I’m sure after this long delay in posting you’re all convinced that New Orleans swallowed me whole and I was never to been seen again.

Nah, it’s just that WordPress was down last night when I was attempting to write my recap post.

I’m happy to say that the only thing I lost in New Orleans was my Carmex -twice, on separate days.  How that happens I’m not sure, but it’s still much better than when I lost my phone there last year at Mardi Gras.

Now I’m gonna tell you, there were a lot of highlights from this trip that are all worthy of a detailed recap.  But if I recounted each and every one of them, we’d be left with a novel on our hands and I’m sure there are other blogs in your reader that need tending to.

Instead, I’m going to do this in a “Best Of…” sort of way.

Ready?  Good.

Best Meal:

Obviously the much anticipated muffaletta takes the cake for me.

It’s just pure, salty, meaty, cheesy bliss.  If you go to New Orleans and want to try one of these sandwiches, promise me you’ll go to Central Grocery for one.  They are the best in town, no contest.

I took my sandwich (and a side of beignets from the famed Cafe du Monde) to sit by the river and people watch.  It was glorious.

Best Quote:

Context:  after lunch one day, a few of my friends and I were walking down the street.  In front of us was a somewhat husky, rather surly looking 11 year old.  Behind us, his mother.

Mom:  Hey, wait up.
Surly boy: (said with a melodramatic sigh) Really, Mom?
Mom:  Where’s your sister?
Surly boy:  I ate her.

Something tells me that if my future children are that precocious, I really won’t be able to get angry at their mischief.  I’m a sucker for a funny kid, I really am.

Best Outfit:

As opposed to the bachelorette parties that occur in swanky places like Vegas or NYC, Vassaly opted to go with a more…unique choice of dinner wear.

There were a lot of opinions on what we were dressed as.  If you read this post, you’ve probably figured out that we were dressed as Tom Selleck in Magnum P.I., but we became famous (for the night anyway) as, “the moustache girls!”.

I never knew that girls in moustaches would be such a hit.

And now, some honorable mentions:

Dinner at Red Fish. I had the beef tenderloin wrapped ahi tuna with butternut squash puree, fava beans, mushrooms and crispy parsnips.  The portion was a little small (I needed some carbs!) but it was delicious and almost melted in my mouth.

Frozen Irish coffees from my friend’s bar, Molly’s at the Market.  No explanation needed here.

Dare cards.  We had fun with these.  What would a bachelorette be without some inappropriate and awkward dare cards?

And with that, I’m back in Chicago and ready to take down some vegetables.  Ah, sweet nutrients, how I’ve missed you.