Over the past two or three years, I completely cyber-stalked a henna artist in NOLA, the daughter of a friend from MD who now lives in Singapore. Swan of 504 Henna has been creating beautiful works of art in plant-based pigments for years, and her neck henna tats have had me enthralled. I once promised myself that if ever in New Orleans, I’d find her and get her to create something beautiful for me. Having never met her, or knowing where to find her this was to be a big task.
But, serendipitously, I find myself in the French Quarter of NOLA. So, I texted her business number and requested an appointment.
Yesterday I found her, made an appointment and walked over to Jackson Square to meet. We spoke for a few minutes and I mentioned the person I know, who knows her…Okay I literally didn’t know he was her dad! So that was a surprise, but she texted him my hello and we were suddenly speaking as friends. After an hour of un-small talk, we decided on my artwork, something of her own devising, which was always the plan. Seriously, I wanted anything that she created.
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| This young woman has a tattoo of the villain Scar on her arm, but check out the Jaguar art! |
And that’s what I got. Throughout her drawing, we chatted like we were old friends. She sold her hand crafted wares, and kept me entertained. After my piece was done, several passersby requested their own hand -henna pieces, and I snapped a few lovely photos!!
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| We 2 smiling for a selfie outside Tuk Tuk Thai |
Four hours after I arrived in Jackson Square, I mentioned my thirst, and she shut up shop to take me to a reasonable local watering hole, bought me a drink and a water and we discussed life philosophies, and planned dinner. It was truly like meeting an old friend. This talented young woman, my age, with a spark of life, and joy at continuously learning and growing, AND get this. We have traveled and fallen in love with the same central American town, and been back and forth multiple times.
Then she took me to her favorite Thai restaurant, and the drove me back to the Best Western, and my salt water pool, and *Swifties galore. Perfect day.
After all that, it dawned on me that the friend I assumed was maybe a decade older than me, had fathered a woman my age--he is much older than I thought! LOL
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