Last night some friends and I went to eat at a popular New Orleans Style restaurant, Jacques-Imo's in Uptown New Orleans... and of course I noticed the decor as much as the food!
I thought this was a cool idea and I've never seen it done before!?
Hanging picture frames on the ceiling...
It's hard to tell in the pictures but it looks really cool in person. This is a great springboard for doing something unexpected on the ceiling... it is the most neglected "wall" after all...
I also had to capture my first ever FRIED roast beef po boy...
Yeah, you read that right - fried roast beef po boy! As if a roast beef po boy wasn't gluttunous enough!
I'm still not sure if it was awesome or awesomely bad?! You ever eat something and feel like that!? Similar to the way I feel after a fried oreo... it's just wrong.
At least it's the season to eat like a fat ass! Cause I know I sure have been!
Not sure if you all in blog land are aware that I am a real estate whore (I worked for an agent for a year and even got my license! BUT looking at pretty houses all day is TOTALLY different than selling them ;) NOT my thing!)
Point is, I'm trying to get my parents to invest in something and do a little flip-a-roo! And I of course would get to design the place :)
This is the beaut they may put an offer on tomorrow....
Yes, you are seeing things correctly - that is a weed that has made it's home inside this house....
I'll let ya know if they get it... it's way too good of a deal and already has 4 offers on it's 1st day on the market!
We shall see!
** Update - they didn't get the house :( they decided at 2,000 square feet it was a little too big of a project... whaaaa
*Warning! The end of this post may contain some semi nude people around a bunch of bikes. So if you no likey - no ready!*
New Orleans is known for it's festivals but this weekend was a little out of control! We are only a five minute bike ride to the Cajun & Zydeco Festival, Seafood Festival, AND the Creole Tomato Festival - all in the lower part of the French Quarter. So of course we had to bike over to eat great food and listen to awesome music!
And on to the Tomato Fest...
An assortment of dishes... look closely and you can see the huge Creole Tomato stuffed with shrimp and another stuffed with crab! yummm yummm in my tumm tumm
The Creole Tomato Salad was excellent!
ughhh can't get this picture to cooperate! It's sideways...
There were even cooking demonstrations, I learned how to fry up some soft shell crabs as appetizers! YUM!
Whenever we walk around the French Market, it is a must to get a mango margarita from the Organic Banana!
Especially when the temperature is over 95 degrees!
Ahhh and we ran into Summer Santa! (that's what I call him) He lives in the French Quarter and always dresses like Santa - but on an island...
Aaand onto the Seafood Fest (meaning just eating a bunch of fried food while listening to Zydeco)
The Soft Shell Crab Po-Boy was delish...
And that's the recap of the NOLA Festivals...
Oh yeah, and there were a bunch of naked bike riders a block from our house...
It was part of the World Naked Bike Ride to raise awareness of bicycles on the road...
It rose my awareness of what a crazy ass place I live in!
The best way to sum up the day after Mardi Gras is that it feels like the whole city is feeling one massive hangover. Just the exhuastion of the weeks leading up to The Big Day and then to go on with life as if none of it happened come Wednesday...
For those of you not familiar with Mardi Gras, it is more of a season than a day. There are parties, balls, parades, eating, drinking, hanging out with friends and family - leading up to Fat Tuesday.
Here's a quick recap of the last three weeks!
Parades... parades... parades... maybe a little drinking... and definitely a lot of eating!!
A fun parade for the whole family is the Barkus Parade - just for dogs! It runs through the quarter.
Hard to get a good shot - stewardesses with their luggage - dogs!
Of course we had to make sure our little Wootie was dressed to impress!
Ummm... yeah I just threw this on him as we were walking out the door... at least it's SOMETHING!
Mardi Gras Day:
When we were buying our house, we were told that we would be living at the spot come Mardi Gras day in the Bywater. I was warned what happened at 7 AM in front of our house but still was not sure what to expect.
There is a group called Bone Boys and it's maybe 100 people that meet literally in front of our house on Mardi Gras Day. At 7 AM!!! Did I mention that already?!
The group dresses in skeleton costumes with noise makers and parade around the neighborhood making as much noise as possible to wake up the neighborhood for the days celebrations. The idea that this may be the last day of your life so get your ass up and enjoy life!
Like I said, they literally meet in front of our house!
I am sure it has a little something to do with the huge lot (that's going to become a community garden!) right across the street.
Meow.
Gotta represent NYC!
The Hubs decided to bring out the flaming juggles as I like to call them - he says they're "torch and pin juggling clubs". I just think juggles sounds better... say it out loud... JUGGLES... it's my new favorite word.
Some were so creepy!! I felt like we were part of a medieval (THAT is a hard word to spell!) carnival.
Our wonderfully awesome neighbors in their equally awesome and scary costumes! (and super cute baby!)
This weird contraption is his noise maker. Yes, it woke the neighborhood!
Meanwhile, we were still in our Pjs getting some shots of everyone while some Bone Boys were doing shots ;-)
Some had a little too many shots...
After watching all this craziness it was time for us to suit up in our costumes! We had brunch at our house and had a group of friends over to get ready.
Quiche. YUM.
Girls getting ready:
Momma and daughter swan:
Yup. Every year I go with my family.
If you have not guessed yet, about 16 of us were Black Swans! And one lovely white swan.
Walking ... or dancing I should say - to the Marigny to catch up with the St. Ann Parade!
All the action on Frenchman Street.
Practicing our bow.
The Hubs made a beautiful white swan!
A shot of me, Hubs, my Uncle, Aunt and demonic mother.
Yes, this HOT lady below is my UNCLE, reading the paper at a gay bar on Bourbon Street. And no, he's not gay. or a tranny. Just loves him some Mardi Gras!
We started parading about at 10 AM, by 8 PM we were pooped!
Tired swan.
On our way home we stopped at our local grocery to find a jazz band playing!
Only in New Orleans...
The best Mardi Gras recap video I've seen. This is exactly how it was! (You may see some swans in there!)
So, that's my recap of the last couple of weeks. I apologize for the length but I had to squeeze it all in!
