ACP in NOLA Day #2 “Good Night Irene”

This morning started on a very healthy note since I was feeling very guilty about the meal we had last night at Commander’s Palace.  We had been there in 1984 on our first trip to NOLA and decided to go back this time after recently seeing the documentary “Ella Brennan: Commanding the Table” (it is on Netflix and I recommend you watch it).   I had probably the best fish I have ever eaten (Pecan Crusted Gulf Fish).   For dessert we shared bread pudding which was good but we still think Masa in Los Angeles has the best we have tasted.  A meal like that had to be followed by an early morning work out.

This morning, after running 3.1 miles on the treadmill (5,000 meters for those of you reading in Europe) we started some touring of the city.  Of course we had to start the day with breakfast at Elizabeth’s (our favorite in this town).  We decided to Uber there and walk back.  We had a very pleasant driver and I noticed he had an LSU bandana in the car.  I innocently asked, “Did you go to LSU?”.  He nodded and replied “Yes, six years at LSU and I am an Uber driver.”   Giving him the benefit of the doubt I asked “Are you pursuing another career?”.  I was thinking possibly he wants to be an actor and needs flexibility to go for auditions or maybe he is at a start-up that requires lots of time at work but does not pay a lot of money.  He answered, “Nope, I am just a Uber driver”.  I stopped while I was behind and thanked him for the ride.

At Elizabeth’s I had my usual order of “Red Neck Eggs” (Eggs Benedict using Fried Green Tomatoes instead of Canadian bacon and grits on the side) and Praline Bacon (an excuse to eat candy at breakfast).  After breakfast we decided to walk back to the hotel.  On our way we stopped at Dr. Bob’s art shop.  We had seen some of his work at Elizabeth’s and his studio was on the way.  At the shop we were told that Bob was vacationing in Arkansas (Doesn’t the life of a successful artist make you so envious?).  After taking a quick look at Dr Bob’s work, Dr. Robert decided it was time to move on.

We continued our journey and stopped to visit the St. Augustine church which is the site of a memorial called “The Tomb of the Unknown Slave” (see below).  We also passed by the famous French Quarter and a small building that supposedly was the site where Fats Domino recorded what people in NOLA claim was the first Rock and Roll album.  Very interesting if you are a R&R fan but if you are a fan of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog the correct answer is “Who gives a S–T”.

For dinner we will be heading to Irene’s.  No not my mother’s house but another one of our NOLA favorites.  More about that tomorrow when the conference begins and I have to start thinking more about medicine and less about food.  I will leave the food thinking to Patrice.