My Return To New Orleans, Part Three

Catering to a co-worker with different tastes, I ended up doing a lot more touristy stuff the first couple of days.


(You can see more of that stuff if you're my Facebook friend, BTW)

Though it included a walk down the riverway, I couldn't wait for Thursday.



The Gold Mine Saloon in the French Quarter (which I'm hitting myself for forgetting to photograph from the outisde) is the home of the 17 Poets! Reading Series, hosted by Dave Brinks. I was invited to read thanks to Stuart Strum, mutual friend of Susan Deercloud, who has read for Stone Soup in the past.

Stuart Strum at the bar of the Gold Mine Saloon.

Host Dave Brinks starts us off.

Poet Laura Mattingly was scheduled to feature that night, but she graciously stepped aside to let me read, making this my first feature on the other side of the Mason-Dixon line. I can't thank her enough.

Laura Mattingly behind the bar.

Laura has a chapbook out from Simpatico Poets Press. There's no web site for the press, so I recommend you go by the Gold Mine Saloon, where Laura also tends bar, and ask her for a copy.

Another thing unique about this reading was the musical assist by Lenny Emmanuel--something that no one (not even the host) knew was going to happen.



The harp playing definitely effected how I read, causing me to slow down and even change how I phrased lines to poems I've recited dozens of times. A unique experience. I took some video of Lenny reading poems in the open mike, which I hope is usable.

I also captured a reading from Daniel Kerwick of Simpatico Poets Press. In addition, I also plan to record Dave Brinks, as he is visiting Boston this Monday and hopes to head to Cambridge for Stone Soup.

Stuart reading in the open mike after my feature.

Daniel Kerwick

Dave Brinks in a much better photo.

It was Danny and Stuart who really helped to cap off the night, taking me to the Circle Bar until I had to get back to the hotel (though I finished training both classes, there was residual training in the morning for anyone who felt they needed it--only one showed).

It's strange how much my visit revolved around my home. During the open mike, a storyteller shared stories about newsvendors in Boston (where he lived for many years). And the Circle Bar was hosting a band that visited from Boston as well.

Stuart at the Circle Bar.

The band, like me, was just visiting.

Dan enjoyng the music.

Eventually, I had to go, and I ended the night with a shot of the Hotel Le Cirque with it's color changing exterior. Perfect way to end the night.



Memories like that help me forget the second part of the flight home from Jersey.



The wait to get on the late plane, the wait for it to take off, and the wait to get out of the plane once it arrived in Boston combined took more time than the 35 minute flight!

My Return To New Orleans, Part Two

One of the highlights I got just from walking around was the We Are 1 Brass Band, a group that played just at the beginning of Bourbon Street for two or three nights in a row. I'm hoping to send these off to the group. Unfortunately, I can't find a website for them, but you can reachthem at WeR1BrassBand@yahoo.com

Keep in mind these guys were playing their guts out in 90-plus degree weather that only lowered to the high seventies at night.

The best part was when the man in green below turned from passerby to participant.

Wish I had done a video with this guy.

Thanks, guys.

My Return To New Orleans, Part One

Through an unforeseen twist of fate, I found myself back heading back into New Orleans to train a new batch of teleretinal imagers, this time as senior member of the group (even if the group is just me and a trainer from Memphis).


During lunch with my co-worker (we got in from our respective home states just after noon), we got our first taste of music, though not from a local source.




Various chapters of the Restaurant Opportunites Center did various demonstrations outside of our hotel and were holding seminars inside. Sadly, the group was gone by our second day, replaced by a drycleaning convention. Much less excitement.



I now show you above my big find. There were lots of beads being sold clearly marketed for children (to walk with on Bourbon Street? Ugh!), but the necklaces of ducks with Spider Man's design was just too much to not share. I mean, this was an idea that had to be agreed on nob just by the bead company, but also the Marvel Comics corporation. More than one person had to see this as a good idea!

Spider Duck, Spider Duck, makes you wanna go what the...

At least the ones that had tiny Incredible Hulks on them I could at least understand.




But...Spider Duck?

If Spider Duck and Tiny Hulk fought, who would...care?

My co-worker wanted to do more touristy stuff, which meant more T-shirt shops than I would have normally visited.

Taken in a shop that prohibits photography

I noticed that while Massachusetts (the supposed liberal haven) could guarantee one joke t-shirt on Obama, I couldn't find one in any New Orleans shop.




Some things had changed since my last visit (the military had pulled out, making our hotel considerably emptier). Despite the changes, New Orleans was still in a state where you could look out your window and see nothing but beauty...


But then you look down.


Or left.



Or down, then left.


But there were still highlights. Stay tuned.