It's Good Mood Food

One of the best parts about a trip to New Orleans is all the delicious food. We managed to eat our way through a small part of the city, and enjoyed ourselves along the way.

We actually started out on our layover at DFW. Cousin's Bar-B-Q.

Later that night in New Orleans, we went to one of our favorites, Acme Oyster House.

We sat at the bar, and got a close-up look at shucking oysters. He showed us the difference between a good oyster and a bad oyster, and told us the shells are hauled away to a landfill. That's a big ol' pile of shells!

Jim eats his oysters ice cold on the half shell (raw).

I prefer mine chargrilled and sizzling in garlic butter. Delicious!

We shared a peace maker po-boy.

After dinner, we headed to Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop for the best hurricanes in NOLA.

And walking back down Bourbon Street, a guy handed us this sign, grabbed my iPhone, took our picture, and held out his hand for a tip. Oh my. When Jim handed him $1, he said, "I took 3 pictures." So Jim gave him 2 more dollars. #hustler

We stopped at Arnaud's Jazz Bistro for dessert, and ordered the Bananas Foster.

Delicious!

And we were serenaded at our table by the Gumbo Trio.

They were taking requests,

and did 'When the Saints Go Marching In' for us. For obvious reasons. :)

Back at our hotel, we topped off the evening at the Sazarac Bar. I had the Ramos Gin Fizz.

Jim had the official cocktail of New Orleans, often said to be the oldest known American cocktail, the Sazarac, for which the bar is named. Thus ended our first day in New Orleans. Whew!

On our second day, we had a lunch reservation at Commander's Palace, a well known restaurant in the Garden District. We planned to take the streetcar, but due to repairs being made to the tracks, they weren't all running, so we took the bus. Not quite the same ambiance as the streetcar.

It was our first visit to Commander's Palace, and we were not disappointed. From the moment we walked in, we were treated to some of the best service we have ever experienced in a restaurant. The wait staff is a well practiced team, and each play went off flawlessly. (Like that football analogy?)
We started with the gumbo. We always like to start with gumbo. There's really nothing quite like it. Yum.

Jim ordered the shrimp and grits.

I had pulled pork over red beans on a tortilla.

Of course the 25 cent lunch martinis were fun too. I had the cosmopolitan.

And for dessert...

Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé
Rich bread pudding whipped into a light fluffy soufflé
~ Whiskey sauce added tableside

Oh. My. Word. Possibly one of the best desserts I have ever had. And I am a self-proclaimed dessert aficionado. I will go back there just for this. And the whiskey sauce? I showed great restraint by not licking the bowl. So. Good.

After lunch we tried to take a picture of us outside, but we are really no good at selfies. You should see the other attempts. Lol.

We took a long walk on Magazine Street to do a little shopping (and get a little exercise). We were able to catch a crowded streetcar for part of the trip back to the French Quarter before it stopped and linked up with a bus to take us the rest of the way.

For dinner on Friday, we ate at The Court of Two Sisters.There is a lovely courtyard where we ate our dinner.

Jim ordered creme brulee for dessert. I never see creme brulee without thinking of the classic line, "Creme brulee can never be jell-o. YOU can never be jell-o." Great movie.
And that ended our second day in New Orleans.

On Saturday, after a quick stop at Fleurty Girl, we headed over for breakfast at Brennan's. A New Orleans tradition. I started off my breakfast with a Fleur de Lis. Appropriate, I thought.

One thing I love about meals in New Orleans is the crusty bread. I'm a bread girl anyway, and it is sooo good.

I had Eggs Hussarde, which is: Poached eggs atop Holland rusks, Canadian bacon and Marchand de Vin sauce. Topped with Hollandaise sauce.
Very tasty, and one of their signature dishes.

Of course, for dessert, Bananas Foster is a must. According to the menu, it is:
A Brennan Creation and now World-Famous. Bananas sautéed in butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and banana liqueur, then flamed in rum. Served over vanilla ice cream. Scandalously Delicious!
I so agree.
Jim and Wayne before the flaming.

On the fire.

An impressive flame, don't you agree?

Wayne was quite the showman.

Delicious, as promised.

We were feuling up for the sightseeing we were planning for the afternoon.

A delightfully delicious start to the day. Even I like breakfast at Brennan's. And I'm not a breakfast girl at all. Unless it's well after the break of dawn.

Thus ends our New Orleans food fest (for the most part). The rest of the trip included the mighty Mississippi and the Superdome, coming up in my next post. Stay tuned!

A Hodgepodge a Day...

Actually, it's a Hodgepodge a week, and Wednesday has come around once again. Join us as we share a slice of our lives by answering Joyce's questions. Click on the button below to visit Joyce and the others, and be sure to scatter some comments here and there along the way!

1. The Wednesday Hodgepodge this week falls on John Chapman's birth date.  He's more famously known as Johnny Appleseed...what's your favorite variety of apple?

Ah, Johnny Appleseed. He's well known around these parts. He gets a small chapter in the Indiana history books, as he spent much of his life in Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois, selling apple seeds to the settlers, and planting them as he walked, often barefoot, with only the supplies he could carry on his back.
He died, at the age of 70, near Fort Wayne, Indiana, and was buried there. There is a memorial park with a gravesite marker, where they have a festival in his honor every fall.

We visited the park with the kids on one of our Indiana history vacations, in 1993.

The marker says, "He Lived for Others."

I also love the Johnny Appleseed blessing song, that we sang at camp when I was a teen. We sang it when my high school friends got together a couple years ago. (And yes, we still remembered the words.) It's a good one.

Oh, the Lord is good to me,
And so I thank the Lord
For giving me the things I need
The sun, and the rain, and the apple seed.
The Lord is good to me.

This cabin is near the gravesite marker. Jennifer, age 8, David, age 11, Jonathan, age 6, Adam, age 3, and Andrew, age 9.

Oh, and my favorite apple? Well, Jonathan has always been the apple lover in the family. I think it's due to his name. He has always been partial to Jonagolds (of course), but we have discovered Honeycrisps, and they are our new favorites.

(source)

2.   When did you last say 'ick'?
When Jim suggested eating at McDonald's in the DFW airport. Sorry McD's lovers.

3.   Do you think there's a generation gap?  Explain.
I believe the younger generation often thinks they have found a better way to do something. Sometimes it's true. I also believe that we can all learn from those who have gone before us, and there is no better teacher than experience. When I see my 92-year-old mother-in-law playing Words With Friends on her iPad with her grandchildren, it makes me think there really isn't that much of a gap at all.

4.  What's on your computer screen saver?  Do you leave it alone or change it often?
I have had a picture of Drew Brees, holding up his son Baylen, as my screen saver since the Saints won the Super Bowl in 2010. You can imagine my surprise when I came home one day, and Baylen's face was replaced by our son Adam's. Someone's been messin' with my computer!

I've left it that way because it still makes me smile. 

5.  If you had the attention of the entire world for two minutes, what would you say?
Oh, my, I'm not really that comfortable speaking in front of large crowds. How about "Be kind to one another."

6.  Four fashion trends to try this fall are-brocade/jacquard (fancy printed fabrics), peplum, lace, and printed pants...which of these four would you be most likely to wear?
Well, I'm not sure about my own choice, but my husband is rockin' the printed pants with his new friend he met in the tailgate lot at the Superdome. We found them at a shop in NOLA, but they are available here if you decide you might want some. Women's sizes too!

7.  What can make your bad day better?
A happy nap.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
Those of you who read my blog know that I like football. Even after a long day of travel on Monday, I stayed up late to watch the end of the Monday Night Football game. And what an ending it was! In case you have been living under a rock (or just ignore sports completely), and haven't heard, the NFL referees are on strike, and they are using 'replacement refs.' Now I'm sure they are very nice guys, trying their best to do a good job in a new situation, but they are really struggling. The end of the Packers/Seahawks game on Monday has caused an uproar heard 'round the world. I know, another first world problem.

So, since we need to hear one more parody of Carly Rae Jepson's song 'Call Me Maybe', here's the latest, dedicated to the NFL replacement refs.

Happy Wednesday!

Jim on Vacation

Jim and I spent a long weekend in New Orleans to see my Saints play. More on that later.

We had a great time enjoying the beautiful weather, eating way too much delicious food, and taking in the sights and sounds of the French Quarter. More on that later, too.

I do want to share several photos of Jim 'enjoying' his vacation. Now, while I like my iPhone as well as the next guy, I'm often using it to take photos. It's true, I have 3,538 photos on my phone. I know, crazy. I also do my share of Facebook, email, and texting to keep in touch with friends and family.
Jim, however, finds it difficult to tear himself away from his mobile devices. And he's not taking pictures.

So in his honor, I thought I would compose a little post-vacation poem for your enjoyment.

Waiting to board in Indy, he's checking up on email.

He's online in the air, while I'm thinking about a cocktail.

Charging up in Dallas, must find power to tap.

In our room in NOLA, it's time for a power nap.

He's very good at napping, while shopping or at home,

He even caught a couple winks in the noise of the Superdome.

His computer is beloved, indeed, it's never far away,

Nor is his phone, and just to ask, is it safe to text on a jetway?

Sometimes to it he's listening, and I try not to complain,

But this is what I see as I line up to board the plane. Bon Voyage!

Love you Jim! Thanks for taking me to NOLA! :)

Fallin' for the Hodgepodge

Here it is, Wednesday already, and time for some Hodgepodge. I would like to wish our hostess, Joyce, a very happy birthday. She officially marked the day yesterday, but I think she has enjoyed an extended celebration. Click on the button to pay her a visit and share some birthday week wishes.

Now for the questions, and my answers.

1. What's the best and worst thing thing about growing older?
 Best: Grandchildren.

Worst: my achin' back. Lol.

2.   Autumn arrives this week in the Northern Hemisphere...what one thing do you love most about the fall season?
Um, I think we covered that last week.... football!

3.  Speaking of fall...pumpkin seems to be flavoring everything these days-are you a fan?   What's your favorite pumpkin flavored food or beverage?
I know everyone is all excited over pumpkin spice espresso steamed frappuccino latte grande venti, but I honestly don't understand what all the fuss is about. I don't even understand. Any of it. I don't do coffee.
As far as pumpkin? Meh, it's ok. Not something I crave or go to sleep dreaming about. However, if you offer me pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting, I won't turn it down. Looks like cake to me.

4.  Since we're on the subject of fall...what's the worst fall you've ever taken?
In terms of end result, it would be when I was in first grade and broke my arm. It wasn't really a fall, though, since it happened as I landed back in my spot during a rousing game of Duck Duck Goose. Never really liked that game.

5.  If you could own a prop from any film what would you choose?
 These slippers would be nice...

and this outfit, especially the carpet bag and umbrella...

and this in the backyard. 
I took this picture myself, when I was 20, visiting Salzburg, Austria. I had to fight the urge to break into, "I am sixteen, going on seventeen..."

But I guess that wasn't just a prop, now, was it?

6. What's the most interesting word you've read or learned in the past week?
This word came from the VocabDaily app last week. I remember when I first heard this word.  I was a young mom, and we had a pastor who was a gifted speaker. He spoke without notes, and walked around in front of the sanctuary as he delivered his sermon. One of the wise older women in the congregation said to him on one of his first Sundays, "Oh, I see you are a peripatetic." He laughed, and said he hoped she didn't mean he was 'pathetic.' 
She didn't mean he was pathetic at all, she just meant he walked around while he preached. He knew what she meant, and I have always remembered the word.

 7. When was the last time you locked yourself out of your house, car, or office?  Was it a big deal?
We are not careful about locking things around here. And for the most part, car keys are stored in the ignition. I know, I shouldn't be saying that on the internets. Ha!  I waited a long time for a new vehicle, and I really like it. What I don't like about it is when it randomly decides to lock itself while parked in the garage with the keys in the ignition! This is easily remedied by grabbing the spare remote key fob and pushing the button to unlock. However, the last time this happened, the spare remote was not where it was supposed to be. It wasn't anywhere I looked. So we had to call a locksmith. Not a big deal, but we no longer leave the keys in the ignition. Lesson learned.


8.  Insert your own random thought here.
My son hit a hole in one last week. Now understand, he plays a lot of golf. A. Lot. Of. Golf. So it was bound to happen eventually. He and his buddy must have been giddy with excitement. So excited, in fact, that this is the only photograph they took. The. Only. One.

I have to think, that those of us of the female gender, and especially moms and bloggers, would have done a much better job of documenting the momentous occasion. 
A photo taking the ball out of the hole. 
A photo from the fairway toward the hole. 
A photo of the cart. 
A photo of the club. 
A photo of the flag. 
A photo holding the ball. 
A photo of the witness. 
A photo of the scorecard. 
A photo of the golf shoes. 
The golf bag. 
The tee.
The divot.      
You get the idea. Oh boys.
Congrats anyway, Jon. We just have to use our imagination!

iPhone Fun

I enjoy taking pictures with my iPhone. It's so handy to have it in my pocket when I see something photo-worthy. And that happens pretty frequently around here. I also like editing with Instagram. Then I send them to Flickr and make an online collage over at Big Huge Labs to share here at StewMama Says. Whew!

Here's what I have recently captured with my iPhone camera.

A little box turtle ~ PeeWee at 30 ~ Emma at the lake

Jon's lunch creation ~ The only thing I buy at McD's ~ Home from school

Happy Birthday Jim ~ Need new chairs, not these ~ Loves her bunny

Birthday cupcakes ~ Taste tester ~ Football PB dip

Game day doggie ~ Little Who Dat ~ Krewe du Drew

Giving a jump ~ Sometimes you need the floor ~ Ready to go!