New Orleans, Day 3 - Part 1

Joel arrived last night, so I now have a friend and eating partner for the remainder of my trip!

I didn't have to be at work until the early afternoon, so Joel and I had an early lunch at Mother's Restaurant. We got there just in time to avoid the lunch rush, and when we left, there were at least 15 people waiting outside the restaurant, waiting to get in. Joel and I split the Famous Ferdi Special Po Boy, featuring Mother's Best Baked Ham, and the Grilled Catfish Po Boy. Both were very good, although I preferred the catfish just because it was different. The fish itself was very tender, and wasn't over seasoned, allowing you to actually taste the fish.

After lunch, we walked to Cafe Du Monde for some cafe au lait and beignets. It was far too hot (and humid) to even think about hot coffee, but thankfully they had an iced version. I couldn't really taste the chicory in the coffee, but the beignets didn't disappoint one bit. What's not to love about fried dough covered in powdered sugar? A note to future visitors, they're very generous with the powdered sugar, so don't wear a black shirt.

What was interesting about Cafe Du Monde is that the place was filled with Vietnamese people. After our Vietnamese server took our order, Joel and I looked around and noticed that almost all the servers were Vietnamese. The people sitting at the table next to us were either on break, or were visiting. Either way, I could smell the bean curd with sesame oil from their tupperware. Joel and I both wanted to ask for an order of pho to go with our cafe au laits, but neither one of us could work up the courage. Next time! Cafe Du Monde is open 24/7, so there should be plenty of opportunity.

New Orleans, Day 2

Another work filled day, with nothing too notable to report, except my cab driver this morning. He was a pretty large fellow, wearing a white undershirt with a white towel draped over his neck, and easily spilled out of his seat. While this imagery alone made me chuckle, what really got me was the fact that he was eating a Slim Jim. For the short drive from the hotel to the Convention Center, my cabbie had one hand on the wheel, the other on his Slim Jim. I only wish I had the courage to take a picture.

Had dinner at Wolfe's in the Warehouse as part of a work dinner, but didn't take pictures as it was nothing spectacular to write about. It's not necessarily a reflection of the restaurant, but the fact that we had a fixed menu to accommodate the 50 some people in our group.

New Orleans, Day 1

First full day in New Orleans, and while most of it was spent working, my coworker and I managed to haul ass in time for a late dinner at Drago's Seafood Restaurant. Despite the fact that the restaurant's about a 5-10 minute walk from the Convention Center, walking in the New Orleans heat and humidity in business clothing (he was also wearing a jacket), was not an option, so we cabbed it.

Drago's is apparently the birthplace of charbroiled oysters, which are actually pretty damn good. Gulf oysters are seasoned with garlic, butter, and herbs, and thrown on a grill with a massive flame. The end result is quite tasty, and bread is mandatory to soak up all of the sauce. Even if you don't normally like oysters, it's hard to deny the buttery goodness.

For dinner, my coworker and I shared the Crescent City Shrimp, and the Stuffed Lobster (crabmeat, and shrimp dressing topped with crabmeat au gratin). Something tells me I shouldn't be getting my cholesterol tested anytime soon.

Sonoma Valley

One last weekend getaway with the gang before two take off for higher education. Unfortunately, attendance wasn't like the SLO trip last year, but it was great to hang out with those that came. Believe it or not, the below is a picture of Brian before a drop of alcohol. It's not as fun being designated driver, but I don't think I could have sampled much wine, anyway, weak sauce that I am. In any case, it's always fun to hang out with the gang, and hopefully Brian and Hanie will have some overlap in California during summer breaks. I'll miss you guys!

Salt Lake City, Day 2

Even though it's been a really short trip, I've managed to squeeze in a little bit of sight seeing. Had some free time yesterday to check out the Mormon sites at Temple Square, complete with a close encounter with proselytizing tour guides. On my way to the airport today, I got notice that my flight was delayed an hour, so I made a quick detour to the State Capitol for a quick peek. I've never been inside a State Capitol before, and it was a bit eerie that the building was completely empty. Very beautiful, but weird that there wasn't another person in sight.

Salt Lake City, Day 1

Whenever I travel for work, I normally rent a compact car, which means I'm usually driving around in a Ford Focus or something similar. While I wouldn't buy one for myself, they're sort of fun to drive for a couple of days because they feel like go karts.

When I arrived in Salt Lake City last night, this was the exchange I had with the rental car agent:

Agent: You reserved a compact car.
Me: Yes, that's correct.
Agent: So that's like a Ford Focus.
Me: That's fine.
Agent: Ok, we're going to give you a Grand Marquis.
Me: ...what?
Agent: Do you know what that is?
Me: They still make those?

Apparently, this is what I get for all those cracks I made about the Mercury Cutlass. The driving experience is what I imagine Disney tram drivers must feel like, and I can now see why old people swerve in their lanes. If they're driving one of these babies, they just can't help it.

I really wasn't joking when I asked if the Grand Marquis was still a manufactured car, but when I got in, a lot of the controls were digital, which must mean someone, somewhere, still thinks it's a good idea to assemble this boat.

When I pulled up to the hotel turnaround, I could tell the valet was trying really hard not to laugh when he saw that it wasn't an old lady with a beehive driving. While I don't necessarily enjoy driving the car, the reactions it elicits is pretty great. My only regret is that I didn't blast some Neil Diamond while cruising the streets.

Stuffed Up

On display today at the Academy of Science - a human male!! This room is actually always empty when I visit, but today, there was a scientist drying and preparing bird specimens for display. Although he's working on a hummingbird, notice the cameras pointed down on his workspace. The Academy installed these really thin projection screens on the glass door, so you can watch what he's doing both from afar and close-up. It was pretty cool watching how he went about grooming and stuffing the bird, but seeing the specimens on the table with cotton balls for eyes is a bit creepy.