1- Music Everywhere
New Orleans on any given day is filled with music. During
the afternoon and evenings there are street musicians on every corner—drummers, lone saxophonists, folk groups, bands. What we
didn’t realize was that our trip coincided with the French Quarter Music Fest, so
in addition to the street musicians, for four days there were six stages through the French Quarter featuring musical acts. Music was in the air, everywhere.
2- Preservation Hall
Three years ago Joe and I stood in line to get into
Preservation Hall, and we were determined to go again, but this time with
Timothy. We stood in line for over an hour (we were #’s 8, 9, and 10)
and we are SO GLAD we did. We got in, we were able to sit down (once the benches fill it is standing room only), and we were
this close to six phenomenal jazz players; in fact, those sitting on the first row
had to lean backwards to avoid being poked by the trombone’s slide. It was jazz
as it was meant to be—bare brick walks in an intimate setting, with no
amplifiers or microphones, allowing us to experience the music rather than simply
listen to it. We were fortunate to hear legend Charlie
Gabriel, 87 years old and a fourth generation New Orleans jazz musician, as well
as saxophonist Clint Maedgen.
Charlie Gabriel (l) and Clint Maedgen (r)
3- Air Boat Swamp Tour
The day was beautiful, the swamp was swampy, the creepy alligators
were grinning, and our captain kept us entertained. He even showed us his scars from
being attacked by an alligator, and the exact place where it happened. Then he
reached into the water, grabbed an alligator, and gave it a kiss on its snout. His
name (our guide that is, not the alligator) was Earl and you can look him up on
YouTube.
4- Jacques-Imo’s Café
Long story short: Jonathan’s kindergarten teacher (Kathleen
Wilkinson) has a cousin (Jack Leonardi) who owns a restaurant in New Orleans
called Jacques-Imo’s Café. We went to the restaurant, met Jack, ate great food,
and were treated to complimentary desserts.
5- Window Shopping
6- Learning to say Tchoupitoulas
Pronounced: choo-puh-too-lus. We loved saying it. Very New
Orleans.
7- Fitbit Celebrations
My Fitbit kept shooting off fireworks since we walked
EVERYWHERE. One day we hit 8,000 steps by 10:30 a.m., but usually by the end of the day it was between 16-18,000 steps. And the day we took an evening 2-hour WALKING ghost tour (after walking around all day), my Fitbit called me an overachiever.
All that walking and LOOK! a chair ...
8- Sculpture Garden
This turned out to be a pleasant surprise. We took Timothy to play
mini golf at City Park, and afterwards we walked through the sculpture garden
which, as it turned out, was right next door. I was in my element, but even the
guys liked it. It was fun walking from sculpture to sculpture, reading the
title of each piece, and then discussing and interpreting. And now I know the secret to my guys and art museums: take it outside.
9- Facebook
Facebook, you say? What does that have to do with New Orleans?
Well, before leaving I asked for advice on a FB post for restaurants and
things-to-do in New Orleans, and boy did we get some GREAT suggestions—The
National World War II Museum, Preservation Hall, St. Charles Streetcar, Central
Grocery (and the world-famous muffaletta), City Park, French Market, and some great
restaurants (GW Fins, Jacques-Imo’s Café, and of course, Café Du Monde).
top: GW Fins, walking at sunset, royal street
middle: touchdown Jesus, Saint Louis Cathedral, street performer
bottom: Don Quixote street statue, Timothy, funny street performer
10- Café Du Monde
cafe au lait + beignets + jazz music = heaven
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