I am not sure if that is the actual quote by Groucho Marx, but it is close.  After finding a recent box of mementos from one of our trips to New Orleans, I am going to branch off to stray a bit to discuss some of the other libations that I have encountered.

Strolling around the French Quarter we had lunch one day at one of the few commercial chains in the old section.  Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville.  There are several of these located around the country and this is as close to fast food as I really want to venture.  It was a fun destination, the food was good and of course we chose Margaritas instead of wine for lunch.

Another place we stopped at was Pat O’Brien’s, a famous drink establishment in the Quarter.  We were there in February just after the Mardi Gras and the evenings get chilly.  Pat O’Brien’s instead of using heat lamps for the patio has fountains that are on fire and it is a great way to warm up, along with their infamous house drink the “Hurricane.”

We also stopped for a quick bite once at The Bombay Club which is “veddy” English in a Gunga Din way.  The establishment looks like a cinematic version of an old British Men’s’ Club in India.  My Bride was excited as she could order a drink, that she was very fond of years ago called a Pym’s Cup.   She is very partial to this drink, but seldom finds a place to get one, as it is not a common drink anymore.  I succumbed to a more hedonistic drink that was more of a New Orleans romanticist’s choice.  I ordered a glass of Herbsaint, which is the modern version of Absinthe.  This “green fairy” that has been written about both positive and negative for years.  It was at one time banned in most of the world because of the wormwood that was vilified as a hallucigen.  It has been recently been reformulated with out the wormwood and is very similar to other anise flavored drinks like Anisette and Ouzo.  It is produced in New Orleans by the Legendre Company.  As they say “when in Rome…”  Tomorrow more wine memories and thank you for my self indulgent sidetrack.