N'awlins, Day 2

As I left the Ogden (Southern Art Museum), I saw this garbage can cum ash tray canister made its own work of art by the application of hundreds of visitors' used admission stickers. Absolutely delightful, yes?

Not ten feet later, I spied an explosion of snap dragons, one of my all-time favorite flowers. I fear mine at home are buried under snow, but these beauties were drinking in the N'awlins sun. 

Did y'all know that about half of New Orleans is closed on Mondays? Say what? I did not know this prior to today and was super bummed to find about 50% of the stores we attempted to wander through closed until tomorrow. Then, T and I spied La Petite Grocery, a superb gem of a restaurant, and became giddy at the thought of lunch there a deux. An hour later we found that it too was closed as were many of the places at which we then tried to dine. We ended up slogging our way through a preposterously average, not inexpensive meal at Byblos and left with aching tummies; I was also nursing the sort of foul mood that comes from wasting a meal opportunity.  Can you imagine ordering drunken, flamed Halloumi only to have it served cold and gelatinous atop tomatos? For $10? A sin.

After meeting up with everyone at the WWII Museum, Mom and Dad headed home, and T and I took the boys to Café du Monde for beignets as Jack was gnashing his teeth over not having had them since 5p on Saturday. His life is truly difficult. But I've not had any, and the boys are awfully cute, so we hauled it over to CdM where we found 30+ minute lines for both table service and take-out. The boys soldiered through and were rewarded with a full order each which they happily plowed through. Tom and me, too! Beignets are so damn good. And the cafe au lait hit the late-afternoon slump spot!

We finally got home, covered in powdered sugar, and happy-tired. I made the boys dinner, T bathed them, Mom and Dad put them to bed, and I made a mushroom risotto and some roasted asparagus. Divine. I'll see ya tomorrow!