Mardi Gras Madness!

So, Valentine's Day weekend I took a trip to New Orleans, Louisiana (aka NOLA) with my husband, Sean, and a couple of friends.

The Mission: was for everyone to participate in the Rock and Roll Mardi Gras 1/2 Marathon and 1/2 Marathon Relay to benefit the American Cancer Society....that's atleast how we justified the trip anyway!

Arriving on Friday afternoon, not running until Sunday morning and leaving on Monday we had plenty of time to explore all that this lively Louisiana town had to offer....and explore we did...sort of.

Disclaimer: This trip was planned back in October before I was pregnant.

It turns out that the last place a pregnant lady should ever visit is probably this very place, known as NOLA  I must say, however, that as a result of the entertainment provided by my travel companions in conjunction with the locals and other tourists on Bourbon Street I did manage to have an amazing time.

Let me elaborate. When people think of NEW ORLEANS the first thought is often MARDI GRAS. When people think of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, BOURBON STREET often comes to mind. And when Bourbon Street comes to mind the BALCONIES  above the BARS lining the street are imagined and....well.... let's just say that most of the BEADS that people EARN are THROWN from those balconies that line this street as a show of  both appreciation and adulation!

To be clear ----> Although we were not in New Orleans at the time of the official Mardi Gras celebration I assure you this town celebrates Mardi Gras 365 days a year, 24 hours a day! It is unlike anything I have ever experienced...and I was completely sober the entire time!

Now, please note, we did ask several people what our main priorities should be throughout the weekend and from all of them we received the same exact list.

List of Things You Must Do in New Orleans:

1. Go to Pat O's and have a Hurricane (reference picture #1 above)
2. Go to Jackson Square... to visit the Crescent City Brewery (of course )
3. Go to the Port of Call (a bar) and try the Monsoon (see bottom picture above)
4. Go to the Tropical Isle and try the Hand Grenade (the name is relevant because they taste like nothing
     so people tend to think there is no alcohol in them...then bomb they explode like a grenade and you are
     pretty much done for the night --- I did not believe this, that was of course until I witnessed it first hand!)
     (note this is dipicted in picture #4 above - notice our group started as four...the other two did not
      make it long after the hand grenade - not judging, just sayin')
5. Make sure and try the 3 for 1 beer. (as seen in picture #2 above)

That's it. As far as attractions go.

So you are probably asking...how the hell did the pregnant chick actually have fun?
Well, I will tell you...

How To Have Fun In New Orleans When You Are Pregnant:

1. You are the company you keep so make sure:
     A. You like the people
     B. They have the ability to not only drink...but drink a few for you as well!
     C. They are co-operative drunks that let you lead the way.
2. Bring Your Appetite - They food is different from what I usually eat and it was amazing! (see picture #3  
    above)
3. Learn the Secrets to Reading the Map (FYI - the names of the roads on the left side of the road are not   
    the same as those on the right side of the road) and make sure an honest local is nice enough to mark your
    map with the parts of town you do not want to go to!
4. Bring a Camera - you will want to document your tour around the town because those DRINKS 
    are NO JOKE whatever they put in them I saw some pretty tolerant people crumble after drinking only
   HALF of a drink in some cases... TRUST ME ON THIS!
 5. Make time to people watch... I swear the people there are as sloppy at 7PM as people are in Boston at
     3AM and they go all night long...literally! Definitely makes some excellent entertainment!
     i.e. the waitress at the bar (notice I said bar not strip club) not only gave all out lap dances but she
    did things with test tube shots that were honestly disturbing and let's be honest if I get disturbed then it
    must have been pretty drastic, right? right.

Seriously. The views of the Mississippi are amazing. The entertainment is beyond fabulous. I am sure the alligator swamps are cool (we were going to go on a tour but they are in hibernation this time of year - figures!), the market is cook to check out and make sure and try the baignettes (OMG! Double YUM!). There is also Plantation Tours to try if you're into that sort or thing, which -  surprise, surprise - I'm not. Cemetery Ghost tours - I'm too much of a baby for that, no desire whatsoever to see dead people. Lastly, Mardi Gras world, we tried but they were having some technical difficulties when we were there - as you can tell luck was not necessarily on our side when it came to tourist attractions.

Now to fast forward to the actual reason we were there...the race. This was a big deal for me. I was 19 weeks pregnant on the time and was participating in the half marathon relay with my friend, DT. THANK GOD she took the 8.5 mile leg so I only had to run 4.5 (thanks again D - you the best!). Make no mistake about it...what was an "easy day" for me 5 months prior is definitely now the "super hard day." Nonetheless, I took the drumstick baton and I ran. It was a great course with good entertainment performing at every mile and I only had to stop and pee once! Although the post race activities were great the best part was the fact that my Husband finished his first half marathon ever!

Please note: Four months ago he ...umm.... well...he didn't run and we will just leave it at that and say this is a HUMONGOUS deal! Not to mention I kind of teared up because it was definitely the first run of many to come that my husband, baby and myself all participate in (sort of - I mean so what it isn't born yet)! Yay! GO TEAM BELL... and DT!

SIDE NOTE: I always wanted to go to the real Mardi Gras, especially when I was in college. However, I can honestly say I am really happy that wish never panned out. Why? you ask. Honestly, because this place is insane on a daily basis not to mention the scene on a Friday or Saturday night - i can state with complete confidence (and I believe anyone that has known me for a while - especially during college will back me up on this statement) that given my history it is fair to say I probably wouldn't have made it back.....and if I did I don't know if my brain function would have recovered - ever!
Reading this side note I end this blog doubting my previous abilities I was so proud of and naturally wondering.......am I really this old already?



So that's pretty much it, I hope if you visit New Orleans (pregnant or not) you go with a group of people as awesome as those I went with because it most certainly adds to the entire experience.