Planning my Big Easy Escape!

[gcvmom]

Everyone here (except me) is sick. DH started it with a cold that quickly turned to bronchitis and a sinus infection that's been going for 3 weeks now and is on it's second antibiotic. Gfg1 came down with the bug last weekend gradually. Managed to go to school Monday and first period Tuesday but has been home since and has a really awful sounding cough. He's now on antibiotics as well. PC started last night with a stuffy nose and stayed home today and slept. She's supremely grouchy so I know she's feeling crummy. No cough though. And this afternoon Gfg2 started with the runny nose.

So I'm keeping my distance, washing my hands A LOT, and starting on the details of my trip with DH to New Orleans in a few weeks for Mardi Gras.

Anyone here ever been there? Care to make some suggestions, recommendations on stuff to do? Bars, restaurants, night clubs, cemeteries, voodoo shops, etc.? My mom's staying with the kids so I figure if I'm going, I'm going BIG.

[hearts and roses]

I have always wanted to go! I can't wait to hear all about it! My sister and her H went they stayed mostly in the French Quarter for all the great music, dance and food!

[Hound dog]

I have no desire for Mardi Gras. Too many people, too strange, and too much noise and commotion for me.

But I hope you have a fabulous time!!!

[Dammit Janet]

I have never been but it sounds fun. I have heard that they make these wonderful potato things that are twice fried so they really blow up. I will have to get you the name. They are on the food networks Best Thing I Ever Ate list so they must be good. Maybe something like Pomme de frites. The come with a little gravy. If you get any beads...send me some...lol.

[susiestar]

Mardi Gras is AWESOME!! I went in college b/c a friend grew up on on of the smaller parade routes so we stayed with her. Pat O Brian's is famous for hurricanes but I couldn't figure out why. Beignets rock, so does the coffee, and I can't remember a whole lot more of specifics except that we found this fairly new gay bar that was in the French Quarter and was empty upstairs so we got an amazing view from their balcony - which is almost impossible most of the time. This was pre Katrina though.

You might check their tourism website and maybe google for do's and don'ts for Mardi Gras. I am sure there are all sorts of sites about it. Also, the muffalettas are amazing - a big sub type sandwich. Go to a neighborhood bar type place for the best ones. But Cafe du Monde really IS the best beignet place. Also, the zatarain's mixes are pretty close to what we ate there in many of the restaurants, so if you are not familiar with things, you might pick up one at the grocery and try it. I love the jambalaya mix with chicken or with smoked sausage or both.

Watch the cold that dh and the kids have. Around here it is going into pneumonia FAST for a lot of people. My mom has been fighting it for almost two months now. Started like your dh, then went to bronchitis and then to pneumonia and is tough to get rid of. Alcohol is still the best cough suppressant we know, seconded by codeine. The OTC stuff isn't nearly as strong, so don't hesitate to call the doc for cough syrup. But during the day have them take mucinex and sudafed (the old stuff that you have to sign for) b/c they won't get better until they cough it out of their lungs. Save the suppressants for night when they need sleep. Most people don't know that taking cough suppressants all day will keep you sick longer b/c you can't get the gunk out of your lungs.

[gcvmom]

We're staying in the French Quarter for five nights. I reserved the room LAST MARCH. You can't get rooms anywhere there for that week now.

I mainly want to enjoy some good food, good music, and just walk around while we're there and take it all in -- and not worry about gfg issues for a few days!!!

DH went to Tulane for a year, so I imagine he'll want to drag me over there so he can wax nostalgic. Speaking of beads, he still has some from the year he was there 1981 -- which was also the year the Super Bowl was held in town.

I actually booked tickets for a show at the House of Blues for one of the nights, but the headliner act CANCELLED YESTERDAY! I may still find another venue to hit -- the daughter of one of the famed Neville brothers is in town with her band, and she sounds good so maybe we'll check out her show.

KTMom suggested a ghost walk -- that sounds cool!

Susiestar -- DH is prone to pneumonia so he's been on antibiotics as soon as the cough started up. And after nearly a week on the first one, he wasn't doing much better so he went back for a new rx. Gfg1 has asthma, and I took him in on Tuesday to his allergy/asthma doc who said his lungs sounded clear, but the cough was really bad so he put him on a 2 week course of antibiotics and we've stepped up his Advair.

Hopefully neither PC nor Gfg2 will develop any complications like these other goof balls. And I'm just going to stay far, far away from EVERYONE! And think of begniets, cafe au lait, and hurricanes!

[susiestar]

Dh also needs to be careful b/c you can crack or break ribs coughing. My dh did that twice with pneumonia. I am glad he has been on meds.

In addition to PROPER handwashing, hand sanitizer can be helpful. Most people don't wash their hands long enough - sing a round of Old MacDonald in your head to help time so you have at least 20 seconds of sudsing with the soap on before you rinse. Sounds silly, but it makes a BIG difference. Our hospital sets up a booth about handwashing at the fair each year. They have you wash normally then they spray stuff on your hands that shows where the germs still are. It is a big shock to a lot of people. Turning off the water is a time when you can reinfect yourself, so using a paper towel is often recommended, esp in public places.

I usually get hand problems (cracking and bleeding) from this and esp if I also use hand sanitizer. There are no alcohol hand sanitizers that are as or more effective than the alcohol kind. I like the CleanWell brand b/c it smells like oregano. Goes away fairly fast and doesn't dry my hands out. I used to get it at Target, but Amazon also has it. A little bit goes a long way.

[bby31288]

This is an awesome website. Shows you where the parades are, etc. Lived in New Orleans for a year. It was fantastic. If you head over to Bourbon Street, there is a bar there called The Famous Door. Live band plays 80s music. Over on St. Charles Street is a Mexican Place called The Superior Grill. Great food. Cafe Du Monde is in the French Quarter, they sell beignets. Which are fried dough covered in powerded sugar. If I think of more I will post again

2012 Mardi Gras Parade Schedule | Mardi Gras New Orleans 2012

[DDD]

Nobody in the family has gone since Katrina but everyone had a ball when they were there. Over fifty years ago my Dad and Bro gave me a tour of the Big Easy and it was an eyeopener, lol. It was a trip that included Bloody Marys with breakfast and ended with beignets and coffer on the waterfront in the wee hours. What memories! Most of my adult kids have gone to the celebration and loved it.

My oldest PC did make a trip to N.O. for a nursing convention a couple of years ago and, at that time, there were quite a few sections that were identified by the police as areas to avoid. I'm sure your trip will be awesome but perhaps you should check with authorities just to make sure that you stay in the safe zones. Enjoy a Hurricane at O'Briens for me. Hugs DDD

[buddy]

I stayed in the French Quarter during an early childhood conference... so much fun. Hope you have a great time!