Blogs from Louisiana, United States, North America - page 74

Abbeville’s unique and elegant downtown should be an icon for Main Street America. Founded by Père Antoine Désiré Mégret in 1843 as La Chapelle, Père Mégret designed Abbeville with two connected central squares around which traffic flows counterclockwise. The manicured grounds of St. Mary Magdalen church anchor the western square at the center of which is a tastefully designed park with benches, a white gazebo in a corner, a gurgling fountain, and a statute of Father Mégret. Behind the rectory’s framed flower beds and palm plants rests the remains of Abbeville’s ancestors in the Catholic cemetery. It is signposted as an historical landmark; the text reads in English on one side and perfectly constructed French on the other. The names on the gravestones make it unmistakably clear that French was once the common vernacular of Abbeville ... read more

Resigned to a quiet and solitary Christmas Day, I went to the only place in Abbeville I was I could get a meal. All the restaurants, even the fast food outlets, are closed; Abbeville hasn’t enough traffic to merit anything else open but the convenience store at the Valero gas station. Undaunted, I bought some coffee and a pre-packaged three-day old sandwich. I carried it over to the counter by the front window to enjoy my Holiday breakfast. On the third bite, someone inserted his hand in front of my face, between my mouth and my meal. “How ya doin’! Merry Christmas!” a voice called out. What I would normally consider a hostile act, getting between me and my food, I realized was an overt gesture of courtesy. I briskly brushed the crumbs off my lap, ... read more

Well it’s our last night in New Orleans and although another chapter in our travels opens tomorrow New Orleans has certainly made its mark on both of us and perhaps we can be audacious and use Rupert Brooke’s words and say “If I should die, think only this of me; that there’s a corner of New Orleans, that is forever England”, well the two stools at the end of the bar at the Kerry anyway! Today I bought a New Orleans Fire-fighters calendar… phwoarrr! - I only bought it because it contributes to the city homeless appeal and Mr July who sold it to me had nothing to do with it of course! Adam - you will love it…. Tonight we returned to the Alpine, where our new waiter thought we were from New Zealand!!!!! An ... read more

Last night was warm and balmy and very pleasant as we headed out for supper (steak for Andy and salmon for me served with dirty rice and mixed squashes and sautéed vegetables) the food tasted good but we did have to wait a while. We decided to plump for cocktails this evening - Andy choosing a spicy Louisiana bloody Mary (a rainforest in a glass as described by our server) and a pink lemonade for me… yes it was made with vodka before you ask! Of course we ended up in the Kerry where tonight’s music was supplied by a bluesy sounding James Blunt called Chip Wilson. He was an absolutely brilliant guitarist. We also met Stephen Clarkson - the in-house Irish musician; strange chap, from Galway but spoke with an American Irish lilt. He also ... read more

Last night we had a gorgeous meal at Star, my rib steak was stunning and I can honestly say I’ve never had such a tender melt in the mouth piece of meat in my life, served with fresh horseradish and jacket, it was extremely yummy. Andy had some to die for crab cakes to start - oozing with crab meat and dripping with shrimp sauce. Andy’s jambalaya with crawfish, spicy sausage and chicken was equally heavenly, accompanied with martinis, and a bottle of Pinot Grigio all for the bargain price of £30 a head, (£20 of which was the wine!) So I’m sure we’ll be heading back there again. We then waddled into Kerry’s just for one beer, yes just the one! Rosalyn & David were playing a strange concoction of jug-band blues with harmonica, banjo, ... read more