04 November 2008

See ya lata, alligata – NOLA Part V

Current mood: sassy

"If being with you here makes me sane
I fear I'll go crazy if you leave my side
You've got wits, you've got looks, you've got passion
But are you brave enough to leave with me tonight?"
~ "As Lovers Go" by Dashboard Confessional


Sunday morning was a reminder that I am not conditioned for non-stop drinking and partying. I felt as if someone had beaten me while I slept. I was a tad crabby and knew that consuming alcohol before noon would NOT improve the mood. We decided that we would spend our early afternoon in the French Quarter buying souvenirs and enjoying the sites before we drove out to City Park for our final day of Voodoo.

I bought a miniature license plate for a dear friend, because I thought it would make him laugh. I also invested funds into several small trinkets. Lastly, I bought t-shirts for the twins and a ton of postcards to mail out. Then when the sun actually passed the "noon" mark, we headed over to everyone's favourite daiquiri place, Mango Mango, where Ali-Son bought RPN and me White Russians. She bought a Hurricane for herself. Crossing the street, we walked into a PoBoy shop for lunch. There was far too much food and we could have easily split our orders. That's New Orleans for you!

We did a little more shopping then left for Voodoo. When we arrived, Dashboard Confessional was singing. We found a place by the fence line where we could spread our blanket. The day was sunny and in the mid eighties. I wanted to close my eyes and enjoy the sunshine. We were sitting in front of a small group of teenagers. They were pretty quiet until one of their friends arrived. We'll call him "Dr. MJ" because he was the utmost expert on marijuana use. Seriously, the kid may have had a PhD in narcotics based on the conversation he had with his friends.

He explained that his 250 dollar glass bong was custom-made for his personal use. He went on and on about his trip to Amsterdam with his sister and how he has connections in California to acquire medicinal-grade pot that is the best one can get here in the States. His words – not mine. It wasn't until he started talking about pot chapstick and eye drops (yes, eye drops), that make your eyes bright and white, while still getting you high. His buddy said in all seriousness, "really? I need those for work." And then, when the bong was passed back to Dr. MJ, he declined, saying, "no thanks, I don't need anymore, I'm all kinds of fucked up". By this time, we three girls had a case of the giggles that could not be quelled. The kid was absolutely hilarious. Ali-Son turned around and said to him, "You need to have your own TV show". And he grinned responding, "I know. Totally. My friends all say I could write a pot sitcom." Unfortunately, we had to relocate stages, forcing us to leave Dr. MJ and his entertainment crew.

Our new location was soft and comfy in the grass. I took a nap in-between flirting with the guys next to us and drinking Sparks which is an alcoholic malt beverage mixed with an energy drink. It tastes nasty as hell – but is still somewhat enticing to drink. After Lupe Fiasco, I woke up and we went to get dinner in the food vending area. We ate while watching panic at the Disco. The flies were everywhere – but luckily for us, they preferred the eaten corn cob to us. At one point, there must have been 20 flies feasting on the abandoned corn. We found it fascinating!

The sun was going down by this point and we were regretful that we had forgotten our hoodies in the morning. It was getting chilly, fast. I decided that it was time to call in a favor. I texted California Guy and asked him if he would mind driving down to City Park and bringing me a long sleeve shirt. And he agreed. So, during REM, I walked out to meet him and get the shirt. Once REM was over (which was earlier than expected because they cut the show short), he walked us girls back to the car and verified that we were safely ensconced in the Hyundai.

Thanks to Ali-Son's amazing compass in her brain, we shortly thereafter found ourselves crossing a bridge and heading into "the lower 9th ward". For those not familiar with New Orleans – this is not where three unarmed girls want to find themselves late at night (or during the day). The best part was when Ali-Son looked up at a sign and said, "Ohhhhhhhhhhh, we're in the 9th ward. This is not where I meant to go." Roly Poly Nicoly and I just laughed at the absurdity. On our way OUT of the neighborhood, we saw a handwritten sign that said, "see ya lata" followed by a picture of an alligata.

The rest of the trip is confidential. If you want details, you'll have to think of creative torture methods. Because I am sworn to secrecy!

Peace Out!

Eidetic Vision

Main Entry: ei·det·ic Pronunciation: I-'det-ik Function: adjective : marked by or involving extraordinarily accurate and vivid recall especially of visual images - an eidetic memory Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.