New Orleans

When looking at the lead guitarist's face you'd think it must really be painful to hit those notes so perfectly. The bass player has a look about him that says he's the smoothest cat in New Orleans. At the break don't be surprised to see steam rising from the drummers head as he steps outside. These guys are pouring out their souls on stage - and the locals flock to these joints like moths to a light. The music was so good even I wanted to dance all night.

Just before the show they lined up 5 tables and dumped several pots of shrimp boil on them for the crowd to devour and enjoy. Everyone was standing around these tables peeling shrimp, attempting to wash away the fire in there mouth with large gulps of beer, and sniffling their running noses with their recently cleared sinuses. All you can eat shrimp and wonderful music for an $8 cover. As you walk towards the back you'll see an artist inspired by the musical notes hitting his ears and with his canvas illuminated by his headlamp he goes to work creating his next masterpiece in the back of the bar he lives across from. There is just no other place like this in the world.

The house I'm in has massive ten foot solid wood doors. The ceilings of all three stories are 12 feet high, and many of the rooms throughout the house are haunted by very active and rambunctious entities. The 100+ year old floors creek just as you would assume. I'm in a castle made of stone - rare amongst the many wood and brick homes that are native to this area. With 13 bathrooms throughout the house almost every room is vacant and when taking the initial tour I definitely felt the strange electricity in the air... a sense that we should've ended the tour before opening the last few rooms on the third floor. As much as I like doing things that make good stories you won't find me staying up there overnight.

It's an amazing house though, as I'm typing this I'm looking out the window by the desk. I'm looking down at the swimming pool of the Real World New Orleans house. Just beyond that is St. Charles Ave, a famous route for several of the Mardi Gras Parades. Every 10 minutes the street cars screech to a halt before accelerating past Loyola and Tulane Universities ending at Canal Street and the French Quarter. Horse drawn carriages roll by continuing the guided tour of this historic area.

Just this morning I heard someone walking in the living room towards my bedroom... I'm a deep sleeper and it was loud enough to wake me up. I figured it must be Joe so I called his name and the footsteps stopped. I thought haha he's hiding behind the wall connecting the living room and bedroom so I got up to catch him. No one was there.  This was a bed and breakfast for a while and there have been many documented accounts of paranormal activity here. Google "The Castle Inn of New Orleans"

I've never lived in a city before but New Orleans is so different and unique that I'm considering moving here. The food, music, festivals, family, and saints games are very enticing.  Not to mention I sort of work here in the summer time. It's tough because I don't think I'd be able to find such an amazing group of friends as I have up in Washington. Time to roll out though...