Gators and daiquiris (February 6, 2026)

 Swan paddle boats, kayaks, and canoes can be rented at Big Lake in New Orleans' City Park. Otis was ever hopeful that he'd spot a gator. We saw plenty of ducks, no gators. Maybe because nuisance trappers regularly remove them from the park?

Lunch at the Camelia Grill, across the street from my alma mater, the former Ben Franklin High School which has been repurposed as apartments for senior citizens. Discounts are offered for BFHS graduates!

No trip to NOLA would be complete without visiting a daiquiri drive-thru. 

So many choices! The Gator Bite (green apple sour with serious kick); Chocolate (classic rich chocolate dessert flavor); Agent Orange (bright citrus forward flavor with a punch); Cardiac Arrest (Everclear base with tropical fruit punch and an extra boozy floater shot like 151 proof rum); Pineapple Amarretto (think pineapple cake); and so many more!