Wednesday, May 25, 2011

A WONDERFUL DAY WITH IT AND BP


Grandpère, moi, BP, and IT (Photo courtesy of IT)

On Monday, Grandpère and I headed to New Orleans to have lunch with IT and BP who were in town for a microbiology conference. Yes, IT is an award-winning microbiologist with quite an impressive curriculum vitae. If I thought about her awesomeness too much, I'd probably be intimidated from having a conversation with her, but we've had online conversations for some years now, and I think of her as my good friend and favorite atheist. When I was in Anaheim, CA, for General Convention 09 of the Episcopal Church, I had the very great pleasure of meeting IT and BP for the first time in real life, and they are both delightful women and great company. I'm pleased that IT and BP got to meet GP, as most of my blog friends don't have the pleasure, unless they visit down our way, because he is not the traveler that I am, and he minds the home front while I journey here, there, and not quite everywhere.

In the photo above, you see the four of us outside Herbsaint Bar and Restaurant, on St Charles Street, one of my favorites of my many favorite restaurants in New Orleans. I can't think of one way that the combination of the company at lunch and the food served us could be improved. What an enjoyable two hours! Good company, good food, good wine, good conversation, good laughs - as we say in Cajun land, what better way to pass a good time?


Moi, BP, IT, and the matron of honor at their wedding

Yes, the gentleman on the right, a colleague of IT, insisted that he be called the matron of honor, so I said, "Please, I must have your picture with IT and BP!" So. There he is - the lovely matron of honor.

The picture was taken at the reception in honor of IT and her award, which was for her service in promoting the status of women in the field of microbiology. Of course, there was more food and drink at the reception, but I was still full from lunch, so I ate only a few pieces of fruit. Later that evening, when we were in our room at the B&B, I regretted my decision not to have more, because, once we were showered and dressed for the night, I discovered that I was very hungry. Neither GP nor I was willing to get dressed again to go for late night take-out, so I stayed hungry.


Above is the chocolate fountain at the reception. I was told by the others that the chocolate was not hot, so I'm not sure how the fountain of chocolate was kept flowing. I have a hilarious picture of Grandpère with chocolate lips, but he will not allow me to publish the photo. He says it makes him look silly. Of course! That's the idea of posting the picture - for a laugh. But I am a submissive wife, and I never go against GP's wishes.

After we left the reception, we went for a walk along the Mississippi River (It was high.) and sat for a while to watch the tricky maneuvering by the ferry pilot as the ferry crossed from New Orleans to Algiers and back again. The strong currents in the river make guiding and docking the boat quite a challenge. Watching the river flow, along with the obvious movements of the water due to the currents, was quite restful and nearly hypnotic for me. The Mississippi is a mighty body of water, and one comes away from a close-up view with great respect for its power.

Then, BP, IT, and a new friend, also a microbiologist, walked us to catch the St Charles streetcar back to our B&B. I love riding the streetcar with the windows open, the breeze blowing in, and the rocking back and forth, as the car rides the tracks. I once rode the streetcar to school and to work every day, so there's a bit of nostalgia associated with rides.

Our rather effusive good-byes, before and after we had boarded the streetcar, our waving, blowing kisses, and taking photos, provided amusement for our fellow passengers on the streetcar. No doubt, they thought we were a little crazy, which may not be all that far from the truth.


Above is the Sully Mansion B&B in the Garden District in New Orleans where we stayed the night.

What a lovely afternoon and evening with our friends. I hope it will not be too long before we see IT and BP again.

PS: I forgot to tell the story of our invitation to the reception in honor of IT. BP sent us an invitation without IT's knowledge, and we were supposed to be surprise guests if we attended. But BP neglected to tell me the invitation was a surprise, so I responded to IT, and the surprise element was ruined. However, all worked to the good, because, had we kept the surprise, we would not have lunched and spent the afternoon together.

25 comments:

  1. Special chocolate is mixed with a lot of vegetable oil (which i say yuck) to keep it running smooth in the fountain.

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  2. Anonymous, I didn't taste the chocolate, but the others said it was good.

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  3. You had to show the chocolate fountain! All I can say is that I'd be tempted to mimic the Rev Geraldine of Dibley who dove into one head first!

    All the very best to IT & BP -- and to GM and GP! Mazel tov...

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  4. Tobias, I had to show the chocolate fountain. Did you lick your screen?

    Sorry, that was not nice. I take it back. :-)

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  5. So this is where you were!! I am glad you had such a good time! I want to come to New Orleans some time. I have seen The River at Savannah Illinois. It is very impressive.

    I can see why GP wouldn't want a picture like that! He appears much too dignified to have even gotten chocolate lips!

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  6. Grandmere Mimi´s Rotogravure -- loved seeing BP and IT -- famous faces revealed into sharp focus!

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  7. Not quite, Mimi. But my vision did become much clearer for a moment as I zeroed in on the fountain!

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  8. Susan S., do come.

    Leonardo, IT and BP are both lovely. GP was scheduled for jury duty, so we thought he would not be with us, but the trial was cancelled at the last minute.

    Tobias, the fountain was very much a presence. It was difficult to avoid looking at it.

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  9. What a wonderful time with terrific people. *envy*

    Hooray for IT and her work.

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  10. Well done IT and you folks certainly sound like you had a nice time. I had a peek at the Herbsaint menu and it sounds absolutely delicious especially the desserts (did you have a dessert, Mimi? ... If so which one was it?)

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  11. It was a pleasure to spend time with Grandmere and Grandpere. I must tell you all that Grandpere is an utterly charming gentleman with a warm and frequent smile and they are a lovely couple! We enjoyed our afternoon and that marvelous meal at Herbsaint very much. However with 5 days in New Orleans I think I must have gained 5 lbs from all the good food!

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  12. Cathy, the food was sooo delicious. My dessert was "Oven roasted white chocolate rice pudding with caramelized pineapple". Dreamy good. The soup of the day was a mushroom soup, not a cream soup, but a thick, brown, brothy soup, if there is such a thing as a thick broth.

    And the fried oysters were large and out of this world, as was the "Jumbo lump crabmeat dish". The cole slaw that came with the ersters was the best I've ever eaten.

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  13. IT, I miss you two already. When are you coming back?

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  14. White chocolate rice pudding, yummo. I would have been torn between the banana brown butter tart with fleur de sel caramel, and the warm chocolate pudding cake with salted caramel and cashew. Or possibly the Mexican chili chocolate cake with piloncillo ice cream ...

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  15. IT, did you have a dessert?

    The Louisiana shrimp and grits sounds nice. I am always tempted by a steak and fries though.

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  16. Mimi was the only one who had room for dessert. BP and I shared a salad, the upscale,composed shrimp and grits, and the spectacular fried oysters.

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  17. OK, now you've made me tremendously jealous . . . AND hungry. Good going, Mimi! >;-/

    Glad y'all had such a good time!

    wv, "enero": month of my birth.

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  18. I enjoyed reading every word of this. I may not be around everyone's blogs as much as before, but I still feel united with and love (and pray for) you all.

    I know how great my meet up(s) with Mimi were and I know that I'd love to have another, right there in NO, just like this one!

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  19. Fran, we'd love to see you and your family.

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  20. For dessert, I was torn between the banana butter tart and what I ordered. My table mates helped me a little, but I ate most of the yummy sweet.

    Ah, we passed a good time, but I was exhausted the next day. Those girls wore me out.

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  21. I suppose one should be a little worn out at the end of a good gathering :)

    The fried oysters IT and BP had sound yummy too.

    It all sounded so nice I'm tempted to buy the chef's Real Cajun cookbook.

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  22. Cathy, Tom and I had the oysters, too, because the small plate of "Jumbo Lump Crabmeat with baby beets, sprouts, and grapefruits" was really tiny. Delicious, but tiny, so Tom and I decided to share an order of fried oysters.

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  23. It was all lovely but I'm sorry we wore Mimi out.

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