New Orleans

Feb 22, 2017 Morning

Mardi Gras is approaching and 2 New Orleans natives that we know through our Ballroom Dance Studio in Cary, NC arranged for a trip to Mardi Gras.  A big thanks to Sharon and Darryl for finding things for us that we never would have been able to discover on our own.

We were staying in Sarasota, Florida for the Winter thus we chose to fly from Tampa instead of driving home to Raleigh to fly with the rest of the group.  As luck would have it, Southwest Florida has been experiencing a drought.  The only rain in several weeks happened the morning of our flight.  It did not impact us much other than a bumpy flight and our decision to choose to park at the Tampa Terminal instead of dealing with suitcases and a shuttle bus in the rain.  Tampa is one of those airports where you can park in a parking garage directly above the ticketing and check-in.  A simple elevator ride down puts you into the Airlines check in area.  Since it was an early morning drive to the airport we did not have breakfast yet so we unfortunately chose to have breakfast in the Southwest Air gate area.  At Quiznos we had one of the worst breakfast sandwiches ever.  Reheated egg product on a soggy and chewy biscuit that was microwaved and served with instant coffee.  I have never had a worse breakfast experience.

After the short on-time (thank you Southwest Airlines) flight to Louis Armstrong Airport in New Orleans we tried Uber for the first time. This was a very positive experience.  After entering our destination, the Blake Hotel on St Charles, the Uber app calculated our fare at $33 and debited our credit card when I pressed the "request" button.  The on screen app gave us our driver's name, Jamie, a car description and license number.  From the Uber app a map showed where our driver was located as she made her way to our pickup point.

Blake Hotel, St Charles, New Orleans

We had a hotel in a great location on St Charles where all the parades travel and also convenient to the French Quarter for our entertainment and dining needs. Because we arrived mid morning I wasn't sure if we could check in yet but they accommodated us and gave us a room.  Our first order of business was a walk into the French Quarter on Royal St for Beignets and Coffee.  We couldn't wait to get covered with powdered sugar.  We went to a small cafe, the Cafe Beignet, with outdoor seating in an enclosed courtyard.  Outside on the sidewalk, which was on the  other side of the iron fence surrounding the courtyard a gentleman was singing and playing near our table.  Welcome to New Orleans!  There is music everywhere.

Beignets and Coffee!!!

French Quarter

Feb 22, 2017 Afternoon

The French Quarter is known as the Vieux Carre (Old Square) and is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans.  It is also the one most people think of when they think of New Orleans.  The French Quarter is noted for some of the finest restaurants in the world and also it's incredible selection of bars, pubs and other drinking establishments.  It's without a doubt the rowdiest section of the city and yet a few blocks from Bourbon St. you can find a quieter and more gentrified selection of art galleries, antique stores and music venues   We took a walk through the French Quarter on our first day to get the "lay of the land" so to speak.

We started our day in the French Quarter with Beignets and coffee at Cafe Beignet. Cafe Du Monde is better known but Cafe Beignet has excellent Beignets without the long line of tourists and as a bonus there is always live music.

Cafe Beignet on Royal at night

We'll start our tour with the pink building across the street from Cafe Beignet.  This is the infamous Brennans, a noted 5 star French Restaurant known for their impeccable service and outstanding food.
Founded in 1946 by Owen Brennan.  The building was originally owned by Tulane University since 1920 and leased by Owen.  He eventually purchased the building in 1984.  The restaurant was recently renovated by it's latest owner, Brennan cousin Ralph Brennan.  The Brennan family own many restaurants throughout the City, most of them are among the best restaurants in new Orleans.

The Original Brennans, founded 1946

The architecture of the French Quarter is very distinct and colorful. Most of the buildings were built in the early 19th Century when building codes required brick construction.  Iron railing balconies are prevalent throughout the narrow streets.  Many residents colorfully decorate their balconies for the many holidays that are celebrated here.

Decorated Balconies of the French Quarter

Decorated Balconies of the French Quarter

Decorated Balconies of the French Quarter

Dinner at Brennans

Feb 22, 2017 Dinner

We had an evening reservation at Brennans Restaurant on Royal St in the French Quarter which we made a week in advance.  

Our Dining Room in Brennan's, one of seven.

The Banana's Foster was invented by Owen Brennan back in the 1950s to honor his friend Richard Foster.   Owen's Father, John Brennan, owned a produce company that had an excess of bananas.  Owen had his chef at the time, Paul Blange' create a dessert dish using bananas.  Breakfast at Brennans with Foster's became a signature dessert.  

For dinner we started with an appetizer of Gulf Shrimp accompanied by a bottle of California Cabernet Sauvignon.  For the entree I had the Poisson Blange which is a unique New Orleans dish, Brennan's calls it a "Brennan's Classic".  It consists of a slow baked Gulf Fish, Pompano in this case, butter poached lobster knuckle, oysters and shrimp, fennel-potato purée, and herbsaint nage.   Herbsaint is an anise flavored liquor only made by the Sazerac Company of New Orleans.  It's their brand name for a very unique liquor and is the base ingredient for the local New Orleans cocktail, the Sazerac.

Needless to say, the meal was delicious  but more was to come.  We just had to have a Banana's Foster for dessert in the restaurant that invented the dessert.

Our Waiter prepares our Banana's Foster table-side.  This is quite a show (movie below)

Our dessert tonight

Brennan's recipe for this dessert:

• 1 Ounce Butter
• 1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
• 1/4 Tsp Cinnamon 
• 1 1/2 Ounces Banana Liqueur
• 1 1/2 Ounces Aged Rum
• 1/2 Banana Per Customer

• Combine butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a flambe´ pan.
• As the butter melts under medium heat, add the banana liquor and stir to combine.
• As the sauce starts to cook, peel and add the bananas to the pan.
• Cook the bananas until they begin to soften (about 1-2 minutes)
• Tilt back the pan to slightly heat the far edge. Once hot carefully add the rum, and tilt the pan toward the flame, to ignite the rum.
• Stir the sauce to ensure that all of the alcohol cooks out.
• Serve cooked bananas over ice cream and top with the sauce in the pan.

Lunch at Andreas

Feb 23, 2017
We had breakfast with Blaise & Cathy, a couple who also traveled to New Orleans a few days ahead of the group from Raleigh. Thanks to Lyft we got a ride to Andreas restaurant in Metaire to meet the group who had flew in this morning.  While waiting at Andreas we admired the very nice wood carved bar.

Carved Bar at Andreas in Metaire

While there we picked up our tickets for the Mardi Gras Endymion Ball at the superdome. These tickets apparently are hard to get but Sharon & Darryl managed to get enough tickets for the group.

Endymion Extravaganza Tickets

After lunch Sharon managed to demonstrate the march/dance she choreographed for the Second Line Parade tomorrow.

Dancing to the Bus leaving for the Blake Hotel, New Orleans

Walk to The French Market

Feb 23, 2017
After having lunch with the Raleigh group at Andreas we rode the bus back with them  to the Hotel Blake on the corner of St Charles and Poydras St outside the French Quarter.   We decided to take a walk down to the Mississippi River and stroll towards the French Market.
Poydras St is a 4 lane wide city street with a landscaped median.  Art installations adorn the median at various intervals.  New Orleans truly supports the arts.

Poydras St Median

Even though it was late February we passed a hotel front entrance where the beautiful landscaping of mostly azaleas was in full bloom.

The streetscapes are also nicely landscaped with a variety of plants.  Here a mass of Palm Trees serves as relief from the architecture of the concrete and steel buildings of the city.

Once we reached Decatur it's a short walk along the Mississippi River to the French Market.  The River serves as the Eastern border of the French Quarter,  Facing the river are many colorful buildings, colorful in the paint that coats them and colorful in the many music venues inside some of these buildings.  

Eventually we arrived at the Cafe Du Monde which marks the start of the French market.  As usual there was a large crowd standing in line waiting to get covered with powdered sugar as they enjoy Beignets and Coffee.

I was a little surprised to see how the Cafe Du Monde has expanded their merchandising with Cafe du Monde logo-ed products sold in several stores in the French Market.

Our Second Line Parade

Feb 24 Morning
The cultural heritage of New Orleans includes the Second Line parade.  When clubs, small groups or organizations get together for any kind of celebration it usually includes a Second Line.  Weddings and funerals are common venues for a Second Line.   My first exposure to the whole Second Line Parade culture was the James Bond film "Live and Let Die" in 1973 which featured a funeral Second Line somberly marching down Dumaine St in the French Quarter.  The lead brass band was followed by a coffin and then a group of people with parasols and handkerchiefs.  At a trumpet cue the somber group breaks out into marching and dancing.   All this happened 2 minutes into the film and left me wanting more.
Fast forward 44 years later and we had our own Second Line marching through the French Quarter.  It was a long time coming, but I was going to be part of a New Orleans Second Line Parade.  With parade permit in hand, a police escort, 36 willing dancers from North Carolina and an 8 piece brass band, the "Third Line", we were ready.

The Cast of Characters

"We are the parade today"

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Libbie painted and beaded up 

The BOT crew assembling

Ladies instructional meeting

Sharon going over the details

Libbie and Anne ready to go

Our Mardi Gras Leaders and New Orleans natives, now Raleigh residents,

Darryl and Sharon

Some of the BOT ladies

When all were assembled the band began playing our Second Line marching songs and practice commenced.  During practice our Second Line New Orleans Police Department escort arrived.  We were honored to have a uniformed motorcycle office leading the parade with flashing blue lights and a New Orleans squad car following the parade, also with Blue Lights flashing.

After a little practice on the sidewalk it was showtime.  We marched down the street with band playing, parasols twirling and handkerchiefs waving, dancing to the tunes of our own brass band.  

We went to the first of 3 bar stops in New Orleans Second Line  tradition.  Our first stop was the "Chart Room" on the corner of Chartres and Bienville in the French Quarter.  

Our first stop for Bloody Mary's at 9:30 AM

Our band hydrates at the Chart Room

New Orleans PD patiently wait for the parade to resume

Group pic - The Second Line Dancers and 3rd Line Band

Once sufficiently hydrated with Mimosas and Bloody Mary's,  the BOT gang continued down Chartres to Jackson Square where the Cafe Pontalba on the Square advertises "Cocktails to Go".  Another round for the band and the dancers  before marching past St Louis Cathedral and around the Square.

"Cocktails to Go"

Some of our BOT Krew enjoying beverages outside of Cafe Pontalba

Outside the Cafe Pontalba on Jackson Square the band hydrates again

Blaise and Kathy practicing & resting outside Cafe Pontalba

After an appropriate rest and a drink or two it was time to march around Jackson Square under the Mardi Gras Bead trees on to Cafe Du Monde and turn left.

Marching under the Mardi Gras Bead Trees on Jackson Square

Our next parade segment - on to "Tu Jagues" for more refreshments

From the Balcony of Tu Jagues, ladies tossed beads

Our band entertained on the street outside of Tu Jagues

After Tu Jagues, it was time to march on!  Our final stop and the end of the parade was lunch at Jackson Brewery.

Food and Brew time for Anne

 From our table upstairs in the brewery we can see riverboats going by on the Mississippi

Natchez docks outside the Jackson Brewery at the Toulouse Street Wharf 

 A tradition on Mississippi River steamboats since the 1800s is the Steam Calliope.  In the early days of river boating, a shrieking whistle signaled the arrival or departure of a Steamboat.  In 1855 inventor Joshua C. Stoddard assembled a grouping of steam whistles controlled by a keyboard mechanism.  He named his invention a Calliope. It wasn't long before the Steamboats adopted his invention as accompaniment on their river journeys, entertaining both passengers and passersby on shore.  These Steam Calliopes had anywhere between 25 and 67 pipes. Today there are only 4 Steam Calliopes left on boats operating on the Mississippi. The Natchez has a Steam Calliope with 32 notes.

We were delighted that good fortune had us in the vicinity of the Natchez when the Calliope was operated.

French Market

Feb 24, 2017 Afternoon

After a lunch of Po' Boys, Jambalaya and Beer at the Jackson Brewery we strolled through the 6 blocks that make up the  French Market along the Mississippi River.  This is the oldest market in the United States and had it's origins as a Native American Indian trading post before Europeans began colonizing the region.  It was established as a market for the colonists in 1791.  During the years of the Great Depression of the 1900s the buildings were restored by the WPA.

One of my favorites, BBQ Sauces

I like Oysters, but I'm not sure about Raw.

Hats for everyone

Chatchki! 

Why there are beads for sale during Mardi Gras is a mystery!

In our journey through the buildings of the French Market we encountered this lady with dollar bills (and more).  I had to ask.....  It's a birthday tradition.  The birthday girl gets money pinned to her along with a kiss.

Happy Birthday Anonymous Lady

Mardi Gras Mask Market

"Always the weekend before Mardi Gras"

We walked though the Mask Market and admired the colorful hand made masks but did not partake. Some folks pay significant amounts of $$$ for these beautiful pieces of handcraft.

A Lady models a pretty Mask and Headdress combo