New Orleans: Restitution, Change Teams

By Cathy on June 24, 2010 9:47 PM | 5 Comments
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Two weeks ago, I left on the first ever major road trip I've gone on with friends. Well, the road trip itself was just with one friend, the much-referenced (on this blog) Z. Beauvais. Right up until the night before, whether or not he would come was up in the air because of an extreme reaction he'd had to poison ivy, leaving him with some prescription steroids and self-described "face mung." He manned up, though, once the swelling had gone down a little, and soon we were speeding south towards the storied city of New Orleans and our friends Kris and Max.

I'm not going to attempt to cover everything we did over the next few days, since they were fairly packed with new experiences, in-jokes, and gastronomic adventures. Instead, here are a few firsts:
    • My first time driving below the Mason-Dixon Line, and first time in anywhere in the South other than Florida
    • My first night in a Motel 6
    • My first meal at Waffle House
    • My first time barhopping in Nashville during a huge country music festival
    • My first city recognized only because of its description in a Gargoyle article (Horse Cave, Kentucky)
    • My first time seeing an accident back-up so major that drivers got out of their cars and walked around for miles
    • My first attempt to explain to myself what "barber's milk" is
    • My first time backing out of a cave tour because of frightening torrential rain
    • My first time hearing Ludacris' opus, "Sex Room"
    • My first time soaking a shirt in sweat in under five minutes
    • My first jambalaya (delicious, at COOP'S PLACE)
    • My first Sneaky Pete (disgusting, at Sneaky Pete's)
    • My first beignets and chicory coffee
    • My first time swimming in a disturbingly warm and salty pool
    • My first legal, public, open alcohol consumption in a major city
    • My first time seeing a house Nicholas Cage has lived in
    • My first Mississippi riverboat ride
    • My first time wandering under a highway to find a fancy cemetery
    • My first time enjoying coleslaw
    • My first turtle soup (also delicious)
    • My first live New Orleans jazz
    • My first time trying authentic gumbo
    • My first time experiencing horrible intestinal distress due to said gumbo
    • My first glass of absinthe
    • My first time watching True Blood with anyone else
    • My first interview for a bona fide, actual, desirable, long-term job
    • My first time driving 18 hours in one day (not that bad!)
More happened (so, so much more!) but it would take a long time for me to cover everything here. Suffice it to say, I had a great time. Despite the stifling, unbelievable humidity, New Orleans is a gorgeous, lively, eccentric, friendly town. I could seriously consider living there. As long as I had air conditioning, naturally.

I just returned from a second, less ambitious trip. This one was to Mackinac with my family and my sister's boyfriend, Adam. It was also quite pleasant and lower-key. We made all the normal rounds to the normal places, did a good deal of walking and nature-enjoying. Now I have to stop eating because I weigh 900 pounds. I made the drive back strapped to the top of the van.

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Scenic view from the top of Mackinac Island

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5 Comments

keith.roshangar | June 25, 2010 8:25 PM | Reply

Z. Beauvais: Gentleman tourist from the 50s.

Also, are you guys the Shredder? I can't believe you ate turtle soup.

Cathy replied to comment from keith.roshangar | June 25, 2010 9:25 PM | Reply

I don't know what the Shredder is, but the turtle soup was delightful.

keith.roshangar | June 25, 2010 10:06 PM | Reply

Okay I guess I don't know how to post comments.

http://crujonessociety.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/shreddercard.jpg

elecray7k | July 1, 2010 12:50 PM | Reply

I want to go back already. Maybe if we all chip in, we can buy that mansion in the Garden District!

Cathy replied to comment from elecray7k | July 1, 2010 3:31 PM | Reply

Wait, do you mean Nicholas Cage's terror mansion? No thank you!

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