Sunday, May 3, 2015

The Big Easy

We recently returned from a trip to New Orleans.  We had gone for our first visit to The Big Easy, 10 years ago, for my Mom's 65th birthday.  We all had a ball.  For Christmas, my Mom took us all again.  This time to celebrate her 75th birthday.  Again, we had a great time!!!  We tried to visit new places this time.  As well as a few of our old favorites from the trip before.  My photos were a real disappointment.   My friend Teresa was also going to be in New Orleans the same time we were, so we were hoping to get to meet up.  But I'm afraid the timing didn't work for us.  If you want to see some really wonderful photos of New Orleans, go visit her blog, where the link is included above in her name.  She truly captured the beauty of this wonderful historic city, so rich in colorful culture!  We left home at 4:00 AM and arrived in The Crescent City about 4:00.  With our big group, it was more cost effective to take a limo from the airpost to the hotel.  Woo-Hoo....Laissez les bon temps rouler!!  LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!!!!
We stayed at The Embassy Suites Hotel, just a short walk from the French Quarter.  By the time we got settled into our rooms, we were all pretty weary, so we walked across the street to Mother's.  It was lightly raining, but it wasn't too bad.  We had visited Mother's on our last trip, and loved it.
Every place we went to eat, we had them sing Happy Birthday to our Mom!
After a good sleep, we started the next day with our cook to order breakfast in the atrium of our hotel.
 Can you see how gray my hair is?  I am doing it.  Going all gray!  Much to my family's dismay.
We decided to walk to the trolly and take it to the French Quarter and just walk around and see the sights.
There were 15 of us in our group, so we nearly filled the entire trolly ourselves.  Lovely shot of me, just about to plant my ample behind into a seat!
We all kind of took off in different directions, walking around, listening the music on every street corner.
Jackson Square is good place to people watch.
After walking around the city for awhile, we wound up at Central Grocery  for one of their famous Muffuletta sandwiches.  We had gone there last time on the advice of my good friend who lives in Baton Rouge.  She was right, it was the best sandwich in the world.

Tujague's Bar was kind of the central meeting place for a cool beverage, and rest.  My little brother handed me a shot of Fireball.  I think all of my brothers were a bit surprised when I downed it in one gulp.  I am not a drinker.  So seeing their sister down a shot of fireball was picture worthy!  You can see another brother, Dave, behind me, taking a picture with is phone, and his wife Glenda, taking a photo with her phone.
Walking around one night, we came across this chalk painted sign out in front of a bar.  It cracked me up!
We were looking at all of the artwork in the streets, and found a painting that we thought would make a nice gift for Mom.
The artist who painted it said his name was Artis Lewis!  He began to paint at age 7, and Artis is his given name.  He was destined to become an "ARTIST" I think.  We asked him if he could paint over the subway sign on the side of the Trolly and write a personalized message in the space for our Mom.  We had him put the date of her birthday in one corner, and New Orleans in another.  Then in the white space on the side of the Trolly, he wrote Happy Birthday Mom.  We gave it to her on Tuesday, for her birthday.  She loved it!
Here is how I wrapped it.  I just wrapped the cardboard that Artis shipped it to us in, with brown Kraft paper, and then using colored pencils, I wrote all of the things we did, places we ate, and printed a couple of subway art pictures I took to add to it.  I tied the mardi gras beads to the package that someone gave my Mom an I one night on Bourbon street.  I also enclosed the above photo of the artist who painted it.
I think she really liked it.
My computer is really making posting difficult!!!!  So, I will have to finish this post later.  Or I will be throwing it on floor in frustration.  This is most probably the biggest reason that I have not been blogging regularly!!!  It is just getting so hard to do, and I know it will take forever, and be frustrating, so I don't do it.
Anyway.....I will be back soon with more of our trip to New Orleans.  Also, I have several other fun things to  post about.
See you soon.
XO  Kris

17 comments:

Jeanna said...

Sounds like a great time Kris. Happy Birthday to your Mom.

Our last trip to NOLA was in 2012 for our nieces wedding. The were married in LaTrobe and we did a second line down Bourbon Street. An experience we will never forget.

Teresa Kasner said...

Hello my dear friend.. I'm so sad that we didn't get to meet up for our hug. :-( It looks like you all had a wonderful time there.. and what a PERFECT gift for your MOM! It's a nice big painting, too! Love it! I got two paintings there, I love to support artists. Have a great week.. and I love that you're going silver. It's glam now! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

Valerie Cottage Making Mommy said...

Oh how I love New Orleans. So glad you had a fun trip. You showed a few places I haven't been so on our next trip I'm going to try them. The gift for your mom is so special.

Hugs from Oklahoma,

Valerie
Cottage Making Mommy

P.S. I feel you on the computer and blogging thing too. We've had major internet trouble in the country and it takes forever.

Anonymous said...

My husband went to where you were in N.O. He liked it. He said he has never tasted the food so beautiful but there.

That was the best on his heart as he heard how the food is. He said 100% magnificent. Melted in your mouth. he loved the combo soup, the shrimp plates, all the fish platters choices. Every night a different plate.

He went on a business trip many years ago.

He don't drink neither so he drank coke and it cost like 4 dollars a coke. He was there a week.

He never took pictures back then.
So I am seeing yours and will go lokk at your friends you said that was to meet you but somehow was delayed of time.
So the place is back to normal. I heard that homes there were still in ruins really since what happened in disaster years ago.

That was a lovely picture and sigs for your Mom to have by the artist.

Great idea.


Anonymous said...

I went over to your fiends site. It was nice too but what you showed was really what I wanted to see . I to 14.

Your pictures I liked . Clear and all in color. Awesome!

Between Me and You said...

Let the good times roll, indeed and it looks like you really did! You look great whichever colour your hair is, Kris and I would love to have such freedom from the hair dye too! I know exactly what you mean about blogging being frustratingly time-consuming, ergo my lack of posting too. Have a great week, Kris and many,many happy returns to your Mum and many,many more. x

Mereknits said...

I am jealous of both you and Teresa traveling to an area I have always wanted to see. It looks like so much fun! And to share it all in honor of your Mom that is so terrific. The painting you gave her as a present is perfect. Glad you had fun.
Meredith

podso said...

What a wonderful celebration for your mom's birthday--all 15 of you together on such an adventure. Looks like you all had a lot of fun.

Gracie Saylor said...

It looks like your family trip to New Orleans to help your mom celebrate her birthday [Happy Birthday, Mom!] along with the painting you found for her were a great success, Kris! Thanks for posting some of your lively views so that we can celebrate with you. Earlier today I was wondering if the internet was having blog clog problems because photos were loading so slowly. Hoping your computer problems are resolved so that you can enjoy posting some more posts soon :) Wishing you and yours a happy week! xx

Patricia @ 9th and Denver said...

Wow! this is so great!
I loved that you got to have this trip with your family!
The painting is a wonderful touch--
Hey! I'm letting my hair go grey too.
I haven't cut it off any more since about 2 years ago...but was thinking of cutting again too.

I'll check back in later for more info on your trip.
I went there once...but we won't talk about that. Sssshhh!

Betsy said...

What a wonderful post Chris. It was so nice to go along with you on your family trip to New Orleans. After reading Teresa's post and now yours I feel as though I've been there too. The picture was a perfect gift for your mother. I especially love how you personalized it. That's something I never would've thought of.
I have a hard time doing blog posts on my computer too I've resorted to just using my Ipad and Iphone for posting.
Love, love your hair. It's gorgeous!
Blessings,
Betsy

Debbie said...

What a wonderful thing to do. All of you visiting together in a place like that sounds sooo fun. I would love to do that with my siblings. So glad you were all able to make it. I can imagine your mom LOVED her painting. It's the perfect gift. Nothing as frustrating to me either then an computer that is not working right. I have a hard enough time when it is, lol. I KNOW your are enjoying your new machine. I am anxious to hear how it's going. I have quite a bit of embroidery I am going to do today too. Have a good week!

NanaNor's said...

Hi Kris, So glad to see these photos of your trip-what fun! The closest I've ever been is Natchez and I loved the area, mainly for the historic homes. Gray-you aren't old enough to have gray hair!!! Seriously, you aren't; but you'll look good no matter what color your hair is.
Hope you are having a wonderful spring.
Hugs, Noreen

Jill said...

Love all these pictures! Looks like a really fun time! No matter what your hair color, you are a beautiful person Kris :-) I absolutely love your mom's gift and the creative way you chose to wrap it! Great to see you blogging again. Have a great day!

Blessings,
Jill

Dogwood Lane Rambles said...

Absolutely nothing can beat family fun together no matter the destination! What wonderful memories. I love seeing all of you having such a great time it does a body good I tell ya.

Linda said...

Hi Kris.....
Looks like a great trip....
Get a new computer! Hahaha!
You are sewing crazy!
Have a great week...
Cheers!
Linda :o)

Unknown said...

Looks like you all had a fabulous trip. Hope your computer woes are over. I use Chrome and it made my computer really speed up...love it.