New Orleans (very long)

Yeah so, once again, it's Monday night and I have yet to do any of my French homework or art sketches.  I'm going to procrastinate a little more by telling you about my rockin' weekend.

I met L at the airport around 8 on Friday night.  We hadn't seen each other in so long, we had a hard time figuring out where to even start.  We'd both changed jobs.  I'd moved to a new city.  She'd gotten a Pit Bull named Lulu (a funny thought, no?) and had moved to a new house in the city.   

We went to the hotel and changed and went out in the French Quarter and we talked about men and what we did for New Years and how we simply must go get one of those boas and why would anyone get up on a balcony to show people their tits for a pair of $2 beads...

Until we finally got to the clubs, I forgot what it was like to be single (not that I've really been single very much) and it really was awesome to get so much attention and free drinks. 

The biggest problem was how packed all the clubs were; it was difficult to find a place to sit and talk, so finally we went into a strip club (yes, women) just so that we could hear each other.  We weren't seated for 10 minutes before a girl our age from a group of guys behind us came up to our table to see if we wanted to join her at their table.  L looks at me, "yeah, why not?"  (I have to tell you before you get the wrong idea that they were sitting way in the back and weren't paying any more attention to the strippers than L and I were.) L sat down next to one of the cute guys in the group and I sat down at one of the other chairs. 

I mainly talked to this guy to the left of me (who was telling me about his wife and children) while the guy on the other side kept saying "hey, I'm not married..." and touching my leg and generally creeping me out.  The thought passed my mind that he thought I was one of the strippers.

Finally I got to talk to the guy across from me, the one I'd had my eye on since I'd been sitting there.  We didn't get to talk for long before his friends got up to leave to go back and drink back at their hotel.  L was not interested in that, but she invited my guy out with us for the rest of the evening.  We went to 2 or 3 other places after that and had a blast, and while I am impressed that I didn't drink nearly as much as I used to when I came to New Orleans, I still drank FAR TOO MUCH.

The next morning, L and I woke up and managed to make it out into the world around noon even though we both felt like total crap (surprise, surprise).  After we had beignets and coffee and a nice dose of warm sunshine, we walked all around the French Quarter and up to Canal Street and shopped until well after 5.

We went back to the apartment and got really glammed up for our evening outing to Jacques-Imo's and the Maple Leaf, which are in the Riverbend section of New Orleans.  It had been warm earlier that day, but by this point it was well below freezing and we were not dressed for the weather.

When we got to Jacques-Imo's, there was a wait, but it wasn't too bad, so we got some barstools by the door and some drinks.  Everyone at the bar was super friendly, but we were not prepared for the actual meal experience.

The food was fantastic, and the staff were all friendly and really genuine, as though they actually enjoyed working there.  When we got to dessert, Jacques-Imo himself came to the table and offered us some "soda pop". which turned out to be some awesome champagne.  We'd ordered coffee with our dessert and he sent out cordials to sweeten the coffee.  When we got done with our meal, we went back out to the bar to finish off our champagne and hung out with the awesome bartender and Jacques-Imo.  We got our picture taken with him.  It really was impressive.  I don't think I've been anywhere with such awesome customer service.

After dinner, we went next door to the Maple Leaf (where Ray and Angel Heart were filmed) and were joined by the guy I met the previous night.  We really hit it off, and I think you'll be reading more about him!

We stayed up too late, but at 10 in the morning when L and I got up to pack and check out, I sprung out of bed all full of energy.  We had breakfast and had another marathon shopping session, which was not as pleasant as the day before for me, as my shoes were very uncomfortable and it was unbelievably cold.

Finally, late Sunday afternoon L and I went to the airport and went back to our respective cities.  We have a whole list of ideas for more trips this year, and we have plans to hang out at her place in just a few weeks. 

And I have already heard from the guy I met.  I'm thinking he's going to need a nickname, non?

Alright, off to work on French.