We went to the Block Party at Calamari's last night and all I have to say is that they need to turn that weekly event into a Blocks Party because one city block is far too small to contain all the bikes, bodies, beer and bands at that event.

It was PACKED.

We never got there until close to 9 p.m. and eventually made our way to the bar inside Calamari's to get a mixed drink. There were people three deep lining the bar waiting to get served, so we decided we'd just drink the Budweiser (ick) they were selling by the bottle out front. Hey....beggars can't be choosers, right?

Dan had wanted to eat, but...there was no way we were going to get food at Calamari's since you couldn't even get near the bar...let alone get a table and get served.

We ended up walking over to the Brewerie where we had a nice, quiet and very late dinner. It was almost 10 p.m. by the time he ordered dinner. (Only a guy can order a giant cheeseburger and fries and eat it all...guilt-free...at 10 p.m. at night!)

We went back to the block party to have another beer and it had cleared out some and we managed to grab some seats at a table outdoors. As we sat there talking and looking around, it occurred to me that the entire scene reminded me of Bourbon Street in New Orleans (minus the vomit stench and topless women...though...that might have come later...who knows?).

The windows in the upper room at Calamari's were open wide...people hanging out of them...watching the concert and the people go by. It was a nice, warm night -- made warmer by all the bodies in close proximity. There were hotties (and not so hotties) everywhere -- a people-watchers' dream. There were people drinking in the streets, drunk people dancing in the streets -- even a neighborhood sex shop right there (just like the French Quarter). And, oh, yeah...a jammin' band, too.

My complaints? Same as New Orleans:
1. Can't get near the bar
2. 45-minute waits for a bathroom with no toilet paper
3. Too crowded in spots

I'm not sure if we'll go out of our way to go to another one, but...if we do, we're going to get there earlier.