Merry Fat Tuesday to the Big Easy!

When I lived in Atlanta I was a grad student at that party school mecca, Georgia Tech. Considering that most of my friends have always been female, attending a school that was 80% male seems odd to me in retrospect. However, there were the escapes! Take a bunch of Georgia Tech grad students, add a weekend, and sprinkle in a trip to New Orleans and you have ummmm…. exciting adventures! OK, I take that back, these were Georgia Tech grad students after all. Still, New Orleans quickly became my favorite city to visit and it really still is though I have not been back for a few years. Keep in mind, I said favorite city to VISIT! If I actually lived there, I do not think I would fit in my cubicle now. There was of course the party atmosphere, but that combined with the music, food, and really good people watching was what has made New Orleans so fun to me. I cannot really put it completely into words, but if you ever go there are things you really need to do:
Grab a beer and walk down Bourbon Street before it gets too rowdy. Take in the music coming out of the bars during your walk. Even if you don’t like Jazz, these guys really put their hearts into it and the energy gets one in the mood to really have a good time! Let the crowds roll in while you are having gator at one of the small restaurants on Toulouse Street. There are some good ones just off of Bourbon Street towards the river. Have a Hurricane at Pat Obrien’s while the crowds roll in. Wander through the crowds and through the large number of Voodoo shops. They have quite the collection of stuff. If the crowds get too much, drop down a block in the river direction and find the Court of Two Sisters for a quiet reflective glass of wine. One could always go back to the crowds on Bourbon Street, but the option to just grab a map and take in the ghost story and cemetery lore of New Orleans is a unique experience that must be done at least once!
A requirement for the next morning is Café Du Monde. Chicory and beignets mixed in with the standard Bloody Mary from time to time is an ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT! Get there early however!

Jumbalaya, Gumbo, and Po' Boys and anything with butter, Cajun, Creole or fried is also required eating!