New Orleans bar is back open yesterday. I finally threw in the towel and booked a hotel last night. I still don’t have electricity and the house was super hot and muggy . Right now Decadence Festival is going on in the French Quarter . Almost every hotel was booked but I finally found one . I am sure when we go for lunch I will have to do a lot of explaining when we see the people enjoying Southern Decadence. ( gay lesbian festival) . Jackson knows people who are gay/lesbian but at Decadence everything is very over the top so that will sure make for good conversation. Lol
Key West training started yesterday! So exciting. I will try and go there Sunday to check in.
New Orleans proper faired very well. So sad to see other places flooded that are so close to us.
Thank you to the universe that we are alright. Thank you to Dillon our new Choreographer for helping out yesterday

I am grateful that my home and the building that houses the New Orleans bar is fine. Haven’t heard yet about all the employees but I think the safety issue should be fine.
I just finished emptying my fridge. We haven’t had electricity in a while and I wanted to make sure the house didn’t reek of spoiled food. I know other people aren’t as fortunate as we have been over the years with all the various hurricanes that have hit New Orleans. I keep telling myself that because today my anxiety level is super high. It’s so hot in my house! I haven’t slept in days and there is so much debris everywhere in my yard. I have been cleaning for hours and haven’t made a dent. I know that this is a mild form of an anxiety disorder. I can’t stand the first floor of my house or the backyard to be messy. I really am at a high level of anxiety, again I know I am lucky, I just need to try and calm my mind so I don’t freak out.

Ok here Isaac comes. The eye of the storm won’t hit for a while but it is now pouring in New Orleans. The wind isn’t that bad yet! Ok please no flooding!

finally I got back home. They kept the Key West airport closed so Kevin drove Lee and I to Miami. After some delays I got home safe and sound. Jackson and I have charged our computers and we plan on having a ” Fringe” marathon if the electricity goes out. Isaac is still a tropical storm and may only hit New Orleans as a Category 1. The New Orleans bar is open. Pre Katrina we used to have really fun hurricane parties. I am not making light of this but this area of the country gets its fair share of hurricanes and I feel pretty secure having lived through 4 or 5 hurricanes in New Orleans that everything will be fine.
Yesterday when I landed as I walked through the security gate to leave the airport I saw this woman and man join in the most incredible embrace and kiss. After my initial “get a room” feeling, I realized how incredibly jealous I was. I have to believe that in my lifetime that type of love and passion is out there. One day.

Fuck, fuck , fuck! So far 3 flights have been canceled. Kevin drove me to the Miami airport . While i await a flight to New Orleans he is driving Lee to the Lauderdale airport to catch a flight to Vegas. A long weekend! On a positive note, even through a tropical storm during evacuations I was able to hire 16 girls for the Key West bar! I am so happy that girls came out to apply even with the weather situation.
To be frank, tropical storm Isaac in Key West was nothing more then a windy rainy day. Now I have to get back to New Orleans for the real deal. Urgh
I am grateful to my ex husband . ( I know that sounds weird). Today we spoke. He had already hired people to board up the building that houses the New Orleans bar ( yes we will stay open). He picked up my dogs. And he is making sure Jackson is alright. For the people who divorce and have the harsh volatile situations, it’s not worth it. I know that my ex will always help out! Thanks

isaac Key west

We are sitting in Key West bar prepping up. Right now its a bit windy but nothing too strong. I am more scared of getting back to New Orleans in time to grab Jackson and the dogs if Isaac hits as a Category 2 hurricane. My luck the path goes right through 3 of my properties. Key West, New Orleans , and I have a condo in Pensacola. Ok well fingers crossed. I have to hope the condo association secures my condo. I cant worry about that. As all kids, Jackson is hoping he gets a day off of school. I cant lie it would be nice for him to have a day off of school. He’s got 2-3 hours of homework every night. Its cutting into our quality time together.
Ok we will post pictures from Key West.

Tropical storm not hurricane. Doesn’t seem that bad yet.

Hurricane Isaac. Holy shit! As stores are boarding up their windows and doors, we have actually gotten some girls who applied for the Key West bar! I hired 8 girls so far. Hey we are stuck in Key West during a hurricane we might as well do our jobs. “So girls if you aren’t in lockdown at your homes feel free to come into the bar and apply. ” Hurricane Isaac cant stop Coyote Ugly. I think we proved that with Katrina!
Kevin just went to buy a generator . I have already named the bartop as my sleeping place. Hot damn.
By the way Kevin used a Brazilian Walnut for the bar top. It is the absolutely the most beautiful bartop we have in all the locations. Unfortunately the base of the bar is god awful. lol
Grateful to Steve Wherry because if I am going to be sleeping in a Coyote during a hurricane , he’s the guy I want with me to baton down the hatches. I am also grateful to Lee. A freaking hurricane and his marketing has still brought in people! Also to Kevin. He has motivated our corporate team to exercise. He has everyone running and training everyday. But I am the most grateful to him for the fact that with all of his working out, my stomach is still much flatter!

What’s our contingency plan? Fuck. Sitting in Key Wes because today and tomorow are our Girl Search. Low and behold we are never hurricane warnings. Lee and I are trying to figure out a quick contingency plan now. Never opened a bar with no employees before. Fuck. I need to make a miracle happen pronto ! ( by the way none of the locals seemed worried. Supposedly there will be tons of hurricane parties) fuck how do I get a staff together under these conditions? Did I say fuck!
I am grateful to the Weston for housing me during a probable hurricane

Had to sign an agreement for the Key West liquor license. I don’t care how much I own or how successful the bars are its always so stressful. I was sitting in that room with beads of sweat forming everywhere.
I hired a new choreographer to create a completely new dance for ” Devil” . It is incredible ! We are going to unveil it at the Key West opening. All the bars will switch to the new Devil in the next Few months. 5 years on broadway. He choreographed for Harrahs productions. He had never been to any of the bars and came in with a dance that fits perfectly. I love that!
I am grateful to Dylan for working with us and bringing us to a more professional level.

Just woke up to a text from a friend. ” dahling I will be the best looking girl in rehab. Only kidding I need to save my money for the eventual neck lift. Better to look good then to feel good!” That just made my day. Nothing better then laughing in the morning.
Haven’t looked at the logs for the last week. Katie, Chantel, and I spent yesterday working on the new dances for Key West. Awesome!
My bedroom ceiling is falling in. I haven’t slept a wink. Exhausted.
Grateful to Lisel from New Orleans. She is really stepping up to help Jazz and Katie!Thanks

So I accompanied my son on his first date. I told him that I know he’s embarrassed now but he has got to remember that most people go to the movies or bowling but this little girl asked him to go to the Cage Fights. That’s a memory I will always have. LOL There were quite a few fights that night. All of them ending quickly with either a knockout or some bloody mess. During an intermission they had 4 year old kids cage fighting. Really disturbing. Child services should be called. ” mom he has the kid in a half nelson.” Really creepy. It was the same feeling as I get when I see those documentaries about the white supremacists making their kids hate everyone. Yuck.
Toward the end of the night some random guy asked me out. I politely declined. I leaned to Jackson and said ” I still got it” His response ” yes mom you have It but could you not use It here” lol
I am grateful to Katie in New Orleans. We are working on some new dances today and I am very excited.

Today was Jackson’s first day of school. A new school . He was definitely nervous. I felt for him. I know that feeling of being the new kid. And this too shall pass. Can’t wait to pick him up and find out how it went.
I am so grateful to Amber from OKC. She threw her first charity event at the bar and it was a huge success. Congrats! So proud of you!