Cold Spaghetti

On Saturday, Paul celebrated his birthday. Although we were very tempted to take off to Jazz Fest, we decided that we did not want to have to deal with the kids. Huge rainstorms Friday and an extremely humid morning did not strike us as a situation where our kids would be docile and complacent, so we decided to not test it. (*sniff*)
Instead, we went to City Park — to the Amusement area — and enjoyed a wonderful morning of rides and park-like fun! We got there early and waited just inside the gates, where Will could hear the sounds of the Ladybug Rollercoaster (they open early for exclusive use by birthday parties and other events). He’s holding his ears because he felt it “too loud.”
I got a little artsy-fartsy waiting for the amusements to open. It would be a real delight to just go and practice taking pictures for a morning.
Our first ride was the City Park Train, a miniature children’s choo-choo that circles the South end of City Park… around the New Orleans Museum of Art, through the Sculpture Gardens, around the pony rides, duck ponds, and other beautiful areas of the park. Many of them are still in their post-Katrina states. City Park is being slowly brought back, piece by piece, by volunteers… a daunting task for the country’s 6th largest park (and 7th most visited!)
Will was thrilled by the prospect of a train ride.
And I got all artsy while waiting for the conductor.
This is Will’s “smile” face. Is that patriotism on his face, or does he need a trip to the loo?
This incredibly interesting sculpture-on-wheels is decorated with hundreds of Mardi Gras beads and sits in a section of the park that has not seen post-Katrina clean-up. We do not know what it is… although we think it looks like a fish or whale. An early Mardi Gras float? We don’t know.
After the train, Will talked us into letting him on the Ladybug Rollercoaster. It was not a good idea, but what can we say? We’re suckers. Paul got to go with him because it was his birthday. I did my best to catch them as they sped around.
This is just the beginning, Will still looks happy.
He started freaking out a bit when the ride took speed. But it’s a very short ride, so Will did okay. Until the ‘coaster only slowed a bit at the terminal and took off for a second loop. (It’s a two-loop ride, otherwise, it’d be an extremely fast one.)
Will wasn’t thrilled with the experience, although he did very well considering it was his first high-speed ride. No big screams or cries… just an unhappy camper. So we went over to the kiddie rides next.
Even though he could have managed it alone, he asked me to accompany him on the planes. It was your basic airplane-in-circle… round and round, going up if you pull (hard!) on the handles. Will LOVED it.
Baby Kate was content to chill in the stroller through it all. (She went on the train with us, but waited out the rest.)
We checked out of the park after those few rides (there are a ton more — what a great place to visit for cheap kid entertainment!) Based on a recommendation from our neighbors, we went to Russell’s Marina Grill for lunch, out on Lake Ponchartrain. What a GREAT place, PERFECT for my parents. Causal menu, down home feel, very affordable ($8 or less for entrees), and very very family friendly. Worth the drive to Lakeview. Happy Birthday, Pancho!