Down by the bayou

My weekend was well spent having a blast in New Orleans. A friend and I have been wanting to visit ever since the hurricane to spend some money and help boost the economy, so for her brithday that's what we did. We had a great time drinking, and eating, and partying, and did I mention drinking? I urge you to get your booty movin' down South. Although this hardly covers half of it (I forgot to get a picture of our hot pink B&B), here are a couple of photos to entice you

Street performers are the best (and cheapest) entertainment. They all have a great, unique sound. This is a band that was playing on a park bench in Jackson Square.

This is one of the best bowls of beans and rice I have had. Truely authentic Louisiana flavor. We got it from a place called the Gumbo Shop. They have a large variety of gumbo, and other traditional Louisiana fare to choose from. This was the only vegetarian option they offered, but it was all I needed.

We decided to go the weekend before the big Mardi Gras, so it wasn't too crowded. Luckily, we were there for a parade that is growing in popularity, the Barkus Parade. It is a parade just for dogs, which people bring from all over. The King and Queen of the parade feature two rescue dogs, and all of the proceeds go to worthy animal welfare groups. The bottom picture is our favorite pick.

Shake that sweet stuff, baby!

Although New Orleans has been through devistating times, they still have a great spirit and hospitality that can't be beat. The rebuilding process is still occuring, and will probably be for some time now, and things may never quite be the same as they once were. But, through the changes, they have emerged as still one of the coolest and most fun cities to have a good time in.