NOLA baby

So this past weekend we took our annual girls trip.  This year we decided to do New Orleans.  :)  

I flew in about the same time as Dana and into the same terminal... so I waited.  Shannon and Viula flew together and arrived about the same time.  So, Clare, who lives in NOLA picked us up.  

Shannon and I texted and we met up at Baggage Claim...  and when they came walking down the hall...  Shannon had a small carry on and Viula had a suitcase with a large pillowcase on top of it, stuffed to the BRIM.  We looked at her kind of odd and low and behold, there was of course a story.  :-)

She and Shannon arrived too late to check their bags.  They almost missed their flight.  When she got there, her suitcase was too big to put in the overhead bin.  She had no time to think, she threw everything she owned into the pillowcase and carried it on like a hobo!  HA!!  ha ha ha ah ah!  

Nothing like a nice pair of Christian Louboutins in a pillow case!  ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.  But she made it.  A quick trip to target, a new suitcase later and she was all set.  Funnier part was... she had to leave her other suitcase in the airport to throw away.  I'm surprised they didn't shut down the airport while searching for the non existent bomb attached to that suitcase. 

We arrived at the hotel, checked our bags (and pillowcase)

and headed to Filepe's for some snacks while the other girls (Cindy, Crissy and Delia) landed.  

And while there... it started to pour.  Like REALLY pour...  so we waited it out with some snacks and a few drinks.  We finally headed back to the hotel and met up, got into our rooms and all freshened up.  

We were ready a wee bit before Dana and V so we snapped a quick pic before all getting together.  

Clare has a new camera that makes everyone look skinny... nice, huh?  

First up, the column hotel.  

Then we went to a Rotisserie Restaurant.  We were put in a back room with another group that rivaled us on loudness. :)  I tried to snap a picture of everyone but the only way to do it was behind this big bush...  picture is forthcoming.  I seriously looked like the paparazzi.  

Saturday morning... I went and ran.  However, it was so stinkin hot that I couldn't complete my 9.25 miles I wanted to.  :(  It was just so humid.  I should really learn my lesson from last time but... nope.  

The plan for Saturday was for Dana to get her tattoo (she had been planning it for a long while) and us to get mani/pedi's.  We all loaded up and headed to the Garden District and Clare dumped us out... literally dumped us out at a restaurant called Slice.  :)  

Clare had a quick lunch with Dana...  and her tattoo took FOUR hours.  

It looks cool, huh?  Painful, but cool.  :)  

Dee, Crissy, Cindy and I were done first...  so we went on down to the shops on Magazine Road.  :) 

Thus we tired out sooner so had to do what all good tired shoppers do... find a bar.  The funniest part of this bar though was the bathroom.  We seriously think it was a hobbit bathroom.  

Dee is to give you perspective.  She is tall...  but she's not ginormous.  :)  And it had a cool back wall with all this broken glass in it.  You did have to sit on the toilet to wash your hands though.  

We all headed back to the hotel and had a short rest before reconvening to go to Herbsaints.  A small restaurant that was amazing.  

The service was perfect, the food delicious.  And we weren't rushed at all...  in fact it was a nice leisurely dinner.  :) 

We finished up the night at the carousel bar CRAMMED into a tiny booth.  :) 

 

Sunday morning...  we had to have some beignets at Cafe Du Monde as an appetizer and last hurrah.  

 And then some of the girls went back to have breakfast at the hotel.  The rest of us wanted to pick up a few items for the kids and grabbed a bite in Jackson square.  

 It was a great trip!  Filled with friendship, food, fun and memories.  Thank you ladies for being so special, unique and integral parts of my life!  Love you! And here's to next year!  :)