2012 NOLA Trip

Starting the weekend by sampling seasonal Strawberry Abita in our hotel: 

We spent the next morning exploring the Lower 9th Ward by bike.  The area is still struggling to recover, but there are signs of hope.

One of the famous "steamboat houses" in the Lower 9th.

We grabbed po' boy sandwiches from a neighborhood shop and at them in Ron Lewis's yard before checking out the House of Dance and Feathers.  The House of Dance and Feathers is a small museum in a tin-roofed shed in Ron's back yard.  The museum is devoted to Mardi Gras Indians and second line culture and is full of ornate costumes -- with thousands of beads, like the piece below -- hand-sewn by Ron and other Mardi Gras Indians. Ron also has a Katrina display about what life was like in the aftermath of the storm.

Ron became a community advocate in the wake of Katrina, and he is a great ambassador for his neighborhood.  He is also a sweet man with lots of great stories.

The museum, open by appointment only.

A party bus parked on Ron's lawn.  Does it work?  "Yeah, we take it to Saints games." What happens on the bus?  "Wildin'"

Thanks for sharing your stories with us, Ron.

The mighty Mississippi, as viewed from the banks of the Lower 9th.  The Lower 9th is not located on land that is further below sea level than other parts of the city.  It is actually on relatively high land because it is located right by the river. The area suffered such devastating flooding after Katrina due to the collapse of the man-made canals that surround it.

Katrina Memorial in the Lower 9th.

The NFL had just announced it's season-long suspension of Saints coach Sean Payton.  The people of NOLA were furious.

Our lovely boutique hotel:

We always find street musicians we love while walking down Royal street.  Doreen and her family are some of our faves.

Alley that contains one of my favorite restaurants in the world, Green Goddess.

We popped into Irvin Mayfield's jazz club and were treated to Irvin's surprise visit.  He and the other trumpeter, Kid Chocolate, ended the night by parading through the club and playing their hearts out while standing on the bar.  Only in NOLA ...

One of our missions during this trip was to pick up some fun local art.  We came across this sweet young man, Ashton Jefferson, and we knew right away we had to buy some pieces from him.  This particular piece is done in a style Ashton created and calls "Jefferson Splash."

The traditional view of Jackson Square.

The mighty Mississippi.

Signs you only see in NOLA, Part 1.

Signs you only see in NOLA, Part 2.

Signs you only see in NOLA, Part 3.

Pranav making a new friend. This was soon after our Cajun boat captain came across a clueless boater unknowingly intruding in the private waters: "I've been looking for you.  I threw your truck in the bayou." The intruder, clearly unable to decipher the captain's Cajun accent: "Oh, ok.  Thank you."

Oh, my NOLA ... thanks for another great trip!