The Big Easy is Big Hot & Humid
Checked in to the Prytania Oaks hotel and immediately went down the block to do laundry. Ate at the Blind Pelican, a block away. They have a happy hour where, when you order an adult beverage, you get a dozen fresh oysters on the half-shell for $3.00! A grilled dozen is $8.50. Hell'a deal!
After dinner we had to take a walk. We found a wonderful old neighborhood just off St. Charles in this lower Garden District around Coliseum Square. They aren't the huge grand houses further out by Napoleon and Jackson avenues but are beautiful old homes. We ran into a local couple taking their evening stroll. He explained to us how the entire district has been historically protected. If you are going to reconstruct or remodel a house you have to get a local board's approval of the plan and design. Exteriors have to be retained, although interior changes are allowed. Naturally some owners have done some non-period interior work, some not really in tune w/ the house and history.
The next day we wandered around the French Quarter. We took many photos of old buildings, and some of the Boz. We stopped by the Vieux Carre wine and liquor store that we found last October when we were here with the west coast family for Nick and Marcella's birthday. We took advantage of the air conditioning to have glass of wine and chatted with the owner. He immigrated over 50 yrs ago and has lived in the city since. He was born in east central Sicily, near Alia and Lecara Friddi. We asked about local, family owned, Italian places and he asked if we wanted Italian or Sicilian. Naturally we picked Sicilian and he provided Marcello's. He freely admitted it was owned by his cousin. That's what family's for. We went and were not disappointed. It's pricey, but no more so than some good ones in Seattle. I had a Calimari & Guanciale Fettucene w/ pistachios. It's new on the menu and is really good.
Their wine cellar is the dining room and you can wander the racks to find the wine you want. There's a wide selection and varied prices. We spoke w/ the sommellier and let Bozo wander the racks. He got away for a bit but he didn't have a corkscrew so we were safe.
Our second day we took a walking tour of the St. Louis Cemetery #1 through the non-profit group Save Our Cemeteries. Proceeds go to restoration and maintenance of the tombs w/o active owner/families to maintain them. We should have taken an umbrella. There's no shade and the white tombs reflect the sun real well. After a quick lunch at Pat O'Brien's we headed back to the hotel and had to take showers before leaving to see the Preservation Hall-Stars perform at 8. We tried to get to Little Vic's for some Sicilian street food, aranccini and torte rustica pizza before the show but they were closed for repair and maintenance work. We got on line early and were glad we did. We got the last bench seats in the house. While on line a 2nd. line parade came down the street and the band turned and marched into Pat O'Brien's restaurant right next to us. What a treat, and unexpected. There was an Aussie college student, traveling around the US, in line with us and got a rare opportunity to witness something truly unique.
It was a great show, as should be expected. The shortness of the show was both a disappointment and a blessing. We hadn't eaten since 3 and the place was an oven. We got the last two seats, everyone behind us had to stand. After the show we needed dinner, and air conditioning. Right next door was the Coffee Pot Gumbo Shop. Decent prices for the quarter and damn good gumbo. We had bowls and spinach salad for a light meal. If you're looking for an honest dinner in the Quarter Bozo gives it 5 clowns, his first of the trip. Marcello's got 4 1/2 because of the price but the wine collection is amazing.
Here's a series of photos from our tour of St. Louis Cemetery #1. Only guided tours are permitted. We went with the Save Our Cemeteries group. Famous and infamous, all get access, as long as they are Catholic since it's owned by the Archdiocese. Easy Rider had a scene where the Italian Society's mausoleum was used. The diocese was not pleased. After that only documentaries were allowed. All films since then have used the Lafayette Cemetery #1 in the Garden District since it's city owned. You can enter and walk through the Lafayette by yourself. Save Our Cemeteries does do walking tours of this one also.
Today we did laundry, again, and hit Toup's Meatery for lunch. We drove out to Loyola and Tulane campuses at the end of St. Charles and I've been busy on this slow box since then. The hotel had trouble w/ their routers over in this building so we couldn't get online yesterday. Tomorrow we're off to Shreveport and then Tulsa.
PS: Had a nice dinner at a local Vietnamese cafe tonight. It's about a 1/3 mile away at Magazine and Felicity in what is officially the Lower Garden District. That's because it's closer to the river. Anyway, Lily's Cafe is a little family run space, inexpensive and good. We shared shrimp rolls, crab Rangoon and Pho Flank Steak. I finished it off w/ a Vietnamese Iced Coffee. It was good to have something simple, not spicy yet flavorful after 3 days of Creole and barbecue. Oh, yeah and Italian.
Back on the road again. Ciao for now.