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The Great City of New Orleans

Benjamin Grimm Sep 01 2005 12:15 PM

I didn't want to call this thread "Memories of..." because that's too pessimistic. I've been to New Orleans once, for a four-day weekend back in late June of 1998. We stayed in the French Quarter, at the Bourbon Orleans hotel, at the corner of Bourbon and Orleans. (I'll never know how they came up with that name!) The lobby was posh and Victorian, and the room that we stayed in was tiny, even by urban hotel standards. They gave us a crib for our son (who was 20 months old at the time) and the crib took up almost all of the available floor space. It was a great place to stay, though. Right in the heart of the Quarter, and only a short walk from Jackson Square, site of the St. Louis Cathedral. Jackson Square was a great place to hang out, let the boy stomp around, and people watch. That trip was, I think, the first time I saw the street performers who paint themselves like statues and stand still until somebody approaches. At that point they start moving around, and then collect coins. I've seen that many times since then, including in Battery Park in New York, where they dress up like the Statue of Liberty. New Orleans is great for food, of course, I remember eating po' boys (what we New Yorkers call heroes, but nice and sloppy) and pralines. There were a few good restaurants right near the hotel, too, although I can't remember the names of the places where we ate. For breakfast one day we went to a place recommended by a street cop. It was "where the locals ate" and it was outside the French Quarter. It may have been called "Mom's" or something like that. They served something they called "debris", which is (supposedly) the stuff that accumulates on the grill over time. It was greasy, fatty, and tasty. I hope that place, whatever it was called, is still there. We took a paddleboat cruise a little ways up the Mississippi, and ate jambalaya on board. We took a streetcar across the Garden District to the Audobon Zoo. We also visited the Aquarium. I can't remember the name of it at the moment, but it was on the waterfront, within walking distance of the French Quarter. I had read beforehand to watch out for con artists. They come up to you and say that they'll bet you they can tell you "where you got your shoes." If you take the bet, they'll point to them and say, "You got them right here on Bourbon Street!" (meaning that this is where you currently have them) and then they harass you into paying up. A guy did come up to me with that line, but I was prepared, and I said, "I got them right here on Bourbon Street." He smiled, and then went to his Plan B. I wasn't sure what he was doing, but he started squirting toothpaste on my shoes. I didn't want to see where this was going, so I walked away, with the toothpaste on my shoes. (I later wiped it off!) Parts of the French Quarter didn't appear all that safe, but the portion we were in (The French Sixteenth) seemed non-threatening. We walked around after darkness fell, exploring the little alleyways and courtyards. I remember thinking what a beautiful city it was. And the beauty of New Orleans isn't immediately apparent. The more you explore, the more you appreciate it. Just a few weeks ago my wife and I were discussing a return trip for later this year. We decided against it; we figured it would be better to go in spring, when the days are longer. Now, of course, I'm not sure when we'll get there, but I feel all the more determined to go. Once they're back on their feet, I would like to be among the earlier tourists to return. I want to see New Orleans again, and spend money at their local businesses. And maybe I'll track down that restaurant where I ate the "debris." If anyone else has personal stories of New Orleans, let's share them here. I tend to feel a personal connection with the places I visit, and I'm definitely moved by the scenes and the stories that are coming out of New Orleans.

Elster88 Sep 01 2005 12:34 PM

Great post, Yancy. I had been planning to go with some buddies for the next Mardi Gras, because I've never been. I'm also determined to go down there at some point in the future. _____________________________ This was the last post Elster88 made under the posting designation 167) Braden Looper. Bye, Loopy!

ScarletKnight41 Sep 01 2005 12:36 PM

D-Dad and I visited New Orleans for a long weekend during Christmas 1993. Our middle guy was 10 months old at the time, and we were desperate for a little alone time. I remember getting down there, checking into the Omni, and hitting the sheets right away (for a NAP! I told you - the middle guy was 10 months old at the time. We were TIRED!). We stayed in the Quarter, and had a lot of fun just walking around and checking out the sights. We were also armed with a list of restaurants, courtesy of the middle guy's godparents, who lived in New Orleans for a year while mg's godfather got a degree at Tulane. That Sunday morning we went to Commander's Palace for a meal - we were instructed to dine there, and to have the bread pudding souffle for dessert. Commander's Palace isn't in the Quarter, we were on something on a budget at the time, and we decided to rely on our not-to-scale map and walk there. It turned out to be quite a walk, but we were going there for brunch so even though we walked through a pretty scuzzy area to get there, the vagrants were asleep and nobody bothered us. The meal was fabulous, and I always tell people to go there and order the bread pudding souffle. BTW, when we got back home and told our friends (lifelong New Yorkers) how we walked to Commander's Palace and back, they were HORRIFIED! We were told that we took our lives in our hands. We also went to a Cajun cooking class at the Riverwalk. To this day, D-Dad still makes jambalaya from the recipe he learned there, and I will make the bread pudding they taught us how to make. I'm supposed to travel down there on the 28th, spend a night there and then take a cruise out of there the next day. It doesn't look like that's going to happen, though - they're talking about changing the cruise port to Galveston or Mobile. Aside from that, my New Orleans stories are second hand memories from my son's godparents. Stories of the southern synagogues, where you hear the phrase, "Shalom, Y'all." Stories of finding a cat they named Sazarac (after a local drink). Stories of a year well spent. Hopefully The Big Easy will rebound from this disaster.

seawolf17 Sep 01 2005 12:47 PM

My wife and I wanted to honeymoon someplace different; neither one of us is really a beach person, and we wanted a place where we could relax, eat great food, see history, and do atypical honeymoon things. We chose New Orleans. We went in January 2001, a few months after we got married. (August in New Orleans, as you may have noticed, is a bit uncomfortable.) We stayed at a little B&B called the "House on Bayou Road," just up Esplanade Avenue from the Quarter. We spent a day at the aquarium and zoo (which I agree were AWESOME), an afternoon at the factory where they make all the Mardi Gras floats, an evening at one of the casinos, a day upriver on a plantation tour, even took one of their neat cemetery tours. We loved it. Yancy's right; every corner you turn brings something new. We saw a show at Preservation Hall, ate a half-dozen po'boys, and finished every single night at Cafe du Monde. I'd bet most places we went are probably gone now, and that's horrifically sad. Great city; I hope it comes back strong.

TheOldMole Sep 01 2005 01:24 PM

We used to every year for jazzfest, the greatest music festival of all. It's been ten years since we've done, it, and we were planning to go this spring.

soupcan Sep 01 2005 01:42 PM

Oh gosh I’ve got a great memory of The Crescent City. Mrs. soupcan and I also took a long weekend down there a few years back. I think it was our first time away from all three kids and we were chomping at the bit for it. We stayed in the French Quarter at a hotel called ‘Le Hotel Maison De Ville’ I think. When we checked into the room, the sheets on the bed were dirty and there was garbage in the bathroom. The missus complained to the front desk and not only were they very apologetic but they upgraded us – big-time. We were moved completely out of the hotel and several blocks away to a group of cottages in a private courtyard called ‘The Audobon Cottages’. This was where the Audobon family had lived. In the middle of the courtyard was a swimming pool. If you didn’t know the cottages were there there is no way you could have found them or believed it. And we were still in the heart of the French Quarter. The explanation we were given was that the cottage had become available at the last minute because the Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana had suddenly cancelled their reservation. Our cottage was a two bedroom affair with a large living room and two bathrooms. The master bath had a large hot tub, the living room had French doors (of course) that opened onto the courtyard. We ate at Commander’s Palace (Great turtle soup and Bananas Foster), Gallatoire’s for brunch at which I had a fabulous eggs benedict with crabmeat and all kinds of great crap and had Beignets at Café Du Monde. Our best meal though was at the restaurant at the Maison De Ville at the ‘Café De Maison De Ville’. The highlight of that meal was the fois gras. It came out and was an entire, intact liver, not a sliver of a liver but the whole damn thing. As I began to inhale it I noted that the interior was a bit cool. It didn’t detract from the taste but still I thought it odd. Later the chef came to our table and I mentioned the coolness of the morsel to him and he told me that it couldn’t be helped because to serve an entire piece like that you had to be very careful about cooking it – too long and it would liquefy. Now that’s cool. We talk a walking tour of the Garden District and saw Anne Rice’s house and the Manning family home. Gorgeous area. The cab drivers were great – I remember one in particular who when he learned we were from Connecticut just had to vent about how much he hated Martha Stewart. We also went across the Mississippi and took a tour of the Mardi Gras float factory. Lots of fun. I do remember a tour guide telling us abut N’awlins being a city that was one hurricane away from disaster and telling us why, but then brushed it way noting that it hadn’t happened before and probably wouldn’t anytime soon. We did a few other things during our time there and both of us have great, great memories of it. We’ve been wanting to go back for some time but just never could work it out. I’m with Yancy – as soon as is feasible we’re going back to The Big Easy. It was too great a city to let go of.

sharpie Sep 01 2005 02:13 PM

An old friend of mine is/was a tour guide in New Orleans. Have fallen outta touch but I'll try in light of current events. Wonder if he was Soupcan's tour guide.

rpackrat Sep 01 2005 02:15 PM

I was there about a month ago. After New York, it's my favorite American city. Beautiful architecture, great food and music. I've been there three times. I'm glad I made it back last month because I don't know if it will ever be the same city again.

sharpie Sep 01 2005 02:20 PM

Well, Venice has been underwater to a similar extent that New Orleans is now in, I think, 1964. Buildings have marks to show where the water has risen. It's one of the world's most beautiful cities (maybe #1 in my book). I'm sure the parts of New Orleans that were built back when they weren't using shoddy consturction materials will be ok after a bit.

KC Sep 01 2005 02:38 PM

I've been a couple of times, my eyes well up watching the news. I've been rummaging through some pictures, I'll post a couple, some of them are kinda unique and special to me. How do you get to Bourbon Street? Practice.

MFS62 Sep 01 2005 02:46 PM

I was there for a business seminar the year after they hald the world's Fair there. Because of that, the events were pre-scheduled (including meals and entertainment) with little time to explore. I remember great food, good music, an old hotel with old ladies with blue hair wandering the halls, and signs and t-shirts with pink pelicans on them (the symbol of the Fair) everywhere. I guess that pelican logo had been encorporated into the lore of the city. Oh yeah, and lots of mosquitos. EDIT: It was during the Summer. Later

Willets Point Sep 01 2005 03:46 PM

In 1996 a group of my co-workers and I piled into a rental van and drove to New Orleans for Mardi Gras (I actually drove the van into a drainage ditch one morning and yes I was sober). We stayed in the home of one of my friend's late grandmother in Mandeville on the north side of Lake Ponchartrain. Each day began and end with the long drive across the causeway, and as many times as we did it, I still couldn't believe how long we spent just passing over water. I fell in love with New Orleans a beautiful, historic and friendly city. We had a great time at the voodoo museum and I got to see the Mississippi River for the first time. A lot of the attractions were closed due to Mardi Gras so I always planed to go back and see those things when it wasn't so crazy. Mardi Gras itself was fun but overwhelming. The parade atmosphere was just too much for me to endure for too long, and the whole French Quarter "show us your tits" thing was just downright mean and nasty. So while my friends drank and watched parades I ended up walking around the city. One day I followed the main road (St. Charles?) along the parade route and it was quite fascinating - downtown you had all the college kids drinking and lifting your tops, walk a few blocks and there was a poor neighborhood and all the faces turned brown, walk a few more blocks into the Garden District and everyone was white and yuppie looking. It was fascinating that when the parades passed through residential neighborhoods they were all for the kids but the same parades in center city were risque affairs for young adults. Anyhow I have hopes that a lot of the buildings New Orleans like in Venice will be sturdy and the rest can be rebuilt quickly and more sturdy. It's a great city and I think it's going to survive although it certainly be accurate to call it the Big Easy anymore.

TheOldMole Sep 02 2005 12:15 PM

Just a little memory that suddenly hit me. Mid-City Lanes/Rock 'n Bowl, the great bowling alley/music venue, had a beautiful, beautiful mural on its walls of New Orleans in the 1940s or early 50s. Gone now.

ScarletKnight41 Sep 02 2005 12:27 PM

I just found my souvenir glass mug from the Olde N'awlins Cookery. I'm fairly sure (and D-Dad's memory is consistent with mine) that the rum drink the mug first held was the specialty of the house, the Hurricane.

seawolf17 Sep 02 2005 12:34 PM

Hey! We went there! Great restaurant. That and The Gumbo Shop. Soooo good.

holychicken Sep 02 2005 12:45 PM

(Names have been changed to protect the innocent) On Christmas day 2000 my friend calls me, "Hey, Chicken, we're going to NO for New Years, we are going to leave in two days." "WTF are you talking about?" "Well, I put in a joke bid on priceline for 100$ a night at the Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel. . .and they accepted it. Now I have to pay so I figure I will go. I can't afford it by myself so we need to get some more people. . . oh yeah, and we have to drive because I can't afford plane tickets." Sure enough, 2 days later, 5 of us were in a car heading to NO. Turns out, the Astor Crowne Plaza is right on the corner of Canal and Bourbon. . .sweet. Memories of that trip: I saw the tires on car we were driving down (from NY to NO) and realized that they were the Firestone Wilderness AT tires. The ones that killed 271 people. I just tried to forget about that. The Sugar Bowl was being hosted there, Florida state vs University of Florida. Place was filled with meat-head frat boys yelling, "Show your tits!" repeatedly at the one drunk girl on the balcony. We responded with "read a book" but quietly, as to not get our asses kicked, while we snuck a peek as well. Smoking way too much weed. . .err. . .I mean. . . uhh. . .whatever. . . in the hotel room and the security gaurd pounding on our door, "Yes sir?" "Haven't you idiots ever heard of towelling the door?" having been to college, we thought we were experts in field of door towelling and proper circulation control. "We DID towel it!" "Well, wet it. It works better." They moved us to a room that was far away from everyone else the next day. I think they regretted accepting that bid. Other than that, it was a fun and beaufitul city. Wandering up and down Bourbon St on New Years was incredible. Beer being sold on the street, how sweet it is. Beautiful city and beautiful music. . .

Willets Point Sep 02 2005 12:50 PM

holychicken wrote: . We responded with "read a book" but quietly, as to not get our asses kicked, while we snuck a peek as well. Awesome!

Edgy DC Sep 02 2005 12:50 PM

Never been there. I just know the train. Riding on the City of New Orleans Illinois Central Monday morning rail Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail All along the southbound odyssey The train pulls out at Kankakee Rolls along past houses, farms, and fields. Passin' trains that have no names, Freight yards full of old black men And the graveyards of the rusted automobiles. Good morning America how are you? Don't you know me? I'm your native son I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done Dealin' card games with the old men in the club car Penny-a-point, ain't no one keepin' score. Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle Feel the wheels a-rumblin' 'neath the floor And the sons of pullman porters And the sons of engineers Ride their father's magic carpets made of steel. Mothers with their babes asleep Are rockin' to the gentle beat And the rhythm of the rails is all they feel Good morning America how are you? Don't you know me? I'm your native son I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done Nighttime on The City of New Orleans, Changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee Half way home, we'll be there by the morning Through the Mississippi darkness, rolling down to the sea And all the towns and people seem To fade into a bad, bad dream And the steel rails, they still ain't heard the news The conductor sings his song again The passengers will please refrain This train's got the disappearing railroad blues Good night, America, how are you? Don't you know me? I'm your native son I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans, I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done Disturbing in the light of a context the composer presumably wasn't anticipating. Good songs can be like that.

ScarletKnight41 Sep 02 2005 01:04 PM

]They moved us to a room that was far away from everyone else the next day. I think they regretted accepting that bid. ROFL hc - great story!

seawolf17 Sep 02 2005 01:21 PM

Or, more morbidly, thanks to the Tragically Hip, 1989: Bourbon blues on the street loose and complete Under skies all smoky blue-green I can forsake the dixie dead shake So we dance the sidewalk clean My memory is muddy what's this river I'm in New Orleans is sinking and I don't want to swim Colonel Tom What's wrong? What's Going On You can't tie yourself up for a deal He said" Hey North you're south shut you big mouth You gotta do what you feel is real." Ain't got no picture postcards ain't go no souvenirs My baby she don't know me when I'm thinking about thoes years Pale as a light bulb hanging on a wire Sucking up to someone just stoke the fire Picking out the highlights of the scenery Saw a little cloud looked a little like me I had My hand in the river My feet back up on the banks Looked up to the lord above and said hey man thanks Some time I fell so good I gotta scream She says Gordie baby I know exactly what you mean She said, she said I swear to god she said My memory is muddy what's this river I'm in New Orleans is sinking and I don't want to swim

TheOldMole Sep 02 2005 07:33 PM

Here's something on [url=http://www.villagevoice.com/blogs/riffraff/archives/2005/09/katrina_destroy_1.php]the incalculable loss to American cultural history.[/url]

Frayed Knot Sep 02 2005 08:16 PM

Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans And miss it each night and day I know I'm not wrong... this feeling's gettin' stronger The longer, I stay away Miss them moss covered vines...the tall sugar pines Where mockin' birds used to sing And I'd like to see that lazy Mississippi...hurryin' into spring The moonlight on the bayou.......a Creole tune.... that fills the air I dream... about Magnolias in bloom......and I'm wishin' I was there Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans When that's where you left your heart And there's one thing more...I miss the one I care for More than I miss New Orleans The moonlight on the bayou.......a Creole tune.... that fills the air I dream... about Magnolias in bloom......and I'm wishin' I was there Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans When that's where you left your heart And there's one thing more...I miss the one I care for More.....more than I miss.......New Orleans

TheOldMole Sep 03 2005 08:10 AM

High Water Everywhere by Charley Patton Well, backwater done rose all around Sumner now, drove me down the line Backwater done rose at Sumner, drove poor Charley down the line Lord, I'll tell the world the water, done crept through this town Lord, the whole round country, Lord, river has overflowed Lord, the whole round country, man, is overflowed You know I can't stay here, I'll go where it's high, boy I would go to the hilly country, but, they got me barred Now, look-a here now at Leland, river was risin' high Look-a here boys around Leland tell me, river was raisin' high Boy, it's risin' over there, yeah I'm gonna move to Greenville, fore I leave, goodbye Look-a here the water now, Lordy, Levee broke, rose most everywhere The water at Greenville and Leland, Lord, it done rose everywhere Boy, you can't never stay here I would go down to Rosedale, but, they tell me there's water there Now, the water now, mama, done took Charley's town Well, they tell me the water, done took Charley's town Boy, I'm goin' to Vicksburg Well, I'm goin' to Vicksburg, for that high of mine I am goin' up that water, where lands don't never flow Well, I'm goin' over the hill where, water, oh don't ever flow Boy, hit Sharkey County and everything was down in Stovall But, that whole county was leavin', over that Tallahatchie shore Boy, went to Tallahatchie and got it over there Lord, the water done rushed all over, down old Jackson road Lord, the water done raised, over the Jackson road Boy, it starched my clothes I'm goin' back to the hilly country, won't be worried no more Backwater at Blytheville, backed up all around Backwater at Blytheville, done took Joiner town It was fifty families and children come to sink and drown The water was risin' up at my friend's door The water was risin' up at my friend's door The man said to his women folk, "Lord, we'd better go" The water was risin', got up in my bed Lord, the water was rollin', got up to my bed I thought I would take a trip, Lord, out on the big ice sled Oh, I can hear, Lord, Lord, water upon my door, you know what I mean, look-a here I hear the ice, Lord, Lord, was sinkin' down, I couldn't get no boats there, Marion City gone down So high the water was risin' our men sinkin' down Man, the water was risin' at places all around, boy, they's all around It was fifty men and children come to sink and drown Oh, Lordy, women and grown men drown Oh, women and children sinkin' down Lord, have mercy I couldn't see nobody's home and wasn't no one to be found Backwater Blues by Bessie Smith When it rains five days and the skies turn dark as night When it rains five days and the skies turn dark as night Then trouble's takin' place in the lowlands at night I woke up this mornin', can't even get out of my door I woke up this mornin', can't even get out of my door There's been enough trouble to make a poor girl wonder where she want to go Then they rowed a little boat about five miles 'cross the pond Then they rowed a little boat about five miles 'cross the pond I packed all my clothes, throwed them in and they rowed me along When it thunders and lightnin' and when the wind begins to blow When it thunders and lightnin' and the wind begins to blow There's thousands of people ain't got no place to go Then I went and stood upon some high old lonesome hill Then I went and stood upon some high old lonesome hill Then looked down on the house were I used to live Backwater blues done call me to pack my things and go Backwater blues done call me to pack my things and go 'Cause my house fell down and I can't live there no more Mmm, I can't move no more Mmm, I can't move no more There ain't no place for a poor old girl to go

Willets Point Nov 14 2005 10:23 AM

Hooray for the ALA! ]New Orleans was scheduled as the host site for the 2006 Annual Conference June 22-29, 2006, almost 10 years ago. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina and Rita, ALA board members and staff re-examined the viability of the city to host the anticipated 20,000+ attendees. After almost two months of investigation, the ALA announced on October 21 it would keep the conference in New Orleans. Recovery efforts are well underway, and the ALA Annual Conference will help to provide the jobs and tax revenues needed to reestablish the city.

Willets Point Feb 17 2006 06:04 PM

Laissez les bon temps roulez!