Time For a Little Big Easy

Since Boo's Mom had moved back to the US after decades in British Columbia, we decided to make our way down to see her and his brothers in North Carolina. We figured this would be a perfect opportunity to spend a long weekend in New Orleans as well. I've been a number of times - but those vacations were long before Katrina and long before meeting Boo. And you know that what happens in New Orleans stays in New Orleans.

After we'd booked the flights, Merlot Boy gave us a call from Melbourne to see if we were interested in joining up with him in the Big Apple as he was going to run the NYC Marathon. We told him that we wouldn't be able to fit in the Apple, but wondered if he might be able to swing down to meet us in the Big Easy after his run. He'd never been before; so the details were ironed out for him and his gal pal, Margarita, to fly down for a little cross-continental catch-up. After all, everyone needs to experience New Orleans at least once.

Boo and I didn't arrive in town until midnight. So, by the time we were able to make it to our Guest House in the French Quarter, our Aussie friends had already discovered the excitement that is - and the perils of - Bourbon Street. Everyone was a tad pooped after a day of travel, but it didn't stop us from toasting the good times that were about to magically appear. Boo and I hadn't had any opportunity to find some wine, but Merlot Boy had that well in hand.

977. 2010 [yellow tail] Chardonnay (SE Australia)

978. 2009 Rosemount Merlot (SE Australia)

I'm not going to go into the two wines at all. If you know Australian wine in the least, you know these two stalwarts. I will mention though that, without fail, if MB is bringing the wine, it's going to be Aussie. The boy's a great ambassador for his homeland producers. He'll "reluctantly" drink wines from abroad but only if you're buying. The good news, however, was that the marathon training was over and done with and he was definitely drinking! The last time we crossed paths was during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and he was on the Merlot Boy No Merlot Diet. There was to be none of that this time around.

We'd never met the lovely and talented Margarita before. Turns out she's an old school chum of Merlot Boy - from the thriving metropolis of Warnambool - but we quickly learned that the girl likes her wine white and that she's more than capable of matching the boys glass for glass. Must be something about Aussie sheilas and their genes that gives them that super power - likely having had to put up with their menfolk for all these years.

As it turned out, Margarita has a bit of hankering for Grey Goose as well. Boo and I had picked up a bottle at the Duty Free when leaving Vancouver and it was a perfect way for us to introduce ourselves to the young lady - just as soon as I'd been able to make a quick jaunt to the local bar, half a block around the corner from the guest house, and pick up some olives and limes. The bartender was already well aware of Merlot Boy and Margarita; so, the take out martini makings were no problem. I'm not sure if this is the first Guest Appearance that Grey Goose has made to 2001 Bottles - but it certainly made a big splash. Enough of one that we didn't even take a picture of the wine bottles until the next day. Can't imagine why.

If this first night was any indication of the weekend that was to come, you might be well advised to stay tuned for some hefty blogging on the horizon.