Fear And Loafing In The Big Easy
Ahh, New Orleans.
The French Quarter, “Sweet Home Alabama” pouring out of a Bourbon Street bar, multi-colored drinks and Mardi Gras beads, even when it’s not Mardi Gras.
I love it.
But, in a way, I also fear it. The partying is so open, so available so, well – there – that one can easily lose control if they are not watching themselves.
With that in mind, I always approach the Big Easy with both excitement and trepidation. And that’s why, whenever I go there, I have these five (funny) fears of what I’ll do or what will happen to me the Big Easy.
1.) That Smell
That’s not a Lynyrd Skynyrd song in this case, but of waking up in the morning and having “that smell” in your room. You open one eye, say to yourself “oh no I didn’t,” but you can’t escape that smell. So you roll over and there it is on the floor the source of that all-too-familiar smell, a bag of half-eaten Kristal Burgers. Late at night, after zig-zagging on Bourbon Street, you stop into this Southern institution for the little square patties. They are not the healthiest thing to say the least, and you always order more than you eat, take them back to your room and, thus, you have that smell.
2.) Ignoring PubClub.com’s Rule Of Thumb For Partying In New Orleans
I know better and try to avoid it but sometimes just can’t help it! The key to party survival here is simple: keep to the same color of drink. In New Orleans there are drinks of various colors (red, blue, even green) and it’s a bad idea to mix them. But I also know that after having a Hurricane, I want a Hand Grenade and, well, I have to remind myself that New Orleans nightlife is a marathon and not a sprint and it’s wise to stick to one of those types of drink each night.
3.) Losing Track Of My Friends
It’s happened before and it will happen again. I’m standing next to my friends on a corner outside of a bar on Bourbon Street, turn my head for a second and when I turn back to talk – poof! – they are gone. In the sea of people I can’t see them anywhere. Sometimes we’re able to meet up again and sometimes not and when it’s the latter I’m not only confused, I’m alone. It’s always better to party with your buddies on Bourbon Street. But, of course, I can quickly adjust to any changing party situation.
4.) Overeating Gumbo, Jambalaya or Etouffee To Be Too Stuffed To Party
The food – even the simple stuff – is soooo good in New Orleans that it’s easy to be stuffing yourself at dinner and then when you get up from the table, you realize you’re too bloated to even have a beer.
5.) I’ll Never Leave The Quarter
Not all of New Orleans’ fun is confined to Bourbon Street and the French Quarter. Frenchman Street is a hot and happening place with tons of live music and Mid-town is also a desirable destination. But because I’m in New Orleans so infrequently, I’m always fearful that I’ll spend all my time in the Quarter rather than getting out and seeing more of the city.
So that’s it. But instead being shy, I like to thrive while going big-time in the Big Easy.
Cheers!
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