NOLA Reprise

Time is flying. It's already Feb 3rd, almost a month since returning from the Southland. MLK Jr. day has passed. I carried the vacation high through the week, others commenting on how relaxed I looked.

It was a great holiday. New Years and duet Birthday Celebrations seem the perfect frame work for RnR in the Big E Z.

As I spoke of my trip, few memories and notable experiences were easy to access. The inexplicable sense of family and belonging as we visited with friends of friends, distant cousins, and neighborhoods were people lived, worked and belonged --who are remaking parts of the city.

The Musician Village, I am trying to stay focused on the positive attributes of affordable housing for musicians and others involved in the industry. They are certainly a main thread in the fabric of NOLA. One can hope for the neighborhood settles in this seemingly far-flung neighborhood with few available services.

There is no Post Office in the immediate areas of the French Quarters, Marigny, or Bywater, certainly none in the 7th ward. This is highly symbolic of how the US Government has abandoned NOLA.

The rebuild, nearly 5 years post Katrina, the population is returning slowly and rebuilding of family homes and rental is slow progress. The change is positive since last there during Gustav (2008). Exciting to watch will be the evolving style of NOLA residential architecture.

A day in NOLA

The days went by fast and time seemed to have slowed for the period spent here with my New Awhlins family.

Mundane activities such as going to the gym, brunch at an UPTOWN cafe, watching an afternoon matinee on a weekday, happy hour at PF Changs the day before returning home were more enjoyable when celebrating a friends birthday. These activities were exactly how she wanted to spend her day.

more later...

More on the Birthday

The day starts with a home cooked breakfast of crepe thin omelet, mimosa and laughter. A walk on Lake Pontchairn, dinner in an Uptown Thai restaurant. The day ended with a jam at the musician's village. In attendance were vocalist, 3 violin players, a percussionist, a guitarist and flutist. All playing blues and other standards, each taking turns interpreting familiar cords. On our return to Angie's, thanking everyone for fulfilling a day's wishes.

NYE, Bday, and days in NOLA

Coffee and beignets is a good way to start any year. Personally marking a half century on the planet needed to be something familiar and out of the ordinary. We strolled along the residential neighborhood of the quarters and entered a club to have a beer, it was chilly and well into the 40's when we got into the car for return drive and home. The celebration began the day before with an early afternoon tour and work out at the New Orleans Athletic Club, snacks at the Praline Connection, and Happy Hour at the Cafe Marigny (a place visited on my first trip). There is sweetness to life when allowing time to slip by, no particular destination, and being with someone you love.

Being in New Orleans, an up and coming developing world, I sense certain humility in the populace, specially the families and folk we met since arriving. Adversity and perseverance seem to go hand in hand. The Quarters, Uptown and Garden District all un-touch in a way by Katrina, feels like another world from what I see on the 7th ward. Thanks to CNN and other sympathetic "liberal" news bureau -- we saw the devastation reek by Katrina on the 9th ward. Does anyone wonder what happened to the rest of the city that lies below sea level?

I have a special connection to the 7th ward, a childhood friend lives here, re-built her house, and reputed to help others by bringing provisions till the National Guard found their way to this slip of a neighborhood. The street where she lives is a block from the Florida Canal, and walking distance to the failed 3rd pump house. Her home, an oasis in the midst of abandoned, half cockeyed homes --on foundations and not, and those clearly receiving the contractor's special is stark in contrast to more than half of the houses in the immediate surrounding blocks.

It was Angie's grandmother's house, her daddy spend most of his young life in nearby St. Bernard projects, now its her home and can claim the area as her neighborhood. The other part of the 7th ward closer to Esplanade fared better. There Swirl, Mike's coffee house thrives as the area's center, nearby laundromat, food store, and park are toe holds on normalcy.

2010 getting off to a good start

Yearning for a New Year's celebration in a different culture. Having lived through very large extended family celebrations back home in the Philippines, one misses the camaraderie, joie de vivre of large familial gatherings.

Ahhhh, I may have happened upon something as precious, New Years in New Orleans. Since arriving, we have visited with coffee and wine tasting shop owners, attended 2 "family" meals/party eve and day, roamed the streets of the Quarters in mad search of a cab home to the 7th district "a little dangerous," as the driver spewed in whisper.

Have you ever tasted hot home made eggnog? All my American life was limited to eggnog from Safeway, Lucky, Whole Foods supermarkets. Home made eggnog from Mr and Mrs. Santa Maria's kitchen was extraordinary. It was silk in texture, flan in volume/depth in your mouth, and not at all the saccharin taste of boxed variety. Home made hot (taste) sausages, hog head cheese were other treats at their home. Cousin Delbert's home offered cheese grits, seafood pie, savory bread pudding, sweet potato pie with a hint of vanilla -- I was in the throes of Nawhlins family cooking. Great joy.

The other striking feature, people were truly celebrating, family circles I've met where thankful to be home with a place available to all. Little nothing houses, looking typically in line with the shotgun or Creole style attributed to the region, were re-made to being both contemporary in its conveniences, traditional in its facade and architectural elements, and functional based on the needs of its residents. Perhaps a new NOLA architectural style is in the making. With little code enforcements, technology advances, "what is available building materials" and varying amounts of money available for reconstruction all makes opportunities for renewed style.

New Years day, everyone in the house a napping for tonight's evening activities. It is a privilege life to be a white collar professional of moderate income, adventure and travel hungry living in the US (when possible heading to NYC, NOLA, other destinations, come home to SF all places where life happens). One does not have to be moneyed rich, if you can figure out the most affordable options, friends near and far -- I've got it made.