Thursday, March 25, 2010

Heading West


So we are neither going to Savannah nor Dog Island. In fact, I suppose we are going to the Anti-Dog Island which of course would be New Orleans.
Mr. Moon made this executive decision on his own after adding up his Best Western points and finding one of their fine inns right there in the French Quarter. Okay. Whatever. I'm sure it's going to be fabulously delightful and someone else will be doing the laundry and cooking so THERE YOU GO! Plus, there's a bar.

Seriously. I'm happy.

The first time Mr. Moon and I went to New Orleans together was approximately fifteen minutes after we met. We were young, we were crazy, he had a ticket to the Sugar Bowl or whatever bowl it is they play there. He never made it to the game. That's how young and crazy we were. Dang. This was in January, you know, so it was cold. In fact, it was the coldest winter on record for New Orleans and every pipe in the city had burst and there was no running water and we stayed one night in Slidell, LA, and then several nights in the apartment of a friend of a friend. There was no heat. There was no water. It was nasty. We froze the entire time. We couldn't take showers. It was...
WONDERFUL!!!
Do you hear me? We were young. We were crazy. We walked from bar to bar, huddling against walls, just barely making it from one Irish Coffee to the next. I sang in a bar. Don't Get Around Much Anymore. I saw people doing cocaine in the lady's room at Tipitina's. The Neville Brothers were playing. I think Ed Bradly was sitting in with them. We had a shared and very frightening psychic event. We could have died. We did not. We ate so much good food we were swooning from that alone.
We had so much fun that nine months later we got married. (And you thought I was going to say we had a baby, didn't you?)

And we went back to New Orleans the very next New Years. This time it was not freezing. This time we stayed at a beautiful old historic hotel. This time I was, unbeknownst to me, about one day pregnant with Lily. I am not making this up. I didn't want to do a thing in the beautiful antique bed in our room except read and sleep. I did not want to drink. I did not especially want to eat, either. Every time I stood up I got dizzy.
Poor Mr. Moon. I am certain that he was convinced I'd lured him into marriage with false promises of good times. There we were in the city where he'd first told me he loved me, where we'd had the most glorious of glorious times and I was a lump of whiny get-away-from-me-ness.
Seriously. I was.

And that was not only the second time we went to New Orleans together, it was the LAST. That's how bad it was.

But it's been twenty-five years now and I think we're ready to try it again. We're older. We're not as wild. And I am definitely not pregnant.

So I need to get my shit together and do some ironing and figure out what a woman of a certain age should wear in New Orleans and then pack the opposite. I suppose a bra must be involved. That would have been the best thing about Dog Island- no bra necessary.

And I'm excited. I'm just excited to drive over there through the bayous and across bridges and all that wonderful swampy land that touches where I live and New Orleans both. The weather looks to be about the same there as it is here. I'm looking forward to oyster po'boys and I'm looking forward to being in such a beautiful city. I hope my heart does not break when I see what Katrina did to it. It might. My heart might break. And you know- it should.

Anyway, that's our plan. We have one. I think Mr. Moon even map-quested the dang trip. We won't have to take a pound of pot to pay for our travels (I told this story somewhere in this blog at one point, I do believe) and we may not see the Neville Brothers. Dang. I sure wish we could. I don't know what we'll do. But I can tell you this with fierce honesty- we will NOT be walking down Bourbon Street drinking yard-long hurricanes. No fucking way. And I will not show anyone my tits.
On the street.
Unless they ask politely.
And I will be peeking into courtyards because if there is anything on this earth I love more than a courtyard garden in New Orleans, I am not sure what it is. To me, they are the epitome of romantic and mysterious charm.

I wanna get me some of that. Romantic, mysterious charm.

I'll take my camera.

Love...Ms. Moon

28 comments:

  1. That sounds perfectly wonderful. I can't wait to see photos!

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  2. That sounds fabulous!
    I hope for you that this trip turns out a lot more like the first one y'all took.

    Haha..pregnant for a day..that's funny.

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  3. "on the streets. Unless they ask politely." Best.line.EVER.

    Have fun, Ms. Moon. Take losts of pictures even through your broken heart, because I have never been there, neither before nor after Katrina.

    Be well, be happy.

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  4. You have to earn your beads! And 'Show us your tits' is as polite as it gets in NOLA.

    (Laissez le bon temps rollez.)

    Have a great time - and I want to see genuine NOLA Mardi Gras beads hanging on one of your Virgins when you get back!!!

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  5. Ms. Moon, you delight me every day with your words! I hope you have delightful times in NOLA. I love that you're packing the opposite of what a woman of a certain age should wear!

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  6. Run away west with your love...we can't wait to hear about it.

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  7. Love NOLA, the food, the music, the beer. We went there on our honeymoon 9 years ago, and again just before Katrina. We are looking forward to another visit soon. Have a great time.

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  8. Oh, have a ball. and can't wait for the photos.

    you know, I think you just need abetter bra consultant. There are many, many bras. There must be some you don't hate.

    wv: obeccup

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  9. Enjoy the food, libation, music, ambiance, gardens, and most of all the company.

    Laissez les bon temps rouler!

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  10. Oh this makes me all giddy for you .
    Have an incredible getaway.
    soak up and renew and rest.

    My husband was just there for a week, and I vowed next time.. I'm tagging along.

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  11. Fabulous! I hope you have a wonderful trip and I am eager to read all about it.

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  12. Oh how fun. Best wishes on your silver anniversary of a trip. Isn't everyone still doing Lent in NOLA?
    You made me laugh several times with this post!

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  13. I don't know how to tell you this, but I believe it's a requirement to burn your bra at the entrance to that fair city! Go commando. They'll love you all the more!

    Have fun, be crazy and eat some damn beignets for me! Extra powdered sugar... wink!
    xo ps I have a little craven surprise for you when you return.

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  14. I guess that word doesn't mean what I thought it meant... I have a decadent and completely indulgent surprise for you when you get back... is that redundant?

    Anyway, have fun!

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  15. I love New Orleans. Not sure why but I do. Hope you have a wonderful time and enjoy the weekend.

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  16. Can't wait to hear and see your stories from New Orleans....wooohhooo! Have a wonderful time you two!

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  17. Hurray! Have a wonderful, romantic, mysterious time!

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  18. oh my goodness that sounds amazing, romantic, ahhhhh

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  19. It sounds so romantic. Have a wonderful time!

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  20. Yes, run away with Mr Moon and do hotel things. A woman just can't turn down an invitation like that.
    x0 N2

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  21. My hubby and I are headed to NOLA on Sunday! Hope to run into you at the French Market....I'll be the one covered in powdered sugar and wearing a bra.

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  22. I wish you both GOOD TIMES. Don't get knocked up again either.

    Love,

    SB

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  23. I'm so jealous! New Orleans is one of my favorite cities. My daughter met her husband and father of my wonderful grandchildren there in the French Quarter. They were in the FSU band together and that band is so big that they never met the entire football season until they went to the Sugar Bowl. I spent a wonderful weekend there when I was young and in love once with my ex-husband. The food alone is worth going for. I know you are going to have a fabulous time and I can't wait to hear all about it!

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  24. Have a wonderful time!

    And thank you for the beautiful story.

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  25. Aww, walk down to the river for me,where the steam boats dock by the grass with the rocks, stand with your backs the bridge looking towards the French quarter, and remember that two pale Irish people married in that very spot four and half years ago.

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  26. Lessaiz les bon temps roulez, mon cher.

    I hope y'all have a wonderful time, with plenty of "hotel stuff."

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  27. Oh please tell about the frightening psychic event. Please please.

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  28. My favorite city of all. I hope it was awesome.

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