, that is *really* the name of the town.  :0))  We ordered the large supreme (minus the olives) and the pie was the size of a large hubcap.  I managed to eat 2 slices (just the goodies - no crust) and we have enough to feed us for the rest of the weekend.  Guess that gets me out of cooking.  

While we were in Westwego, we found a Piggly Wiggly!!  My brother, sister, and I used to call it the "Hoggly-Woggly" (we thought we were being SOOOOO witty - someone slap me straight now!!)

^^  Proof positive!!  Look and weep, biotches!!

Unfortunately, we didn't stop in.  However, I think I'll find a reason to head back there soon (as if I *need* a reason to shop).  

On the way back home, I was lucky enough to see a plane skywriting over the French Quarter.  It was really cool to watch and it made me wonder as to what lucky person was the recipient of the (literal) love:

 ^^  Noticed on the way home from Westwego...

^^  Almost finished by the time we were in Algiers Point...

And now we're back home.  I'm heading over to the Casey Jones in a little bit... they have pork chops on sale (family packs - $1.00/pound) and I need some libations for tonight.  I'll be heading over to S. and L.'s house tonight for some front-porch fun.  Life is good.  Very, very good.

x0x0

Lost - in my OWN neighborhood.

It's true.

I went out to take a walk (for exercise - because I'm dieting and I've reached a plateau and I need to increase my cardio crapola - like you needed to know all that, right??) and usually I just head to the ferry landing and then come back home...  the same boring route every time.

Well, I just kind of...  wandered and zigged and zagged and before I knew it, I was lost.  Pitiful, eh??  However, I did get some great pictures - and obviously, I found my way home (where I'm now writing this missive)...  and I walked three miles (according to the shitty pedometer I own - I'm always suspicious that it *really* isn't correct - nothing like a bit of paranoia to spice up the day).

So...

^^  Our local "grocery" - it's a funky old-fashioned store that sells a bit of this and a bit of that. 

^^  This is one of my favorite houses in the Point.  If it ever goes up for sale, I'd probably sell my weak soul to the highest bidder for it.  

^^  I stumbled across this gem...  didn't even know it was here.  Sadly, there are no fancy groceries to be found...  they're out of business.  Wonder if the other grocery put them out of business?? 

^^  Storefront of the closed Fancy Grocery. 

^^  Apparently these neighbors have had enough of people parking in front OR in their driveway.  The different color spray paints add that extra touch of "klass"...

^^  Algiers Point Courthouse.  This is where the husby and I procured our marriage license way back in 2002.  Room 201 on the second floor, to be precise.  :0)) 

^^  Gulf Pizza.  It is, indeed, an old Gulf gas station.  I personally haven't tried the pizza here yet (dastardly diet) - but I've heard mixed reviews.  One afternoon I'll hoof it on down and try a pie. 

^^  Unfortunately, they were closed for the afternoon when I was wandering by (which is probably a good thing, really.  The dastardly diet and all...) 

^^  Surprise, surprise!!  We don't just have a recording studio in the Point...  we also have a music store!!  The front of the building is purple - the sides??  Not painted.  Gives a new meaning to the term "storefront".  

So this concludes my adventures for today.  I didn't realize that it had been so long between posts (again) - so I'm going to make an attempt to upload the two tons of pictures that I've taken at the Aquarium of the Americas.  Look for it over the next day or two...

x0x0

Crawdaddy Craze!!

Apologies for the late post on THE crawfish boil - but it was late when I got in last night (Sunday) and I figured it would take me for-fucking-ever to get all my pictures up... and I seriously couldn't trust my spelling and grammar last night (a big-thank-you goes to (drum roll, please) a honkin' big box o' Franzia's finest "Sunset Blush" - a mere $10.99 at the Casey Jones - SCORE!!).  I also picked up some hamburger buns and a fresh loaf of Big Bunny wheat for the husby while I was there.  Oh, and a 7-pound bag of ice for S. and L., whose built-in ice-maker was very overworked with all the guests there.

So...  we'll start out with the bag of live crawfish...

^^  Oh, yes indeedy.  There are about 50 pounds of LIVE mudbugs just waiting to be decimated...

^^  And the pot cranked up to 180,000 BTUs - sounded like a Bambi forest fire!!!

^^  And our neighbor's friend - overlooking the pot/cooking...  dressed for Mardi Gras with a purple fuzzy fedora, green shirt, and gold pants.  He had only regular shoes on...  I think something with a lot super-shiny gold on his feet would've been spectacular.  :0))

^^  And the dump on to the newspapers!!  Crawfish, corn, sausage, quartered onions, tons of spices and mushrooms (which were some of my favorite things from the pot!!)

**Disclaimer:  I do not know who is drinking the Mountain Dew - but it's a sacrilege.  

^^  Digging in!!  

^^  So very delish.

So, now all you uppity-folks have seen for yourself just how a crawfish boil is done here in New Orleans (specifically - in the Point).  It was FANTASTIC.  I only wish that some of you could've been here to taste it...  made my lips tingle - spiced perfectly!!  

x0x0

Also, don't get too excited at how many posts I'm cranking out - there's just been a lot going on and I've wanted to be able to share it all with you.  Besides, Suri might blow up if I don't take some of these roasty-toasty pictures off her!!