New Orleans for Our 39th Wedding Anniversary & My 64th Birthday

I planned this trip for 3 months before we left, to insure a good time was had by all. Our 31 year old daughter who is an environmental lawyer for the State of Texas, joined us for the trip, at our request. It just happened to be the weekend of the Halloween Parade, which turned out to be a blast of fun. Yes, and I am thoroughly behind on my Life Updates.

I rented a beautiful house through Home Away/VRBO that was located 3 blocks from Frenchman St. and 6 blocks from the French Quarter. Luckily, it was right next door to a friend-of-a-friend, who was having a party for the Halloween Parade, which was starting just blocks from their/our house. It was all very exciting and had a  bit of a Mardis Gras feel to it.

We arrived in NOLA on a Thursday and quickly settled in to our lovely house. We had reservations that night for Dickie Brennan's Steak House and it did not disappoint. Old World charm and New Age cuisine meet in the middle. The Escargots & Bone Marrow appetizer is to swoon for. We took Creme Brulee in *go boxes* back to our house & ate them on the patio. We stopped briefly to watch this tap dancer/jazz singer who was totally entertaining.

Friday morning we were up and out early, having grits, eggs, bacon & toast at a corner breakfast spot just blocks from the house. Yum. Afterwards, we went back to the house and got ready for a day in The French Quarter.

We ate lunch at the legendary Acme Oyster House and were not impressed with the fare. The grilled oysters were dodgy at best. Afterwards, we walked to the Starbuck's on Canal St., which is the largest one I've seen, to date. Frappucino with caramel. YUM.

Next, we walked around the Quarter until I yelled *Uncle*. I needed a break. With no place to sit outside, we hailed a female driven Bike Taxi and had her give us the Grand Tour, for which we paid her nicely. It was great and we ended up at the Cafe' Du Monde, looking out at the Saint Louis Cathedral. What a fabulous sight to behold!

Our daughter was arriving that day so we ventured back to the house to await her arrival. Once she arrived we all got ready for dinner and eventually took an Uber to Muriel's Jackson Square, in the French Quarter. It was the absolute best dinner we had in NOLA this trip. Supposedly haunted, we never saw or felt any ghosts at Muriel's.

On Saturday we had reservations for brunch at Brennan's in The Quarter, at Noon. After waiting, we were seated and offered champagne for our anniversary, which we happily accepted. After excellent people watching, Eggs Benedict, and lovely cocktails, we were all ready to expire or at least retire for an hour or two. It was an amazing brunch experience.

After brunch we went back to our house to get ready for the Halloween Party that was to be next door later. Since we had no costumes, daughter and I wandered down the street to an open costume market and found cat ears & tails to wear, for a mere song & dance. Once we decided and paid for our purchases, we walked on to Frenchman St. where floats were readying for the Halloween Parade that was to come. We stopped in a jazz place called Mouton (I think) and heard some of the best jazz I've heard in ages. There were also musicians playing outside in the street that were equally as amazing.

The party turned out to be fabulous and the people were all quite interesting. Costumes were amazing and we felt humbled, at best. Still, I felt quite adorable as a cat. Just sayin'. When it was time for the parade to start we all walked en masse down the street (Elysian Fields) to the start of the parade. It was all very exciting and we spent the next hour enjoying the whole of it all. New Orleaneans love any excuse to have a parade or a party. We were happy participants.

Sunday was my 64th birthday and we had Noon reservations at Commander's Palace. Not only was the food to swoon for, it was a total party. Afterwards, we walked around the cemetery where Marie Laveau is buried. Although damaged by Katrina, it still stands, much in ruins. Still it's all quite intriguing. We loved it!