Am leaving on a jetplane soon to visit The BFF in NOLA.
…I am by turn, excited and nervous about it. Cuz I never go anywhere certainly not alone across the U.S.. Certainly not ’round the holidays. Certainly not with almost no bucks after travel costs are all said n’ done. And I’ve no idea what to really expect…so I just make it up in a myriad of scenarios. Cuz I’m me and can’t just let a thing “be.”
…Which is how texting mini conversations like this happen:
Me: …We can do stuff suuuuuper on the cheap, right?
The BFF: Oh yes. Im basically broke but we can still manage to drink fine wines and eat fancy cheese.
Me: Your version of “broke” and mine are very different.
The BFF: We will go grocery shopping for the week and just cook all the time.
Me: …I love the cooking idea. Just NO jambalaya-gumbo fish food!!
The BFF: …Jambalaya is just rice, chicken and sausage. And gumbo doesnt have fish in it either.
Me: I think you’re lying and will cut em up all sneaky like and slip them in when I’m not looking. But I will know. I always know.
The BFF: You will get a fine sampling of cajun and creole food w/o having to eat any fish.
Me: Well fine. I guess. But I know you…
The BFF: …And there will be begniets. Just think about that!
Me: I don’t even know what begniets are…but as long as it’s hidden with no antenna or crustacean skeleton sticking out…I’ll try it. But I won’t promise to swallow.
The BFF: Subject: Beignet – Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beignet
Me: Kay…now I want like twelve.
***
Email exchange #4 of prob’ly 400:
The BFF: Here is a completely preliminary and not at all definitive guide to some of the many New Orleans activities we may take part in on your visit. Just to whet your whistle, so to speak. ;)
Go to this Tiki bar:
https://www.facebook.com/TikiTolteca
Eat Beignets
(You already know about those)
Get a Po Boy at Verti Marte or Parkway Bakery
http://www.yelp.com/biz/verti-marte-new-orleans-2
Drink at Tonique
Drink at Bacchanal (weather permitting)
Day Drink/Window Shop in the French Quarter
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Quarter
Get Pho on the Westbank
http://dpbanhmi.com/DP_Bakery/Welcome.html
Go to City Park and just hang out/go to Celebration in the Oaks
http://neworleanscitypark.com/celebration-in-the-oaks
Go see some graveyards!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Louis_Cemetery
Go see a Christmas Carol (we have comps obviously)
Eat some croissants at the Maple St. Patisserie
http://cargocollective.com/maplestreetpatisserie
Ride Bikes!
Walk in Crescent Park!
http://www.reinventingthecrescent.org
Take a walking tour?
Go see this amazing cellist play in the St. louis Cathedral for free!
https://holiday.neworleansonline.com/events/cathedral-christmas-concerts-4-3/
Go to the Frenchmen Night Market
More to come!
Me: I LOVE Cathedral-playing cellists, numerous drinking establishments, plays, food, and doing stuff when normal people are sleeping!!! This is gonna be too FREAKING COOL. And also like, super secret-back-door-non-normal-touristy. I get my own guides who LIVE THERE! And also: Graveyards are like my favorite thing outside of book stores and THOSE ones have got to be amazeballs.
I CANNOT WAIT!!!!
***
The BFF: …So, on your last night in nola, we will be hosting a holiday cocktail party to introduce you to all of our friends. Cocktail attire is manditory.
Me: Shut up I’ll be so socially awkward…we better drink alot! Remind me in like a week. CUZ ILL BE PACKING IN LIKE ONE FUCKING WEEK!
The BFF: You’ll be fine!! And yes, yes I will.
Me: I’m sick excited. And scared. Cuz I’m me.
The BFF: Dont be scared. Its us. We will take care of you.
Me: I know. I’m a nerd. Did you forget? I’ll remind you often in that week…
The BFF: You are a nerd. But dont stress. Its going to be great!
Me: I know that too :) Am having pre shocks of awesome. Like was at World Market yesterday and thought of you (as always) and I was all: “OH! HEY! We gotta stock a bunch of wine for late at night….oh wait they just drink in the streets there! Oh hey, we should bake this thing! Oh hey, what about that?! Xmas cookies!!!! Oh hey, do I need gloves and stuff just in case or will it really be like 60 degrees there….?”
…Things like that. Then I get all excited and happy!
The BFF: :D also, yes bring your pea coat. It gets a bit chilly.
***
Me: Um. Do I need bug repellent for monster blood-eating plague passers?
The BFF: Naw they’ll all be dead by then.
Me: …So all I have to worry about is stepping on their decaying carcasses. So: boots.
…also, what’s the swamp death probability ratio in winter, tween alligators and sink-pits?
…luckily I’m on my period now, so won’t have to worry about that part…like when my bff in high school went to the Congo and was warned all the animals off the trail would smell it and go psycho so she’d have to “watch out.” Whatever the hell THAT means in darkest Africa…
(P.S. I’m only partially joking.)
The BFF: No swamp death! Thats not a thing.
Me: I think it maybe is. They just Dont tell the tourists. Also: voodoo. So you’re not supposed to piss off the natives or accidentally desecrate something by say peeing or puking on it.
The BFF: Exactly.
Me: …Which is prob’ly a lot harder than you’d think, what with all that wandering around and drinking freely thing they all do. But I’ll try my best. Gosh. So many things to remember…
***
…Which is why I rarely actually go anywhere. Frankly, even the anticipation prep is exhausting.
But it’ll be so freakin worth it once I’m there, with two of the best humans on the planet to be m’guide :D
~D