Louisiana

Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans

After an intense week of essay writing at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival, I headed off to Louisiana in Daddy's Subaru Outback. My first stop was Columbia, Missouri, where I met up with my friend Katie. Over dinner at Shakespeare's Pizza (below), Katie's friend, NASCAR driver Carl Edwards (#99), came over and greeted us. The next day, Katie and I drove 771 miles to Baton Rouge and stayed with friends (in loco parentium) Marilyn and Roland.

I accomplished everything I set out to do in Louisiana and then some! I got my hair cut at Blon Salon, saw Iron Man (when did Robert Downey Jr get to be so HOT?!) and Dark Knight (prediction: Heath Ledger will get a posthumous Oscar), ate at Chimes three times (mmm, fried crawfish!), got to the top of the Shaw Building, spent a day in New Orleans, went on a date, learned all about ultimate fighting, cleaned out my office, saw Mike the Tiger, and met with tons of friends.

The Mississippi River Bridge from the roof of the Shaw Center, Baton Rouge

After a week of fun in the (HOT!) sun, Katie and I headed back north. We had a lovely dinner at the Olympia Taverna in St. Louis and indulged in frozen custard back in Columbia. On the way to Iowa City I met former colleague Christine in Kirkville, rounding off a wonderful trip of reconnections. Hugs and kisses to Marilyn, Roland, Bev, Stephnie, Spike, Lydia, Jael, Zane, Fran, Angelika, Lani, Will, Russell, Megan, Alecia, Deborah, Nick, Althea, Stuart, Cora, Elizabeth, Christine, Ed and, of course, the Whiskey Widows!

Angelika, Katie, and Deborah at Maspero's