The Adventure Continues...

NOLA.  IT'S NOT JUST A REHEARSAL STUDIO IN NEW YORK.

Only in New Orleans is there a piano in the ladies room.

And what are we greeted with immediately?  Scuttlebutt Gentleman's Club.  Welcome to Louisiana.

Okay.  Here's the thing:  you learn a hell of a lot about a person when you spend three or more days in the car with them.  And here is what I've learned about Meredith: architecture gets her hot.  Attention all single, straight men reading this blog (and I know there are hundreds of thousands of you): Meredith loves the architecture of New Orleans.  And the food.  And the music.  After a pretty much perfect night in the city, she turned to me and said, "It's really a shame you're not a man, because if you were, we'd go have amazing sex right now."  Yes, gentlemen...here's what it takes :

You must go to -  Feelings Cafe in the French Quarter and order the vegetarian sampler, as well as some gumbo and shrimp etoufee.  You have a couple glasses of wine and end with the french silk peanut butter pie.  Then you walk to two great bars d.b.a. and the Spotted Cat - (one with a dirty hot bartender) where you drink beer and listen to jazz and zydecho music.  Then you go back to the insanely beautiful bed and breakfast.  Good luck, gentlemen...all it takes is some French architecture in a southern American city.  (Note from MM:  she's not lying.)

AMC at the B and B.  I mean, it's adorable.

Love the Garden District!

The amazing bed.

We woke up after an amazing night's sleep and we felt a little like we were characters in a Tennessee Williams play.  We had coffee on our balcony, then off to Cafe DuMonde for cafe au lait and beignets.  Heaven.

Not coke.

On the road now, and it should be noted that AMC is not a great navigator.  Even with the GPS.  I mean, once you get the blue dot on the purple line, it's fine.  But we've made a lot of wrong turns.

There are lots of dead armadillos.  Kinda nasty.

On our way out of town, we caught another roadside attraction: the Upside Down Frostop Rootbeer Mug.  It was turned upside down in Hurricane Katrina and they kept it that way.

Upside down.

Now, we are on our way to a Rightside Up Frostop Rootbeer Mug.  Nowhere near as entertaining as the Cross Garden, but we're giving it a shot.  (Update from MM: dear god, we almost died trying to get to the rightside up mug.  That thing AMC mentioned about not being good with the purple line?  Yeah, well, she's not exaggerating.  And the iphone WILL lead you quickly to the sketchiest section of town WITHOUT FAIL. But whatever, now there are pics of mugs both ways.)  

Right side up.  Worth it?  You decide.

We did not stop at the Cocktail Museum in New Orleans...Meredith says, "If you want to see a museum of cocktails, just look at my liver."

So sad to report that we cannot take the time to see two INSANE stops: The Britney Spears Museum and Mammy's Cupboard.  I know, I know. (Note from MM: the non-attending of the Britney museum almost caused our first fight.  If you know me, you know this is true.  Not a girl, not yet a woman, these last 34 years...)

The Britney Spears Museum needs no explanation, however, they do have a larger-than-life cutout of Britney and you can have your photo taken through her navel. (Note from MM:  said picture would have been my profile pic FOR THE REST OF MY DAYS.)

 I think that Mammy's Cupboard needs some description, though: Mammy's Cupboard is a luncheonette and gift shop built inside a 28-foot tall black woman's skirt.  Yeah, you totally read that right. The ONLY reason we are not there right now is that it is closed on Mondays.  Our bad luck.

Stopped for lunch: gumbo and grilled shrimp.  Love the cajun cooking.  A call on the road from our friend Rick, who has two requests for the blog.  He wants us to solve economic problems (I'm not sure if he means our own or the nation's) and destroy the Tea Party.  As we are most likely driving through the core of the Tea Party's base, it might just be possible.  Interestingly, Meredith has no idea what the Tea Party is.  She asks if maybe she's been living under a rock?  Umm....yes.... (Note from MM:  i have been in a theatre you know, since APRIL.  if it didn't involve a revolving set or chardonnay, i didn't know about it.)

HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM

What up Teyhass.

Man.  There is nothing in East Texas.

Nope. 

Still nothing.

Oh wait!  

There's ... 

wait for it ...

the world's (third) largest fire hydrant!!  Woot woot!!

I can't tell you how much this part makes me giggle:  (third)

Things you should ask us about:  the Memorial Fire Hydrant.  I've tried a few times and there's no way to make it not sound totally offensive in this blog.  but it's a really funny story.

And now in Houston this flashing sign:  Look out for the gaurd rail.  Yeah... look out for that.