Good morning, chickens. It's Friday and I'm here in New Orleans enjoying my time- staying right about at Bourbon and Toulouse, and the Quarter is alive and well with revelers and debauchery into the wee hours. I'm happy to see so many people enjoying themselves here- New Orleans is beyond a party town - it's magic, it's soulful, it's full of character and charm and decadent food and it's very much full of life again. I do so love it here, and am going to check out the Ninth Ward today- wanting to see Brad Pitt's handiwork and also see with my own eyes what Katrina did.
As a woman who bleeds Northeast and Yankee, it's strange how much I adore being in the South. There is something about the gentility and the manners and the traditions that I find utterly charming, and there's a soulfulness to the people in this part of the country that I feel is "real" and a part of America nobody should miss. And the South has a high tolerance for eccentricity- everyone in New Orleans is way left of center and everyone is cool with it, and I've noticed that in other parts of the South as well- they like 'em a bit weird. I'm not sure why people from Europe only seem to come to New York and LA and Miami- if you have never been down South and are not American born, you shouldn't miss it. For the food alone- yesterday found me in a lovely courtyard, a gentle breeze, and possibly the best plate of gumbo I have ever been honored to eat. Sure it took a little longer to get it, but that's the Southern way- it's never bad service, it's simply slower, more relaxed, easy. And then there were the dozens of oysters- I love me some iodine, I really do.
And you can't walk more than half a block in this town without hearing music of some kind- there's something about a place that is so deeply entrenched in music that is transformational, that allows people to move on, that lets people let loose and have fun and dance together. It's wonderful. And that New Orleans accent has always had me. I am enchanted by it. Wish it was mine.
Looking forward to spending more time here this weekend- weather is perfect and I'm off to Du Monde for the best coffee around...may sneak a beignet too. Yum. Cause that's what's up this deep fried Friday in the NOLA. Y'all come back Monday to read more, ya hear? XO