A year ago Lisa’s mum mentioned to me that she wanted to surprise Lisa with a 40th birthday trip to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Awesome idea. But I had a feeling that Lisa wouldn’t want to be celebrating with just boring old me, so added a few surprise Cal Poly companions to the trip and amazingly managed to keep it all a secret. On our way to Oakland for our flight we stopped off in Petaluma to grab a coffee, at which point the Bordessas jumped in the back seat of the truck and sent Lisa’s adrenaline into overdrive. Flight was smooth and upon arriving in New Orleans at the Maison Dupuy we grabbed a few drinks on nearby Bourbon Street while our other surprise companions got settled and waited in the hotel lobby. The Zimmermans, McGarrys and Lambs unveiled themselves in grand fashion as Lisa walked into the hotel lobby, I’m very glad she didn’t faint!
At Maison Dupuy before Lisa realized there were six more people coming
Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street
Surprise!
We had a great first night exploring Frenchmen Street, although we had the first of two occurrences of me picking locations that were closed: the restaurant I picked for dinner had closed two weeks prior! The band at The Spotted Cat was fantastic, great NOLA jazz, everyone partied into the early hours, high on adrenaline with plenty of help from cocktails!
Jackson Square
Cafe Du Monde
Cafe Du Monde
Cafe Du Monde
Cafe Du Monde
Jackson Square
Jackson Square
Jackson Square
Jackson Square
Jackson Square
Jackson Square
Jackson Square
Jackson Square
Bourbon Street
There was too much great stuff to go through a play by play, but in general it really was an amazingly fun weekend with such great friends! Honorable mentions were Lisa’s birthday dinner in the wine cellar at Restaurant R’Evolution, dinner at La Petite Grocery, crab beignets at Loretta’s off Frenchmen Street, Lisa’s midnight shopping with Paul, Cheryl and Hilary, freezing our asses off on the airboat, and finishing up almost every night at Tickler’s Bar on Bourbon Street singing eighties rock into the wee hours. How good was it Hilary? So good!
The Old Absinthe House
Acme Oyster Company
Acme Oyster Company
Acme Oyster Company
Acme Oyster Company
Acme Oyster Company
Acme Oyster Company
Acme Oyster Company
Acme Oyster Company
Acme Oyster Company
Parades on Canal Street
Parades on Canal Street
Parades on Canal Street
Parades on Canal Street
French Quarter
Birthday dinner at Restaurant R’Evolution
Birthday dinner at Restaurant R’Evolution
Birthday dinner at Restaurant R’Evolution
Birthday dinner at Restaurant R’Evolution
Birthday dinner at Restaurant R’Evolution
Birthday dinner at Restaurant R’Evolution
Birthday dinner at Restaurant R’Evolution
Birthday dinner at Restaurant R’Evolution
Birthday dinner at Restaurant R’Evolution
Birthday dinner at Restaurant R’Evolution
Birthday dinner at Restaurant R’Evolution
Birthday dinner at Restaurant R’Evolution
Birthday dinner at Restaurant R’Evolution
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Culinary tour of New Orleans by bicycle
Krewe of Barkus parade through the French Quarter
Krewe of Barkus parade through the French Quarter
Krewe of Barkus parade through the French Quarter
Krewe of Barkus parade through the French Quarter
The team
The team
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
Airboat tour through the swamp
