The French Quarter

I went down to the Quarter last night in order to drink a Mint Julep. I was excited as hell to have this, my favorite of the amazing drinks served at Pat O'Briens. If you look at the picture it is the one on the far left. It is just sitting there, a big glass of ice-y bourbon, content in its own goodness. People say a lot of negative things about Pat Obriens. About how it is a tourist trap, about how it's too expensive, and too corporate. I spit on those kind of people. Patty O's make the best drinks. Patty O's has a fountain with fire! Patty O's is closed.

Yeah. I couldn't believe it. Pat O'Briens is closed. I was in shock. This is what happens when the guy behind the curtain is a corporation and he won't make me my favorite drink. I don't know what to think. On the one hand, I now have reason to hate Pat O'Briens. They sold New Orleans out! What the hell! They can't open up even a tiny stand to sell some hurricanes? All the locally owned bars are open (except the ones who closed never to return). If Pat's wasn't a goddamn franchise they would be open!

And that brings me to the other hand. I don't know why they are closed. Maybe they have good a reason. I don't know. I do know why I want them to be open: The place IS better than the locally owned bars on Bourbon. It's classy. They have Irish bartenders.

I went across the street and got a mint julep at a club that had a big wooden mint julep sign on the front. The mint julep was all tonic water! Nothing to put hair on one's chest, no sweet burn to counter the cool mint, no glass of bourbon. It was, all in all, a stupid drink.

The quarter is different now. There really are a lot of Mexicans, or Latinos (as I call them) drinking in the bars down there now a days. There weren't all that many before. I don't mean that this is a bad thing. It is just different. Also, now in most parts of downtown there is a cool flood mark that lines every building. The filthy stain reminds all of the devastation god wrecked on this town back in its sinful days. Now that the sin has been cleansed the titty bars are back in business! Last, but not least, there are new funny shirts to be bought on Bourbon St.
Such as:
FEMA
Federal Employees Missing Again.

and
New Orleans
Bagdad on the Bayou!

These shirts!
HA HA HA HA HEE HEE
WOOOO! WOOOO! WOOOO! AAAOOOOGA! AAAOOOOOGA!