Happy Jazz Fest!

Though we have festivals all year round, the Mac Daddy is probably  the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. All the other festivals are free so the $60 a day price tag keeps many locals away but Jazz Fest draws music lovers and bands from all over the country, even the world. We got there early and ate before the line for fest favorite Crawfish Monica ($7) from Kajun Kettle Foods got ridiculously long. The Prejean’s Restaurant Pheasant, Quail and Andouille Gumbo ($6) was delicious.

Street Legal and the French Quarter

First, I got a Louisiana State driver’s license and registered to vote. Then, I registered my car in the state. But, I wasn’t done yet. In L.A., we had to get a smog check once a year. In New Orleans, you’re not road ready until you get a “brake tag.” People take the brake tag very seriously. So seriously that the woman at the DMV told me not to put on my new plate until I had the brake tag. Everyone made it sound like a very serious test. Many had pointers.

Upperline and other local wonders

Last night, I went to a wonderful restaurant, Upperline, owned and operated by the fascinating JoAnn Clevenger. Outside, it’s a lovely Uptown home with whimsical wild flowers; pink, yellow and orange with tiny tall stalks. Miss JoAnn has lived a storied life and the evidence is all over the walls of her charming gallery/restaurant.