Happy FQF Fest 2008

Things didn't look so good when I was stuck in Dallas on Thursday. Two flights to NOLA had already been canceled, I was booked on an evening flight and on the standby list for the late afternoon flight. 9,000,000 others were on the standby list, too. Soon, the rest of the evening flights as well as the 10 am Friday flight would be canceled. The bar was packed with folks rooting for others to make the flight, but secretly hoping that they wouldn't...or was that just me? I was prepared to rent a car and drive to dallas and would have probably still made it to Vaughn's in time for the last set. The other option was to fly back to the OC...Ok, that wasn't really an option.

I made the flight. It was a party. Everyone was ordering alcoholic beverages (which AA would not comp...bastahds!) and talking about the music they would see at the festival. By the way, the airlines should add more flights to NOLA if for no other reason than to increase alcohol sales. Maybe that will turn things around for them.

Made it to 822 to find Ed with his shirt off -- weekend theme for him ;-D. But it was ok as the air conditioning was out at 822 and it was August-like hot that day so I understood. I considered joining Ed in shirtless living, but I thought that might be a bit weird. By Sunday night, that would have registered so low on the weirdness scale that I would regret not doing it.

Ed put his shirt on and we went to Maximos for dinner. We were headed for Coops, but saw that Maximos had reopened so we gave it a shot. After that, it was off to frenchmen for John Boutte and Paul Sanchez, to 13 for a beer and then off to Vaughn's with Bill and Pat. At Vaughn's we hooked up with Carol and later with Peter and Kimberle. I think we did something after Vaughn's and I am sure it had something to do with Frenchmen street and 13, but I don't remember

Friday was one of those days that I didn't want to end. The music, the company, the weather, the bloody mary followed by a "few" cold Abitas all made for a nearly perfect afternoon. If not for my face peeling off due to the sunburn I obtained, I would have deemed it the perfect day, but my flaking face is a small price to pay. I love the first day of events like Jazz Fest and FQF. So much promise and anticipation. Everything just seems to look, sound, and taste better. Not even Gabby could have ruined the first Friday of FQF, but that would have been a much larger price to pay than my burnt face.

Not bad for the first day...and there is plenty more to publish...stay tuned.