Second Line

second line (n), is also the name of a "unique dance", performed to the beat of New Orleans’ traditional jazz…The second line's style of traditional dance, in which participants walk and sometimes twirl a parasol or handkerchief in the air, is called "second lining." It has been called "the quintessential New Orleans art form"…

It’s sometimes hard to describe the unique traditions that take place in New Orleans. It’s sometimes even harder to realize how truly special certain traditions are, because when you grow up doing them, they seem normal, routine. One of my earliest memories is sitting on the linoleum kitchen floor, singing “Mardi Gras Mambo” at the top of my lungs. I remember thinking that the whole world ate king cake, and woke up at the crack of dawn to stake out a good spot for Rex. When I finally realized this wasn’t the case, I felt sad for people in other cities, but at the same time really, really lucky it was the case for me. For me and my city.

One tradition that has always intrigued me is the Second Line. For New Orleanians, second lining is second nature. Nearly any time a group of people gets together, a second line can occur. Funerals. Weddings. Mardi Gras Balls. Impromptu Street Parades. Any occasion worth remembering is an occasion that justifies a good second line. As soon as the first few notes of the song are played, the anticipation is palpable. Excitement washes over you and immediately you jump to your feet, grinning from ear to ear. You grab a handkerchief or napkin, but it’s not for drying tears. It’s for waving jubilantly in the air. At funerals, second lining celebrates life. At weddings, it celebrates new beginnings. At Mardi Gras, it celebrates pride of being born in the greatest city on earth.

Perhaps that’s why it’s fitting that on Mardi Gras weekend this year, Stew and I took part in the most important second line of our lives...



...and we haven't stopped celebrating since.

Baby Stewzie: Due 11-13-11 !!!

Germans eat Mexican

It all started when I was a kid. My family would travel to the Northshore (of Lake Pontchartrain, for all you out-of-towners) for a New Year's Eve party at my Aunt's house. We'd go early enough in the day to hit up some local firework stands and perhaps do a little post-Christmas shopping.

For whatever reason, we'd have a late lunch at a Mexican restaurant. Years have gone by and our New Years Eve plans have diversified, but the Mexican lunch has stuck around. It's become my favorite Mohr family tradition, second only to my dad hanging rubber fried eggs from the ceiling fans for Christmas (don't ask). This year we did some figuring and realized that this is our 20th year of Mexicaning it up. Well, probably our 20th year. Might be only the 19th, but since it took us this long to actually remember to take a picture, we're calling it the 20th. Plus, it's my story so I'll make it whatever year I want.

Forget black eyed peas and cabbage. We rely on chips & salsa for good luck!



Happy New Year! (or Feliz New Year, if you prefer)

SnoBloggery

#11 - Plum Street

Yeah, so what more is there to say about Plum Street Snoballs? Pure perfection. Every. Time. My Bananas Foster was almost better than actual Bananas Foster. And I've had THE Bananas Foster. For brunch. AT BRENNAN'S. So I feel I can speak with some authority.

Speaking of Brunch at Brennan's, remind me to tell y'all THAT story. It's unbelievable. And not in the way you're imagining...

SnoBloggery

#10 - Nick's

I was out in Lakeview running work errands, and in typical New Orleans in July fashion, it was 300 degrees outside. I'm probably not exaggerating. So I didn't feel too guilty about snoballing while still technically on the clock. I stopped by Nick's and tried a Black Cherry. This place (on Harrison, across the street from Lakeview Harbor) actually has an indoor bar area where you can sit and enjoy your icy treat along with a side of free a/c. Unless you're on the clock and have to get back to the office. Fail #1.

So, how was the snoball itself? The ice was pretty lumpy and the flavor was so artificially sweet that it burned the back of my throat. Fail #2.

All you can art

I got bit by the creativity bug and came up with the bright idea to paint a little something for my Brotherford B. Hayes (Jeremy) for Father's Day.

I present to you...my work of ahhhhht.

Please keep in mind that I took complete, unashamed artistic license with this rendition of the New Orleans skyline. In no way are any of these buildings located in this configuration. Except for maybe the proximity of the New Orleans Arena to the giant grey cupcake Louisiana Superdome.

At least the Crescent City Connection has sexy legs, thankyouverymuch.

Potty like a Rockstar

You can stop worrying. I'm alive. I've just spent the previous 10 days on VACATION.

From New Orleans to Las Vegas to New Orleans to Willis, TX to Boerne, TX to San Antonio, TX to New Braunfels, TX to Boerne, TX to New Orleans. Much flying and walking and driving was involved. And it may take me a while to come back to reality.

So, until I have enough free time to catch you all up in the form of multiple proper blog posts, I'll tide you over with this - our spare toilet paper roll at the Wynn Las Vegas. They are serious about their toilet paper.

Suzie de Mayo

Turning THIRTY comes with perks. Especially if you happen to be me.

It started out on Saturday with a mani-pedi at Serenity Day Spa with Lisa. Lisa had a bit of trouble controlling her bubbles. I had a bit of trouble controlling my laughter...

Then Stew brought me to our surprise dinner destination at Domenica @ The Roosevelt Hotel. I have no pictures of us from that night because I only had my iPhone camera on me and honestly I didn't want to risk handing it over to a stranger to take our picture...

After dinner we strolled down Canal Street and stumbled on this brass band playing a little impromptu concert on the corner. One of those "only in New Orleans" moments...

On Sunday it rained. All day. And I stayed home and pouted. All day. Gimme a break...

On Monday, my actual birthday, my mom stopped by my office to take me out for Thai food and bring me these lovely purple tulips...

I particularly appreciated the message on the card. Apparently, when she turned 30, her older brother sent her flowers with the same thing written on the card - so she was just carrying on the tradition...

I love that my mom found these and thought of me. What can I say, the woman nose me...

I even got my very own copy of the classic...

Special thanks to the City of New Orleans for this thoughtful gift...

That night, Stew and I hung out at the house and had dinner (grilled shrimp & veggies and charbroiled oysters) with Jonathan and Lisa. Tim, Gabby, Linda, Charles, and Katie stopped by also. (Hi Jonathan, Lisa, Tim, Gabby, Linda, Charles and Katie!) They surprised my with this rad cake-like concoction...

More specifically, brownies in a heart-shaped pan topped with 2 tie-dye balloons that say 3-0 and a citrus basil tealight candle. PERFECT! I'm soooo not the regular cake type.

On Tuesday, I was told (vaguely) that we were meeting at Amelia and Jeff's house after work to "do something" for my birthday. I showed up to find a (surprise) birthday fiesta for me...

The best part of the evening was this...

Linda had put together 5 little glass bowls. They were labeled "Thirty things I love about Suzie" & "Thirty things Suzie is grateful for over the past 30 years" & "Thirty things to look forward to in the next 30 years" & "Thirty inventions Suzie will be grateful for in the next 30 years" & my personal fave "Thirty things Suzie will never have to do again (THANK GOD)". Each bowl contained 30 little slips of paper that fit into each category. Periodically (in between bites of chips & homemade salsa), I'd go over, grab a little slip of paper, and read those little gems of wisdom.

I spent the rest of the night crying, cracking up, and everything in between. An example of why:

Suzie takes action. She found a weave in her shower in South Graham (dorm at LSU) and moved clear across campus!

Suzie can out-write Chris Rose any day of the week!

Suzie is married (so it doesn't matter if my boyfriends drool over her)!

The ladies: Linda, Betsey, Katie, Amelia, Me...

The gentlemen: Jeff (Amelia's), Stew (Suzie's), Jack (Betsey's), and Jeff (Katie's). Not pictured are Charles (Linda's) and Jonathan & Lisa (who left early cause Lisa's about to give birth any day)...

Lisa got in some last minute baby feeding practice with Baby June (Jeff & Katie's)...

Then showed off her new profile...

Let me just say this. I cannot imagine my life without all of these people. My first 30 years with them were *ahem* memorable to say the least. I can't wait to see what the next 30 have in store for us!

My 2nd Annual 29th Birthday

Today. May 3rd. Marks the date of my birth. Thirty years ago. THIRTY. Three whole decades.

I was asked this weekend if I was dreading the big 3-0. To tell you the truth, I haven't been. And I'm not freaking out now that I am. Officially. THAT age.

Honestly, 25 was the age that really hit me. In the face. Hard. I was at the grocery store buying candles for my own birthday cake (which is depressing in and of itself). Not sure if you've ever noticed, but birthday candles come in packs of 24. I was 25. Which meant I needed 2 packs of candles. FORTY EIGHT candles. I had graduated to the same candle bracket as a 48-year-old. Gone were the carefree days of simply one pack of candles! Also gone were the days of someone else taking care of the birthday candle buying, but that's a whole different issue.

Later on that year, I saw a billboard advertising the 25th Anniversary of Popeye's. Great, now I'm the same age as fried chicken.

It probably didn't help that at age 25, I was a few steps behind where I thought I'd be at that age. Sure, I had scored an awesome husband, but I still hadn't completed college or bought a house. I thought I'd surely have done both by then. After a whole quarter century! Then Katrina came and well, nothing really throws your life plans off track like a natural disaster.

Here's the good news. I made it to 30. And I'm happy about what I've accomplished thus far. Here's a recap of the past decade of me:

2000 - dropped out of LSU, planned my wedding, married the one and only Stewart Alexis

2001 - moved to Washington, lived on a military base, bought AUSTIN, bought AUSTIN a new $3,000 leg, cried when AUSTIN ate the whole roll of film that documented Stewzie's first year as a married couple

2002 - bought Black Betty, was voted Employee of the Year, moved back to Louisiana, readjusted to heat and humidity

2003 to 2004 - worked, saved, had my purse stolen by crackheads, missed Stew a lot (he worked offshore)

2005 - went back to college, paid for it myself, continued working full time, turned 25 along with a 2 piece, white meat, spicy, with a side of dirty rice, a biscuit and a red drink, got Katrina'd, lived in Arkansas for a month with 9 dogs and a whole mess of people, came back home and removed my neighbors' carport from our backyard, got a new job

2006 - went back to college (again), got a 4.0, kept working, paid off Black Betty, became an Aunt

2007 - kept my 4.0 streak alive, started househunting, kept working full time

2008 - bought a house, renovated it every night for 9 months, kept my job, my husband and my GPA but lost my sanity, EARNED my degree and finally graduated

2009 - learned to relax, thanked my husband, went public with my snoball love affair, started Stewzie

2010 - had a crazy dream that the Saints won the Super Bowl, realized it wasn't just a dream, dressed like a toothless hillbilly not once but twice, then turned THIRTY

Whew.

This is just a tiny percentage of the ups, downs, and in betweens of the past 10 years. If you are the one who created the above, good or bad, THANK YOU, I am truly blessed. If you have been a part of any of the above, good or bad, THANK YOU. If you weren't a part of any of the above, THANK YOU, because you're reading this now and that means you're a part of today. My 2nd Annual 29th Birthday. The first day of the rest of my life.


"Time and Tide wait for no man, but time always stands still for a woman of thirty." - Robert Frost

SnoBloggery

#6 - Hansen's Sno-Bliz

I'm pretty sure that when I get to heaven one day, heaven will have its very own Hansen's Sno-Bliz. It is THAT good. I could ramble on for a while like I sometimes always do, but this time I won't. Plus, they have their own website here which is something you should totally check out.

My Strawberry Shortcake with Condensed Milk was to die for. Similar to heaven.

Go to Hansen's. Wait in line. It's worth the wait. Similar to waiting in line for the pearly gates.

We ain't Ain'ts no more

THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS ARE GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL.

Unbelievable. It's a feeling I can hardly describe with words. I will try, however, because otherwise I'm just writing this blog for the perks - which include my Mom telling me how she loved my latest post about tinkle.

Warning: Here is the part where I get all sentimental and cliche'-y.

The Saints are so much more than a football team. They represent our city, our people, our stuggles and our hope. New Orleans has long been underrated, overlooked, beaten up, forgotten, laughed at and shunned. Our accomplishments and bright spots have been recognized only sporadically and spoken of as if they were flukes. Remarkable how the same can be said of the Saints. The parallel is striking.

The Saints have done much more than win the NFC Championship and secure a spot in the 44th Superbowl. They have given our city a voice that is loud and clear. And the world is finally taking serious notice. We are more than just a hard luck city, and team, who can't seem to catch a break. We have talent and spirit and loyalty and personality. We are New Orleans and we are The Who Dat Nation. Take us or leave us. But leaving us is probably a poor choice. We want you to stay and be inspired by everything we love. And we'll totally show you a good time. Promise.

We know a thing or two about hard work and keeping the faith. It's what makes us us. We have shoveled our way up out of a whole lot of mud, and we want everyone to have the same feeling we do now that it's starting to pay off. I gotta say, the win for the Saints feels great, but the win for our city feels phenominal.

Bless you Boys and Bless you NOLA. You've made us all proud.


In that number,
Suzie