Sunday, December 5, 2010

An Unplanned Date Night in New Orleans


To celebrate the all-but-certainty that the Hogs will be playing here in the Sugar Bowl on January 4th, Pepper and I headed down to the Riverfront for an impromptu "Date Night."

South Louisiana has a quaint Christmas tradition -- bonfires along the Mississippi River to guide Pere Noel through the dark bayous on his way to deliver gifts to good little children.  We've lived here since 1999 and had never been able to see one due to one conflict or trip or another.  Then Katrina hit, and the closest bonfire went on hiatus -- until last night!

Our evening began with cocktails, charbroiled oysters, and fried crab claws at Drago's.  There was even a television in the bar showing the Nebraska-Oklahoma game!  Pretty darn good way to start off.  The weather was near perfect -- cool enough for a light sweater, but warm enough not to require socks.  Moogie is not a sock person.

Then, about 8:15, we headed over to the Riverfront across from the Algiers Point ferry dock and, there it was!  Wow!  It definitely could've guided Pere Noel -- or a 747 pilot flying several miles above!  This pic is from today's Times-Picayune.


Quite a few river boats did circular cruises over to the Point.  That would've been cool.  These were taken from the East Bank riverfront.


We oohed and ahhed for a little while, then strolled back up Canal, all dolled up in its Christmas finery.


I never realized that Harrah's flies the flags of all the uniformed services, even the Merchant Marine!  You can sorta see them below.


Then we headed back to Poydras where we decided to stop in at one of our favorite places in the CBD, The Swizzle Stick Bar at Loew's.  More cocktails, and, of course we had worked up an appetite after all that oohing, ahhing, and strolling, so we ordered Cajun corndogs (huge skewered shrimp wrapped in tasso sausage, deep-fried and served with a 5-pepper sauce) and some kind of alligator taco-y kind of things. 

Pretty tasty!  We offered, and took photos in front of the ginormous Christmas tree of a cute young family whose 3 year-old-ish son took a shine to us -- I guess he recognized a Moogie and a Grandpa when he saw them!

Knowing that dogs needed attention, we headed back toward the car at about 9:30 and stumbled upon the "Miracle on Fulton" across from Harrah's.  That was kind of serendipitous, because we had thought about trying to go earlier in the day.  I'm glad we waited until nighttime -- it was beautiful!  My photography skillz don't do it even a modicum of justice.



I even got a shot of some random guy picking his nose by the musicians' tribute!  Don't ask me why -- I'm not sure.


We were happy folks when we finally got back to Moogie's Mansion.  So were Rosie and Bouie.  It was a good day.  We should be spontaneous more often!


Geaux Saints!

10 comments:

  1. Well, Dang! Life is GOOD, innit?

    (I'll have you know you made me drool. Thanks.) ;-)

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  2. I cannot stand New Orleans, but there is no other place on Earth to get that food done right, soooooo, whatever. I put up with it and shoot back when shot at.

    Nice bonfire, though.

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  3. You're most welcome, Buck! Life is indeed good.

    Yeah, Paul. Pepper packs when he walks the dog at night. I don't get to eat out nearly enouigh to suit me, so when a chance pops up, I jump at it, regardless of the potential for gunplay (of which there's been quite a bit lately. The children are more restless than usual.) And it was a SWEET bonfire!

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  4. Dang, that's a fine way to spend an evening! Don't need no stinkin' Rudolph Nose when there's a fire like that!

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  5. That sounds much better than my evening in Wichita Falls with a tour of Sam's Club and Lowe's and dinner at Market Street (grocery store). Still, I like dinner out anytime I get it. Those shrimp corndogs looked wonderful!

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  6. Mr. Mitchell makes an observation that is spot on.

    Personally, NO lost me many years ago as a place to vacation/visit/whatever.

    But, I am truly happy that you and Pepper have found the goody side of it, and have enjoyed your time there. As to Paul's observation...no doubt, it is unparalleled when it comes to dining. NO DOUBT!

    I've never seen the bonfires on the levees, but heard about them my whole life. Now, let's wrap this up with important stuff...

    Shazzzaaaaaaaam! How perfect is it to have your home team, in your current home town, in a premier bowl game, playing the team that is quite possibly the most despised by all SEC fans (toss-up with USC, I know)?

    It can't get NO better than that!

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  7. We did the Tour de Lowe's earlier in the day, BB. I earned that evening out!

    And SHAZAAAAM!!!! indeed, Andy! Moogie's Mansion beats out DisneyWorld as the Happiest Place on Earth today! We already have Pepper's and my tickets, plus 7 confirmed "B & B customers" with the potential for 4 more, coming from as far away as Rochester, NY! One couple is kinda spending their honeymoon here since they're getting married on New Year's Day! I'd better start blowing up air mattresses already! We plan to give the ohio state university an SEC schoolin' and trip to the woodshed!!

    And cheer for your Tigers to thump the Aggies (another on my list of most despised -- the animosity dates back to my cheerleading days when several of those charming young men spat at our cheerleaders)!

    And, contrary to Buck's wishes -- we'll cheer our hearts out for the PlainsEagleCats to pluck some Ducks!

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  8. Oh yeah, Moogie...my staunch Southern Baptist great Uncle, who rose high in administration at Baylor once uttered a curse word.

    ONCE. And, it had to do with his experiences at Bears/Aggies football games. Apparently that "spitting" thing was/maybe is an encouraged behavior. Anyway, Uncle Earl used the "f" word...blew me away...seriously.

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  9. That word might have crossed my lips on that occasion, too. Accompanied by a few more, perhaps. Probably. I was a feisty little thing in my youth.

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