Do You Need A Walk Around Beer?

Or a walk around cocktail?  Or a walk around glass of wine, shot, shooter or frozen drink?  I am sure you are thinking "Well, DTC, I don't exactly know what you're talking about, but that sounds like something I would like."  Trust me, it definitely is something you would like.  And, because we are such good friends, I will explain.

Picture I took of two
crawfish wrestling.  The one
on the right is winning.

Last weekend The Party and I went to New Orleans with two of our closest friends and favorite people, LG and The Boss.  No, not Lady Gaga and Bruce Springstein (but wouldn't that be funny).  As it turns out though, LG really likes Lady Gaga.  This was unexpected information as you would never peg LG as a "Little Monster."  LG says that all of Lady Gaga's songs have the words glitter and dirt in them and she likes that.  I suggested that would make for a good book title; "Glitter and Dirt, The LG Story."  She said we'd have to think on that.


Anyhoo, LG is married to The Boss (no, I already told you, not Bruce Springstein, pay attention).  The Boss does have several nicknames that people actually call him, but LG said she thought we should call him this for blogging purposes; she thought he would like it.  Done.  The Boss (TB) it is.

So, back to the trip.  If you haven't been to New Orleans, you should put it on your list.  We had a very fun time.  Below are the reasons I think anyone (well, anyone who likes fun) would want to go, as well as some interesting information and helpful tips.


1.  You can have a walk around beer (or other alcoholic beverage).  As you stroll through the streets of the French Quarter, there are any number of street-side bars where you can just buy a drink without having to go inside.  You barely have to break pace if you have your money ready to go.  Who cares if it's 11am and you're not really in the mood for a drink?  How can you not when you are allowed to drink it right there on the street.


2.  I assume people besides just me see it as a plus that there appear to be way less fake boobs in New Orleans than there were in Las Vegas.

See.  No one looks
angry or wet.

3.  On Bourbon Street, people do throw beads down from the balconies onto the streets.  You don't even have to show them your boobs.  Most of the time.  What was actually a refreshing show of friendly behavior was that although the vast majority of people on Bourbon Street are on the drunk side, no one on the balconies threw anything but beads.  There was not a single drink dumped onto anyone on the street.  Really, think about it.  Kind of impressive.


4.  The Mississippi River, which butts up against the city, is not what flooded the city.  Lake Pontchartrain, on the other side of the city, is what broke through the levees and flood walls.  Also, Lake Pontchartrain isn't really a lake.  The Boss said it was an estuary.  I looked it up and he's right!  The Party just informed me it was he who said it, but I don't really think so.  And, let's just remember, The Party did have a walk around beer or two during our stay.


5.  The houses that Brad Pitt helped build after the flood have solar panels, are raised in case of future floods, are eco-friendly and are extremely energy efficient.  That said, they are a little ugly, on the modern side, and don't match any of the existing architecture.  Just saying.


6. City Park is the most awesome city park/recreation area I have ever seen.  You should look it up and read all about it.  Extremely cool.


7. New Orleans reminded me a little bit of Vulgaria, the imaginary town in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang where the giant elf-looking guy captures all the children and puts them in some underground cave because the Baron of Vulgaria hates children.  Aside from an occasional toddler being strolled about, there were no kids anywhere.  It was dreamy.

Probably should have
waited in line.  It looks
really good.

8.  You are supposed to wait in line Cafe Du Monde and have beignets (ben-yays).  They are essentially warm, powder sugar covered donut/funnel cakes.  The line was entirely too long and I am hardly a person who needs more donuts or funnel cakes in her diet.  


9.  Pick the right people to travel with.  Pick.the.right.people.to.travel.with.  I am not kidding you.  If you have friends you find a little annoying in real life, you are going to find them a lot annoying on vacation.  We are very lucky because Party and I love LG and The Boss.  We love them in real life and on vacation.  We have traveled as couples and with families.  Perfect fit.  Also, it doesn't hurt if you have a person (TB) who is all about the reconnoiter (it's a word, look it up).  TB was up before everyone and would go out in the morning to figure out what was where.  You also need a Party.  Party and his iPhone were right there any time we were wondering about something.  Most times I didn't really need to know, but as you recall, you cannot pose a question to The Party and think he's not going to need to know the answer.


10.  You cannot get a bad meal if you try.


11.  Lastly, in New Orleans, you can just decide to have a parade.  You can even be a one person/ one car/ one float parade.  No one cares.  If you act like you are leading a parade (even one that exists only in your head), people will step aside or stand on the curb and watch and cheer.  I soooooo want to decorate my car and play music and just drive around my neighborhood conducting my own parade.