Weekend in New Orleans

We went over Saturday because Dean had to do some business for Mardi Gras (oh my goodness, Mardi Gras is next month!) and ate lunch at Parkway. That was the juiciest roast beef po-boy I ever had (I guess it's like a hoagie if you don't know what a po-boy is...but what if you don't know what a hoagie is...you know, just Google it), and look at the yummy sweet potato fries.


You can sit inside, but it was such a gorgeous day that we sat in the courtyard. (Yeah, I guess it's more of an empty lot, but the food's still good.)


After that the plan was to go to the WWII Museum, but I was graciously allowed to drop them off and go to Promenade Fabrics. Now that link is to an article about the owner, Herbert Halpern, and I didn't even think to take a picture of the guy, but there's one in the article.


You may remember I shopped there last year and put some pictures on the blog.


This year he's pinned pictures of clothing to the appropriate fabric for inspiration...or to show you that he carries that exact fabric.


I sure wish I knew how to make a wool coat.


So I pick up a bolt of a gorgeous print that I thought was just a knit, and he tells me it's $48/yard. Huh? He says, "Isn't it a gorgeous 4-ply?" (What's a 4-ply?) Turns out it's silk, and darned thick silk - the thickest! - and very hard to find apparently. He made me wad it up - "Just SEE if you can wrinkle it!"


So I buy a jeans zipper and topstitching thread, but he tells me to use the jeans thread he has - he sold out last week and doesn't understand why it's so popular all of a sudden. I tell him that everybody's making their own jeans these days, and he says, "You teenagers, you like to make your own jeans!" (Teehee, I'll take any flattering statement I can get.) I laugh and he says, "You ARE a teenager, aren't you?" (This old guy's still got a bit of a flirt in him!) I say, yeah, I'm 44. He gasps and says, "Oh my heavens, to be that age and still be able to walk around and sew - you're doing great!" (I also bought a yard and a half of silk knit at $22/yard - go figure!)