Day Two - "Mississippi Moon wontcha keep on shinin' on me"

We continued on towards New Orleans on Saturday. While driving through Brett Favre bayou country in Mississippi, we stopped in Meridian for lunch. The manager exhibited the classic Southern friendliness that I was expecting when he sat down and wrote several restaurant recommendations down on a napkin. He also told us that we MUST try the Sazerac at a bar called Pat O'Brien's. More about that later.

We made it to New Orleans around check-in time at the Hilton Riverside and found that we had a great view of the Mississippi. We immediately headed for the Garden District because we expected rain all day Sunday and wanted to see everything we could. We rode the trolley, which was cool but unreliable on our return trip. I chaulk it up to it running on New Orleans' time though...no one's too worried about anything there. (Except hurricanes.)

The drive across Lake Ponchatrain. I knew it was a big lake, but it really feels large when you're driving across it...and all you can see around you is water.

View of the Crescent from the hotel

The riverboat tour we were going to take but missed by a few minutes.

We did not get to see the former Manning residence in the Garden District where Peytie-Pie learned to throw a football while Archie was playing for the Saints, but we DID get to see the house where Confederate leader Jefferson Davis died and another house that Mark Twain visited frequently. Almost as cool.

The house Mark Twain visited

And where Davis died

We headed for the French Quarter and ate supper at the Red Fish Grill, which is one of the Brennan family restaurants. They seemed to own all the restaurants in New Orleans and we seemed to eat at several of them...which was fine by me because the food was good.

A cool restaurant in the Garden District...owned by none other than...the Brennan's.

That silly, unpredictable trolley

We experienced Bourbon Street on a Saturday night, and it surprised me that people were throwing beads on just any old Saturday. I can only imagine what it's like during Mardi Gras! At Pat O'Brien's I ordered the Sazerac, only I couldn't remember what it was called so I ordered, "The famous New Orleans drink, it starts with an S...you know the one I'm talking about?" The bartender did, and replied, "That's gross! But okay." I found the recipe on The Gumbo Pages when I tried to remember what it was called (and how to spell it) if you're interested, but unless you enjoy a nip of rye whiskey now and again, you won't like it. I hated it...I think that guy at the restaurant was pulling our leg. So much for Southern hospitality! :) The website claims it to be "the quintessential New Orleans cocktail. There are those who say this is the first cocktail, period." And that "Hurricanes are for tourists. Sazeracs are for natives." T-dat. Pass me a Hurricane, please.

1 teaspoon of simple syrup (or 1 sugar cube or 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar)
4 dashes Peychaud's bitters
1 small dash Angostura bitters (optional; it helps open the flavors, but hardcore traditionalists may leave it out)
2 ounces rye whiskey
1/2 teaspoon absinthe, or Herbsaint (a New Orleans brand of anise liqueur)
Strip of lemon peel

Saint Louis Cathedral at sunset

On Day Three of our journey we will face the elements and battle Tropical Storm Fay.

Until next time, Bloggers!