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On Friday, my brother Tom and I were going to spend the day in the French Quarter. BUT, come Friday morning, he decided that he needed to go to work, so I was left to my own devices... hahahaha. I considered that he was wimping out on me, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt, since he is, after all, mybrothertherocketscientist. So. Here's how the day went... |
This is the Acme Oyster House. A day in the French Quarter, for me, will usually include a stop here. There are so many wonderful restaurants in New Orleans, and it's impossible to make the rounds of ALL my favorite places in one week (or month... or year...) BUT this was my first stop after finding that very important and rare item, a parking spot. So, I walk into Acme, it's noon, and the place is packed. Rather than wait for a table, I belly on up to the bar, and the adventure begins.... |
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This is Irving, the guy who opened every oyster I ate this day. It's really hard work, but he's been doing it for many years... and he's an ace, I tell you, an ACE!!! The photo at lower left is one of the two dozen oysters I consumed that day. It was a far cry less than my all time record of seven dozen at one sitting (er.. standing), but then, I'm older, wiser, and they now cost $6/dozen rather than the $1/dozen they cost when I was in college and first set the seven dozen record. The photo at lower right was taken by the guy sitting next to me at the bar. He offered to buy me all the oysters I could eat, just to see me top the 7 dozen mark, but there ARE other food stops to be made in this day... I needed room for dessert! |
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No day in the French Quarter is complete without a visit to Jackson Square. In this photo, you can see St. Louis Cathedral and the famous statue of Andrew Jackson, a hero of the Battle of New Orleans. Some think he's THE hero, but he couldn't have done it without the wiles and wit of Jean Lafitte, a pirate who patrolled the waters of South Louisiana. Behind me, as I face the Square, is the Mississippi River. To see it, you have to go over the levee, as New Orleans is well below sea level, and the river level is actually much higher than the ground on which I am standing in the Square. The photo below is the view looking toward the Mississippi River Twin Bridges (which I crossed to visit Sissi!) and you can see a riverboat docked (sorry, don't know its name) and the International Trade Mart Building. |
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Back on the land side of the levee, I decided
to have my dessert at Cafe Du Monde, a New Orleans "institution" for at least a
zillion years. In the photos below, I have captured the essence of Cafe Du Monde: cafe' au lait and beignets... ...and Hack Bartholomew, a musician who plays right on the sidewalk just outside the open air cafe. Hack has written songs for the Neville Brothers, and he played "Stardust" for me, by request. I bought his CD, and it's terrific! |
 For those who may not know, a beignet is a deep fried donut, liberally covered with powdered sugar. Do NOT wear black while eating these things! |
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| I spent a lot of time just walking around the
Quarter, looking in shop windows, and checking out the Voodoo Museum, which so beguiled me
that I forgot to take photos. Hmmmm... they must have put a spell on me!
My last stop was the Central Grocery, where I like to go just to stand inside and indulge my sense of smell. However, I had a mission too. Several friends back in Tennessee had requested that I get some Muffeletta sandwiches, some Tasso and Andouille sausages and bring them back with me. Yes, I had an ice chest in the car! |
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AT TOM'S PLACE LUNCH WITH SISSI LUNCH WITH ALTHEA
