Category Archives: Events

Windy and Wet Tuesday.

Events, ,

Tuesday was another odd day here in New Orleans.

Dwayne is back home, and his parents are there with him. It will be the first time in I don’t know how many years we aren’t together for this event. And the reality of it not happening this year or ever again sort of hit me.

But the Husbear and I are here for the time being at least.

Knowing the hurricane was coming, we wandered to a local grocery store to get some essentials in case the power went out, or we couldn’t get out to eat if things shut down tight.

After that, we wandered around the French Quarter for a bit looking at things being boarded up and sandbagged. I’ll say that they really seem to have it down now on what they do to prepare.

20120830-000207.jpg

20120830-000230.jpg

20120830-000319.jpg

20120830-000353.jpg

That evening, the hurricane started to roll through the area. We were hunkered down at Cafe Lafitte in Exile for a good bit of it. Or at least I was. And a few other “brave” souls. It was really a neat thing to experience.

The wind and rained calmed down a bit around 4am, so I headed back to the hotel. Yes. 4am. That’s how things work here. And I was having an enjoyable time visiting with the locals.

I took this video along the way back to the hotel. It’s the first video I’ve taken with my replacement phone, so I hope it looks somewhat okay.

Hmm. It looks like I need to remember to turn the phone sideways when I video from now on.

And yes, I was probably a little crazy for being out in it, but oh well. That’s how I be.

Until next time...
Erik

It’s almost that time…

Events, ,
Nom nom nom in NOLA.

Southern Decadence is almost here.

This coming weekend the Husbear and I will start our leisurely drive south to visit strange places in the south before heading to New Orleans next week.

Of course, the Husbear has been wanting to leave since last week. Or the week before. He’s like a squirrel (“Can we go yet? Can we go yet? Can we go yet?”) and it’s all becomes a blur.

And of course, it looks like we might be in for some rainy weather again this year… by the name of Isaac.

Condiment-writing shtick totally stolen from Dead Robot.

Until next time...
Erik

14 Years Ago Today

Events, , , ,

Happy 14th Anniversary, Husbear.
It’s difficult to believe it’s been fourteen years.
Mostly because it hasn’t felt like fourteen years.
I know that love takes work.
And time.
A lifetime, to be exact.

I love you so much.

Press play on the video, then scroll down and read along.

I was walking, was living,
My melody was a capella.
There’s a beat I was missing,
No tune, or a scale, I could play.

No sound in the distance,
No orchestra playing together.
Like a boat out to sea,
The silence was too deafening!

So come and revive me,
I can’t feel my heartbeat,
It’s just me surviving alone.

20110607-121044.jpg

Before you,
My whole life was a capella!
Now a symphony’s
The only song to sing.
Before you,
My whole life was a capella!
Now a symphony’s
The only song to sing.

Everything was the same.
One color was just like the others.
An assembly routine,
My memories were all black and white.

‘Till I stopped over-thinking,
Decided to draw back the curtains.
And I cleared all the cobwebs
And began to let in the light.

20110404-064807.jpg

So come and revive me,
I can’t feel my heartbeat,
It’s just me surviving alone.

Before you,
My whole life was a capella!
Now a symphony’s
The only song to sing.
Before you,
My whole life was a capella!
Now a symphony’s
The only song to sing.

You are the drum in my heart beat
Bass and guitar lead
Stuck on the notes you play
My heart that you play on
Grab like a crayon
I can’t walk away.

Before you,
My whole life was a capella!
Now a symphony’s
The only song to sing.
Before you,
My whole life was a capella!
Now a symphony’s
The only song to sing.



Here’s the original song the above was taken from. I actually like the visuals in the video. They’re very much something you would like.

I do love you. So much.
Happy anniversary baby.

Until next time...
Erik

Southern Decadence Wrap-Up

Events,

The Husbear and I had a great time in New Orleans this year. Probably the best Decadence trip either of us have had. We spent 8 days in New Orleans this year. It was relaxing and we never felt rushed to do anything. Which made it the perfect vacation.

20100906164230-DSC04056
Myself and the Husbear out by the Mississippi.

We visited and toured several Plantations outside of New Orleans, and we spent a lot of time wandering around the French Quarter this year, taking pictures and looking at houses for sale. We also visited the Ninth Ward to see how the new construction was coming along. A lot of eco-friendly and gorgeously architectured homes are going up. But there’s many, many lots that are still vacant.

20100901114946-DSC03837
One of the “Make it Right” homes.

We got to spend time with friends that we don’t get to see that often. And I got to meet several tweeps, bloggers BrettCajun and Kelly, as well as several readers of my blog who came up and introduced themselves to me. I didn’t get to spend much time with them because we always all seemed to be going in opposite directions. Hopefully I can fix that next time!

20100904181838-IMG_3146
The Husbear, one of my blog readers, and his partner.

The Husbear and I also took the Steamboat Natchez down and up the Mississippi River on a two-hour tour. It was a relaxing way to end our stay in New Orleans. They offer a Jazz dinner tour on the boat at nights and we plan on doing that next year.

20100906153630-DSC04008

As always, there was much debauchery and decadence. Lots of hot men. And lots of beveraging. And judging by the actions and the look of a lot of people I saw, some other substances were involved as well. I guess whatever floats their boat.

20100905152712-IMG_3238
The view down Bourbon Street on Sunday afternoon.

It’s difficult to imagine that it’ll be another 360 days before we get to be there again.

See all 566 pictures I took in my Southern Decadence 2010 flickr set.

Until next time...
Erik

Back Roads and Banjo Music Tour

Events, , ,

The great pilgrimage has begun.

The Husbear and I are on our way to New Orleans for Southern Decadence. Where we spend a week spending money in a city that, 5 years after Katrina, still needs assistance in many places.

We’re taking the long, leisurely drive from where we live in NW Arkansas to the Big Easy, via the scenic route. We should really call it the “Back Roads and Banjo Music Tour”. I will admit: the scenery off the beaten path is nice. But I wouldn’t care to break down anywhere out here.

We drove about 9 hours today, which put us in Alexandria, Louisiana for the night.

Tomorrow, we’ll be getting up and heading down to the Lake Charles area, where some of the Husbear’s family is from, and then we’ll drive across over to NOLA following the coastline as we can.

And I leave you with this picture the Husbear took of me tonight. He was attempting to be sneaky.

Until next time...
Erik

It’s almost time for Decadence…

Events, ,

… as if being decadent needed a special occasion!

There are 20 days until Southern Decadence in New Orleans, depending on when you arrive that is.

I usually enjoy my time when I’m there, but this is probably the first time in many, many years I’m actually looking forward to going. I’m not sure why either. I have this thing about crowds that always seems to make me stressed before I go. So far, it hasn’t started this year. I’m not decadently wired for some reason. Alcohol sometimes loosens my shell a little, but not often.

If you’ve never been, you should at least go to NOLA once when it’s all crazy outside of Mardi Gras. Although I’ve been told by natives that Decadence is pretty much just as crazy. And a lot more topless. Men.

20090906154348-IMG_1120

We usually stay at the Omni Royal with the Decadent Ducks, but this year the Husbear wanted to stay at a different hotel to “try something new”. We will miss hanging by the pool at the Omni with the regular Ducks, but we will get to at least see them out on the streets.

I’ve taken a bunch of pictures at Decadence over the years that we have been there. You can check them out on flickr if you are so inclined.

Any of my readers going to be in NOLA for Decadence this year?

Until next time...
Erik