Instead of stuffing my face with chocolate and watching Harold and Maude, I spent my Valentine's Day catching beads, mowing on beignets and buying tiny bottles of wine from Target at 9 am. I know it probably sounds like I died and went to heaven but no friends, I just went to Louisiana.
It is really and truly a different country down there, y'all. Gorgeous, spooky swamps that stretch for miles, alligators hanging out on campus, alcohol for sale in every blessed store, zydeco on the radio and tiny, sweet little bungalows. It was the perfect escape from Minnesota's icy, polite clutches. A bit of photographic evidence?
It is really and truly a different country down there, y'all. Gorgeous, spooky swamps that stretch for miles, alligators hanging out on campus, alcohol for sale in every blessed store, zydeco on the radio and tiny, sweet little bungalows. It was the perfect escape from Minnesota's icy, polite clutches. A bit of photographic evidence?
Spanish moss, y'all.
What's that? Why, yes. It is, in fact, an alligator.Where does it live? On campus.
What do they feed it? Dry dog food.
Where was I standing when this photo was taken?
About five feet away. (Behind a fence because I'm a weeny)
Attempting to look calm and collected next to the alligatorenclosure. Lake Martin bayou.
Corn grits, hush puppies and sweet potatoes. To bewashed down with drive-thru daiquiris.
Yes, really.
"Here ya go, buddy! You don't even need toshow me yer boobs!"
Please note my awesomely tacky thematic manicure.
I got all these beads the good old fashioned way.By jumping.
Louisiana cemetaries feature above-ground caps so the coffins won't pop out of the ground when
there are floods. Eeep!
Have you ever been to Louisiana?
34 comments:
I've been to New Orleans, stopped there on my trip around the USA. I loved it there, so lively... and beignets! zomg! We had them at cafe du monde, so they were the *Real Thing*. Amazing.
I love Louisiana cooking so hard, in fact, I think I might cook up a little feast this next week :)
I've never been but it looks fantastic - some day I'm going to drive across the States. Thanks for posting the pictures - cheers me up to think of the sunny places!!
LOVE the festive manicure!! (Not tacky. Fun.)
I'm a southern girl and truly only happy where spanish moss drapes live oaks, and shrimp and grits are on every menu.
Sadly, I'm living in the Philly area right now, due to husbands career. But we get our south on a couple times a year.
Your photos are a sweet salve on my frozen soul.
Thank you.
(Yay Saints!)
love,
lola
I've never been, but it's on my list of things to get around to. And it's funny you mentioned beignets.. my MIL gave me a mason jar of baking mix with a beignet recipie. Having no idea what they are I just put the jar on my shelf. I may need to google some pictures since everyone I mention them to go gaga for them. I think I need to make up a batch or two!
I went to New Orleans with my family when I was way too young to appreciate it. I didn't see the appeal of Bourbon Street at the time so I just whined when my mom wanted to keep walking up and down it, haha. I'd love to go back now, though.
Describe Happy, you definitely have to try them! They're like square powdered donuts - yummmm!
many a'year ago, chad and i went to Nawlins with some friends, we weren't very crazy partiers (at the time), so we walked a lot and saw a lot of things, but didn't engage in too much debauchery. however! this particular trip was the first weekend in december and i recall the temps were in the 80's...why do we live in MN again??
I went to New Orleans with my mom a few years back. That was the first time I ever saw my mother drunk. One too many hurricanes.
New Orleans has the best food and if I lived there I'd be 400 pounds. I had to best calamari of my life there.
Went on a swamp tour, where I held a baby alligator and saw my first nutria.
Did the haunted walking tour where they talked about voodoo and took us to the mausoleum where Marie Laveau is buried.
Love New Orleans.
Next time we HAVE to meet up! (You were in Lafayette, am I wrong??)
Looks like you had a blast- I'm dreaming of a trip to Louisiana now... just have to add it to my wish list.
I've been a few times and just love the culture they have! It's like nothing else in the world and it's pretty cool. Makes my home town seem pretty boring at times. I understand why people from there have so much pride in their cities and culture. if you haven't been you need to go!
New Orleans is on my list of adventures in the next year or two. I love jazz, French, and dancing!
I've been to New Orleans a couple of times for Mardi Gras. I absolutely love it there! The architecture, food, music... What's not to love?!
Did you get your beignets from Cafe du Monde? The line can get super long during Mardi Gras but they are sooo worth it!
Oh the south! I love being in the west (more opportunities to pretend to be a cowboy) but there is something special and homey about the south that I miss.
Ashe: Yes, I was in Lafayette. I would have *loved* to meet you in New Orleans!
Yes, I've been twice! I also caught my beads the normal way...by jumping. (Way easier than flashing a boob or two, let me tell you.)
I was born in New Orleans! Glad you enjoyed it, too bad you didn't get there pre-Katrina. Parades are definitely the best (and least-skeezy) way go get beads. It's crawfish season; I hope you tried some!
It looks like you had such a fun time! I've never been but it looks like it's worth a visit :)
I would LOVE to go to Louisiana one day! That food looks amazing.
My nails are almost *always* a green-purple combo, and now you're telling me I can get a drape of matching beads for just a bit of hopping? (Which should come quite naturally after a few drive-thru [drive-thru?!] daiquiris). I'm so there.
Mardi Gras is certainly on my list of things to 'do' before I die. Now, to convince my hubby that grits and hushpuppies outweigh his fear of domesticated baby dinosaurs. Mmmm. . .gumbo. . .
I'd love to go! It looks so colourful and exciting, and you can't beat tiny wine!
Not sure about the aligators though...
I've been to Louisiana twice. The first time was a fun family trip to New Orleans in my surly teens. We stayed in the French Quarter and did the touristy thing. The second time was while I was in the Army. Who wants to go to Louisiana? Yay! During Mardi Gras? YAY! For a month of cold, muddy war games at a dreary old Army base nowhere near New Orleans! Wait, what?
I'm glad you had fun!
I visited New Orleans back in 2001 at the end of August. It was the off season but still had plenty of energy! I even sang in bar on Bourbon street. I mean, they gave me a mike, I stood on stage and brought the house down. Had SOOOOOO much fun. Cannot wait to go back! Love your pics, glad you had fun!
YEAH GIRL! I am FROM Louisiana. I love that you took picks of the daytime parade with the kids and everything. I'm always trying to tell people that there is so much more to Mardi Gras than what everyone thinks. I'm so glad you had a good time!
I have never been, but it looks amazing! Maybe one of these years, the boyfriend and I will be able to head down for Mardi Gras... when he leaves his job (this is his busy season, aka no vacation time)! Perhaps a girls' trip is in order? :-)
when i was snowed in at christmas i read all about the Bayou's in Louisiana and the swamps. then i was dying to visit, although i heard the swamps are pretty creepy-- but i heard New Orleans is like no other city in the world!
xo-
p.s. i love love LOVE harold & maude!
I've never been, but that cemetery looks really, really cool. I love cemeteries-- is that weird?
Thanks to this post, I am now DYING to go!
Oh man, that alligator is crazy. LOVE IT. It's actually pretty damn cute. Or am I just slightly crazy?
I was obsessed with Anne Rice in high school so I've always wanted to visit New Orleans. Now I want to even more!
Oooh I've wanted to go for so long!
Had to comment! As soon as I saw the gator, I knew where you were ~ in my hometown!!
I hope you enjoyed your time here!
going to college in nola... best experience ever. glad you made it to louisiana for mardi gras. there is nothing better
I love Lafayette! I live in Baton Rouge right now for grad school, but I make the one-hour drive most weekends. Did you get to go Zydeco or Cajun dancing while you were there? Or to Cafe des Amis in Breaux Bridge?! Hope you enjoyed your time in Cajun country! (Which, of course, is very different from New Orleans.)
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