Out and About New Orleans

When I began writing this blog, I said that it would be mostly about knitting. Which means that sometimes it can be about things other than knitting. This is my 23rd (?) trip to New Orleans. It's a place I really like to visit, and have often thought of moving here. I'm not sure if it would be a good match for me, but I have to admit that I am enjoying the current 75 degree temperature, while back home they're shivering in the 30s to 40s.

Standing with the Mississippi River behind me. I've never seen it so low before.

New Orleans is a strange town, a blue dot in a red sea. Not that there aren't conservative Republicans in town, but I've seen more signs supporting Mary Landrieu's bid for Senator than her opponent (he looks like he's had way too much botox). There are a lot of hipsters in NO, and a lot of . . . what to call them? My friend JP calls them Bohemians, my friend Poncho calls them Gutterpunks, and another, unnamed friend, calls them Trash. They are homeless young adults, often with dogs (which apparently are not fully vaccinated, or at all), begging for lose change, especially around the area of the French Quarter near the French Market. I mention them, because. . . .

Yesterday, I stopped by the Quarter Stitch, and asked the nice ladies there if they could recommend a cafe where I could get a cool, refreshing beverage (sweet tea, y'all) and where I could knit quietly, without being disturbed. Cafe En Vie was the recommendation, and I hied there with a slow haste (it's too warm to hurry around here). It's on the corner of Barracks and Decatur in the Quarter. Near the favourite hangouts of the Bohemians (let's use that term, so much nicer than the others). And while I was knitting my holiday gifties, a Bohemian walked in. He was tall and thin, and bearded. Not unhandsome. He was wearing a brown, sleeveless t-shirt, leopard print suspenders, leopard print fingerless gloves, leopard print tights, boots, and denim shorts that are known, I believe, as Daisy
Dukes. I wish I'd been able to get a full picture of him, but this is what I was able to manage.

Paraphrasing Rita Mae Brown, honey that ain't no southern boy, that's a miracle! He also had a small chihuahua in the chair next to him. It can never be said that New Orleans does not have its fair share of eccentrics. In fact, the city nourishes them.



One of the more delightful things you see around New Orleans, are koi painted on the sidewalk. A local artist paints them, for a fee. If I lived here, I'd definitely want to have some painted on my walk.

 These were taken outside Horn's, a restaurant on Dauphine St, outside the French Quarter, but they can be seen in various places around the Quarter and the Fabourg Marigny.

I think I mentioned that it's a quirky city. On Royal St in the French Quarter, there is a vacant lot, from a building being pulled down. On what would have been the second floor of the missing building, one sees this.

Why a bit of paneling, a bit of table and lamp were left behind, I can only imagine. Urban art, perhaps? In any case, just a fun bit of nonsense for the observant walker through the Quarter.

I'm not sure I could actually live here. But I know I could never stop visiting this city.