Dave & Busters

It's Brian's birthday, and we're celebrating by virtually exploding lots of electronics!

Rosie and Me on the St. Charles Streetcar

We took a ride on the streetcar from the French quarter to a wonderful consignment store called "On the Other Hand" in the Uptown neighborhood of New Orleans. I remember the lovely and elegant proprietor, Kay Danné, from my last visit over eight years ago. I was three months pregnant with Rosie and was shopping for comfortable clothes. At the time, Kay had offered me advice on my pregnancy that I remembered took to heart.

Kay expressed delight that she was able to meet my daughter who was "just a twinkle" when we last met. I bought a purse, gloves, and shirt for Rosie and a few dresses, skirts, a shirt, a suit, and shoes for me. With Kay's amazing discounts, the total was still under $100.

After a week's vacation together

Sleeping in the same hotel bed, attached at the hip, and they are still happy as can be!

Outside Antoine's Restaurant in New Orleans

We had dinner tonight at Antoine's in the French Quarter. The kids looked so adorable, dressed so fancy! The dinner was lovely--we arrived early and had an entire room to ourselves. Our waitstaff was incredibly professional, so polite and following our every cue. The food was delicious!

Nothing's as vain as a peacock

There was this peacock wandering at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans and it let me get really close with my camera. It even looked like it was posing for me! I turned to Monkeyrotica and said, "wouldn't it be cool if it displayed its feathers?"

Just then, like it understood me, it did just that! So gorgeous!

On the road

We packed lots of activity books for the kids to complete in the car--mazes, brainteasers, school workbooks--hoping they'll stay entertained. This is the first all-day roadtrip we've taken them on! I'm sure they'll get bored, or giddy, or maybe even fight. This is a test of our collective patience.

The New Orleans guide book we're using is from our very first trip to NOLA, in 1994. We brought it more for nostalgic purposes than utility; it has all our handwritten notes, highlighting, and crossouts from prior trips. I know a great deal has changed in New Orleans over the years, especially after hurricane Katrina, but many of the old institutions, historic flagship restaurants of the French Quarter, are still running. We have another, more recent guidebook as well, but the 1994 one is a clear favorite.

I've been asked a few times, what is there to do with kids in New Orleans? Isn't it enough for them to experience a little history, see a different way people live, ride streetcars, visit aboveground graveyards, spooky shops and museums? Must all things children experience for entertainment be Disneyfied and cater to them alone? I think they will have fun on this trip, but not necessarily in ways that we expect. I'll keep you all updated.