"New Orleans - Not just for Mardi Gras " a New Orleans Travel Page by moirholj

I just returned home from my 4th trip to my beloved New Orleans. It had been five years since my last visit (Pre-Katrina) so I wasn't sure what to expect. I am happy to report, however, that the people and spirit of New Orleans being what they are, the city is as much of an amazing destination as it ever was.

While I agree that New Orleans should never be defined by the French Quarter alone, the fact is that most tourists (Esp. those limited on time) will only explore this historic district while they are in town. To that end I present my 24 Hour French Quarter Rockstar Itinerary. After 4 trips experience I can visit all of my favorite French Quarter stops in under 24 hours and I love every minute of it!

Coming Soon....

Your sunglasses fog up when you step outside

No matter where else you go in the world, you are always disappointed in the food.

Your loved one dies and you book a jazz band before you call the coroner.

You think the breeze from a flying roach feels good on a hot summer night.

Your baby's first words are "long beads." .

You ask, "How they running?" and "Are dey fat?", but you're inquiring about seafood quality and not the Crescent City Classic.

Nothing shocks you. Period. Ever - not politics, hurricanes, red lights, parking tickets, the Saints, Mardi Gras.....

Your one-martini lunch becomes a five-bloody mary afternoon.......and you keep your job.

You're walking in the French Quarter with a plastic cup of beer.

When it starts to rain, you cover your beer instead of your head.

Your middle name is your mother's maiden name or your father's mother's maiden name or your mother's mother's maiden name or your grandmother's mother's maiden name or your grandfather's mother's maiden name.

You eat sno-balls instead of throwing them.

Your house payment is less than your utility bill.

You've done your laundry in a bar.

You push little old ladies out of the way to catch Mardi Gras throws.

You look forward to being smashed by a hurricane.

You don't show your "pretties" during Mardi Gras.

You understand it when someone describes their favorite color as K&B purple.

You know how to mispronounce street names correctly. (Melpomene, Tchoupitoulas, Chartes, Burgundy, ....etc...)

Beignets are the major cause of your gallstones.

Someone asks you "Where you at?" and you tell them how you are.

You are left behind at an out-of-town bar searching for a "go cup".

Your grandparents are called "Maw Maw" and "Paw Paw".

You suck the heads, sing the blues and you actually know where you got them shoes.

You shake out your shoes before putting them on.

You don't go buy groceries, you make groceries.

You consider garbage cans a legal step to protecting your parking space on a public street.

You fall asleep to the soothing sounds of four box fans.

You ignore cockroaches because you know the only ones you could kill are the weak or infirmed, and it would only serve to strengthen the breed.

You eat dinner out and spend the entire meal talking about all the other good places you've eaten.