Traveling the South, Adventures in NOLA

Sally, Eve, Kathleen, Jack, Mr, G and Susan

With the Shumans

Now that I'm home and the wind is whipping the deck chairs around like a square dance, the rain is fierce and sideways, I'm thinking back to the trip we just took to the south and the warmth.
New Orleans is a big welcoming city filled with friendly people who said hello to us strangers as they pass by on the street. For me and Mr. G this trip was all about the food: scrumptious and filling and the music, same adjectives.

We arrived and Eve and Jacks, friends from Port Angeles, took us to a favorite BBQ place, Voodoo BBQ. It lived up to its reputation of being wickedly good. We ate and told tales from our respective pasts mostly involving high jinks and much hilarity ensued. 

Got up the next morning and went to the 'Trolley' for the breakfast that included their version of hashbrowns - like mashed potatoes with an attitude, plenty of cajun spices. We took the actual trolley [streetcar] that ran outside our hotel down to the French Quarter. It's been more than twenty years since Mr. G and I were in NOLA and much is the same and much has changed. The houses are still well kept with their balconies overlooking the streets that have flower boxes are filled with plants and flowers. The streets and avenues are still jammed with tourists. Didn't hurt that the weather was perfect. 

We started on Bourbon street and were appauled by the number of drunk, homeless kids we encountered and the sleazy shops with "girls, girls, girls" advertised. We avoided that street after that first day. We walked and ended up at the French market and the six of us had a snack. Some of the group went to 'Central Grocery' for huge Muffaletta sandwiches, stuffed with olive tapanade, cold cuts, vinegrette, tomatoes, cheeses all on a crisp french roll. Happily they shared and Mr. G and I took our part to a bench outside an open air restaurant that had terrific jazz. On the street we ran into Jim and Kate Shuman from Friday Harbor, imagine the odds...

We made our way back in the afternoon to the hotel to swim in the tiny pool. It was too hot for the hot tub. After that a necessary lie down because we were going out that night to hear a band that my brother recommended. We walked and walked and finally arrived at 'd.b.a.' where the band "The Tin Men" played and ecclectic mix of zydeco, jazz, original and traditional tunes on their sousaphones, guitar and washboards. Good dancing music.

Day three we boarded the Steamboat Natchez for a two hour ride down the Mississippi River in all its muddy glory. It was the lunch cruise and the catfish, gumbo, red beans and rice were surprisingly good. Again it was hot so we were grateful to be aboard. Interesting history lesson from the captain about paddle boats and the war of 1812. We won. That night went to a place that Jack found --Deanie's-- and had excellent fish and seafood. We do love to eat.

On the Fourth day we went to a favorite place of Eve and Sally's called 'Cochon' that served, surprise, lots of pork and cajun dishes. We loved all of our meals and passed tastes around the table for everyone to enjoy.  Sally and I went to the Ogden Art Museum,, quite a treat in that they had a lot of local artists represented, unfamiliar to us. One painting in particular I admired. As I was about to snap a picture I mentioned to the woman beside me that the painting looked like a Thomas Hart Benton and she said, "that's because the artist studied with him. He was black, unusual in that era." She is in profile in the picture.

Day five brought the threatened rain and so Sally and I decided to go to the New Orleans Museum of Art which Sally had been to last year but wanted to go again especially because of the outdoor sculpture garden. It more than lived up to the accolades and we were especially transfixed by the special show of masks by a Japanese artist. Didn't hurt that the cafe had a dandy lunch also.

The collection of art from all the centuries was impressive as well. We ambled along and it was a perfect, calm way to spend a rainy afternoon is a city known for its excesses. Sally is great also because she is well versed in art through the ages and it was most instructive to walk with her.  Outside, still rainy but we persisted and went to the sculpture garden and what a garden of delights it was! 

 The above picture is of a Boltero and the one below is by __________, [forgot to write it down] but I loved it most of all. From one angle you can see the man at the bottom and on his shoulders is another man crouching, and on his shoulders is another man [smaller] crouching, all the way to a teeny man on top. Gorgeous. Looks like a spine.

That night, in the pouring rain, we went to the 'Fais Do Do', where there was dancing with several bands taking turns and again good music. The highlight though for all of us was going to hear Delfeayo Marsalis and his Uptown Jazz band. 15 of them: horns, piano, drums squeezed on a not very big stage at the Snug Harbor jazz club. Truly heavenly for two hours. A rich and very full day. Adult stimulation at its finest.

 On the sixth day we rested, not really just liked the sound of that. Instead we headed for St. Augustine church which was founded by the Ursiline nuns in 1823 for aiding slaves and it was and is the most integrated church in the country. We went for the Gospel choir that had a sax as well as drums and the obligatory organ. Lovely. After mass we were starving and decided to go for brunch at 'Buffas' which was jam packed. It was worth the wait. Are you surprised to hear there was a jazz band that played old favorites? "St. James Infirmary", 5' 2" eyes of blue...etc. They call themselves 'Some Like It Hot' and they were. Three women and three men.

Susan, Kathleen, Sally and Eve hiding behind the lamppost.

Next we walked down Esplanade Street which had many lovely historic homes. Because we were so full we skipped dinner and had drinks in the courtyard at the hotel and laughed about everything. Kath left the next morning at 4am. We didn't see her off.

On the seventh day, we still didn't rest and instead Mr. G and I took the trolley down town and walked into the Louisana St. supreme courthouse. Beautiful stately [no pun] building that had a pictoral exhibit of the rights of women starting in 1639. Go figure. We then walked to Herbsaint restaurant and met up with the other three and had a fabulous lunch that we lingered over. Kathleen sent a text that she was enjoying her day at her home in a hammock. Think we wore her out.

Sally, Eve and Jack went to the WWII museum and Mr. G and I went to the part with the interactive films and the airplanes suspended over head and the tanks and ambulances.  The building was gigantic and had cat walks so you could view the suspended planes from above. War tends not to be my favorite topic but since it was almost veterans day and my Dad served in WWII on a ship in Okinowa [the worst place to be in the pacific] I was touched by the stories and the bravery and sacrifice of the men and women. 

view from below of the planes of WWII

 On our last day we rested, no wrong again. Sally, Eve and I went to a small cafe for Quiche and then I walked through one of the ancient cemetaries. They are in very poor repair and sadly neglected though quite popular with the tourists. Everyone has to be buried above ground because the water table is so low. Makes for a moldering experience. Cremation anyone?

sometimes in life things really do line up

Our last excursion was to the Audobon Zoo, a real pleasure. After the rain it was much cooler and we wandered the entire park reveling in the varied wildlife which we just don't see in the NW. My favorite was the Swamp/Bayou exhibit and we got to pet a baby alligator. 

They are quite ferocious, though oddly cute and my fingers smelled like fish even after I washed them twice after the petting. 

Took the trolley back to the hotel to pick up our bags and made a quick trip to the Voodoo for our last Jambalaya, gumbo, pulled pork extravaganza. Had to. 

It was a glorious trip and I would love to return. Since I am still tired perhaps I will learn the value of pacing myself next time. Just kidding.

susansmagicfeather copyright 2015 Susan R. Grout all rights reserved.