Marie Laveau's...

[handmade34]

got here this afternoon... Love NOLA!



down by the Mississippi... (didn't have my good camera with me)

[handmade34]

1. Wedding party just went marching past our balcony

[Mira]

2. Before I turn in

I must join and second your excitement. The bug has already bit you and you just got there today!
There is something so vibrant and diverse and American yet infused with bits of the rest of the world happening in NOLA that the charm spills over and engulfs you.

Please post more. Hope you are there for as long as you can and want to be.
I had the incredible honor to be shown around by our own Bluedigger. Because of that I got to go to the lower ninth and a few other places hard to find for non-locals.
I'll never forget any of it and am very grateful to him for his part in my experience.

ENJOY!

[Behind the Aegis]

3. I had red beans and rice for dinner.

We were missing NOLA, so I made red beans and rice for dinner. I didn't cook my own beans, but it still wasn't half bad.

Across the street from Marie Laveau's is a gay bar called "Napoleon's Itch." You shold pop in for a drink. My partner and I used to work there. While it is a gay bar, during the day/early evening (depending on when they are opening now), many of the guests are straight tourists. It is one of the only non-smoking bars in the French Quarter and has some of the cleanest bathrooms you will find on Bourbon Street (at least it used to).

I used to live 6 blocks from the location of your second picture. I saw that "scene" many times. Some things you can see that way are the statue to the immigrants (it is a large state of a lady with her hand extended to the sea, one of the fingers is missing thanks to Katrina) and you will also see a series of blue panels just a stone's throw from the IMAX theatre and the Aquarium of the Americas (a MUST see). The blue panels display is the NOLA Holocaust memorial. If you stand at on angle on one side, you will see a Star of David, on the other side, you will see a menorah. You can also get a picture of the Natchez, the riverboat, but be warned, the horn is LOUD!

I do suggest riding the streetcar up St. Charles and all the way back to the French Quarter (make sure you are on the right street car), it is a cheap sight-seeing tour. Also, take a few of the walking tours if you have time, they are really fun and some are quite interesting.

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

The Steamboat Natchez

[Mira]

5. I HOPE you, and Handmade34, the Original Poster, don't mind this interjection

it was almost to the day a year ago, first week of July, that I took these photos of the NOLA Holocaust Memorial that you are describing
a picture is always worth many words





photo of the transition as it slowly rotates

[Behind the Aegis]

8. Those are wonderful!

My pictures never captured the vividness of the colors. These are absolutely beautiful.

[Mira]

12. Thank you, probably the dusk helped make the colors pop. n/t

[handmade34]

24. morning shot

[Behind the Aegis]

25. Beautiful!!

I miss NOLA so bad!

[handmade34]

28. I will be leaving in the morning...

went out for a huge meal tonight and had to walk it off... the heat felt good and I took the time to reflect... it is 'raw' here. There are too many homeless and too much trash(specifically French Quarter ) and too many things for sale from China... BUT

There is something here that I don't feel anywhere else I go (and I think by now most people know that I have been traveling for a living for about 7 years and crossed the country numerous times and worked in every one of the contiguous states

(worked in Houma and Laplace, worked at the free health clinics here in NOLA and otherwise visited here 4 or 5 different times.... I truly love it here (general area) and could easily live here if I had to! The people are real -scars and warts and all.

I don't think I will end up here; I'm still looking for my farm in Southern Vermont but who really knows where life will actually take me??



at the clinic a couple of years ago

[bluedigger]

9. She had fingers?

[Behind the Aegis]

10. She sure did. Looks like more were lost!

This was taken in November of 2006.

[handmade34]

18. from the other side...

[bluedigger]

21. That came out pretty well.

Nice shot!

[handmade34]

16. this is how she looks today...

[bluedigger]

20. Sweet! They fixed her!

She must have had a good HMO.

[Behind the Aegis]

26. That looks great.

I am so glad they repaired her. I wonder when it happened? I'll be honest, it isn't like I always looked at her when I passed, so I have no idea when she was fixed. Thanks for both pictures. They are very nice.

[handmade34]

17. Down by the River!

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

[rdking647]

4. love Nola

i love the gumbo shop in the quarter and hand grenades at the tropical isle

[Sherman A1]

6. Cafe DuMonde is a must!

Enjoy some for me. I didn't get to go by on my last visit.

[Behind the Aegis]

11. You mean this place?

[Solly Mack]

7. :o)

Love it!

[Celebration]

13. what a fun thread

I had an artist on Jackson Square do a sketch of one of my daughters one time. She spent the entire time talking about our family and Chinese astrology. She nailed every one of us! That is an experience I will not forget. Not a bad charcoal sketch, also.

That was one Easter weekend when my husband ordered rabbit to eat which wasn't the best timing.

That was one of many, many trips I have made to NOLA over the years. The issue for me now is that there is just too much good food there that is too easily available.

How can you go to NO without getting a beignet at Cafe Du Monde?

[handmade34]

15. had my palms read

last night and ate crickets and mealworms and waxworms at the Insectarium today!! was going to have one of the artists do a portrait of me today, but I didn't want to sit that long... too much to see and do

[Major Nikon]

14. I was there last weekend

I've still got some photos from there I need to process.

[handmade34]

19. at the zoo...

my apologies to the artists at Jackson Square...

[Mira]

22. Both of these speak to me loudly

the first one is such a fine job, yes the photo, but really I refer to the lettering (since I make signs, and know how to do this type of thing, I know good work)

I remember well the art at Jackson Square, I was impressed with some but not too much of what I saw.
Why are you saying: apologies...? I can't figure out your comment.

I took some photos of the bull running ladies at the fences where the artists exhibit. But I think I won't interfere with your thread again by adding my stuff. Once is enough, but I swear I wish I were there with you.

[handmade34]

23. most artist's displays

have signs that say "no photos"... this shot was from a distance and I felt guilty taking it but it was just so 'rich'

((you, or anyone, can 'interfere' with my thread)) mostly I post just to share things and places that I am fortunate enough (work pays for it!!!) to do and see

went to the IMAX and watched "Hurricane On The Bayou" today... great film about Katrina, but mostly about the importance of our precious wetlands! I wish you were here as well... you could have saved me from the enormous amount of food I ate tonight - by eating half of it

http://www.hurricaneonthebayou.com/logo.html

http://www.hurricaneonthebayou.com/slideshow.html

[Behind the Aegis]

27. I saw that film!!

When my partner and I went, we got a special treat. The young girl who was featured, was in the audience...right in front of us! Her grandfather was sitting next to me. It was a great way to end that show.

[handmade34]

29. what a treat...

I admit, I cried from anger at what we humans do to destroy the natural environment, in despair for what so many people had to suffer through, for joy at what people can do when they work together... it was good...