So here is a photo filled recap of my trip to New Orleans this year! First up, this is almost ALL the photos I took. None of us really took many photos this time around. I myself have enough photos of New Orleans. Had we done something different, I’d probably have more. Alas, I never really took any photos of us together 🙁

I flew out Thursday right after the soaps. I literally was picked up by a taxi to the airport the second Passions ended. I flew out Thursday rather than Friday, because 1) it would have been Friday the 13th and 2) I knew this way I’d be able to see the soaps in the hotel on Friday. Yes I know, another vacation planned around the soaps.

My room, the view from my room

We all stayed at the classy Royal Sonesta (between Royal and Bourbon). This is were we stayed last time, we just went back as it was still cheap and centrally located. This time however I had the pleasure of a window facing Bourbon St. Of course right across from strip club row too! It wasn’t too noisy, but it took me tillthe 2nd night to realize the air conditioner WASN’T on. I didn’t sleep to well this trip. Odd, I normally love sleeping in hotels. Ilike the tight way they make the beds I think.

The hotel courtyard/pool

Thursday evening I got in, did my recaps and other updates while also grabbing pizza, the quickest thing I could get as I was STARVING. Met up with Nica and her husband Larry. Shannan and her husband Brady weren’t coming until the next day. It had just stopped raining that evening when I got in, we walked around Bourbon a bit. Basically we got caught up, had some drinks (they had already had me beat) and spent most of the nights watching Karaoke at The Cats Meow. They had a limited selection of what you could sing, none of the songs we wanted to sing were on the list. Nica kept trying to get me to steal their list so we could look it over. I wouldn’t, eventually she did the next night. None of us however got up to sing anything anywhere.

The Cats Meow Courtyard, In The Rain

There was drama at the Cat’s Meow. I almost forgot! Nica went in to use the bathroom, then one minute later all the club people were outside the bathroom. Something had happened. We found out someone was passed out in the stall. Oh no! Turns out it wasn’t Nica, she was in there trying to help. Some poor girl was passed out, on the stall, pants around her ankles and wasn’t coming too. She was sweating, Nica was convinced she was on something, it wasn’t a case of too much to drink. They wanted to call the cops, Nica and another girl basically got them to let them pull her pants up and clean her up some first. She was DRAGGED out of the club and basically thrown outside on the street. Okay they sat her outside, but same thing. An ambulance was called, people stayed with her to help her. Eventually her MOTHER, who was partying at another club came back to find her as she was being loaded into the ambulance. At this point she was awake and was able to call to and recognize her mom. Oh boy! We later went to Krystals (basically a knock off White Castle) and finally turned in for the night.

The next day (Friday the 13th) Shannan arrived while her husband Brady did some work. We both needed food, ran out to get it. We then came back to the hotel, watched the soaps, her husband returned and they checked in. It was rainy off an on, but Friday was really the one clear day, with the sun evening coming out that afternoon. They all went out while I finished the soaps (I know I know) and then I went out to meet them. We basically bumed around Bourbon again, visiting the Cats Meow again and other bars and clubs. We had to be sure to have dinner, having had an issue last year with forgetting to have dinner one night. I am trying to remember where we ate on Friday, but it is escaping me. Ah yes, it was a little hole in the wall type restaurant we found. I can’t even recall the name. I had jambalaya, it was soooo spicy! It came back to haunt me that night, my tummy wasn’t happy with me.

Anyways, we hit Bourbon that night. Drama! Shannan saw this woman in rather promiscuous clothing standing on a corner with her man (whether she was REALLY a woman was actually in question). Well Shannan says to me, I’m going to grab her ass. I said do not, this is not a good idea. I remember trying to stop her as we walked by. She did it! A few steps later I hear “Oh no you did NOT!” WHAP! She slapped me! Shannan meanwhile had no idea what happened and kept walking. I stood there in shock saying “I didn’t touch you!” Nica was behind us, saw it, ran up and also told the woman I didn’t touch her. Her man is screaming “I’m gunna put you in jail!” I again said I didn’t touch her! Shannan eventually comes back and says she was the one who did it. All they could say was “Don’t touch people you don’t know.” We all went to a bar and stewed, Shannan’s husband wanted me to file assault charges or he wanted to go back and kick their asses. I said no, if I filed charges they could bring Shannan up on them, just drop it.

St. Loiues Cathedral

Saturday we woke up to rain, pouring . . . down . . . rain. Shannan and Brady had a family thing to go to. Nica, Larry and I eventually, by 1ish, are starving and have to brave the rain. We headed out and ate at this corner cafe Pierre Antoine’s (I think). Normally very good, I didn’t like what I got this time (a burger, way too well and burnt). They are also slow, VERY slow at this place. Like slower than the usual “southern hospitality slow.” Afterwards we just walked around a bit. We hit the Cathedral. I had never in all my trips, ever gone in. We walked around a bit and then looked at all the stuff in the gift shop. There was a scary prayer card I wanted to buy, but saw the 8 buck price tag and said it wasn’t that funny. Basically it was for sports, it was a card and some medal. It was for girls soccer, and it was funny because these two girls looked so much like lesbians, even their stances on the card was questionable. Then in the corner was the most evil looking Jesus I had seen. Again, wasn’t worth the 8 bucks I thought. We eventually headed back to the hotel, it started raining again.

We met up with Brady and Shannan later. We wanted to go to Petunia’s for dinner, only to find out they didn’t have business for dinner anymore so they didn’t do it. A shame, they had amazing dinners and desserts. We decided to try the world famous Brennan’s, until we saw their prices! 48 dollars for chicken? No thank you! We ended up going to the Gumbo Shop. I had been there before and knew it was good. We just beat the line. Everyone loved it. Then we all hit bourbon again, as well as Cafe Du Monde. We had originally planned to do a Cemetery Tour this trip, but the constant rain put a damper on that. Had we been able to, I would have taken so many more pictures! As it stood, there wasn’t much new for me to take photos of, and we just forgot to take ones of each other this time around.

Oh another fun tidbit. There was a swingers convention going on during our trip, and some of them were in our hotel. They had a suite rented down the hall from Shannan’s room, we saw them in there. Shannan’s hubby had to run back up to the room at one point, ran into them and got invited to the “party.” Too funny!

The Cathedral from Jackson Sq/Cafe Du monde, as well as the back from Bourbon St. Notice Jesus watching over.

Sunday morning we did go to Petunia’s for brunch. Mmm Mmm Mmm! So good! I had eggs Benedict. Oh it was pouring again, even worse than yesterday. I had decided I wanted to go back to the Cathedral to get the lesbian prayer card/medal after all. Unfortunately the shop was closed on Sunday. We walked in, I saw this and said “F@$% Me!” Shannan said I couldn’t say that in here! Then the lightening and thunder hit! Shannan put holy water on me so I wouldn’t get them all killed in some scene from Amytiville Horror (where the ceiling falls down and blinds the priest). We waited for the rain to let up, took some more photos in the church and then headed out. We went to the riverwalk/mall areas. Nica needed a dress for her son’s upcoming wedding. We bought one. Then we also went to Harrah’s Casino, Shannan had free buffet tickets. It was a shame, most of us by Sunday were so tired and so not wanting to eat that we just nibbled. The food wasn’t that great anyways, and to make the price worth it you’d have to really be a crab or lobster eater. That is what people went for, they were loading up their plates with the smelly shellfish. Bleck!

More from Cathedral

Sunday night we basically stayed in the hotel/hotel bar. We headed out to visit a psychic on the street, a tarot card reader and palm reader. We went to one that came recommended by the bartender. Her name was Leah (Leia?). Anyways, if you are in New Orleans and want to see one, see her. She was amazing! She got Shannan right and me right, and we basically didn’t tell her anything. Just read the cards and tell me what they say. So many issues I have been having she just addressed like BAM. It was very creepy! I know how the con games with these ones work, how they read your body language and such. We tried to give her no hints at all. I’d tell you what she said and what she got right, but it is a tad personal and I’d have to explain it all :). She did feel both Shannan and I knew one another in a previous life and crossed again. I didn’t shuffle the cards well enough and somehow picked the exact same cards Shannan did! She was like, shuffle them again and better!

Fortunes from the amazing Zoltar

Aside from the rain, and the fact that I was stressed, it was a great time. We all can’t wait to meet up again. Once again though, I forgot to buy some beignet mix! I can order it over the internet though.

Oh I also found out yesterday when I woke up sore and achey, it was because I cought something either in the rain or on the plane (hey that rhymes). I am feeling it today!