Monday, November 15, 2004

New'Olins

New Orleans, Baby! Whooo Hooo! (Of course, when you're there, it's pronounced New'Olins...)

The last few days were spent at a Q-Tip Conference in New Orleans. (Q-Tip meaning, of course, old lady.) While it was a great Conference, it was the time spent outside of the hotel that REALLY made the trip memorable.

Because I didn't know too many people there, I had to make friends - okay, easy enough. I quickly made 3 good friends and we were sort of like peas in a pod and others would come and go... We were, by far, the cool ones.

I'll change names here, to protect the privacy of those who wish to remain anonymous:

1. Daniel- Daniel is the Southern All-American boy who grew up in a small town and still holds fast to the small-town mentality. His Southern drawl cracked me up and his stories (which were being told every 2 minutes) were a hoot. He loved to talk about Auburn and the upcoming game against UGA... (At one point, I think all of us wanted to turn around and just say "SHUT UP ALREADY!" but we knew better.) He would like to pretend that he could take on a big-city woman... Keep trying, my dear, keep trying. (I know he'll read this.)
2. Aaron- Aaron is another sweetheart. He reminds me of those young and innocent boys that every elementary school had a crush on... and still does. His looks are deceiving: he looks 12. He was the shy, quiet type. I nicknamed him Casper because he would always disappear on us - one moment he's there, the next he's gone. "Where's Aaron?" seemed to be a theme...
3. Michelle- Ah, my favorite. Michelle is another California girl - bonus points, just for that. She and I think we had met before, but couldn't quite remember when or how. She's a fun girl with a good head on her shoulders. She and I had a chance to talk about life and men (two of my favorite subjects) on a couple of occasions and I couldn't help but admire her strength and heart.

So, there we are in New Orleans. Bourbon Street was two blocks away which made it easy and convenient to be out until ungodly hours of the night (uh, um, morning). We collected enough beads to fit in, but managed to acquire them while keeping our integrity in tact. We drank enough to get a good buzz and to feel it the next morning, but nobody got too stupid or too drunk. (Love them hurricanes!) We made friends on the street and made fun of everyone else (just because we could - remember WE were the cool ones). We even ended up at (what Daniel likes to refer as) THE BOOBIE BAR.

THE BOOBIE BAR - Now, this was my first time at one of these - plus, it was a male and female show (yay, something for everyone!). The night we went to this, there were 4 guys and 3 girls in our group. We quickly made our way to the back corner of the bar. There were boobs everywhere. I thought it was kind of funny that the three women kept comparing ourselves to them: "My boobs are bigger than hers," "She has more cellulite than I do," "Wow, she's fat.." Yeah, we didn't play into our gender roles at all - insert the roll of the eyes here. I watched, sort of mesmerized, at the stage performance. This guy and girl were practically doing it there, right on stage! While I wanted to be sickened by this, it was a train wreck that I couldn't peel my eyes away from. They were doing tricks and moves that I've never seen before and damn he had a package!!! I guess it helps to have a pole around...

Anyway, besides the bar, there was a lot to do, see, and eat in New Orleans. I probably gained five pounds with all the crap we ate, but it was worth it. Oh, I have to mention the po'boy sandwiches: Apparently, this is a big thing down there. But really, I don't understand why. Okay, so it's a big sandwich. What's the big deal? For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about - a po'boy is like a giant sub sandwich but with special New Orleans bread. I didn't find them to be anything worth writing home about... Take it for what you will. Or not. I really don't care either way.

If you find yourself in New Orleans, you won't be disappointed. Three days was just enough time to see enough and not get too bored. The nightlife is to be expected and the music is fantastic (didn't have a chance to go into a jazz club, but from what I could hear, it was AWESOME). Every type of person imaginable can be found in New Orleans - young, old, and everyone in-between. (The funny thing is to observe the clientele at each of the bars - mid-life crisis ladies at the rock bars, young wanna-be rappers at the modern-day disco infernos, and modern-day snobs on the outdoor patios. It was great.) I suggest leaving the kids at home because things are a little more mature (why people were pushing baby strollers in the street is beyond me). Remember, too, that just like all cities you have to be careful - more than a few times, I had to dodge the cat-calls and avoid stepping in the questionable substance on the street.

Thank you, New Orleans, for your warm hospitality and your cheap thrills. I loved it!

Posted by Jessie_b :: 9:04 AM :: 0 comments

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