Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans?

So for weeks now.. more like months.. Brian has told me that he had a surprise for my upcoming 30th birthday. We were going somewhere but he wouldn't tell me where. So this past weekend I found out where we were going.:) We packed up and headed for my favorite city, New Orleans. I was so excited about going back. I was there last year before the Hurricane Katrina. But I was wanting to go back to show support to my favorite city. The city that I have so many found memories in. We arrived there and headed to our favorite watering whole, Pat O'Brien's. But not before we stopped and ate some beingets at Cafe Du Monde. Well, we arrive at Pat O's and I ordered my favorite drink, The Rainstorm. Brian and I are drinking and I'm getting this warm fuzzy feeling. It was like I was home, since I've been there so many times. I was so relaxed but at the same time a little sad to see it had changed somewhat. Our taxi driver took us through an area that was affected by the flood. Not to a huge degree, but a lot of places were boarded up and the houses were spray painted with the sign that has come to be part of all the pictures of houses on the Gulf Coast. But the city still had a sense of " we're fighting back!" People were back in the city and trying to move on in their lives. While at Pat O's I looked across the patio and I saw a man looking at me, smiling, headed my way with my favorite drink in his hand. I turn to Brian and said, "Is that Frank Kitchen?" (for those who don't know him, he is my guy best friend, my brother. ) I was stunned, but then noticed this little blonde girl ducking behind him peeking around him. It was my best friend Michelle, who lives in North Carolina! They both made the trip down to surprise me. I see Frank all the time, but to see him down in New Orleans, was great! It was also great to spend time with Michelle since I never get to see her as much as I would like. I have been bugging her and Frank forever to come down to New Orleans with me. I was so excited! Brian went through so much work to surprise me!! And he totally did! I am the luckiest girl alive to have such a wonderful and caring husband! He is the world to me ! I'm so grateful for getting to share my life with my best friend. :)
Anyway, I was in shock to see Michelle and Frank! That in itself was the best birthday present ever! To be surrounded by my best friends and my husband in a city that I love! It was so amazing! We had dinner at Emeril's place, NOLA. I love that place, if only because the service is the best I've ever had and the garlic bisque soup is the best I've ever had! And it doesn't hurt to mention that the last night we were there, we went to the casino and I won $1600 on the slot machine!! Can you believe it!!!??? I did need the money bad! And the whole story is a good one in itself. When I walked in the door, I go to this slot machine to see if it was a .25 cent one. As I look at it, the guy next to me just won the big jackpot of $1250. I thought to myself, "Man ! Stuff like that never happens to me!" That was the first time I witnessed someone with a jackpot on a slot! So we explore the area and I quickly lose $20 on one machine. I decided I was done. Michelle has never been to a casino before, so she tries a penny machine. I'm sitting next to her while Frank and Brian are at another machine. I keep looking over at these 2 slot machines. $1 slots. I tell Michelle, "Man, one of those machines is calling my name. I'm going to do only $10 more bucks. " I immediately win $10 on my first spin. I max bet each time $2 max bet. So I quickly get down to $2 left. I hit the max bet botton... and I WON!!! $1600 beans on my last $2 !!! As I wait for an attendant, people congratulate me. Even this guy 2 machines from me shakes my hand. The attendant comes up and her name is the same as my sister who passed away, Melissa. I wondered if it was a sign that my sister was looking down on me. She leaves to get some paper work processed. I wait at the machine like I was told to do. This is the first jackpot I've ever won, not to mention the 2nd I witnessed in 1 night. I've never seen any before. About 15 minutes later, I'm still waiting for my money when the guy that shook my hand, hit a jackpot. He won $10,000. The 3rd of the night and I witnessed it! He yelled over to me, "I just won 10,000, can you believe it!? " To think, I've never even witnessed 1 let alone had one myself and witnessed 2 of 2 people right next to me! Michelle returns from playing a Star Wars slot and she won $200 herself. Her first time ever in a casino!! I felt luck was on our side that night! People around me were winning! Too bad Brian didn't want to gamble that night!:) It was just a great time! I was so tired! I'm so tired now! But it's a good reason to be tired!

It felt good being in the city despite all the suffering that had been in the city. It isn't quite back to itself. They need more tourist. It wasn't as busy as I was use to. The Riverwalk mall that I loved going to made me realize how much as changed in the city. Most the shops in the mall were closed and it was a dead place. Usually the Riverwalk and Spanish plaza are filled with people, but it wasn't this time. I actually thought the mall was closed. The food court there is usually huge with at least 15 places to eat if not more. There were only 3 places open. And really 2 with one place for beverages open. That showed me the effects of the hurricane. I couldn't walk near the Convention Center knowing people had died there just a year earlier. It broke my heart. Someday I will though. The city is coming back and if you ever get the chance, I suggest you go there. It is an amazing place! The pic above of me outside the hotel was at 6 am and we are leaving to the airport. I didn't get to bed till 3 am, so I just went in my pajamas.