Havin' A Blast on Bourbon St.

I love EMF Weekend aka Essence Music Festival. It falls over the July 4th weekend each year in New Orleans and showcases the magazine's presence within the community throughout the decades in a wide array of cultural facets - not simply music. But music IS the central theme that brings us all together. There are seminars on community, marriage, and health; expos showcased the latest trends in fashion and hair; artists displaying their crafts that stimulated every sense from food to art. And so, so, so much more...

We were greeted by a stop sign on our way to Bourbon St

We stayed at a B&B this year at the insistence of some friends and saved a bundle (I feel like a Geico spokesman) but its true. We we're a block from the Canal Street trolley and within walking distance to Bourbon Street. We spent the days exploring the festival and the museum of Contemporary Art because I saw their window display that grabbed my curiosity: A man walking with a bunny on a unicycle and crutches, pulling a tied up unicorn in a red wagon...I know right - and our evenings at my favorite place after walking Bourbon Street..."Bourbon Cowboy".

Candice & Christina

It was a total of six of us Darryl & I, Walker and his wife Ashley, and Christina and her BFF Candice. So the pictures are so random because at any given time someone would simply take the camera and go off and take pictures. We all had cameras so here are a few shots from mine. Ashley had HW the first night and didn't hang out (insert sad face) but she joined the fun as soon as she was done the following day, Enjoy!

Walker, Candice, Chris, and Me on Bourbon

Darryl has a nice bead collection

It's a perfect spot for triple shot Hurricanes for $10 - you only need one and you're done for the night! On the top floor its a lounge and quiet tables and you can access the balcony to get an aerial view of the busy Bourbon Street below - watch the funniness of people trying to dodge the horse mess dropped by the mounted police, stepping over drunkenness, or trying not to break their ankles in sky high heels while walking down turn of the century cobblestone - its a hot mess - but funny nonetheless. And you get to throw beads to the passersby (its a unspoken yet spoken tradition),  downstairs you dance until dawn and ride the bull if you dare! Literally!

Bull Ride Registration

I wasn't too successful. But hey I attempted. My suggestion: a spotter or a springboard for us vertically challenged riders! It took me like 30 seconds just to get on, I'ma lotta woman, ya know :p

Me & a fellow EMF attendee

Me & Candice

 

Mounted Police

It was great as usual and eventful as well even though we didn't get to get to see Kevin Hart on Saturday. He was the only person we wanted to see and he was performing Saturday night. But after hanging out all Friday night and getting in at 5am when we finally got outta bed around 1pm to eat and walk around -  by 5pm it was nap time again, then when we woke it was 8:30pm and Kevin Hart went on at 9:30pm (and performers were on schedule this year). We made it to the Superdome, but it was too late - he was likely already on stage. So we visited the tents from across country showcasing their food and I had the biggest fish plate ever from a place in Atlanta; Darryl had a jerk chicken plate! We ate on some park benches like squatters - we didn't realize how we looked but the food was GUUD! Then we headed back to Bourbon to do it all over again...

Candice had enough with the smell - it's not pleasent

Slushy Goodies

Walker & Bourbon St patrons

Dinner

Chris found some "goodies"

Then Walker tried to complete



Chris is down for the count!

Walker just meditates

Planking on a city plant

Then struck a pose

Darryl surfed a city sculpture

 And then it went to another level. I dared them to "bead" a city statue! I think I forgot the flash...HA

Then help arrived...

The statue is a "Beaded Beauty"

 Contemporary Art Museum @ night

 

We saw this tile inside the brickwork outside the museum

Then we got a chance to go inside later that day - and Darryl appreciated the nudes even more...

They love theirWayne in NO

Riddin' the trolley to Bourbon Street

Ashley & Walker

I popped Darryl's mouth but his tongue was sticking out... my hand was dirty! Ha

Luckily, he was able to find a way to get the taste out

Darryl & Walker

We got back to our rooms at around 5am each morning after visiting IHOP on St. Charles Street to refuel and having some fun along the way...the only way you can in the NOLA.

Darryl sleep @ IHOP