Need I say, I heart Nawhlins... It is humid with triple digit temperatures in the day time. The vibe easy and life is --slower. In Porgy and Bess, "summertime, when the livin is easy" obliquely refers to Southern hemisphere summers, where all effort is about exerting as little effort as necessary. I digress.
ESSENCE the biggest "Black" festival is happening in the most Not-American City in the US. There are many family reunions, celebrations, and folk coming to town and enjoy the newly minted traditional weekend. The 17th Essence Festival, music in the Superdome main stage and in the super lounge, the workshops and vendors in the Convention Center, and people along the river. The lead up was apparent at LAX, while having a pizza and Caesar’s much chatter about the Fest can be overheard. The flight to Louis Armstrong Airport was full, not surprisingly the majority are African Americans.
The Quarters (Vieux Carré) and Bourbon Street are ready associations with NOLA; more recently the lower 9th ward and Katrina; among food and jazz enthusiast the Crescent City probably have few challengers; and for Freshman's what may bring them is the open bottle "poured into a cup" policy in the Quarters.
NOLA has many neighborhoods, the (French) Quarters, Garden District, Bywater or Marigny, Uptown, and small enclaves within the wards. I favor the 7th, the dividing line and a major road is Esplanade stretching from City Park to the River. Tree lined, Creole mansions and homes stand attending to the street more gracious than the better publicize Garden District. The 6th and 7th Ward has no trolley cars, popularized by Tennessee Williams play, which served the Garden District and the French Quarters. Elysian Field however, is a familiar track, since I travel this way from my friend’s home one block from the 3rd pump house.
Fortier Park (Esplanade, Grande Rue St. John and Mystery), where the 6th and 7th ward converge, is a shady patch of grass. On Thursday's at 6pm a drumming class for local kids and adults are given. I got to experience it on Friday, since my friends who teach the class had a pre-Essence gig in the Quarters. After the drumming, we sipped wine at our once often frequented local wine bar and chatted with others in our tribe. Earlier that afternoon, A and I drove into City Park, learning many of the old Oak Trees I wanted to visit were taken down after the last Hurricane season. The park more manicured, lost the fabled "old plantation" grounds feel to the place.
Change is coming slowly into New Orleans neighborhoods, with exceptions for the insured areas in the city. The rest still hold lingering reminders of Katrina’s devastation.
Showing posts with label French Quarters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label French Quarters. Show all posts
Saturday, July 02, 2011
Friday, January 01, 2010
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.
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.
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