Lake Charles, Louisiana

-no restaurant is complete w/out a stuffed alligator flying on a cypress log-

as mentioned in my last post: i ventured back home last weekend for a much needed visit with my parents and best friend (ahhhh). i have to say - the older i get the more i realize what a great place ole Louisiana is. where else can you get a (real) soft shell crab po-boy, a beer for $2 and a fresh chocolate souffle all in one day? oh and did i mention the daytime temperature never dropped below 50ish. life down there is nice and slow - i'm not sure if this is a side effect of the excessive sodium / alcohol intact or just a kind of mellow nirvana that us north easterners have yet to realize. either way...

-soft shell crab po-boy, dressed correctly. this may be my "last meal" choice-

-catfish platter, my parents' favorite. what platter would be complete with out a garden of fries-

-this picture was not taken at a carnival, just a standard notification medium in La-

-is anything better than a piping hot chocolate souffle and fresh whipped cream at 1 am? did i mention the bottle of wine? -

-dad and his two enormous cabbage heads. my parents garden is small but fierce-

- what i learned this night or more so the next morning when i stumbled out of bed: i am closer to 30 than 20 -