Grub in New Orleans

I was lucky enough to be accompanied by a native Louisianian, Jami, on my journey to New Orleans. I hit her up for recommendations on everything from bars to local delicacies, and her knowledge did not disappoint. My only regret is that we didn't have time for the drag queen brunch in the quarter.

A lot of New Orleans' culinary triumphs involve meat (muffalettas, po boys, etc.), but I still managed to eat well in this city (at least half the time). I had fabulous meals at Bacco, Slim Goodies, and Sukho Thai.

The one signature N'awlins treat I was able to try was beignets, fried donut-like thingies that come hidden under buckets of powdered sugar. My parents (who came down to see me for the weekend) and I gave them a try at Cafe du Monde.


This is what they look like, served with iced coffee.



This is the plate of powdered sugar you are left with after you have eaten your beignets.


And this is what your leg (or rather, my mom's leg) looks like after you've eaten your beignets.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, there was a lot of powdered sugar involved. And I liked it.

Gutting New Orleans

During my recent trip I had the privilege of spending an afternoon working on a service project with Hands On New Orleans. This amazing group organizes volunteers day in and day out to help rebuild a city which seems to have been forgotten by almost everyone. Volunteers (and voluntourists) from around the country and beyond are housed in bunk beds in a local church and eat communally. Many of the leaders here started out as week-long volunteers, but were so touched by the need that they have stayed on for a year or more.

On this particular afternoon, the 40 of us were gutting a house that was made unusable by floodwaters during Katrina. About half of the group worked in the backyard, pulling out the overgrown ivy and a rusted fence, and tearing down a lean-to structure.

In order to work inside, we had to don white jumpsuits (complete with footies), particle filters, safety goggles, and hard hats. The particle filters were for the mold and asbestos, and made you feel a little bit like Darth Vader. We used crowbars to knock through and pull down the sheet rock and insulation from the walls, leaving just the studs and the outer siding of the building. Yep, that's all that houses are made of in a lot of the US.



Looking at what was left of the building after we were done, it was amazing that it could be salvaged at all. We were told that in 'normal' situations such buildings would not be salvaged, but in a disaster zone like New Orleans, you save what you can by treating the structure for mold and sealing it before rebuilding the interior. It's expensive to knock a house down.

This is what we had left by the side of the road by the end of the day. As of now, the city still picks up trash form building sites such as this, although it is threatening to stop sometime soon. Debris from houses finally being rebuilt is a huge problem in the state.

With government funds tied up in bureaucracy and many insurance companies refusing to pay, volunteer groups such as Hands On New Orleans are often the only hope for homeowners who would like to move back into their houses someday soon. To learn how you can help, see their website.

Truth in advertising on Bourbon Street

St. Patrick's Day in the Quarter

My trip to New Orleans happened to coincide with St. Patrick's Day, and thus the St. Patrick's Day parade. This holiday in the French Quarter is much like it is in other cities in the US, with green beer, green clothing, green kilts, and green drunks.

The parade is nowhere near the grand scale of the New Orleans Mardi Gras celebrations, but it does include the all-important Distribution Of Beads By Parading Drunk People. Apparently tit-showing is not a requirement during this particular parade, but be prepared to receive many kisses on the cheek along with those green and white necklaces.

The music was fabulous, with many floats transporting entire bands. This was one of the more practical floats, with a beer tap in front and port-a-potty in the back - everything you need for an all-night party...


This guy was so thrilled I took his picture that he did a little dance that involved wiggling his butt a lot for me and the crowd. And of course, I got me some beads as a reward for watching said dance.


Overall it was a really fun, lighthearted atmosphere, at least until around midnight or so when I headed to bed. I have a feeling it was a good idea to cut out before the jolly good-natured drinkers morphed into less-jolly drunks...

A few more New Orleans neighborhoods

The Garden District


I hear that Brad and Angelina recently purchased a house in this area (which, like the French Quarter, stands on high ground and wasn't flooded).


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This picture is of a relatively new neighborhood. Designed by FEMA.


Edgewater Park


Those aren't out-of-town guests living in those trailers.






Some of the many blue roofs of New Orleans - FEMA tarps distributed after Katrina (which was a year and a half ago, for those who have lost track)


The lower 9th




This neighborhood was right next to the levy breach. Many houses were simply washed away.







More later.

A stroll through the French Quarter

The heart of New Orleans is still alive, populated with more drunken tourists than you can shake a stick at, although I can't really compare it with what it was like before. There are several places that have closed down, and many beautiful old buildings for sale.

I have no intention of even trying

Greetings from New Orleans.