Home Sweet Home

We arrived home around 9 pm Friday night. I couldn't wait to get my hands on these 2 little people. They loved their monkeys from the Audubon Zoo and "Daddy's Little Girl" New Orleans tshirts. They also REALLY loved the costumes I bought 75% off at Walmart.

Here are Scrappy's Top Ten Tips For New Orleans...

1. A hotel with a riverview is FANTASTIC. Although I would love to stay in the Cornstalk Fence Hotel in the French Quarter.

2. Take advantage of the streetcars...the map is easy to read and it is only $1.25 per trip.

3. GO OUT AT NIGHT! The city has a fantastic feel after dark. Steer clear of Bourbon Street and only walk on streets with other people around.

4. Start your sightseeing with Cafe du Monde and Jackson Square. This throws you right into the New Orleans culture!

5. Take a carriage ride. We took ours after dark and it was very cool! The streets are lit and this adds a romantic feel. I loved snuggling up to Dr. Hubby. It is so nice to see him relax, smile, and laugh.

6. Ask the locals where to eat! DO NOT eat at Cheesecake Bistro, Lil Dizzy's Cafe, or the food court at the Riverwalk. DO eat at Acme Oyster Bar, Dry Dock Cafe across the river, and Mother's.

7. Mardis Gras World is a MUST DO!

8. The swamp tour at Cajun Encounters is very nice and relaxing. Everyone was very friendly. Ask lots of questions.

9. See a plantation. Laura is supposed to be the best tour. Oak Alley is the most popular and if you are a pop culture freak like us then you will love seeing it because it was used in Interview With A Vampire, Primary Colors, and Days of our Lives.

10. People watching is FANTASTIC! The people are what makes this city irresistable. They are SO nice and unique. I fell in love with the musicians singing on the street corner...they sing their hearts out as if they are onstage at Carnegie Hall. We were never harassed to give money, but if you stop and listen...drop in some change or a buck.

Our biggest regret...not going to see the Saints vs. Falcons game at the Superdome AND to rub it in Manga Dork decided to become a Saints SUPERFAN!

2nd regret...I wish we would have had time to do a Katrina tour...but there is only so much you can fit into a visit!

I would definitely love to return to this city. The people stole my heart. Speaking of my heart...I really miss this person...

Twilight Fanatic

The slowest eater around...however she did finish her kids meal at Arbys first.

Drinker of unsweetened tea (yuck!)...although I am sure most people thought this was a beer out on the streets.

F.U.N. loving and game for just about anything!

We travel so well together. We hit the pavement running each morning and take in everything we can until after dark...wear comfy shoes if you travel with us!

I miss you Lil Sis!

The Much Desired Cemetery Post!

After having breakfast at our hotel we headed in a taxi across town to St. Louis Cemetery #1...the oldest cemetery in New Orleans.

Because New Orleans has no bedrock and lots of water they must bury on top of the ground. Each of these tombs belongs to a family. They put a body in and it can not be opened for one year and one day. The sun "cremates" the bodies and when the tomb is needed again the remains are pushed to the back.

We visited Marie Laveau's tomb. She was a voodoo priestess and her tomb is the second most visited tomb in the US. People visit and leave tokens and some make requests and mark 3 Xs on the side.

This lady came up to the tomb laid her hand on the side and seemed to be praying. She kissed the side and left. Poor misguided soul...

This cute furbaby was making a stop by the cemetery. Check out her unicorn horn!

I found a McDonalds and had to try out their SWEET TEA! Yum!

Lil Sis fell in love with this dog painted by George Rodrigue...I think I said that before...but it is SO cute and you can see it EVERYWHERE! These were on the side of a hotel.

This ceiling was gorgeous...if you look closely on the back wall you can see where it is located...ARBY'S!

We all took a Cajun Encounters Swamp tour today too. We spent 2 hours in the swamps. So relaxing and beautiful!

We got to pet a baby alligator. It's name is Sushi.

We finished the evening with dinner at the Cheesecake Bistro...yuck!...not to be mistaken with Cheesecake Factory!

Now we are packing and getting ready to leave in the morning. I have enjoyed my stay in New Orleans and the time we have had with Lil Sis.

Please keep us in your prayers for a safe trip home.

The Guy Beside You Is Picking His Ear Hairs Out With Tweezers!

We started our day at Lil Dizzy's Cafe. Not great food...but cool because it is in the old lobby of an old bank.

We shopped a little and then made our way to catch the bus for our tour of Oak Alley Plantation.

We passed by the Superdome where Manga Dork's new favorite NFL team plays...New Orleans Saints.

After a few minutes Lil Sis tapped me on the shoulder from the seat behind me and whispered, "The guy beside you is picking his ear hairs out with tweezers." I glanced sideways and sure enough the guy who had sat beside me had his tweezers in his ears...then he decided to do his nose with AND WITHOUT the tweezers. He blew his nose a couple times too. I thought for sure I was on candid camera! Who does that in public!? He flicked everything in the floor.

We passed several plantations. This one is called "Felicity" and was used in the super creepy movie The Skeleton Key starring Kate Hudson.

Oak Alley Plantation was gorgeous! I could just see Hope and Bo running among the oaks or Brad Pitt burning the place down in Interview With the Vampire.

We returned to the French Quarter and decided to search out some of the places we had seen on our buggy tour last night. This is Brad and Angelina's place in the quarter.

This is the LaLaurie Mansion. It is the most haunted place in the quarter. One of it's owners kept slaves on the 3rd floor and performed horrible experiments on them. It is now owned by Nicholas Cage.

This is the Cornstalk Fence Hotel. The original owner put in the fence for his wife who was homesick for Iowa...how romantic!

Lil Sis fell in love with these dog paintings...she bought two prints. They are so cute!

It is really so weird how many people walk around or hang out on the streets with their dogs. You see dogs in cars, on leashes, in purses, on carriages, on balconies, and even sipping water out of a cup at Cafe Du Monde. The musicians on the streets are usually sitting with their dogs.

We ended the night with dinner at Bubba Gump's.

Tomorrow we head to the swamp!

Audobon Adventures!

We started our day with a hearty breakfast at Mother's...and yes, there ham is FABULOUS!

Then we hopped on the St. Charles Streetcar to ride to the Audobon Zoo. We got to see some of the homes in the Garden District.

The zoo was very nice and clean. The animal exhibits were nice. Lil Sis was disappointed that they had removed the kangaroos.

This little fox got up from his nap to pose for me...then he went back to sleep. It was so cute.

We walked back to the hotel to meet Dr. Hubby and then headed to the Audobon Aquarium of the Americas. I petted a stingray and a shark!

We had dinner at the Acme Oyster Bar in the French Quarter. The catfish was fantastic! Then we headed to the hotel to watch the premiere of "V" on abc. I look forward to seeing where they take this show.

After the show we caught the river streetcar and headed to Jackson Square to pick up some beignets from Cafe Du Monde. We decided to take a carriage ride around the French Quarter. We saw Cemetary #1, Bourbon Street at night, Royal Street, Brad Pitt's home, the most haunted place in New Orleans (LaLaurie Mansion) owned by Nicholas Cage, and LOTS of colorful characters hanging out on the sidewalks. I highly recommend a carriage ride after dark! Take your camera even if your hubby says "But it is dark...you won't need it."

Tomorrow we are going to tour Oak Alley Plantation (Brad Pitt's home in Interview With The Vampire and the location of Bo and Hope's 1st wedding on Days of our Lives).

Mardi Gras In November

On Day #4 after eating our $19 breakfast buffet we caught the shuttle and headed for Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World!

We were greeted with a sign warning us that a movie is being filmed. It is called "Knucklehead" and stars some people I don't really know. It was cool to hear "quiet on the set" and "rolling."

They gave us "King Cake" to eat in the beginning. A small plastic baby is baked inside and normally whoever gets the baby in their piece has to host the party next year and provide the cake.

On the tour we learned how they make the floats and props. This is a design for next year.

Alot of the people props get new clothes made out of packing material.

Alot of the props are made of layers of styrofoam. The guy doing this job was covered from head to toe in little pieces.

The sides of the floats are covered with cotton cloth and painted white. Then the color is added. At the end of each parade they paint over the design with white and start again. The cloth is changed every 5-6 years.

It was amazing to see these giant creations in the building. I bet it is even better rolling down the street.

We got to play with a few large head masks. Did you know the people who ride the floats must pay to ride ($500-$1500) AND must provide their own "throws" (beads, stuffed animals, plastic cups, coins)? The "throws" can cost them $400-$500.

We also had a little fun with some costumes and masks.

Mardi Gras World is a MUST DO in New Orleans. We had a BLAST!

We took the Algiers Ferry across the Mississippi River to historic Algiers Point. This cargo ship was passing by...I am in love with all the ships and boats.

We had lunch at the Dry Dock Cafe.

We met Dr. Hubby back at the hotel and headed for the Riverwalk Shopping Mall. I got tickled when I saw the "Southern Food and Beverage Museum"...leave it to the southerners to have a museum dedicated to FOOD! Ironically, DO NOT eat at the Riverwalk Food Court...everything was YUCK!

We had time to go to the Canal Street Mall...very upscale. In SAKS I went straight for the Louis Vuitton section. I held a Speedy 30 handbag in black...I wanted to marry it, but couldn't since I am already married...LOL! It was only $2240! Yikes!

Tomorrow we are having "Audubon Day."

Bourbon Street? More Like Barf Street!

How did we start Day #2 of our trip?

Beignets and fresh squeezed OJ at Cafe Dumonde on Decatur Street. Caution...you WILL leave with powdered sugar on you!

The carriages were all lined up in front of Jackson Square. We did not go on one yet...

I loved the artists and their work displayed on the wrought iron fence. So relaxing to stroll along in the shade.

Tarot Card Readers and psychics were sprinkled among the artists.

Can you find Capt. Jack Sparrow among the black and whites?

I am amazed at all the alcohol and bars...I had been warned, but my imagination did not prepare me. I would have loved an icee...unfortunately they were all filled with rum or vodka.

The statue guys are fabulous...they can really take you by surprise. I don't know how they hold so still for so long.

St. Louis Cathedral is gorgeous. Mass was in progress while we were there.

Bourbon Street smelled like a combo of alcohol and vomit. It was yucky. Manga Dork glimpsed some odd behavior in a gay bar...yikes. I don't care if I ever walk that street again.

We ate lunch at Hard Rock Cafe...I had Twisted Macaroni With Chicken. It was yummy!

We walked along the Mississippi and caught sight of the steamboat, Natchez. It's rainbow flags were flying high...

This funky car was SO cool. There was so much to see on it.

The French Market had lots of neat foods and...

mardi gras beads and masks galore!

We caught a streetcar and headed back to the hotel for dinner and some relaxation in our room. Dr. Hubby starts his convention tomorrow. Oh yeah...I also found out where the Fall 2010 convention is going to be...SAN FRANCISCO!

More F.U.N. to come tomorrow!