New Orleans

We spent this Easter Weekend with Ryan's family in LA. No, not L.A. as in Hollywood, but Louisiana!!
We left on Thursday after Ryan got finished with work and started our road trip. After a short stop in Houston to pick up Ryan's momma, and sister and brother-in-law, we took off early Friday morning.
We went to New Orleans on Friday and enjoyed some amazing food at the Acme Oyster House. Ryan had been talking about this place for several months and it lived up to our expectations!
I think we took in our monthly allowance fried goodness- catfish, shrimp, french fries covered in cheese and gravy, and we also ate PO boys, gumbo and I can't remember what else we ordered. By the time we left, I think we were more waddling out the door then walking!
We spent the afternoon wondering down the streets of the French Quarter. I will use Ryan's mom's favorite word to describe the experience. Weird. Sort of old world beauty mixed with the interesting culture that is New Orleans.
Actually some of it was really beautiful, all of the old buildings that have been transformed into restaurants, art galleries and more. Then,there were street performers, gypsies, two of whom got into a yelling match,artists and of course more then an eye full on Bourbon Street.
Saturday morning we had fully intended on heading back to the French Quarter to enjoy the delicious delicacy known as beignets, but the city was hosting the annual Easter Race so getting into the area where they were was impossible! We decided to forgo the beignets and travelled into the 9th ward to see the progress that has taken place since Katrina.
It really is an amazing mix of progress, new buildings and re-building and then buildings that are still abandoned, crumbling and marked with spray paint to denote what rescuers found.
The new homes going up are really incredible, have funky architecture, crazy colors, you just have to see it to appreciate it. Unfortunately, we left our camera in Dallas, so hopefully we will get some pics from Ryan's sister to post up eventually.
We headed out from there to Baton Rouge to enjoy a fantastic Louisiana feast-Ryan's family knows how to cook!!! From the homemade muffalletas, jambalaya, lemon bars, desserts and this crazy drink called a yellow bird, I think we all gained about 5 lbs! We also competed in a ping-pong tournament with family. I proved that once again my talents lay more in the creative arena:) We all had a blast though.
Next year will be our turn to host, well at least Houston side:) It will be a blast to have the family together again, and we will have to make sure the have all the Texas favorites- brisket, maybe some Tex-Mex:)