NOLA !!!

Hi again! This is a Part post 1 of my time in New Orleans.

The last post had me in Slidell on October 19th, a community on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, and visiting Gulfport from there on the 20th. After that Thursday, I've been back and forth to New Orleans for the last 4 days and will continue for 5 more days (until Oct 29th).

As everyone knows, New Orleans is such a gumbo of contrasting people, cultures, and economies. Hurricane rebuilding, crumbling infrastructure, homeless living under bridges, streets teeming with tourists. You name it! And music in the clubs, music on the street, music everywhere! 

All funk at the Blue Nile

I got a video of the two trombone players below right for my trombone playing 10 year old grandson Quinn.  Gotta figure out how to send it his way.

Met a couple from St. John in the Virgin Isles, who recommended Meschiya (me' sha) Lake and The Little Big Horn playing at a tiny club Chickie Waa Waa in the Garden District.  A really nice experience last night, grooving with a group of seriously accomplished musicians playing songs from the forties and beyond. 

Wish I could include the video of this street drummer!

And Haloween celebrations!

The Krewe of Boo Parade happened Saturday night.  What a hoot!! Below are some of the 12 monster sized floats lining up.

I stood next to a young German couple whom I told were the best Parade Watchers I've ever met. Enthusiastic is an understatement!

                                

Tons of organized dancing groups, really getting down. Perhaps the jello shooter vendors on the street were partly responsible.

                                

While wandering Bourbon Street I found a bar that had Game 6 of the Cubs/Dodgers championship playing. I was talking to the bar manager and he said "You know, the game is playing upstairs to a room full of Cubs fans." That's who I was rooting for, so as the ninth inning was starting, I trekked up there, sat for a spell, then caught pure pandemonium as the Cubs advanced to the World Series. Their last appearance in the Series was 71 years ago in 1945! Yeehah!! The pic below is pre-pandemonium.

Cora, my favorite NOLA born and raised bartender. Today I will be asking her to witness my completion of an absentee ballot for this twisted election.  

As a side note, I write down where I park in my phone.  Auto correct changed 'Marigny' Street (a name I've yet to remember) to the totally wrong 'Margin' Street.  I bought two jello shooters from a green haired vendor girl to coax her to figure it out with me.  I, her, and the young couple to whom I gave the shooters benefited on the path back to my car. (I've been cautious for the half an hour drive home each night.)

Food? Oh yes. Being by myself, with a reasonably pedestrian palate, my culinary experience has been all low country, Cajun and Creole. The sauces on the crawfish etouffee, shrimp and grits, and blackened alligator bits is amazing! I'll be checking out some gumbo today.

Today I'll post this, visit the NOLA WWII Museum that I hear is fantastic, and check my trailer roof caulking with a borrowed ladder.  And I might get that rabbit buddy I've been thinking about.

More later.  If you're reading this today, happy Monday!

DDP