Jazz Fest Thursday!

Because people have jobs, Thursday can be the least crowded day of the entire Jazz Fest schedule. Add a cold rain until after lunchtime and things got off to a very slow start. I volunteered to work in the Kiwanis beer booth to raise money for local children’s activities and got to spend the day remembering everything I love about Jazz Fest. The “shoe forecast” called for boots owing to the rains the night before – todays showers weren’t predicted. But I loved seeing all the fashion fun “boot weather” brings out (favorite pictured below). My friend, Wendy, and I ended up wearing the exact same pair – extra funny since we met when she dressed my character in The Loft years ago.

We set up the booth, got a requisite Crawfish Monica, then wandered to the nearby Acura Stage to watch Cha Wa.

French Quarter Fest – Day 2

Another beautiful day for French Quarter Fest, low 70’s and sunny. The music started at the U.S. Mint stages with The Nayo Jones Experience. We’d seen Nayo Jones featured by Kermit Ruffins in 2 previous French Quarter Fests so it was a delight to see her command her own stage. The crowd loved her rendition of House of the Rising Sun and she sold out of CD’s early in the show.

French Quarter Fest – Friday

Day 2 of French Quarter Fest supplied more beautiful weather, fabulous food and some of our region’s best music. Nightingale-voiced Sarah Quintana started our day with her Miss River Band.  She played whimsical, ethereal originals and a wonderful cover of “Natural Woman.” Brunch was a Crawfish and Goat Cheese Crepe ($7) from Muriel’s Jackson Square, Two Pieces of Fried Chicken with Potato Salad ($8) from McHardy’s Chicken & Fixin’ and Fried Green Tomatoes with Remoulade ($6) from Wink’s Bakery.

Mardi Gras Indians Super Sunday 2015

This was my 6th Mardi Gras Indians Super Sunday and it still shocks my senses. Music swirls with the smell of grilled meats as everyone gathers at A.L. Davis Park to see the Indians’ elaborately crafted suits which weigh up to 150 pounds, cost up to $5000 (though I’ve heard $9000 once) and can take up to a year to design, construct and bead. When I moved here in 2009, the tribes were still fighting  for their right to a permitted parade. This year, I spotted Mayor Mitch Landrieu shaking hands with police parade escorts before things got rolling.

Saints Soundtrack Vol. 2

First of all – Who Dat?!? Not that any of it counts, but the Saints are 3-0 so far this preseason. With all those touchdowns, I’m sad to say it seems the Superdome is replacing the Ying Yang Twins Halftime (Stand Up and Get Crunk) as our Saints touchdown anthem in the Superdome. In my last post, I suggested a few alternatives as well as providing some context for the types of songs Saints fans and players seem to respond to. At the beginning of every game in the Dome, Saints fans get to relive the first game in the Dome after the Storm. Green Day and U2 were joined by New Birth, Rebirth and Trombone Shorty for their energizing The Saints Are Coming. It fills me with pride and gets me in the mood for victory every time.

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.

Mardi Gras Indians 2013

There are so many things to love about this city and many of them can only be found here in New Orleans. Topping the list of marvels seen nowhere else in the world are the Mardi Gras Indians parading on Super Sunday. HBO’s Treme exposed these amazing craftsmen to the public but there’s nothing like watching the wind in the plumes and the glint of sun on beads as they dance and chant accompanied by drum beats. Tribes come from Uptown and Downtown to peacock for the crowds and war for who’s the “prettiest.” The upside to all the recent media attention is that the parade now has an official route with police escorts and permits. The downside is that now gobs of people with a camera or iPhone or iPad or phone  crowd around the Indians like paparazzi on Lindsey Lohan.