Pal of 42 years
Julieann flies in to New Orleans to meet me
I am taking a break from work in Baton Rouge
We are going to spend the weekend tearing up the French Quarter
At least between the hours of 8am and 10pm
In deference to my aging bones
Not hers
The rented Hot. Rod. Lincoln. is camped in valet.
We're going to be hoofing it
And riding streetcars for the weekend
First afternoon we cruise the Quarter
Down Bourbon Street, around Jackson Square
Then back among the shops on Royal
We pass an antique shop
I notice a framed set of old buttons
And think of pal; poet and writer Annie K
She collects those things for some strange reason...
Maybe like I collect Harley Dealership pins
At the suggestion of lifetime friend and brother Paul
We hit Pat O'Brien's and split a hurricane
Those suckers are huge after all!
That night the Commanders Palace for a famous dinner
Where the world's benchmark
For customer service was set
Next morning on the streetcar
Up St. Charles past the mansions
Headed for Audubon Park
On the SRO streetcar
We are distracted by conversations
About the day's PoBoy Festival on Oak street
So we stuck with the streetcar past the park to the party - sure is nice to move without a set agenda sometimes...
We cruise the street and crowd
Wonderful smells of all kinds of barbecue and such
The occasional street musician plus bands with stages at each end
We come upon 19th Street Red
Playing a ZZ Top-like, funk southern jam
I whip out the iPhone for a film clip
I posted it later on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mogHLMe60WU
I also buy his album
Good stuff
You can find more of Red on YouTube if you like
40 of the most famous restaurants
Are represented that day
39 1/2 are owned by the famous Brennan family I believe
That evening back on the Quarter
We have a great dinner at Mr. B's (another Brennan place)
Julieann sits at a corner seat commemorated as twice used by Ronald Reagen
I am permitted to gawk at her.
We hit the Quarter again briefly
Loving the live music and friendly people
Through open doors everywhere
Out the next day... visit too short
Appetites whetted (sensory, gastronomical and all them there things)
We vow to return
When we are younger... so we can party harder.
6 comments:
Oh, Tom! Thanks for this one. I can almost taste the red beans & rice. The blues is our universal language. Back door man, indeed!
Hi Tom,
Your post and the video clip brings back great memories. I've only been to New Orleans once, with my husband when he was there for a conference, back in 1984. We spent a few extra days and made a mini-vacation of it, also hoofing it all around the French Quarter. I was a vegetarian back then, too, and I learned to love Spinach salads! My husband eats seafood and he was in cajun heaven. The music, the art, and the atmosphere was all incredible. I'm glad you and Julieann had a wonderful time!
Hi Tom - I read your blog from start to finish with a smile on my face. You describe the sights of New Orleans and the wonderful food so well that I imagine that I am there. I reckon we (locals) take so much of our history and culture for granted. Please let me know the next time you and your pal of 42 years plan a visit. I'll grab my pal of 21 years and we'll join you for a wonderful PoBoy at Mothers!
Thank you all for your comments. We'll try to get back there soon and haul up some more experiences to share - Hopefully, Tricia and her pal will be able to join us!
For a NOLA-virgin, you captured the spirit of the underwater city almost perfectly. It's "almost" because you seemed to have avoided the panhandlers, the t-shirt shops and the swinging-lady-in-the-window - NOLA artifacts all.
Thank you Bob... we saw all the sights you mentioned - but kept the California rose-colored glasses on so we fit right in!
I didn't mention the great art in the shops on Royal... we loved it but couldn't afford it!
Post a Comment