last full day in new orleans

Today started with these fabulous fried green tomatoes and biscuits and gravy and praline bacon at Elizabeth's. Yeah, I need to get some exercise when I get back home. And let's hope there isn't a cholesterol test in my near future, eh? After that amazing meal, we headed off to the aquarium, because we all know Leslie loves looking at fish, and it was cold here! Today it was only 2 degrees warmer than Minneapolis, and I know you guys are gonna mock me for saying this, but this is a damp cold! And these buildings? They are NOT properly insulated! So we wanted to stay in a big, warm institution, and the aquarium it was. We saw lion fish:And itty bitty baby sea horses:And regular, grown up (monogamous) seahorses. And by the by, if you didn't now, the men in this species are the ones who suffer through pregnancy. LOVE THE SEAHORSES.And you know how I love me some jelly fish: And then... sharks!After the aquarium, we walked down to the French Quarter to get some coffee and see about getting tickets to tonight's show at Preservation Hall. Sadly, this is the only photo you will get because it was closed for a private party! And I wanted to go SOOOO BAD. I was very upset. Tears were almost shed. But later tonight I went back and peeped through a hole in the wall and listened to some of the music. Man, I wish I could have gotten in there. You know what else I wish? That their website had mentioned the private party so I would have gone on Wed. night instead.I love haunted real estate!And speaking of the spiritual world, several times on this trip I wished my mother was here with me. There are so many psychics and tarot card readers and tea leaf readers and voodoo queens. I know she would have had her fortune read with me. Jamie? Yeah, he's not standing for that. Next time I might bring my mother.Anyway, while wandering the Quarter today, I also stumbled into this phenomenal bookstore and bought a used copy of Interview With a Vampire. I read it in high school, but I wanted to read more about this city, so I couldn't resist.And then we went and got some FRIED CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE WITH ICE CREAM. Omg, this was so fantastic, I cannot describe the decadence. Yeah, we slaughtered that pie.Later this evening, we headed out to d.b.a. to hear some great jazz (and see more great dancing!) and then to a nice, "light" Italian dinner before strolling around the Quarter in the cold rain. Oh New Orleans, you have been a damn good winter getaway.