Go Tigers!

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I think this blog is fast becoming a bit of a cuisine critique of Louisiana… AA Gill eat your heart out! Last night we went to the Alpine and dined on a splendid feast of smoked duck and spicy barbecue ribs (sorry mum but the photo’s just didn’t do it justice) our young server seemed rather new to the job and kept apologising every two minutes (in a wonderful country southern drawl) even though everything was absolutely fine. We guessed his family were on a nearby table because when we gave him a slightly over the odds $10 tip he went running up to their table to show them. Guess it meant Jim-bob, Jed-bob, Hazel-bob, Ben-bob, Lucy-bob and Rod-bob would get supper tonight.

Just as we finished eating some amazing resonant drumming could be heard one block away; so we went to investigate and discovered a 20 piece drumming band dressed in Memphis blues. Even more drumming and brass bands could be heard echoing around the French Quarter, it was almost like a rallying call summoning the troops to battle. Gradually the various bands merged to form a gigantic 200 piece band on the steps in Jackson Square. The Memphis Tigers were in town! Hundreds of fans of all ages and sexes dressed in their teams colours filled the streets and sang along to their teams songs, and shook their coloured pompoms with the cheer leaders in preparation for Fridays game against New Orleans Saints. Extremely rousing. Hard to imagine Liverpool doing the same at Arsenal before a big match, but in a way the camaraderie was probably more akin to a good rugby international.

Later we met up with Gill and took a taxi down to Frenchman Street, where we saw a fabulous rockabilly band who’s name escapes both of us! They really rocked the joint and when I requested something Christmassy they played a blinding rendition of Billie Holiday’s Merry Christmas Baby. Right on the edge of the French Quarter and Bywater districts this was definitely more locals than tourists. Sat at the bar we got talking to quite a few of the locals, James spent most of his time telling me how much he loathed Bush (along with the most of the south apparently) and how much racism there still is in the States over mixed marriages making life extremely difficult for him and his black wife. Andy got talking reluctantly to Melanie-bob who could only be described as one of America’s finest repo trailer trash - a typically crazy aggressive brash broad with a voice resembling Lee Marvin with laryngitis, sporting tattoos up the insides of her arms and a nice T shirt emblazoned with Sexy Bitch. When Gil introduced her to his English friends, she shook Andy’s hand, looked at me and said “Who’s the chick?“ She also told him he was kinda cute up to a certain point…..!!! Luckily for him she drifted off into the crowd, probably when she realised we weren’t going to buy her drinks all night. Still everything added up to create a really fun night with some amazing experiences that you just wouldn’t get anywhere else in the world.

Today a thick river mist rolled into town off the Mississippi, with fog horns sounding occasionally in the distance it created a scene reminiscent of the movies…or maybe a Scooby Doo cartoon! We went for a long walk around parts of the French Quarter we’d not visited before and discovered hundreds of art galleries and antique shops (although American antique is a bit of a contradiction of terms). In one of the galleries we both fell in love with a gorgeous painting called Royal Street by an artist called Michael Flohr. We deliberated for a while over a coffee, returned to the gallery and haggled a bit more and we’re now the proud owners of this gorgeous piece of art. It’s going to be shipped home and will take pride of place in the lounge when we return.

Song for the day: Nina Simone - Feeling Good

Nina & Andy x0x0

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