so um yeah

so it's the last day of the month. almost september now. that means it's that much closer to being cool outside (i say cool becaue it's never really cold). my birthday hoopla is all over and the 2nd anniversary of katrina is done and gone so....now it's just blah time. maybe that's why i feel so listless and almost lethargic these last couple of days. i really don't have anything to look forward to. there's labor day and i get a three day weekend but i'm not overly excited about that. it's just another day off. just another day that i'll spend at home or running around doing pretty much nothing. work is boring, so that doesn't help. i've been spending a lot of time writing (so that's a really good thing) but then i find myself becoming so bored that i can't even do that (as i usually do it at work). gavin and i are doing very well but out work schedules conflict so much that i don't see him all that often. when i do though it's been really good.
other than writing all i've really been doing is sitting online. i write on here or i go onto gmail and talk to friends or i go onto bebo or myspace (both of which i'm becoming frustrated with). i invited a bunch of really cool people on both and they accepted my invite and yet they're not big communicators. i send a message and only once in a blue moon get one back. guess i shouldn't complain too much. i've only been doing this for about a week. oddly enough the nicest person on bebo is liam gallagher. he always writes back. he's supposed to be an ass but as it turns out he's a nice guy. the nicest guy on myspace is ewan mcgregor. he only wrote me once (and then didn't reply to my reply) but what he wrote me was very cool. so yeah, that's my day. i sit at work on line. i transcribe and write and transcribe bits of novel, i talk to dave and sarah and meeg on gmail, and i sign on and off to bebo and myspace to see if i have any new adds or messages. i know, it's boring just reading about it. if you like, you can check out both of my pages. i think i have some pretty cool stuff on there...
www.myspace.com/nola32

www.bebo.com/nola32

feel free to add me or send me messages or any of that jazz. i'm off to get ready to go be bored at work for 8 hours (uuugghh). i guess that's just being a grown up though.
stay cool.

still reading the same three books
don't remember the last song i listened to
weather outside: in the upper 80s and cloudy, meant to rain all day
word of the day: listless

two years ago today...

two years today hurricane katrina made landfall in louisiana, devastating new orleans and the surrounding areas.

two years ago today i was sitting in a hotel room with my brother robin watching the news.

two years ago today i was looking at images of my beloved city flooded, destroyed, in chaos.

two years ago today i realised that i didn't know the whereabouts of my little brother andrew and my little sister sarah, it would be a week before we found them.

two years ago today they told me that it might by nine months before we could return to the city.

two years ago today i learned that i lost my apartment and mostly everything in it.

two years ago today i didn't know where most of my friends were or even if they were alive.

two years ago today i sat and cried as they said that they might never rebuild new orleans.

two years ago today i realised that new orleans would never again be the city i had grown up in.

two years ago today i wept.
two years ago today my life changed.

the birthday party you wish you had attended...

so, today is my official birthday but the party (as you know) was on sunday at stephanie's. it was fab. here are some pics to prove it. i kissed a lot of people in the pics-- don't know what that's about (love maybe). thanks to everyone who came and to everyone who couldn't make it but who called or email with their regrets...i missed you. steph getting ready for the party

me and steph waiting for guests to arrive

me and ashley

assembled; ashley, erin, renie, janet, andrew, chris

steph getting her drink on

janet, andrew and dad

getting their eat on; ashley, erin, pamela and renie

me and patrick

me and sarah

me and steph hiding in her room

a bit of a gathering; ashley, erin, andrew, steph, patrick, sarah, suzie, and gavin

me and suzie

me and steph being goofs

me and andrew

more gathered; patrick, suzie, erin, ashley, janet, and gavin

ashley, me, and my sister sarah

me and my brother andrew

steph and dave

me and lori

gathered outside; sarah, gavin, erin, andrew, dave, steph, and robert

me and miranda

cake!! (ok, fruit tart) and andrew and sarah with partial apperances by steph and patrick

more outside; miranda, robert III, robert, dave, sarah, steph

still outside; erin, miranda, robert III, robert, and sarah

me and janet (andrewandsarah'smom)

andrew, robin, and gavin polish off the food at the end of the night.

a grand ol' time was had by all. thank you all for coming. i had a great time. thanks to stephanie for letting me have my party at her house. i love all of you. stay cool!! happy birthday to me!!!

birthday party today!!!

ok, so my birthday is actually on tuesday but work and school, etc prevents me from having a nice party on my actual birthday....so it's today!! it's almost 10 now and the party starts at 2. i'll be over at steph's at 12:30 to start setting up (which means i have about an hour to start making the food. it's going to be so much fun. i hope loads of people show and that i get lots of pressies (have i said this already? hehe).

we got red and white wine, creme de cassis, gin (and tonic), beer (amber and abita pecan), and white sangria (not to mention sodas).

for food i'm making finger sandwiches-- cucumber and turkey with options of swiss, mustard or mayo. i'm also got loads of fab taro chips-- sweets and beets and the mixed kind. i am also making a fab fruit bowl with white nectarines, honeydew nectarines, blood oranges, strawberries, and plums with a home-made honey-cream dipping sauce.

steph is also making food. i think a veg plate and some other stuff that i can't remember off of the top of my head. going to be fab!!!!

stay cool.

yeah for birthday parties!! (and yes, this pic is about 3 years old and my hair look super bad in it. it never looks that bad!! i have witnesses!)

book i'm reading now: still reading sophie's world, the gunseller, and have just started ada song i'm listening to: colorblind weather outside: 83 degrees and cloudy (oohh, nice) 50% chance of rain, let's hope it just stays overcast!! days until my party: NONE days until my birthday: 1 (not including today and my birthday) presents i've gotten so far: none level of excitement (on a scale of one to ten): 8 (by 1ish it'll be 10)

i'm liking brad pitt more and more...he loves nola like i do!

angelina jolie and brad pitt are heading for the hamptons but it’s not for a weekend of fun in the sun. the couple are hosting a dinner of about 50 people this saturday night to benefit the victims of hurricane katrina.

the invitation they sent out reads:

‘Nearly two years after Hurricane Katrina, residents of the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans are still struggling to rebuild. Brad Pitt started the ‘Make it Right’ project after he visited the devastated area. He hopes to preserve the unique culture and spirit of the Ninth Ward by rebuilding a neighborhood inspired by safe and sustainable “green” homes in one of the hardest hit communities in Louisiana.’

the fam on their way to the hurricane katrina benefit in the hamptons tonight

i couldn't find a link to the make it right project but here's a link to the other org he's involved in that is helping to rebuild eco-friendly houses in nola:

http://www.thegreenproject.org/


my only question is....why isn't the benefit here? if people can fly into the hamptons they can fly to new orleans. then they can even tour the devestation and see where their money's going!


these are comments that he made after touring the city the other day (makes me love him even more!):
"the people who were hardest hit by katrina were people who had the least.“it's a justice issue,” said pitt. “what we saw with katrina is that there is a portion of our society that's being overlooked. and so, in the aftermath, we're not going to be able to bring back the friends and family that are lost.“we're not going to be able to bring back their heirlooms and their photographs. but maybe we can provide a better way of life. maybe we can find some good out of this.“it’s about fairness. it’s about dignity.”


god love him, he really does get it.

been blogging, not a lot of comments

hey people,
if i'm going to take the time to blog, i think you should take the time to comment!!!
more importantly, i would like for you to all go back down and have another look (or a first look) and my entry on my charities. they really are worthwhile and need your attention. please, please help. anything you can do would be greatly appreciated. whether you want to save nola, save the environment, work for humanitarian issues, or stop the death penalty, it's all there. give it another gander. i promise it'll make you feel all warm inside to help.

in other news, i have to get ready for my party today (and by that i mean cooking, etc) as it's tomorrow. don't forget to send all of your presents to me soon (hehe)!!

i can't believe my party's tomorrow. i can't believe i'm 31 on tuesday!!! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

stay cool.

still reading the gunseller
last song i listened to: stephanie says
temp outside: 84 degrees (does that mean winter's coming early?!?!)
days until party: 1 (well none if you don't count today)
days until bd: 2
presents i've gotten so far: none

cuvee

i can't continue without giving a shout out to my brother's restaraunt, cuvee (he doesn't own it, he works there). it is the best in the city (literally-- as rated by the zagat guide). it's pricey and a reservation is a good idea but the food is to die for. sheck out their website and scope the menu. it'll have you drooling and racing to the phone to make reservations.

http://www.restaurantcuvee.com/cuvee/index.htm

tell them i sent you!!

good food (fondue and crepes and salads, oh my!)

ahhh, la crepe nanou. it's been one of my favorite restaraunts for years and years (i've enjoyed countless meals there with family, it's one of mine and erika's favorite spots, allyson and i love to go there, my sister sarah and i went there right after the storm...) you can't go wrong. it's fab and the prices are totally reasonable. it's at 1410 robert street, between pitt and prytania. mmmm, nanou's. sooo good. go to their website and check out the menu. i promise you'll be running over there for dinner asap. get there early though. there's usually a line and a bit of a wait (but oh, so worth it). and afterwards, you can always nip across the street to creole creamery for some blood orange ice cream!!

http://www.lacrepenanou.com/index.html

now that's how it's done!

another nola sweet tradition...

the other day i mentioned my all time fav summertime treat, hansen's sno-blitz. don't forget to go and check out that link and then go get yourself a tasty treat. i also mentioned creole creamery. if it's ice cream you're in the mood for then that's the place to go (but who could ever turn down a sno-blitz?!? not i, i tell you!).

here is another new orleans traditions that you should check out.

these roman candy guys have been selling their taffy wonders out of these horse drawn carriages for as long as i can remember (if i'm not mistaken they've been doing it since the early 20th century). they have chocolate, strawberry and vanilla. they're super cheap and super good. you can always find them hanging out on the side of the road in these fab carts (and don't worry, the horses are well taken care of...i watched the guy give the horse water and some food-- not sure what the food was but he seemed to like it).

you can also visit their website at http://www.romancandy.com/

the candy man can

buy some roman candy! support a new orleans tradition!

rainy and dark

it's raining outside and i want to go home. i want my birthday weekend to start. i don't want to work tomorrow (which i might not have to). i want good pressies. i want more people to add me to bebo. i want peace and love and happiness for all of the world. is this too much to ask?

stay cool.

still reading the same book
last song i listened to: loving you always by coldplay (no laughing)
weather outside: rainy and dark. about 87 because of the rain with a heat index of about 95
work i got done: lots of blogging and a good bit of work done on chapter 7
days until my party: 1
days until my birthday: 3

support local live music!!

i've decided to post the music calendar for the rest of this week (such as it is) go out and see some local live music!!

also, keep in mind that sometime soon (sept-oct i think) interpol are playing at house of blues(woohoo). i think we should all go!

and now for your weekend events!!!

Friday, August 24th
The Apple BarrelMike Hood & The Claim Jumpers @ 11
Arnaud's Jazz BistroThe Gumbo Trio @ 6:30 {{ Till 10:30 }} (Jazz)
Balcony Music ClubVa Va Voom @ 10
Banks Street BarJoe Krown Combo @ 11
The Beach House Bobby Cure & the Summertime Blues @, 9
The Big Top, 3 Ring CircusMichael Skinkus Quartet, 5; Black Bayou Construkt, 9; Soulscript, 10; Tunes & Tones, 11; Way-Goners, mid
Blue Nile
The Bombay Club Julie Jules & Duo @ 9 (Classic Ballads)
The Bottleneck Bar at the Bourbon OrleansMr. C. @ 6 (Solo Piano)
Cafe NegrilThe Reveales @ 10
Carousel Lounge In The Hotel MonteleoneJohn Autin @ 9
Carrollton StationSusan Cowsill, Beatin' Path, Jumpin' Johnny Sansone & We Are The Pretenders @ 10
Checkpoint CharlieRose's Pawn Shop @ 7, Skeeter Dope @ 11
Chocolate Bar{{ SOUL IN THE CITY Dance Party W/ DJ Ike T @ 9 }}
The Circle BarDave Easley @ 6, Gal Holiday and The Honky Tonk Revue @ 10
Club 300Mary Jane Ewing Jazz Quintet with Tony Dagradi @ 8 (Jazz)
Covington Farmers' Market((Announce Last)) The Grocery Clerks tomorrow morning @ 9
D.B.A.Gal Holiday & The Honky Tonk Review @ 6, Corey Henry & the Young Fellas @ 10
Donna's Bar and GrillDa Truth Brass Band @ 9
Dos JefesEric Traub, 10
The Dragon's DenSoul Rebels Brass Band @ 10 (Brass @ 10)
The Green RoomHENRY TURNER, JR & FLAVOR @ 10
Gulfstream RestaurantGarden District Trio @ 6:30 {{ featuring David Hansen, Tom Hook & Chris Sharkey }}
Harrah's Casino, The Ultra LoungeEarl Turner @ 7
The Hi-Ho LoungeRose's Pawn Shop, Ross Hallen & The Hellbenders @ 10
Hookah Cafe{{ Ladies’ Night w/DJ EF Cuttin’ @ 10 }} (high energy dance/pop mix)
House of BluesBeatles Festival featuring The Topcats and Beatin Path plus special guests @ 8
Howlin' WolfJealous Monk / Birdfinger / For Karma / Epic @ 10
Kajun's PubMy Graveyard Jaw, 10;
Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop
Le Bon Temps RouleJoe Krown @ 7, Good enough for good times @ 11
Legends Bar & GrillLocal Option 2 @ 10
Library Lounge In The Ritz HotelArmand St Martin @ 6
Maple LeafJerry Joseph Band @ 10
MargaritavilleDanny T @ 7 ( Cajun)
Mimi'sVaVaVoom @ 10 (Acoustic gypsy & traditional jazz)
Mystick Den in the Royal Sonesta HotelAnais St. John, 9
Neutral Ground CoffeehouseG String Bluegrass, 8; Richard Bienvenu, 9; 50 to Life, 10; Steve Gernhauser,. 11
Oak Street Cafe'Charles Farmer, every morning @ 9:30 AM {{ Until 2:00 }}
Old Point BarJ.D. Hill @ 9:30
One Eyed Jack'sMess Anger and Hands of Nero @ 10
Preservation HallJoe Lasties' Lil Jazz Men @ 8
Ray's "Boom Boom" RoomFredy Omar con su Banda @ 10
The Rivershack TavernThe Janet Lynn Band @ 9
Rock n Bowl Bucktown Allstars @ 10 (cover)
Ruby's RoadhouseVoodoo Funk & Soul @ 9:30
The Rusty NailClyde Albert Boogies and Blues @ 6, Washboard Chaz @ 10
Sean Kelly's Irish PubSlewfoot and Cary B @ 10
The Spotted CatNew Orleans Jazz Vipers, 10
Sweet Lorraine'sBJ Crosby @ 10 & Midnight
Swizzle Stick Bar (Lowes Hotel)Troi Bechet @ 5
Tipitina'sThe Radiators, plus Ruthie Foster @ 10
Tommy's Wine BarCharles Farmer @ 6
saturday
Saturday, August 25thtop
Arnaud's Jazz BistroThe Gumbo Trio @ 6:30 {{ Till 10:30 }} (Jazz)
Balcony Music ClubOtra @ 10
Banks Street BarRudy and The Caribbean Funk @ 11
The Beach House{{ Karaoke with Lenny @ 8 }}
The Big Top, 3 Ring CircusCutting Edge Music Conference Showcase w/ Lon Farron @ 9, Magdalene @ 9:30, Wounded Soul @ 10:30, WonTon Lust @ 11:30, Human X @ 12:30 AM, Mess Anger
Birdies RoadhouseAndre Bouvier's Royal Bohemians @ 8
Blue NileCutting Edge Music Fest Showcase
The Bombay Club SUZAUNE YEE McKAMEY & Duo @ 9 (Cabaret/Show tunes)
The Bottleneck Bar at the Bourbon OrleansMr. C. @ 6 (Solo Piano)
Cafe Negril Smoky Greenwell & The Blues Gnus @ 10 Or Oski Founation @ 10 ??????? ( blues)
Carousel Lounge In The Hotel MonteleoneJohn Autin @ 9
Carrollton StationPaul Sanchez With Sonia Tetlow & Mary Lasseigne @ 10
Checkpoint CharlieBen Steadman @ 7, The Ta-Ta-Destroyer @ 11
The Circle BarEgg Yolk Jubilee @ 10
Club 300{{ United Cerebral Palsy Barstool Open Entry Registration @ 11:00 a.m. }}, Soul Project @ 8:30 ( Big Horn Funk)
Community Center of St. BernardKaya Martinez Quintet @ 7:30, {{ Dinner preceeds @ 5:30 }}
D.B.A.John Boutte's Band @ 7, Roddie Romero & the Hub City All-Stars @ 11
Donna's Bar and GrillTBA, please call club
The Dragon's DenZydepunks CD RELEASE PARTY w/ Rose's Pawn Shop, DJ Dub Insurgent @ 10 (Punk)
Gathering Place Coffee House at Cornerstone UnitedThe Mark Chatter Trio @7 (Jazz)
The Green RoomDJ KILLERS + SICK LIKE SINATRA + BORGESSA @ 10 (alternative rock)
Gulfstream RestaurantGarden District Trio @ 6:30 {{ featuring David Hansen, Tom Hook & Chris Sharkey }}
Harrah's Casino, The Ultra LoungeEarl Turner @ 7
The Hi-Ho LoungeRGB @ 10
Hookah Cafe{{ Overtime: N.O.’s Hottest HipHop Party w/ DJ EF Cuttin’ @ 10 }} (hip-hop)
Howlin' WolfThe Radiators @ 10
Lafitte's Blacksmith ShopJeff "Snake" Greenburg @ 6, Mike Hood @ 9 {{ Solo Piano }}
Le Bon Temps RouleJuice @ 11
Legends Bar & GrillNozmo King @ 10
Library Lounge In The Ritz HotelARMAND ST. MARTIN @ 6
The Living OakPoetry Slam / Comedy Night @ 9
Louisiana Music FactoryLindsay Mendez @ 2, Roddie Romero @ 3, Bryan Lee @ 4
Maple LeafKrewe Of OAK Midsummer Mardi Gras Parade & Ball with Big Blue @ 10
MargaritavilleIrving Bannister’s All Stars @ 4, Joe Bennett @ 7 (R&B,Tropical Rock)
Oak Street Cafe'Charles Farmer, every morning @ 9:30 AM {{ Until 2:00 }}
Old Point BarThe Red Herrings @ 7:30, Groove Sect @ 10
One Eyed Jack's{{ Big Easy Roller Girls 2008 Pin Up Calendar Launch Party @ 9 }}
PJ's Coffee & Wine BarLiese’s Livingroom @ 8
Pontchartrain Vineyards Wardell Williams Blues Show Band @ 6:30 (Blues)
Preservation HallNEW ORLEANS JAZZ SUMMIT @ 8
Ray's "Boom Boom" RoomBionik Brown, Southcidal, DaLyrical, Paul Lockett, Truth Universe, Tikiela, Just Being Lyrical, Valery @ 9
The Rivershack TavernRefried Confusion @ 10
Rock n BowlBonerama @ 10 (horns/rock)
Ruby's RoadhouseThe Pat Murphy Jam Band @ 9:30
The Rusty NailCountry Fried with The Bourbon Cowboys @ 10
St Roch TavernJD Hill and the Jammers @ 9
Sweet Lorraine'sAngela Bell @ 10 & Midnight
Swizzle Stick Bar (Lowes Hotel)Troi Bechet @ 5
Tipitina'sDr. Funk & others @ 10, (Fundraiser for the Bridge House Clinic)
Tommy's Wine BarCharles Farmer @ 6
Washington Square ParkSaturdays In the Park presents Gal Holiday & The Honky Tonk Review @ 4
sunday
Sunday, August 26thtop
Arnaud's Jazz BistroThe Gumbo Trio @ 6:30 {{ Till 10:30 }} (Jazz)
Balcony Music ClubJoe Krown @ 10
Banks Street Bar19th. Street Red @ 10
The Beach House Bobby Cure & the Summertime Blues @ 6
Cafe Negril Smoky Greenwell & The Blues Gnus @ 9 ( blues)
Checkpoint CharlieMike Darby Band @ 7, Slewfoot & Carey B @ 11
The Circle Bar{{ DJ Lingerie @ 10 }}
D.B.A.Washboard Chaz Blues Trio @ 10
Donna's Bar and GrillShannon Powell @ 9
The Dragon's DenSImon Lott w/ Mike Dillon & Friends @ 10 (Jazz)
The Green Room{{ THE THOMAS PAJAMAS SHOW @ 9 }}
Gulfstream RestaurantGarden District Trio @ 6:30 {{ featuring David Hansen, Tom Hook & Chris Sharkey }}
Harrah's Casino, The Ultra LoungeEarl Turner @ 7
The Hi-Ho Lounge{{ A Different Woman: A True Story of a Texas Girlhood by Veronica Russell @ 8 }}, Love Lyricist Lounge Freestyle Hip Hop @ 10
Hookah CafeGov't Majik @ 9 (afro-beat)
Lafitte's Blacksmith ShopJeff
Maple LeafBloodkin @ 10
Margaritaville Irving Bannister’s All Stars @ 4, Eddie Parrino @ 7 (R&B, Rock)
Marigny BrasseriePfister Sisters @ 11:30
Oak Street Cafe'Charles Farmer, every morning @ 9:30 AM {{ Until 2:00 }}
Old Point BarSheena & the Swamp Dogs @ 4
The On Trois Lounge - Ritz CarltonARMAND ST. MARTIN @ 10AM
Preservation HallCarl LeBlanc & 7th Ward Griot @ 8
Ray's "Boom Boom" Room{{ Sexy Sunday feat. Open Mic Jazz, Poetry and R&B @ 8 }}
Ruby's RoadhouseAcoustic Sunday w/ Frank & Lacy @ 5
The Spotted CatThe Rites of Swing @ 4
Sweet Lorraine's{{ Champagne Brunch Feat. Jazz Pianist }}Nick Sanders 10:30 AM
Tipitina'sMusic Workshop w/ Feufollet @ 12:30, Cajun fais do do w/ Feufollet @ 5:30
Trinity Episcopal ChurchAlbinas Prizgintas directs The Yellowdog Prophet Choir @ 5

just one word....

i just have one word for kiki, meeg, mennu, et al......


SLIDELL!!!!

uughhh 31!!!!

so, as i mentioned, i'm turning 31 on the 28th. i was scared for a second that dean was going to come ruin it (as katrina did two years ago). looks like it's going to go down without a hitch though. party's at stephanie's. i've invited some good friends (and am sad that my friends who are out of town won't be able to make it-- it's ok-- they can always mail gifts-- hehe). on the upside, i finished transcribing chapter 6 and am almost done with chapter 7. i'm making good progress and i figure that with 3.5 chapters left i will be done with the book by november (that's my goal, anyway). work is going well. it's getting better all of the time (even though i have to go in for 2 hours on saturday, yuck!). gavs and i are really happy and are doing really well. the family's all well (incliding kitty lenin). not much to report as i've been posting for hours now.
fingers crossed that i get good pressies and that lots of people show to the party!

stay cool.

i wonder if i'll look like this the morning after my party...this was the morning after last year's!


book i'm reading: still the gunseller (haven't picked it up in days)
last song i listened to: mean mr mustard
storms in the gulf: is dean even still down there?
shirts i bought myself today: one save nola now shirt
shirts i bought gavs today: one creole creamery shirt
number of times i checked my bebo account: a thousand
new bebo friends: nicole kidman and gwen stefani
number of days until my party: 2
number of days until my birthday: 4

hansen's sno-blitz

hansen's from the outside. doesn't look like all that much but there's magic inside those walls!!

while i'm mentioning favorite sweet treats i can't not mention my favorite spot of all (don't worry, it's not competition for creole creamery). it's hansen's sno-blitz! they have the best snoballs in the world. i'm not sure when the opened but it was decades upon decades ago. i remember going there when i was a kid. sadly, the former owners, ms. mary and mr. ernest have passed but their grandaughter now runs the place. i like to think of her as a friend of mine. she remembers my name and history every time i go in. she remembers my brother and my husband and is always sure to ask how my book is coming. she's an angel (not to mention that her sno-blitz are heavenly). they are located at 4801 tchoupitoulas street and are usually open wednesday (i think) to saturday from 2ish to 7ish. be prepared to wait in line but it's soooo worth it. it's not summer in new orleans if you haven't had a sno-blitz!!

ashley making the syrups (that they make fresh everyday!!!)

creole creamery

on the way home from steph's i stopped at my favorite ice cream place. it's called the creole creamery and it's at 4924 prytania street in the old mackenzie's bakery building. the people there are super nice and the flavors are ridiculously good (things like green tea ice and chockwork orange and blood orange and creole cream cheese and blood orange and vanilla bean yumminess-- plus they have the standards if that's what you like. it's a locally owned company and the owner mixes all his stuff right there. he comes up with new flavors all of the time and it's an amazing treat!! you all must go!!! here are some pics of creole creamery that i took tonight. enjoy. stay cool!

my nice server

inside the shop

the lovely ladies behind the counter

steph, my steph

as some of you know, my birthday is coming soon (on the 28th i'll be 31 >shudder<) and i am having a party at my friend stephanie's house on sunday the 26th. we had a bit of a misunderstanding earlier so i went over to her house a little while ago to make sure everything was ok. of course, it was. we have been friends for 8 years and been through tons together so i suppose i knew that it would be ok. anyway, i got some fab pics of her and her man nick and her wonderful backyard. here is some lovely stephanie (the younger) for you to look at...

steph by her coy pond

steph looking fab as per usual

and for my stephanie, a quote from her beloved nietzsche...

a philosopher; a man who constantly experiences, sees, hears, suspects, hopes, dreams extraordinary things; who is struck by his own thoughts as if from without, as if from above and below, as by his kind of events and thunder-claps; who is himself perhaps a storm and pregnant with new lightnings; a fateful man around whom snarling, quarreling, discord, and uncanniness is always going on. a philospher: alas, a creature which often runs away from itself, is often afraid of itself- but which is too inquisitive not to keep 'coming to itslef' again...

steph's pond

steph and her boyfriend nick

for those of you who think we're ok now....

i just wanted to post a few recent pictures of that area that brad pitt toured the other day. the one that's 'doing so well'. just so that you know the reality of the situation...

total destruction

this house will never stand again

all that's left is the roof

when houses collide

cars stacked from the 20 feet of water that pushed them on top of one another

i commend the work the brad pitt is doing in the ninth ward. i think it's wonderful. i applaud all of the charitable orgs that are trying to help... but why does this neighborhood still look like this (with no power or water) 2 YEARS after katrina? we need to take action. not just brad pitt, not just orgs, but ALL OF US. it is up to us to save this city, and whether you like it or not, the ninth ward is a part of new orleans. it is a part of us all!!

my homage to those who have left nola (either due to katrina or for various other reasons)

my lovely liz came in the other day and we had coffee. she lived here until a few months ago and then she moved to austin >sob<. she is now going to stay with the parents in the carolinas. here is my liz (and me on my way to meet liz for coffee). i miss you liz.

me

liz

this is my carrie and her dave (although i lay claim to him as well as we talk on gmail everyday). they left me to move to dallas (ewwww) not long before the storm. carrie is my oldest and dearest friend. i miss her everyday. i don't miss dave as much because i talk to him so often but he's still a super cool cat.

carrie and dave

allyson has also left. she finished vet school and is now a doctor in new york. i miss her dearly. here she is at mardi gras 2007 in my cowboy hat (which i think looks better on me--hehe).

allyson in my hat at mardi gras

this is meeg and kalanit. meeg evacuated during katrina and never returned (except for vacay time-- and for my wedding, at which this photo was taken). kalanit has recently gotten married and has moved to florida with her husband, zach. i miss you everyday, meeg. and i'll miss you, too kiki.

meeg and kiks at my wedding

and now frankie has just moved to get married in dallas. his soon to be wife lives there so he's relocated. i'll miss you, babe. keep on beboing me-- if you think you can handle it!!

frankie and me at z'otz

erika left me a long time ago. she now lives in honduras with her husband. she is one of my best friends in the world (and i haven't even met her baby yet!!). she might be coming into town in september and i can't wait!! i miss her so much!

erika and her husband cesar (and that's samuel in her belly)

this is me and aditi. aditi left me quite a while ago as well. i recently saw her at her daughter's birthday party. it was so good to see her and i miss her so much.

me kissing aditi (with her sister anagha in the background)

so, those are my friends who have left me (there are a few more) but many of these are my best, best friends (i'm looking at you carrie, meeg, aditi, kiki, liz, erika, allyson, dave, and frankie).

thankfully i still have many of my best friends here in nola (looking at you stephanie, suzie, erin, patrick, jelena, dave, andrew, dillon, heather, lori, john, katy, matt, kim, robin, shannah, and sarah)

and of course i still have my family-- my dad, my brothers (robin and andrew-- scott moved to dc the bastard), and my gavin.

here or not here, friend or family, you are all my best friends and i love you. stay cool.