“Mermaid Parade”
We flew home from San Diego on Monday afternoon. I could tell Diana was uncomfortable for most all of the almost four hour flight. Walking through New Orleans airport, I asked her how miserable the flight was for her on a scale of 1 to 10. “About a 12.” We’ve got to get our backs healthy again soon.
The “Gentlemen Out At Lunch” club met at Origen Venezuelan Bistro on Tuesday. Denny wasn’t able to join but the rest of the group assembled at the restaurant on St. Claude avenue in the Bywater. Origen was Denny’s suggestion and he insisted that we go ahead without him.
This was another great experience – a new place for all of us, recently opened, with great service and a creative menu. We shared ceviche and arepas appetizers and then I chose the mahi mahi for my main. All delicious.
Here’s an article with more information about this hidden gem:
We followed lunch with a visit to BJ’s lounge – just down the street. Oops – getting ahead of myself again. Kenny gave me a quick driving tour on the way. The house he group up in with his eight siblings was three houses down from the restaurant – I got a drive by of that as well as the local schools, including the one where his Dad taught mathematics and French. The tour was really enjoyable. Kenny really has missed his calling. I need to revisit getting him certified to give walking tours of the Garden District.
We had a fun pool tournament, with Kenny and I winning 3-2 over Thom and Alex. But who was keeping score?
We didn’t decide on the September luncheon location. I suspect Kenny’s repeat recommendation of the “Messina’s Runway Cafe” inside the restored art deco building at the Lakefront airport may win.
Our next entertainment came on Saturday, after a couple of quiet days. Thom suggested we meet at Cooter Brown’s for lunch and college football. Diana joined us, as well as Fred and Kenny, and later Peggy. I take pictures of the “Hey Dude” shoes that Campbell gave me from random locations. Here they are from Cooter’s:
Kenny and Kara picked us up in the evening, drove us to the Firehouse for parking, and then the 2nd annual Mermaid Parade.
MermaiD was anxious to join in on the action. She can enter next year!
The parade was short and fun, with some excellent throws:
It was still early and Kara suggested Bouligny Tavern for a snack. Who’s going to argue with the driver. We enjoyed some delicious snacks and drinks.
I tried something new this week – picking up “It Ends With Us” by Colleen Hoover. This is a romance style novel that Diana had on the kitchen counter to finish. Goodness – I hope all her romances aren’t this dark. The topics are marital and emotional abuse – apparently based on Hoover’s childhood. The writing and characters are so good that I had to finish the book. Certainly not for everyone, although it appears to have topped bestseller lists for several years, and is now a movie.
Two new albums were released this week by artists that I enjoy. First, Uncle Lucius with a great sounding live album:
Next, Nick Cave:
And finally, something I came across that reminded me of an amazing Lucky Peterson concert in Dallas:
Coexist peacefully, with kindness and patience for all!