Last year this week, I visited New Orleans, Louisiana, to meet my uncle and cousin after their South American cruise. My first time in NOLA, and I fell in love. So, this year me, hubby, and my oldest friend from Baltimore decided to take a week out of our autumn and attend the Reggae Fest!
Plus it's' hella cold in upstate NY right now.
Highlights of the trip, in no particular order: Seeing my new old friend Swan--the talented Henna artist, artist, and guide. She is joined this year by her dad, my even older friend, just back from Singapore.
The NOLA halloween parade is, apparently, always the week before halloween, so we got to join the throngs of thousands lined up on Canal Street for the festivities. Many of the Krewes who participate in the other big parade that this town is known for.
We found live jazz performances at several venues and hubby hit them all hard. Between seeing talented young and old pros play, he also found a spot in Louis Armstrong park,and posted up each morning to serenade the ducks (he made a fe bucks from appreciative passersby too)!
On the middle day of our travels, after a usual coffee in Treme, Jen and I strolled 2 miles of tree-lined Esplanade street to find the NOMA sculpture garden and Botanic garden. I love public art.
One night at the R Bar, I--a bona fide tee-totaler--got challenged to a joint rolling contest by local character and blues man Johnathan Fetish. I came second. Here's some advice for anyone who wants to take it, when you meet any New Orlenian, no matter where or the circumstances, when they tell you about themselves or their lives, believe them!
Finally food. Throughout life I have been a culinary skeptic. But people persisted in bigging up Beignets. the rectangular, powdered sugar smothered doughnuts that are as famous as this town. Anyway, I reluctantly visited Cafe Beignet and gave our order of 3 the side-eye. Then I tasted one. Wow, believe the hype. This is not just a doughnut, it is a life-changing experience.
The other food in town is no less than epic. When in NOLA eat everything! And resist the urge to get a salad. Salads are for real life, not for holiday. I made the mistake of ordering a salad as my first meal--while to the left and right my loved ones chose gumbo and etouffee. Big mistake. My salad was a sad iceberg platter with slivers of veg for color. Again, salad is for eating at home, and punishing yourself for one reason or another.
Mind you, the arugula salad i had last night at Cochon, coupled with an order of fried chicken livers, made my heart sing a bit.
Oh, about Reggae Fest. I has been postponed as Hurricane Melissa (category 5 with gusts up to 245 miles per hour) surrounds Jamaica 🇯🇲 and the Caribbean. I hope and pray that this storm is not as destructive as predicted.
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