The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I have gone to work for 14 days straight thus far (totaling 142 hours) and am thinking that my next day off will be December 23rd (if true = 25 days) when I get on a plane to go to VA. I am not so much physically tired as just mentally a blob of mush. My Red Bulls and Monster drinks have been my saving grace but I know that they can only do so much. I have found myself living for the evenings so that I can watch my shows...they are the light at the end of my tunnel! I just watched the Saints play an AWFUL game but thank God they won, now I am attempting to make candied orange peels for the first time. I most certainly see a lengthy nap in my future followed by an equally lengthy hot shower. What a wonderful time of year it is :)

I Am A Mental Blob

I work. I sleep. I eat. I shower. Repeat daily. The Christmas rush at Sucre has come a week earlier than I expected and tomorrow will begin the official hell that is the holidays. Last week I let one girl go and had to mediate a verbal altercation between two other girls that subsequently led to one quitting. A new girl starts tomorrow that is supposed to be my "assistant" but at this point in the game I kind of just see her as another pair of hands that I can put to work. I will worry about training her on more detailed stuff later. Brie is going to start working for us tomorrow too! She is in between movie gigs and is getting bored at the house so she is voluntarily subjecting herself to the madness I bitch about to her day in and day out.

I have been taking my vitamins and drinking immunity boosting tea. I bought a case of Red Bull from Restaurant Depot to keep me going. So physically I should be in good shape. Mentally I don't know. The next few weeks are going to be trying. At least I know this going into it.

Enough rambling. It is Saints football time.

Not My Typical Thanksgiving

My Thanksgiving was spent a little differently than years passed. Since I was not able to go home to be with family I had to fend for myself and honestly I had a blah attitude about attempting to have a "normal" Thanksgiving. Therefore I did things differently. I slept until noon (no exaggeration) then ate a red velvet cupcake for breakfast. In an effort to not waste the entire day I pulled myself together and drove to the Fair Grounds to meet AV for the opening day of the horse races. Below are tons of photographic evidence of my new adventure:

Beer and a program full of information that I had NO idea how to translate or interpret! AV tried his best to explain things to me--but I still bet on horses based on their names.

The shoots the horses come out of at the beginning of each race

You can watch all the action from inside or outside. Since it was such a gorgeous day we opted for outside most of the time.

And they're off!

Folks were dressed up in unique ensembles! Some of the crazy hats rivaled those seen at the royal wedding earlier this year! These people were channeling days gone by.

Very pretty view of down town in the distance

Before each race they would walk the horses around so that people could look at them prior to making any bets.

The program with my ticket showing my bet. I picked Magic Appointment, Sunday's Child, My Darlin' Daphne, and My Mom Pat. Gotta love those clever names!

Me!

After loosing approximately $6 I called it a day at the tracks and headed back to the hosue. Not having a turkey dinner to come home to I did what anti-holiday people do and ordered Chinese food! The rest of my afternoon I chilled on the couch catching up on episodes of Hell on Wheels and eating my take out.

Another Thanksgiving come and gone.

Mom in NOLA: Part 3 The Rest

Though it may seem like it from the first part of the "Mom in NOLA" series, we did not eat the entire time she was here! We drank some too! Hehe :) Here are some other things we got into while having our Girl's Weekend:

• Watched Love, Wedding, Marriage (my Netflix movie) while lying in bed
• Went to the mall and dropped some dinero
• Had our first Sazerac...I thought it was pretty good,but I think mom is going to stick with her Malibu
• Wandered through the French Market where I tried on a bunch of feathery headbands and bought a mask for Mardi Gras
• Got my oil changed and tires rotated (while this was not "fun", I was off on a normal work day so we decided to get it done!)
• Made mom try turkey loaf from Whole Foods. She claims she did not like it but I think she says that about anything new I want her to try!
• Ordered Chinese food in (mom is not accustomed to delivery so she was excited when the door bell rang!)
• Shared a frozen Jack and Coke at the movie theater just because we could!
• Went down Fontainbleau Street intentionally to drive over a big dip in the road and say "whoaaaa!"
• Made a last minute movie theater trip to see Puss in Boots before her flight left

Now that mom is back in Virginia it is back to the grind stone for me. Nothing but work and stress in my foreseeable future...Christmas is now a month away!

Mom in NOLA: Part 2 The Fun

One of the reasons mom came to the Big Easy this particular weekend was so that we could get our geek on and go see the newest Twilight movie: Breaking Dawn! I bought our tickets ahead of time in anticipation of the crazy lines (see photo below). Luckily we did not have to fight our way in since we went to a 4:00 showing and all of the teeny-boppers were still getting out of school.

When the showing we went to was over we saw this line of Twihards waiting their turn to see if Bella becomes a vampire or not...

2 fans standing outside the theater :)

We enjoyed the movie and are eagerly waiting for the final installment next year! Go Team Edward!

As something different to do we ventured to Mardi Gras World to check out "where Mardi Gras is made". A cute little old lady gave us a tour of the place. We got to see how the pieces/floats are created and how they re-use previous pieces to make new ones each year! It is neat to know that they "recycle" things.

Peek-a-boo! We were a little too short for these things.

That is quite an elaborate ensemble! There were a few different Mardi Gras ball gowns on display in the gift shop area. Some of the larger krewes throw a ball each year along with doing a parade.

Drew Brees...in float form! The Saints are a popular theme!

A sketch of a piece going on a future float. Each year every krewe picks a different theme that each of their floats will be based on. The parades are a minimum of 14 floats with the maximum number allowed being 28.

The sketch slowly coming to life with layers of styrofoam being glued together. It will have paper mache put on top then later be painted.

Lots o' paint!

Big ol' witch and lots of football helmets.

Mardi Gras World is Awesome!!!

I learned a lot about the behind-the-scenes part of the parades. I definitely recommend checking it out if you have an hour or so to kill!

Mom in NOLA: Part 1 The Food

Before mom packed her bags for her trip down south I advised her to bring stretchy pants and a hearty appetite. What can I say? This town has a lot to offer in the way of cuisine. Though not every meal (or snack) was documented via photograph, our taste buds certainly got their fill of a wide variety of foods! We dined at La Boca, Slim Goodies, Creole Creamery, The Melting Pot, the Oak Street Po'Boy Festival, Whole Foods, and Sucre.

Slim Goodies on Magazine Street has excellent breakfast food in a small diner setting.

Creole Creamery on Prytania. The Mini Samplers we created were winners! Flavors include: I Scream Fudge, Black & Gold Crunch, Hubig's Apple Pie, Pumpkin Pistachio, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Cookie Monster, and last but not least Red Velvet. Yum.

The Melting Pot on St. Charles was a fun stop! Neither of us had been to one of these before. I like apples and I like cheese, but I am still undecided about them together.

There were lots of things to cook and lots of sauces to dip things into.

Mmm....chocolate fondue!

The Oak Street Po'Boy Festival was a crowded, hot street full of yummy po'boys and treats! The confit pork cheek po'boy with tangy coleslaw was a messy delight!

Crepes a la Carte was at the festival as well so Mom indulged in a Nutella crepe.

Now I don't have to eat until Thanksgiving!

Mall Maddness

Like a fool I went to the mall on a Saturday. Here are some notes on my experience:

• Horizontal stripes appear to be very "in" this season
• A little boy peeked around the curtain into the dressing room I was in. Luckily I had just finished putting on a top and was busy scrutinizing it in the mirror when he poked his head in.
• There was literally a line outside of the Apple store because they were at capacity.
• While waiting in line at the Gap I watched a young girl chat up a headless mannequin.
• The Victoria's Secret staff informed me that I have been purchasing the wrong size bolder holder. Geez.
• Sales suck me in!

No more mall for me...for a few weeks!

I'm Confused

The gorgeous windows at Sucre on Magazine Street imply that it is chilly outside...

But weatherchannel.com says it is going to be in the 80's tomorrow...

I'm confused...and hope that this flip-floppity weather doesn't make me sick!!

I Do Exist

Sorry for the lag in posts. My life has been busy/very boring recently! Here is what you missed:

Last weekend I got to Skype with my mom, aunt, and cousin while they were away on their "Girl's Weekend". To avoid too much cleavage from being broadcast I grabbed a scarf and sported it for our conversation!

I had some new folks start working this week as seasonal employees so there has been a lot of training and explaining going on!

I have been trying to clean/straighten/make the house presentable for my mom who is coming to town this week! She may have to put blinders on and ignore the chaos!

I watched not one but two Ryan Gosling movies this week. First was Blue Valentine (liked it, made me sad), and Crazy, Stupid Love (funny, love Emma Stone). I certainly enjoy Ryan Gosling for not only the ease he puts on my eyes, but also for his acting abilities. However, I have noticed that there is something about his looks that reminds me of my boss and that my friends has put a sour taste in my mouth about Mr. Gosling.

I tried two new restaurants in the same day with AV and Brie. Coulis for brunch and Midway Pizza for dinner.

The Saints beat the Atlanta Falcons in overtime!!! BIG win against our #1 rivals! A school that I pass in the mornings on my commute hangs a banner up each week depicting the team we are scheduled to play. This was the one for those Dirty Bird Falcons!!

So that is my life in short. Now off to start a short week at work then fun time with mi madre this weekend :)

LOTS of Work...and A Little Play

60 hour work weeks are becoming the norm for me these days. In an effort to off-set all of that time spent focusing on work stuff--I try to veg out on the weekends! I tend to sleep in on Saturdays (sometimes a little too late...but hey, I am playing catch up from the previous 5 days). After I have joined the world of the living, I like to wander around town and enjoy the weather--which has been beautiful recently! Today I went to a few shops on Magazine Street, including an antique shop I like to check out from time to time. There I found a cook book that I had been looking for. It was a request from a lady in Lexington who enjoys NOLA style cuisine and thought it would be neat to have a a local church cook book. Today was the Freret Street Market so I headed to that as well. There were lots of local vendors selling shirts, jewelry, art, etc. Again, the weather was gorgeous today, so it made being out all the more enjoyable.

Sundays are of course football day for me! Tomorrow the Saints are taking on the Buccaneers for the second time this season. They lost the first go round, but hopefully being at the Superdome will give them a boost in confidence and a better chance at making their season #s 6-3.

Monday will come too quickly as it always does, but on the up side I am supposed to be having an assistant starting this week. My hope is that having a second hand (wo)man will help me shave some hours off of my work week! Only time will tell!

P.S. I added three, yes THREE more cardigans to my collection today! Hehe!

No Buyer's Remorse Here

I have a roommate who apparently pumps boiling blood through his veins and thus prefers that the house remain on the chilly side. This does not jive well with my tendency to be cold, so I remedied my dilemma a few weeks back by purchasing an electric heated mattress pad! Ever since then I have been sleeping in a warm, cozy cocoon...I loathe my alarm clock.

The Skeleton House

Tons of houses all over town really do it up with their Halloween decorations! Lots of spider webs on fences, large faux spiders on the sides of homes, etc. But there is a house a few blocks from my place that has what I think are the coolest decorations! You can tell they have put a lot of thought into pulling this off. I refer to it as the "skeleton house" for reasons you can see below:

Just a large, nice home on a corner lot on St. Charles... but the front yard has been taken over by dozens of skeletons!

I love their play on words! The day I stopped and snapped these pictures there were about 10 other people admiring the place as well. Not your typical scary stuff, but definitely fun :)

Happy Halloween!

Interesting Interviews

Yesterday I conducted a bunch of interviews with people who responded to a Craigslist ad I had posted for seasonal help. I shook a bunch of sweaty hands and gave the same schpeel over and over about what we are looking for and what we expect. I had some no-shows, some late arrivals, and a lady who showed up with her 1 year old in a stroller because her babysitter was sick. I saw a lady who was missing the teeth on one side of her mouth, a man who brought me pictures of the aerosol cans he use to package, and one guy explained his tardiness saying he wrecked his bicycle and then had to catch the bus across town. Despite some of the interesting people I met, I found a few that just may work out!

Rock 'n' Bowl

Last night a bunch of folks from the kitchen got together at Rock 'n' Bowl for an evening of fun and a little healthy competition! It was nice to see everybody in "civilian" clothes and not wearing their chef attire. Plus, for once our conversations did not revolve around around cakes, deliveries, and holiday projections!

Bowling shoes look great on everyone. (NOT!)

I certainly did NOT miss my calling as a professional bowler! Even taking in to account that I have not bowled in many many years, I was just plain awful!

The Company Burger

AV, Evan, and I checked out a new spot on the up-and-coming Freret Street near our house, The Company Burger. It was hopping for a Sunday afternoon! They have a couple different burger choices as well as a variety of sides you can pick. I got the single, hold the pickles, add arugula, plus a side of tater tots for fun!

Something unique: they have a mayo bar that includes a variety of flavors of the yummy spread! I mixed the garlic and basil mayo for my burger. Super cool!

Oh, we saw James Carville grabbing a bite while we were there too! Everybody (except vegetarians and the occasional weirdo) loves a good burger!

Hodge Podge

My life recently:

• Often at work I put my iPod on shuffle and let it entertain us throughout the day. Last week the Beach Boy's "Little Deuce Coupe" came on; after listening for a while Ed said "what is his little loose goose?".
• NPR was doing its fall fundraising drive last week. Since I listen to NPR every day on my drive to and from work I decided to donate. It feels good to support something that I value.
• One of the FedEx drivers asked me if I was married. When I said no, he said "oh, you look like the married type; you're organized. Most young gals aren't this organized." I am not sure how to take that.
• I made pumpkin muffins this weekend. For some variance, I mixed dried cranberries in some and pecan pieces in others. Delish!
• In an effort to get my bed away from the multiple drafty windows in my room, I rearranged everything into a new configuration. I am hoping this will make the cooler months more tolerable at night. While this time I had a legitimate reason for moving my stuff around, normally I just get tired of things being in the same place all the time!
• Took my second trip to the Superdome. This time it was a night game with AV. We left during the 3rd quarter when the Saints were up 41-7. The final score turned out to be 62-7. I actually feel bad for the Colts. They have not won a game this year and we pulverized them!

I Do Love Free Samples

I greatly enjoy receiving free samples in the mail. The other day I came home to a cute little box from Target; inside was a make-up bag filled with samples! Shampoos, conditioners, make-up remover, lotion, etc. Plus a booklet of coupons for a bunch of personal care items.

With free samples I get the chance to try products that I would not normally go to the store and buy on a whim. Now if I like the sample size item I am more willing to purchase a full-sized unit. Plus the miniature size is perfect for tossing in my travel bag!

Volunteer

Last weekend I was asked by a friend to fill in for her during a shift as a volunteer for the New Orleans Film Festival. I had to go to the Prytania Theater and man the merchandise table. It was pretty simple work. I sold festival t-shirts and posters while wearing a cute little "volunteer" tag. I got a little bored after the film started and all of the patrons were inside the theater. Therefore I took a few self-portraits on my phone!

I got to keep the t-shirt and learned a lot about the festival that I did not even know was going on. It involved about 10 different theaters/screens around the city showing lots of new films, documentaries, and shorts over the course of a week. Pretty cool event!

Queen

There is the Queen of England, actress Queen Latifah, queen bees, the Freddie Mercury led group Queen, Dairy Queen, and lovely Queen Anne's lace. But after a recent trip to the mall, the world now has an official Queen of Cardigans. Me.

Brie picks on me for having so many cardigans, but I just can't help myself. They are great for transitioning summer tops into cool weather attire. My wardrobe includes 17 cardigans to date in multiple colors and styles. I am the official Cardigan Queen :)

The Great Procrastinator Extraordinaire

I am procrastinating. My bedroom looks like a bomb went off in it (as it often does). I know I need to clean/organize it. I have plans to do so. But right now I am feeling lazy. I have hung a few shirts up in my closet. I put my latest Netflix DVD out for the mailman to retrieve. Yeah, that's about it, I have a lot more to do!

But before I get down to business: I want to ramble for a moment.

My decrease in blogging is directly correlated with my increase in working. I swear, I am going to be so sick of the word "holidays" by the time the holidays actually get here! All of this planning and figuring and scheduling is extremely stressful. My gray hairs are multiplying every day.

October might just be one of my favorite months for the fact that sooo many horror/scary movies are on TV!! (The Hitcher is on as I type this!) I do love a good scare.

The Saints are doing well. They are 4-1! Woo hoo! Tomorrow they play Tampa Bay.

My allergies have been acting up recently. Fair amount of sneezing happening. I think it has to do with the weather changing.

Well, I think I have wasted enough time. Now to tackle my to-do list!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend :)

Weekends Are Too Short

I think I am going to lobby for a 4 day work week with 3 days off to relax and get everything done that you don't have the time or energy to do on your work days!

Today I slept in, worked on some spreadsheets for work, went to Tracey's with Brie to catch the game (see picture below), watched the Saints squeeze out a win against the Panthers, worked on spreadsheets some more, dyed my hair, re-folded a bunch of shirts that tend to get disheveled in my drawers, watched Dexter followed by Pan Am, and am now winding down for the night.

Mondays just come too quickly.