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Published: April 6th 2010
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New Orleans Day 3 and 4
"Laissez Le Bon Temps Rouler"
New Orleans is indeed a city for good times AND ... great architecture, great music, great food, great history and attractions, and more. Every place has a story to tell, and New Orleans has many . The resilience and positive attitude of the local people is amazing... Bravo to the indomitable sprits of those who returned!
On Saturday, we took a late afternoon shuttle to the French Quarter from Pontchartrain Landing RV Park. We had devised a rain plan to have dinner at Ralph & KaCoo’s on Toulouse St. across from where the 4pm shuttle leaves passengers off. Great meal; except they had run out of oysters! No biggie, the server couldn’t have extended herself more graciously to make up for the missing bivalves (free postcards and a free order of fresh from the fryer hush puppies. The specialty is seafood and it was a great meal. The walls were decorated with Mardi Gras parade costumes and memorabilia there was no doubt where we were.
The best thing about missing oysters at Ralph’s was that it inspired OYSTER DETERMINATION! So, after dinner
Mardi Gras Display at Ralph's
No courtyard; but great food and an interesting collection of Mardi Gras memorabilia. we headed down Charter St. to Acme Oyster Bar on Iberville St. Charter St., like Rue Royal, is a great street - nice antique shops and boutiques, and lacking the noise and rambunctious jostling of the hoi polloi! We passed lines of people waiting to get into K-Paul’s, read the posted menu at the elegant Bacco, and peeked into the courtyard of the “W” where the staff was setting up for a private party. Courtyards rule in the French Quarter! There are no sidewalk cafes to speak of unless you count the balconies.
A daunting line had already formed at Acme Oyster Bar, but Wes chatted with staff assigned to the “velvet rope” and got us right in as long as we didn’t mind sitting at the bar. Oyster bar that is! The entertainment was watching a pair of shuckers, including master shucker" Michael "Hollywood" Broadway do their thing. "Hollywood" has been shuckin’ for 27 years and has been in two movies. The oysters were enormous, the sauce was everything it should be and the experience was very cool. I even got a bonus "extra" oyster (just for smiling)!
We headed up to Preservation Hall
Acme Oyster Bar
My big, fat, fresh, tasty oysters! (on St. Peter) via Bourbon St. This little slice of early evening French Quarter “night life” was lively! The shops are sassy, the “greeters at the clubs” are aggressive, and the music (not Zydeco; not jazz) was loud. Can't imagine the frenzy at Mardi Gras or St Pat's.
We waited in line at Preservation Hall for over an hour; people watching and chatting with others in line. Two wedding parties processed in the middle of the street (one accompanied by a sousaphone payer), attendants and guests were carrying pastel ruffled umbrellas, and turned at the corner of St. Peter and Royal St. We were also across from a Voodoo shop where participants in the Haunted Tour waited for their scary evening to begin.
Eventually we got into the venerable Preservation Hall. The wait was so worth it. The jazz was incredible; perhaps the very run down old walls contribute to the excellent acoustics (or perhaps that was just because of the tiny size of the room packed to its fire warden limit! The clarinet player, a young man named “Orange,” was especially fantastic. Orange dispelled my previously held concept that all Preservation Hall musicians are black
and old. Orange is young and white! Steve Pistorius directed the six piece band from the honky tonk piano. It cost $10 each to get in…a real bargain.
The repertoire of New Orleans style jazz is huge. Among a few specific numbers, we heard a great vocal version of “When My Dreamboat Comes Home” by a young woman with a six piece acoustic band backing her up on Rue Royal, a mournful “Saints Go Marching In” from a solo trumpet player in a park, and “Tiger Rag,” “Jelly Roll Blues,” and a passionate sax solo of “Memories of You” at Preservation Hall.
We walked to Jackson Square, had a nightcap at Care Pontalba, called Mr. David (the recommended taxi driver - $18 plus tip), and got “home” in time to join our park neighbors for a roaring campfire. Campfires are not very common at RV parks so this was sort of a treat until the wind turned.
Easter Sunday was beautiful. We caught the 10am shuttle, strolled along Riverwalk, took a well narrated jazz cruise on the sternwheeler “Natchez” and enjoyed a nice brunch. I am not totally “cured” from buffet phobia, but
it’s getting better. After the cruise, we “riverwalked” to the Audubon Aquarium. It was especially fun because of all the families enjoying the exhibits.
We are going to have to get our Muffuletta fix on Jay St., Schenectady. Our timing was just wrong for both Central Grocery and for Johnny’s Po Boy for these hot pressed regional favorites.
The wrought iron balcony at Primo’s was the perfect spot for a mango/lemoncello Sicilian Kiss before catching the shuttle back to the park.
The business of doing a week’s worth of laundry at the RV Park was made sweet by ordering pizza at the bar.
Monday morning dawned with perfect weather to pull up our anchor and head through Mississippi and on to Nashville, TN. Not stopping in Mississippi; but the countryside and farms look lovely. The bright fuchsia of the red buds and bright white of the dogwoods foiled with the lime green of emerging leaves creates a gorgeous quilt. I’m finishing up the New Orleans entries as we roll through Mississippi and Alabama.
Dry camping behind a Cracker Barrel in Cullman, Alabama. Walked to dinner at Ruby Tuesday’s. Big surprise - this
is a dry county. Glad for the well stocked wine cellar in the Schooner.
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