Week Recap

It's been a week of ups and downs, that's for sure. Friday was somewhat a blur. Went to the local hotel bar with some colleagues, met a new friend and an old one showed up. Couldn't figure out anything to do so we sat. And drank. And laughed. And drank more. And laughed even more. Seems like a recurring theme with me. In any event, we had a great time, and I was out shortly after arriving back at the hotel around 10.

Saturday....I had to finally cowboy up and hit Tar-zhay. In the suburbs. Yikes. Now, I'm one of like three people on the planet that can go into Target to buy shampoo and walk out with said shampoo, and shampoo only. I don't walk in and walk out $300 later. However, this time, I had a list. In the future I shall rethink what I sell when I move. I could have saved probably $150 on stupid shit. I need everything. Literally everything. So I did what any sensible person would do. I made a list. I'm talking everything from curtains to a toilet paper holder (which I, of COURSE, forgot). When I saw how full my cart was, I put the over/under at $500. Final tally? $493 and change. I could have had a new pair of shoes for that! Stupid necessities.

After assembling my clothing racks, and putting my shower back together, I headed even further into suburbia to meet up with my friend Cory (see previous post for his heroics). His buddy was having a crawfish boil, which of course I was down for. I unintentionally took the scenic route, so I was a bit late, and unfortunately by this point, it had started raining. There goes the boil. His buddy Shawn brought over probably 10 pounds of the stuff, sausage, corn, potatoes, the whole 9. Then I discovered the video game obsession. We couldn't find Arch Rivals, nor CastleVania, but we did find Contra. AND he remembered the code! Awesome times 1000. Played until we beat the game, and then headed to the drive thru daquiri bar (YES, they have them here!!!), and to another friends for the UFC fight. Dude had a sweet golf cart....which I tried to trade my car for...different story....different post. After the fight (and a mini-nap), they brought me to their local bar. And for some reason they let me be the DJ....yeah. 'Nuff said.

Woke up on the couch at some point, had coffee and then headed back to the city. I was having a porch party that afternoon and wanted to be ready. Super fast stop at the hotel for a shower, hopped in a cab and headed home. Thankfully I remembered my keys were in my hotel room BEFORE I got home (yet another story for yet another post), so the cabbie was gracious enough to turn back. Not gracious enough to hit pause on the meter, but gracious nonetheless. The details of the rest of this day are in the previous post, so I won't rehash them here. Suffice to say it was mostly a great afternoon and evening.

The rest of this week has been pretty mundane. I've been rocking out at work (Chemical Brothers currently), hanging out at the local bar, convincing numerous suitors that I'm perfectly happy single, trying to get in the mindset of quitting smoking (must quit by my next b-day), eating copious amounts of gyros, and becoming better at biting my tongue. Next we shall work on our patience level (currently non-existent). I will rant about why that is such a challenge for me at a later point in time. I did discover a bar called....drum roll.....Bulldog!! And they have a fabulous beer selection! Drank a bunch of Rogue's beers last night with the work crew. It's super close to home, not walking distance, but definitely less than a $10 cab ride (some mistakes I actually DO learn from!).

Not much planned for this weekend though. Grabbing dinner with a friend tonight, searching out a laundromat and giving my apartment a good scrub down tomorrow, and I guess being dragged to SATC2 Sunday. Not that I don't love, love, love Sex and the City, I just haven't heard a single good thing about this film. And I don't really want to PAY to see it. But, it's a chance to meet some girls, and hopefully start to recreate my girls back home. I know they aren't replicatable (is that a word?), but I need some girly time sometimes!

Next week should rock pretty hard. My computer should arrive Monday, Imogen Heap at the House of Blues Monday night, which means I need to re-schedule my first Krav Maga class for Tuesday, MONO Wednesday in Baton Rouge and on top of it all, because I should have my computer, I'll FINALLY be able to start learning French! The easiest way to ease the homesickness is to stay busy, focused on other things. Yes, I just admitted I'm homesick. I miss the shit out of all of you back in MN. It's only been a month, and I know it'll get better, but it's still made me sad this week, and made me question the decision to move. I know in my heart of hearts it was the right thing to do, I just need to keep telling myself. And keeping my mind on other things here. So I shall.

XOXOXO ~ Me

First weekend in the Big Sleaze...

And there was nothing sleazy about it. Friday after work, we were in need of cocktails, so my assistant and I headed to the local. We sat around chatting for a while when the douche from the previous evening waltzed in. Wearing a backwards hat. Sweet, sweet vindication. I love when I make good decisions.

A good friend of mine mentioned that he had another friend that just moved here. We had tried getting together the during the week, but couldn't connect. Anyhow, he said he'd meet us at the bar. In the meantime, another couple of guys had come into the bar, one of whom was also from Minnesota! Finally!! Backup for me!! I wasn't outnumbered by Saints fans!! The five of us laughed and drank and then departed. My assistant needed to get home, so C and I dropped her off. Then he decided he wanted to try his hand at being a "tour guide". So I capitulated and agreed to let him drag me down Bourbon Street. I had been there on a Wednesday, but that was nothing compared to a Friday night in the Quarter.

It's all really fuzzy, but suffice to say, we had some decent beers at the BeerHouse (I think that was the name of it), a Hurricane at Pat O'Briens (during which I NEEDED to call Andi and share the news with her, even though it was 1:30 in the morning and she was DYING to hear from me at this time), bought a "wish stick" at a voodoo shop, and then ended up a a blues bar. The last place was pretty cool. We were testing the theory of bars never closing around here, but only lasted until sometime after 4:30....what can I say, there were cocktails involved?! Suffice to say, I didn't really move out of my bed on Saturday. I ventured out for a bloody at Jean Lafitte's Old Absinthe House, and a gyro, and that was about it. Until 4 or so, when my assistant called again.

She was my tour guide for the afternoon/evening, and let's just say it was a MUCH different tour. We drove around in the Quarter, the Marigny, Mid-City, Bayou St. John and a couple other places. I showed her the house I was looking at and she agreed that it was adorable (more on that in a future post). It happens to be just a few blocks from THE Irish pub in NO - Finn McCool's. Irish as in, owned by Irish peeps right off the boat. A few pints of Guinness were had, and then it started...the whiskey drinking.

I do not generally drink whiskey. I do not generally do anything with whiskey except look at it with disdain. Or pour it out. I strongly dislike the flavor. In the last couple of years, I have been ok with drinking Jameson when it is the only thing in the house, or bar, or garage. I rarely enjoy it. However, when a "nice"* Irish guy that reminds you of Ireland buys Red Breast whiskey (which apparently is pretty good stuff), you drink it. And then you return the favor. And before you know it, you're extremely jealous of your sister, who happens to be a certified whiskey taster.

*in yet another future post, I will explain further the quotes surrounding the whiskey buyer.

Another friend had made an introduction to one of his friends, so I cleared with my assistant that it was cool for me to take off. Plus, I figured she was in good hands. So, off we went to Mick's for karaoke. Drinks were had, bad music was listened to, some good music was listened to and eventually I just needed to sleep....called a cab and made it safely to the confines of my bed, Sunday was pretty much a repeat of Saturday - minus the bloody. I did drink about three gallons of Gatorade though, and was still thirsty. Ordered a pizza for dinner, took a long, hot bath, and watched a ton of chick flicks. Of all the places to have a Sunday Funday, this is the place for it....I just wasn't having it yesterday. There will be many more opportunities, I'm sure.

Tonight will be another low key night. Hopefully picking up keys for my new apartment(!!!) and then watching the season (and series) finale of 24. Have a packed week of training at work, volunteering at work, and still figuring out exactly how I fit in around here. I'll get there. And then I hope all of you do too.

P.S. I WILL be at the Vikes/Saints game 9/9/10. It's official. My buddy bought two tickets and I have my name on the other one now. So, my offer still stands....I'm going to buy 4 tickets - first peeps to send me flight confirmations have first rights to purchase said tickets from me. I'll sell them for what I paid....though the one I'm going on is just south of $200. Do with that info what you wish!

Foodie in the Big Easy

A quick rundown of all the things I've consumed since arrival last week:

Goat Cheese on Brioche with hot pepper jelly

Shrimp Beignets

Buttermilk Belgian Waffle

Foie Gras Terrine

Shrimp Po' Boy

Beignets

Some kind of beans with Andouille

Crawfish

Cuban Sandwich (times two after tonight)

Cheese Steak that they forgot to put the cheese on

Poutine (and LOTS of it)

Green Seafood Curry

Abita Root Beer Float

A metric ass ton of gummi bears and cherries

Red Velvet Cupcake

Couple bags of Zapp's Potato Chips

Homemade mac and cheese

Gyros

More Beignets

After finding an abode to call my own, the next item on my list will be a gym.