We kicked New Orleans Backside...er.. maybe the other way around

This past weekend was my friend, Delia's 30th Birthday...  29th Birthday again.  Her husband planned a weekend in New Orleans with her sister and fiance (Lindsey and Adam), her cousin and wife (Bear and Bridget) and Jason and I.

Mom and Dad came up to watch Joe and the business so that we could fly out on Friday afternoon.  I have never been to Nola so I was super excited.  We arrived and checked into our hotel, the Sheraton on Canal Street.  We were texting with Jason and had a drink in the lobby while we waited for our meet up.  The rest of the group were gambling at Harrah's so we headed that direction.  They were at a blackjack table so I crept up behind her and asked if I could have a turn.  :)  She was sooo surprised.

They were wrapping up...  and Dee needed to go to the hotel room so I went with her.  :)  We visited and headed down to meet back up with the group in the bar of the Doubletree where Dee got serenaded.  :)

We went to Crescent City Brewery for dinner and I think I had the best ahi tuna I have ever eaten.  Well unless you count sushi.  :)  Our meal was wonderful and the company even better.

We wandered through the French Quarter...  made a stop at the Chart House.  Where the boys celebrated the "high life"

and Dee got another serenade by a group doing a golf bar crawl.

I had the bright idea to do a shot...  :::what was I thinking???:::::::

We went to Bourbon Street

and into a bar... where Jason pretended to take a keg. (yeah... he mighta been a bit drunk)

We ended the night with a trip to Cafe du Monde for some Beignets... mmm mmm good.

 Saturday:

I was determined to go for a run... half because I wanted to and half because everyone said I wouldn't.  I actually had a great time but overestimated my abilities.  The combination of alcohol the night before, the heat (OH MY GOD THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY) and sleepiness = FAIL on 5 mile run.  but...  I set off down St. Charles Street and ran to the Garden District.  It was so neat running past those old antebellum houses.  I made it about 2.5 miles when I stopped at a Rite Aid to get a water and let the feeling of wanting to vomit pass me by. 

I ended up walking more than half of it back...  but I so enjoyed the garden district with the little shops and the bistro restaurants.  I ended up going about 5.77 miles with running half of it.  :)

I got back to the hotel and showered and we met up with everyone at someplace that has famous bloody mary's. 

We wandered through Jackson Square and had to do some photo opps.

We went into the cathedral where I lit two candles.  Candles for three people who are battling cancer right now.  Danielle, my dear friend and little sister in Germany right now for round two of a treatment.  Kelly's sister in law Sarah who is battling Breast Cancer and a lady in Lufkin, Sheri Brandenburg who's cancer has returned and metastasized in her pelvic  bone. 

From there, we split up and the girls went to the garden district and the guys... well the guys drank.

I found some books to bring home to Joe.

Ma Petite Rouge:  Cajun Little Red Riding Hood:

and the Cajun Jack and the Beanstalk.  How FUN are these books? 

and Goodnight Nola.

We had lunch at Joey K's which has been featured on Diner's Drive ins and Dives.  I had the most delicious tomato salad.

We did a bit of shopping and then headed back towards town where Dee went back to the room for a bit and Bridget, Lindsey and I continued to shop.  My intention was to shop a bit and then take a nap... yeah... nap didn't happen.

But I did find one kickass skirt...  It's sooooo fun! Lindsey and I found a store that had her name.  Even spelled correctly.  We discovered that Lindsey has good taste but she's way overpriced.  :)

 The guys met back up with us, as did Dee and we wandered a bit...  drank a bit...  Dee and Jason set off to buy some souvenirs and Bear and Bridget went back to freshen up.

Lindsey and I, with our guys, set out for a cupcake for Dee.  She had mentioned that she hadn't gotten cake for her birthday and we wanted to get her a cupcake.  We found a grocery store that supposedly had the BEST little cakes.  Yeah... gone.  :(  Then we set out for a bakery and nope.  Then we found a cupcake place and got there five minutes after it closed.  :(

We were meeting up at the Acme Oyster company for appetizers and drinks...  Lindsey and I ran back to our hotel to quickly don our new skirts and shirts...  throw a bit of new makeup on and a splash of perfume to mask the overwhelming smell of alcohol and body odor, I'm sure.  Did I mention the heat? (OH MY GOD THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY).

We made it to the Oyster house and they sat us immediately.

  We got Dee a banana cheesecake that was so good Lindsey licked the plate.

We did a bit of posing in our fun skirts.

Next up... Howl at the Moon.  It was somewhat crowded and the next bar had no one in it and KAROAOKE (ship friends... shoot me now!).

the guys sang...  "I touch myself" which was Jason's pick.  Don't ask me why...  I have no idea.  But take a look at Jason's (Dee's hubby) face in the last picture. 

yeah.  ship friends... shoot me now!  :-)

next up:  Bourbon Cowboy.  Bear wanted to ride a bull.  why?  who knows.  This girl was in front of us...  to ride the bull.

why yes...  yes those ARE tattoos of laces on her calves.

and yes... yes this is

a pair of trucknutz on that mechanical bull.   (Dana that's for you!)

and yes... yes we did

get kicked out of the bourbon cowboy.

let's just say it involved the shot girl, a shot, and an invasion of a hula hoop.  I'm not entirely sure still what all transpired but I do know that there were tears, tempers and us escorted out the side door.

We decided we'd had enough of Bourbon street and headed back to the Chart House.

Yep...alcohol involved.  :-)

And another late night trip to Cafe du Monde.

By this time, Lindsey and I had literally walked all of New Orleans dragging with us various and escorted stragglers.  :)  My feet were so swollen it literally looked like I was eight month's pregnant.  I had cankles.  I meant to take a picture but forgot.  :(  Jason and I made it back to our hotel at 2:30 am without incident and crashed after a well deserved shower on my part.  :)

Sunday morning dawned way too early but we were meeting at Mothers for breakfast.

WE were all a bit weary by this time. 

We definitely did it all right...  and we had a BLAST!  But it was definitely not relaxing.  I am quite sure that we need a vacation to recover.  :)

Happy Birthday Dee... thank Goodness your 30th er I mean 29th only happens once a year.  :)