Crazy Levi wrote:Jesus Christ you fucking moron...
I LOVE New Orleans. But it isn't the only goddamn place on the planet where you can "party."
You see, in New York City not everybody is poor ass fucking broke. You and your friends can actually afford to go INSIDE, to a bar or something like a civilized human. And, generally you aren't so poor that you can afford to leave a quarter of a drink in your glass when you leave a bar, and buy a fresh one when you get to your destination. The bars stay open till 4, which I know isn't exactly the 24-hour New Orleans bonanza but generally it's enough for most folks.
Another nice thing about New York is that you can actually leave a 20 block radius without fear of getting shot. I was down in NOLA for Halloween and 15 people got shot. Halloween fucking night. In the FUCKING QUARTER which is supposed to be the safest place in that crime infested town.
And, if you are a little resourceful, you can actually walk around with a drink. It's called taking a vitamin water bottle and filling it with bourbon...wow that was fucking tough. Sometimes you have to be resourceful...you need to work around obstacles. Just like in New Orleans, with a little care, you can manage to avoid the 97% of the city where certain death lurks behind every dark corner.
Seriously dude. NOLA certainly has it's charms but it isn't the only fucking place in the world where you can have a good time.
Dude the element of danger is what makes it great. If you were in the quarter on halloween night, shame on you. That's where your dumb tourist ass would be. Everyone else is on Frenchmen St. in the Marigny area behind the Quarter. I was there. Great time.
My point is in NYC, there will be an army of cops watching you on NYE. I've shotgunned beers with Cops in uniform at Mardi Gras. In fact it is Mardi Gras tradition to give cops red bull cans filled with vodka while they stand out on the parade route. Getting a full drink in a to-go cup for the walk to the next bar should be fucking easy, not a little spy mission.
It's a lawless shithole and it's fantastic. And yeah people get shot every year at Mardi Gras, Halloween and the worst - Essence Fest / Bayou Classic. If you don't know what that is, Google it. When I worked on Bourbon you were not allowed to take off for Essence Fest, which is always 4th of July weekend.
NYC goes to 4am and I know Chicago goes to 5am on Saturdays. Still not good enough. I like options. I don't want to be forced to go home. Especially if I'm just getting off work at 4 or 5am - which is what you do as a bartender. It's not a matter of being broke, it's just a matter of personal freedom. I don't do it all the time - but the option is there when I need it.