Big Easy Birthday 2014

New Orleanians know that there’s no possible way to attend even half of our city’s events and festivals – even just the free ones. Summer is the “off-season” and yet our city remains action-packed. On top of Beatles Fest and The Running of the Bulls – it was my birthday this past weekend! Normally, I throw myself a small gathering but since we’d just had a wedding, it seemed like a bit much. Instead, I practiced all my favorite birthday traditions.

Riverwalk Reboots

I’m not in the habit of promoting big chain retailers when I so firmly believe in shopping local, but I just checked out the new and seriously improved Riverwalk and loved it. With 75 retail and food offerings, Riverwalk is the first outlet mall in the U.S. established in a city setting. But because the city is New Orleans, the mall has beautiful views of the mighty Mississippi and cruises can dock at it’s door. They even offer tax free shopping for international shoppers. What was once basically an air conditioned way to get from Canal Street to the Convention Center could now become a “destination shopping” venue.

Uncle Lionel’s Second Line

Friday the 13th was a lucky day for most New Orleanians. First, there was the good news that quarterback Drew Brees finally signed his contract with the Saints. Even without our coach, now we can go back to believing that we could have the first team to ever play a Super Bowl on their own turf. Geaux Saints! Who Dat!?!

It was raining cats as we made our way to Tuba Fats Square in the Treme, a memorial square dedicated to the preservation of music from the historic Treme neighborhood, the first black suburb in America.  Musicians played in the crowded Candlelight Lounge next door, the home of Uncle Lionel‘s regular Wednesday gig with the Treme Brass Band, as people from all over the city gathered to second line in memory of their favorite Uncle.