Monday, October 30, 2006

The Closest I'm Gonna Get

I've always wanted to see Louisiana. Well I should be more specific, I love to travel and I've never seen the south and New Orleans has always had an appeal, not so much for Mardi Gras or girls-gone-wild debauchery but for its unique architecture, food and culture.

Andrew had work there and went down for a week. I comforted myself that it was, after all, a business trip so he wouldn't be doing much site-seeing, that he'd see the airport and the hotel and not much else, lots of meetings and all that, blah blah blah. Nice wife aren't I? The poor man works in a hermetically sealed office all day and I begrudge him a chance to do something more interesting.

That first evening he called and says that after the contract stuff was over they went walking around the French Quarter and down Canal Street, all the famous areas I've longed to visit. He reported that even after the damage from the hurricane it was beautiful and he was having a great time.

My only comfort in his absence was eating quiche, watching Audrey Hepburn movies and refusing to put on make-up or curl my hair. Sigh. I guess I'll just have live with New Orleans Square at Disneyland being the closest I've come to the Big Easy.

They went to Cafe du Monde and had beignets which must have been something because he bought a box of their beignet mix and danced around the room with it lovingly upon his return. I'm including pictures of the adventure because it may be the only time you see my husband attempting to roll dough. It was almost worth being left home.

He did surprisingly well and after working out the kinks produced several plates of respectable pastries whereupon six happy stomachs were fed therefrom said pastries (that's my tribute to my Litigating Gourmet). After growing up with a father whose cooking repertoire consisted of cold cereal and saltines topped with peanut butter and jelly, Andrew scored an overal 8.4 from our panel of judges but next time I'm going too.

13 comments:

Bec said...

See, all your support paid off in a plate of pastries - a fair swap, yes?

Anonymous said...

Pastries...I'd say, well worth it.

By the way, I don't cook. Lily eats cream cheese and crackers like its going out of style...

Anonymous said...

You totally need to go.

It's the most amazing place. And the food?


*drool*

J said...

You are indeed a girl after my own heart...I really want to see the architecture and eat the food...and thus far, never been. Sigh.

Very cool that he was so impressed, and wanted to share with the family. :)

I used to eat peanut butter and jelly on saltines, when I was a kid...makes me want a glass of kool aid to go with it. ;)

Anonymous said...

Coffee and beignets from Cafe du Monde is just the best! Such a fun place and fun thing to do...hope you get to experience it sometime. The mixes aren't too bad either; looks like fun!

Damselfly said...

A man who cooks ... sigh ....

Loralee Choate said...

I have wanted to go to New Orleans for forever. The history! The Architecture! THE FOOD!!!!! My husband spent two years living all over the South and despises it, so it will never happen with him.

Dang it.

I sort of feel like I did when I said, "Oh, that's ok. I'm coming back to NY next year. I'll see the twin towers then." in May 2001.

I have great timing like that.

Chilihead2 said...

NOLA is one of my favorite places. You are right to want to go. The debauchery is for a younger crowd (although you may see some old folks trying to find their youth! Ewww.) if you ask me. But they have good beer, good food, great architecture, and unbelievably interesting cemeteries (sp). I hope you get to go.

My husband also has work down there! Wouldn't it be interesting if BOTH of our husbands had a business trip at the same time and we could all meet up? Or that may be just to close to stalking. Either way. ;)

Lisa Marie said...

LOL Every time my hubby has to go away for work, I'm all, "You get to have ALL the fun..." and he glares at me and tells me how fun it is NOT to be stuck in meetings at hotels and not SEE anything. He gets to go and not see anything in Montreal this week...lucky. :}

J Fife said...

In the first comment, I read pastries as pasties. Ack! In my misspent youth, I visited the wrong places in New Orleans.

*~*Cece*~* said...

I love a man that cooks. Actually, I've got one! *lol* Now if this night shift of his would just end so he can get back in our kitchen I'll be a happy wife.

Blondie said...

The real question is: How long does it take to fly from Alaska to New Orleans?? I'm not sure I could handle flying all the way there. Oof.

Lara said...

My husband has been working down there for a few months but I've never been either. I'll have to mention the beignets and make sure he brings some home.