#pontalba buildings

[viridiansunset]

Vieux Carré

New Orleans

Source

#aesthetic #architecture #new orleans #louisiana #cityscape #creole architecture #french quarter #vieux carre #pontalba buildings #jackson square

[beardedmrbean]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans City Council voted Thursday to change the locks on a coveted city-owned apartment in its latest dispute with Mayor LaToya Cantrell, whose use of the French Quarter property drew scrutiny and figured in a failed recall effort.

The newly flaring dispute centers on one of 50 units in the 19th-century building known as the Upper Pontalba. It's steps away from the Mississippi River and, along with St. Louis Cathedral, is among five historic structures bordering the green space known as Jackson Square.

Previous mayors have said they had used the apartment for meetings, special events or to house visiting dignitaries. Cantrell came under criticism for her personal use of the unit after a series of reports by WVUE-TV that used public surveillance video to document her long hours there, including time with her police bodyguard and an overnight stay with guests during the summer Essence Festival.

Her use of the apartment and her billing the city for first-class airfare on official trips abroad — both defended as proper by Cantrell — were among complaints by backers of an unsuccessful 2022 recall effort against the mayor, who was reelected in November 2021 and cannot seek a third consecutive term.

Last August, the council overrode Cantrell's veto of a measure putting the apartment back into commerce with other Pontalba units that are available for rent. That followed a March 2023 finding from the city’s inspector general, who said in a letter to the mayor that her use of the apartment may violate the state constitution’s restrictions on the donation of public property and city code language governing her salary.

Council President J.P. Morrell said in a Feb. 28 letter to the mayor that “furniture and other personal effects” remained in the unit. “It is also my understanding that you and members of your executive protection detail possess the only keys to the unit,” Morrell wrote.

In a statement issued early Wednesday, Cantrell's office said the French Market Corporation, the nonprofit in charge of the building, had keys to enter the unit. It didn't say whether the mayor had given up her keys. The statement said Cantrell is not using the unit and that there have been no impediments to the corporation's access to the unit since last year's ordinance was passed.

“We hope that any reasonable person would recognize that initiating an eviction process is unreasonable when there is no tenant to evict,” the statement said.

The mayor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment following Thursday's 5-2 council vote. In addition to calling for the French Market Corporation to change the locks, the measure calls for any personal items to be removed by March 21.

“To date,” Morrell told the council Thursday, “whether by inactivity or willfulness, the mayor has refused to comply with the law.”

#nunyas news

[fleekpoint]

Iron balconies are seen throughout New Orleans and its influence can traced back to French and Spanish colonizers. It made a lasting impression ever since. . . . . #ironworks#neworleans#nola#frenchquarter#bourbonstreet#travallers#nomad#homewardbound#streetsigns#me#lamppost#typography#design#fleurdelis#sightseeing#travelling#architect#building#decaturstreet#ironbalconies#vieuxcarre#labranche#wroughtiron#pontalba (at New Orleans, Louisiana) https://www.instagram.com/p/CeeEXrqunrV/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#ironworks #neworleans #nola #frenchquarter #bourbonstreet #travallers #nomad #homewardbound #streetsigns #me #lamppost #typography #design #fleurdelis #sightseeing #travelling #architect #building #decaturstreet #ironbalconies #vieuxcarre #labranche #wroughtiron #pontalba

[alexihawleys]

Another fun fact to lighten the askbox:

The famous Pontalba buildings in Nola were designed and built by a woman called Micaela Almonester Pontalba.

In her youth, she was married to a family of goldiggers from France. But her mother had an air tight marriage contract made for her, and it didn't allow them to simply take her money away without her signature. Also, she was freaking headstrong.

They tried to torture her mentally, and it barely worked. So her father in law decided to shoot her and then himself, so his son and grandchildren would inherit her money. He shot her four times in the chest. But she didn't die, even if she lost one lung (and would have breathing problems the rest of her life).

It was nearly impossible to get a separarion (no divorce at the time) in French court, even if you were shot by one of your in laws. But her husband made the mistake of gloating when she lost another petition. The court accepted the argument that he didn't "protect her honor" as a husband should, so she got her separation.

She kept his surname and title (he was a Baron), went back to New Orleans and lived as a business woman. She even paid for her stranged husband's care at the end of his life.

She also threatened the mayor of New Orleans with shotgun once...

I think she was an impressive woman!

(Sorry about the typos in the other fun fact. I was half asleep when I wrote that lol)

getting shot in the chest 4 times and living to tell the tale is absolutely fucking wild. this is so interesting! she sounds like a wildly fascinating woman - ty for the fun fact!

#anonymous #ask

[vividexpedition]

The Pontalba Buildings: Guardians of Jackson Square's Legacy

(29.95729, -90.06388) Introduction Nestled in the heart of New Orleans, on either side of the historic Jackson Square, stand the magnificent Pontalba Buildings. These iconic red-brick apartment structures, bearing the name of Baroness Micaela Almonester Pontalba, are more than just architectural marvels; they are living testaments to the city’s rich history and distinctive architectural…

View On WordPress

[somebirdortheother]

On the topic of historical figures that don't get "enough attention", do you know Micaela Almonester? Her story was CRA-ZY! It felt like telenovela the first time I read about her.

Her mother had an air tight marriage contract made for her, and her husband and inlaws were not happy about it cause they were a family of gold diggers. So they started torturing her, but she was so headstrong that her father inlaw decided to shoot her and then himself, hoping his son would inherit her money. She freakin survived! (But got -1 lung)

It was almost impossible to get a divorce in France at the time, so much that even getting shot by your father inlaw wasn't a good enough reason for them. But her husband was a dumbass and managed to trip onto one of the few conditions that allowed it to happen.

She moved back to New Orleans, had her daughters marry with even tighter contracts than hers, and thrived. Those Pontalba buildings that everyone recognizes from Nola were built by her.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

Spectacular bit of history - and I *did not* know any of that. My day is truly better for it.

Thank you, dear Anon!

#anonymous ask #favourite historical figures

[ooscar88]

The Pontalba Buildings form two sides of Jackson Square in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. They are matching red-brick, one-block-long, four‑story buildings built between 1849–1851 by the Baroness Micaela Almonester Pontalba. The ground floors house shops and restaurants; and the upper floors are apartments which, reputedly, are the oldest continuously-rented such apartments in the United States.

[pcurrytravels]

Thoughts: New Orleans (Part V)

It was day three in New Orleans, and once again we woke up early for breakfast. We found out that there was a location of Daisy Duke’s in the CBD that was even closer to our hotel so we went there. I decided to just go ahead and get breakfast this time…..with a side of crawfish hushpuppies. I have to say, I actually liked this location of Duke’s better. The service was quicker, the prices were slightly cheaper (might have something to do with how the other location is in the more touristy French Quarter) and the sweet tea was even better. Oh, and they offered crawfish hushpuppies here while the other location didn’t. And yes they were delicious.

After we finished, my mom went back to the room while I took a little morning stroll, exploring the CBD some more before I decided to give PJ’s Coffee on Canal a try. PJ’s Coffee is the ubiquitous coffeehouse in New Orleans (I literally only saw two Starbucks the entire time I was there), and after trying their product I can easily see why. Remember when I said in the Mini-Guide how their blended Granita drinks are like Frappuccinos but better? Well, they are. They’re smoother, sweeter, and likely made with better quality coffee beans (I mean, New Orleans is a port city so I imagine they’d have pretty easy access to a number of things, including coffee beans). So yes, if you visit New Orleans and see a PJ’s Coffee (and you definitely will), be sure to stop by and give them a try.

Going back to the room to chill for a minute, we then set off to the National WWII Museum. We used the St. Charles Streetcar to get there, and I must say, riding this one was a much more pleasant experience than any of our rides on the Canal or Riverwalk streetcars. Although it can still get crowded, this line is rarely ever standing-room only. Unlike Canal, it also has windows that open, which is surprisingly a very effective means of keeping things cool on board (the Riverwalk line has windows that open too, but that line is usually packed with people and, thanks to the resulting heat attracted to human bodies, an open window is not very effective). It felt nice being able to easily grab window seats without having to worry about having to push through people upon reaching our stop.

Down St. Charles Avenue, through the CBD and Warehouse District, we got off at Lee Circle which was, almost appropriately, right next door to the Civil War Museum and a block away from the National WWII Museum. Why am I saying it was appropriate? Because Lee Circle is named after Robert E. Lee; you know, the Confederate general?

Yeah, modern New Orleans may be a fairly liberal, morally loose and open-minded place, but it’s still the South. There’s going to be reminders of the antebellum and Jim Crow eras all over the place, and that includes public “memorials” to the Confederacy. Ugh. Thankfully, last year the local government decided to remove the statue of Lee that sat atop the pillar pictured above. As they should, because reminders of the more shameful parts of American history such as that need to be in museums, not shamelessly displayed in public (now what they need to do is change the name back to Tivoli Circle or something but I guess that’s none of my business).

Speaking of museums, the National WWII Museum is great……if you’re into the topic. I don’t know if it’s because I learned all about it in school (I remember having one history teacher in high school who was particularly passionate about this era for some reason so I already feel like I studied it to death) or what, but it just didn’t do much for me. Aside from the exhibit about servicemen of color in the War, the Japanese internment exhibit, an infographic which detailed the threat of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and the Japanese Empire and the C-47 hanging in the lobby, nothing about the museum really caught my attention. I honestly feel like it was just too small as my mom and I were in and out of there in less than thirty minutes, which is weird when considering how highly regarded the museum is (I’m also VERY happy we got in with the power pass as the admission price is WAY too high at face for what you get in my opinion). It’s a shame the Civil War Museum next door wasn’t included in the Power Pass as I always found the Civil War more interesting than World War II to be honest.

Once we were done, we hopped back on the streetcar to Canal and from there made our way to Jackson Square once more. We first stopped inside the PJ’s for a moment to enjoy frozen lemonades and air conditioning. You’d think we would have an easier time getting used to this weather, seeing that our family originates out of Alabama and Mississippi in addition to being the sort of climate our ancestors were forced to do unpaid labor in for hundreds of years but I digress. Upon cooling down, we stopped to listen to the live brass band for a few minutes before heading into The Cabildo.

The Cabildo is one of two twin buildings which flank the St. Louis Cathedral. Originally serving municipal purposes, the two of them as well as the 1850 House have been repurposed into outposts of the Louisiana State Museum. The Cabildo in particular once operated as the city hall, in addition to being the site where the Louisiana Purchase commenced, but it now hosts an exhibit about Louisiana’s history; spanning from its settlement by the French in the 1600’s to the Reconstruction era. Now, it was fairly interesting and all, with paintings, artifacts and templates about the battle of New Orleans, the region’s indigenous peoples, the differences between French and Spanish colonial rule/policy, West African slaves and free people of color, the Louisiana Purchase and the area’s history with pirates, but overall, I didn’t find it as captivating as The Presbytere.

On the other side of the Cathedral, this not-quite identical building (if you pay close attention, you’ll notice it’s painted in a lighter color and has a flatter, more squared-off roof than the Cabildo /architecture nerd) was originally a courthouse, but now serves as a museum for Mardi Gras, Napoleon’s death mask…………and Hurricane Katrina.

I can remember the news reports like it was yesterday. Having been under the impression that hurricanes were just a Florida thing or something, needless to say, I was scratching my head in confusion at the whole ordeal. My fourteen year-old brain was struggling to comprehend how a hurricane could both reach and do that much damage to somewhere so far inland from a coast (I managed to figure it out a few science classes later), but I still just shrugged it off and thought “oh, they’ll be fine, Florida gets through it every time!” However, upon seeing video footage of vast swaths of houses underwater along with thousands of people crowding into the Superdome, that’s when the severity of the situation hit me.

Even more upsetting was how horribly the situation was handled. People were without food and water for DAYS after the storm made landfall (something we’re seeing a repeat of with Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico basically). It definitely should not have taken nearly a week for FEMA to show up. Then again……the overall catastrophe had more to do with the failure of the area’s levee and floodwall system than it did with the storm itself. I have to ask, why were they in such bad shape in the first place? Many theories and conspiracies still abound to this day, but either way, what happened was a tragic mess that could have been avoided in so many ways.

There were a number of pictures on display of the aftermath, as well as video footage of the day the storm made landfall, and it all felt so……..eerie. Sad, but eerie. To think this eerily deserted city, under siege by a raging, violent storm, is the same vibrant, energetic place that we had been walking around in for the past several days. I almost had to look out the door just to make sure everything was alright; even though, in a lot of ways, things aren’t totally alright (…….a whole thirteen years later). Houses and buildings devastated by Katrina can still be spotted all over the city, and although I didn’t go see it for myself, it’s been said that the Lower Ninth Ward (arguably the most devastated neighborhood of all) has more or less been deemed a lost cause and they gave up on rebuilding a long time ago. New Orleans has definitely rebounded, but it’s still heartbreaking to see so many lingering signs of this catastrophe.

After finishing the Katrina exhibit, we walked through a hall that featured tidbits about Hurricane Betsy, another devastating hurricane that took place back in 1965 (although still not as bad as Katrina) before walking past the random sight of Napoleon’s death mask and upstairs to the Mardi Gras exhibit. Granted, it was more or less a retread of Mardi Gras World, aside from focusing less on floats and more on the history of the various krewes, the “throws” (beads, doubloons and the like) and costume design. It was still a lot of fun none the less. Alas, the clock was ticking, and we wanted to cram one more thing in before embarking on our cruise, so it was off to the lower Pontalba building for the 1850 House.

The Pontalba buildings are two, four-story, red-brick twin buildings which flank Jackson Square. Built in the 1840’s by an accomplished businesswoman known as Micaela Pontalba, they were originally designed as Parisian-style luxury rowhomes, with high-end retail and dining establishments being housed on the first floor. Having fallen into disrepair by the 1930’s, they were then extensively repurposed into apartments, which are still in use to this day. The portion now known as the 1850 House remained untouched, however, instead being used by the Louisiana State Museum as a time capsule exhibit. Within, you’ll be given a glimpse into the lives of middle-class New Orleanians in the 1800’s.

Through a small courtyard, and up a rickety and old-fashioned spiral staircase, you’ll be greeted to a template which provides some information about past occupants of the row home which leads to the parlor and dining room. Granted, each room is protected by a glass railing, likely to prevent damage to the various antiques as it is a self-guided tour after all. Basically, all you can really do is look on at the rooms and their vintage furnishings from the hallway. On the third floor, you’ll find the bedrooms and the nursery and going from there (the layout of the place was pretty confusing so I’m not sure what direction we were going in at this point), you’ll see an exterior room which served as the slave and/or servant quarters until you reach the kitchen and storage room at the base of the house. Now, I’m a vintage/antique nerd, so I enjoyed it, but it probably would have been just a bit more enjoyable if they offered a guided tour, thus allowing you to explore the rooms in detail.

Oh wait, what time is it? Oh, time for the Creole Queen Paddlewheel Cruise! We hopped on the Riverwalk line of the streetcar once more and took it to Spanish Plaza (a monument to Spain’s colonial legacy in the area) which is where the boat was docked. The Creole Queen is one of a number of paddlewheel boats in New Orleans which offer old-fashioned river cruises. Once you hop aboard, you’ll be treated to stunning views of the city and the river (provided you can ignore its gross and oily brown hue) while the guide gives you a little history lesson. Granted, most of the stuff he was saying I already found out from the other tour guides and museums I went to, but it was still enjoyable nonetheless. As I looked around and took pictures of the CBD skyline, Jackson Square from afar, Algiers, the New Orleans port, the old Domino sugar factory, the plantations in the distance and even more Hurricane Katrina ruins, we came to a stop at the Chalmette Battlefield and National Cemetery; the site of the Battle of New Orleans in 1815.

We got off the boat and walked towards an old (creepy-looking and probably haunted) plantation home known as the Malus-Beauregard House, where a man dressed in 19th-century military regalia waited for us. From there, he walked us to this spot underneath a very large oak tree, next to a small bayou, where he began to talk about the Battle of New Orleans. And honestly? I don’t know if it was the story itself or if this particular guide was just boring, but he wasn’t able to hold my attention. It was also hot AF and there were mosquitoes and dragonflies swarming all over the place, so I just took a few pictures of the battlefield and the house before making my way back to the air-conditioned, bug free boat; savoring some bread pudding while waiting things out.

Upon arriving back in New Orleans, we rushed over to Audubon Aquarium, seeking to cram in one more attraction before resting up for our ghost tour in the French Quarter. You better leave the lights on for this one.  

#new orleans #louisiana #southern u.s. #u.s. gulf coast #national wwii museum #lee circle #french quarter #the cabildo #the presbytere #pontalba buildings #chalmette battlefield #malus-beauregard house #battle of new orleans #paddlewheel cruise #hurricane katrina #mardi gras #mississippi river

[imagine-all-the-people]

The St. Louis Cathedral is one of New Orleans' most notable landmarks. Few cities in the world are so identified by a building as is New Orleans. The city is instantly recognized by our cathedral and its position overlooking Jackson Square.

This venerable building, its triple steeples towering above its historic neighbors, the Cabildo and the Presbytere - looks down benignly on the green of the Square and General Andrew Jackson on his bronze horse and on the block-long Pontalba Buildings with their lacy ironwork galleries. Truly, this is the heart of old New Orleans.

#new orleans #st. Louis cathedral #French quarter #my photography #my life #travel #get vaccinated #my video

[sean-dunn]

Katya. Coronavirus 2020. (at Upper Pontalba Building) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIs3KPYBOcu/?igshid=1db5wjd03r5x3

[tculvahouse]

Approaching Jackson Square

Cities, being by-and-large large, rarely have well-defined fronts. Chicago has one, facing Lake Michigan. To my mind, the clearest front of Manhattan is the wall of buildings surrounding Central Park — an appropriately inward-facing front.

New Orleans, however, has a decided front, the Mississippi River face of Jackson Square, the former Place d’Armes, with St. Louis Cathedral flanked by the Cabildo and the Presbytere and the square itself embraced by the counterpoised arms of the Pontalba Apartments. It is a picture postcard front, not only because it appears ubiquitously on picture postcards, but also because, other than on postcards, one rarely encounters it head-on. The only conveyances that regularly arrive on Decatur Street at the front of the square are the mule-drawn carriages that offer languorous tours of the Vieux Carrè, the present-day French Quarter.

Pretty much everyone else approaches Jackson Square from Canal Street, where the St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street streetcars run, along with many of the city’s bus lines; and along and beyond which are most of the city’s major hotels. From the streetcar stop, you walk downriver along Chartres (char’-turs) Street through the Quarter, arriving at the Square sidewise. Still, you have that postcard view in your mind as you sidle up to the Cathedral along the face of the Cabildo, even if it’s your first time there.

Urban experience is always made up of such combinations of memory, anticipation and immediate experience. The novelist, literary critic and keen observer of cities William H. Gass has written about what he calls “recursive” experience. He offers an example in the opening passage of Garden, Ashes, a novel by Danilo Kis: “Late in the morning on summer days, my mother would come into the room softly, carrying that tray of hers.” Gass suggests the recursive nature of reading in his approximation of this sentence as we might actually experience it as readers — which is to say, as it echoes its way through our consciousness:

Late in the morning, late in the morning on summer days, my mother, late in the morning on summer days, would come into the room softly, late in the morning on summer days, my mother would be carrying that tray of hers, late in the morning on summer days, when my mother would come into the room, softly, with that tray. (Habitations of the Word, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1985, p. 81)

Equally recursive is any “reading” of the city, with its doubling back of memory and recognition, of increments of expectation, provisional arrival, projection. Such is the case on Chartres Street, where the symmetry of the Cathedral façade, obliquely viewed and opening onto light, suggests the presence of the square before the square itself is seen, and lures the pedestrian with a foretaste of movement onto that axis. (In architecture, movement is implied by fixed forms — indeed, by the most fixed forms: axial, symmetrical forms. The more fixed the referent, the surer our sense of movement, actual or imagined.) The memory and anticipation of the front of the Cathedral accompany the walker in an interplay between the city seen and the city imagined.

_______________________________________________________________________

This post is an excerpt from “Black in Back: Mardi Gras and the racial geography of New Orleans,” published in Places, March 2011. “Black in Back” is one of four articles on New Orleans I have written for Places. You can find the others here.

#Architecture #new orleans #anticipation #memory #imagination #jackson square

[archatlas]

Dear Arch, would you recommend some buildings to visit in New Orleans or around? Thanks!

Here are a couple of recommendations of buildings to visit in New Orleans:

The French Quarter + Pontalba Buildings

The Orpheum Theater

Automotive Life Insurance Building

New Orleans Museum of Art and The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden

National WWII Museum

New Orleans Lakefront Airport

#Dear ARCHy #Architecture

[filereaderpdfkindle]

[READ PDF] EPUB New Orleans Icons Iron Lace PDF READ FREE

Download Or Read This Ebook at:

http://read.ebookcollection.space/?book=1455618551

Download/Read New Orleans Icons: Iron Lace Ebook

information book:

Author : Kit Wohl

Pages : 96

Language :

Release Date :2018-10-10

ISBN :1455618551

Publisher :Pelican

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A heritage crafted of elegance and strength.

The wrought and cast ironwork of New Orleans is lauded worldwide for its intricacy and timelessness. Generations of artisans have labored to create the unyielding filigrees that guard windows, doors, and, gardens. Now, award-winning author Kit Wohl eloquently marries her passions for art, photography, and metalwork in this stunning tour of Crescent City craftsmanship. Graced with photographs of the city's most famed works, histories of each piece and its location transport readers on a journey of elegance and beauty. From the famous cornstalk fence to the storied splendor of the Pontalba Buildings, these vignettes illuminate New Orleans's rich artistic legacy.

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download ebook PDF EPUB, book in english language, Download pdf kindle audiobook

#book #read #pdf #readfilepdf

[fleekpoint]

Stopping by the hotel to have one last drink before leaving NOLA 🍻🍾🍶🍸 . . . . . #ironworks#neworleans#nola#frenchquarter#bourbonstreet#travallers#nomad#homewardbound#streetsigns#me#lamppost#typography#design#fleurdelis#sightseeing#travelling#architect#building#decaturstreet#ironbalconies#vieuxcarre#labranche#wroughtiron#pontalba (at Hotel Monteleone) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce11Qv5OwGE/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#ironworks #neworleans #nola #frenchquarter #bourbonstreet #travallers #nomad #homewardbound #streetsigns #me #lamppost #typography #design #fleurdelis #sightseeing #travelling #architect #building #decaturstreet #ironbalconies #vieuxcarre #labranche #wroughtiron #pontalba

[speakeasyrecords]

UPDATES

UPDATES, APRIL 15, 2011

SPEAKEASY PRESENTS: FESTIVAL SERIES.. SOLD OUT!

We’re pleased to announce that our first ever Speakeasy Presents: Kristin Diable Private Concert & Reception in The Historic Pontalba Building was a great success.  Both nights were sold out and we shared the night with songs, cocktails, stories, laughter, moments and more with a great group of new friends and fans.  We’ve decided to host another series for this year’s Jazzfest, which Kristin & her band are performing on May 1st. Announcement on that next week. Save the dates: May 1st & 6th.

DUHON & DIABLE DUET @ DBA THIS SUNDAY APRIL 17TH

It’s the day of the lord! Come get your soul right with Andrew Duhon & Kristin Diable. Both artists will bring their bands to DBA for a night of their respective songs, some classics, and of course…. duets!

This is the last chance you’ll have to catch either band before their JazzFest appearances. Come on down. THE NEW ORLEANS SPEAKEASY SONGWRITERS REVUE We have a very special line-up this Monday, April 18th for the NO Speakeasy Songwriters Revue, held at Three Muses (536 Frenchmen St, New Orleans).  We’re pleased to be hosting two of New Orleans loveliest songwriters, and recent alums from the HBO television series Treme: Hurray for the Riff Raff and Miss Ingrid Lucia.  Kristin Diable will also host & join the line-up as a performer.  Show runs from 7-10pm and as always, there is no cover ($5 suggested tip jar contribution).

For more check out: http://www.NewOrleansSongwritersRevue.com.

[thebluegrasstraveler-blog]

  New Orleans, a city steeped in rich history and its vibrant celebration of life! This year for Christmas, instead of buying each other gifts, we decided that since travel is our passion, this was the city we wanted to visit. Two days after Christmas with bags packed, off we went. No journey is ever exactly how you think it will be but for us, plenty of pre-planning helped to insure that we would enjoy a wonderful time in New Orleans without breaking the bank! We have another big trip that we are planning for later this year that requires a lot more of our resources than usual and we didn’t want this trip to interfere with that in any way.

Travel lodging: As a military member there are quite a few travel options that are available to those in uniform if you know when and where to look. Every military base that has billeting in the Department of Defense offers lodging on a Space Available basis. Since this was not peak season for tourism (or so we thought, more on that later) we decided to take book at the Reserve Naval Air Station, New Orleans for accommodations. At $65 a night and only a 20 minute drive to anywhere in the city, this was by far an easy decision for us. The rooms where very large with Queen size beds, walk-in showers, refrigerator and WiFi. if you have animals with you, they are pet friendly as well. They have a full commissary, Base Exchange, fitness center etc. all of which makes for a very safe, secure and super nice place to stay. They also have an RV park right on base with full hook-ups! We had already winterized the RV so that really wasn’t an option for us on this trip. In comparison to nearly $400 a night downtown this was by far a bargain! If you are a military member, Active Duty, National Guard, Reserve or Retired, I highly recommend looking into this option for you and your family.

Inside the Crescent City:

Belle Chase:

Our journey began the night we arrived into town. Staying outside the downtown area is an advantage for travelers because you get out of the immediate tourist areas and into the local community. We ate our first meal at Salvo’s Seafood and it is definitely the place to go! Our waiter (his name escapes us) was super friendly and the food as you can see was off the chain!  All you can eat (Yup, I said it!) Blue Crab, Shrimp, Sausage, potatoes and corn in a seafood boil. A local eatery that was actually the culinary highlight of the whole trip.

Also located in Belle Chase is Town View Cafe. a local eatery/bakery that has been in business at the same location for over 50 years. Open 24 hours a day and serving breakfast at anytime day or night. Almost everyone who walked in knew each other (except us of course) and chatted up with warm welcomes and small talk with each other. The ladies behind the counter welcomed us with open arms and we felt immediately welcome! Awesome experience for sure!

The French Quarter:

The oldest part of New Orleans and the place where the party literally never ends! We thought we were booking during a slow time in New Orleans but I don’t think there is ever a slow time in this city. The Sugar Bowl was being played in the Superdome and Clemson and Alabama football fans descended upon the city by the thousands!

Every street is loaded with bars and restaurants every few feet combined with alcohol at any time, in any flavor 24/7.  We tried Absinthe for the first time and realized that you have to be very careful. At 110 proof it needs to be handled with kid gloves otherwise it’s gonna bite you hard!! There are no open container laws (except no glass) and this guarantees a good time by all. Drink while you walk and see all the sites! Street performers keep the entertainment alive and live music from nearly every open door add to the festive air and celebration. From street musicians, escape artists, fortune telling, and artists the city’s vibrant charm is sure to please everyone.

DCIM100GOPRO

DCIM100GOPRO

The next morning, we got up and decided that we wanted to go to the world famous Cafe Du Monde. Now for travelers, here is a big tip, DO NOT stand in line. We ended up first in a line waiting to be seated in the main area, Two nice young ladies came by and informed us that we just needed to step around the corner and go inside to a smaller area. We walked around the corner and ended up in another line for carry-out (our mistake). Finally after a few minutes, Tiffanie walked into the Cafe Du Monde and immediately called me to meet her in a smaller room away from the main room, she had a seat! Did we cut line? Nope, just walked past unnecessary lines that people themselves created. It is strictly a first come, first serve area! The Cafe Du Monde serves one food and one food only. Beignets which are small, deep fried square donuts covered in confectionery sugar. Enjoyed with a dark roast coffee and chicory blend mixed with hot milk that make up the their Cafe Au Lait you quickly realize why the place is as famous and as busy as it is.

Jackson Square is a local landmark surrounded by some of the most historic buildings in the country. Buildings such as the Pontalba Apartments. The oldest apartments in the United States and St Louis Cathedral, where Pope John Paul II worshiped during his visit. On a whim, we stepped inside an old building that sold tickets for the haunted tours. The first floor was modern and very nice and inside a very nice lady let us explore the other three floors of this old home. She advised that the owners were fixing the upper floors up to Air BnB the rooms but we were more than welcome to look around. During our self-guided tour we discovered that it was rundown, in disrepair and absolutely beautiful.

Birthplace of Jazz and so much more:

New Orleans is known for its artistry and culture. We took a haunted tour at night narrated by a enthusiastic young actress known to us only as “Lucy”. who expertly wove history with myth, the paranormal and superstitions and made it a good learning experience into the cities past.  Local artists paint, draw and display their work on the square’s iron fence. Here is where we found a talented young man playing his trade performing a Houdini straight-Jacket escape for the people.

We have a sweet spot in our hearts for street performers and artists. As a young man on occasion I too played guitar along with friends on the streets of Bardstown and Lexington looking for tourists and passer-byes to throw a bit of spare money our way. These folks are living their art form and many are very, very good at it.

  Outside the Quarter:

On Frenchman Street is where to true party is. Open air markets, Jazz, blues and funk music pours from every bar and restaurant. Take note though, very few are free. Most require a substantial cover or tickets to get in and all have at least minimum one drink requirements. We had dinner at the Snug Harbor and where treated to the live sounds of legendary Jazz pianist Ellis Marsalus Jr. playing in the next room. If your like us and travel on a budget though, if you really want to hear and see great art in all it’s forms, Just walk! You can find the best shows as you just walk along and see amazing contortionists, skilled poets and talented musicians that rival the greats as well as visual art that could be displayed in any fine art gallery in the world and its all free!

The absolute highlight of the evening was the performance on the street corner of the Young Fellaz Brass Band! A talented group of young men performing their unique style of music that covers many genres, including traditional jazz, hip-hop, R&B, rock and pop tunes . All in an old style Dixieland jazz brass band!! they tore the music up and had everyone dancing in the streets!

  National WWII Museum:

Next up, the National World War II Museum. Here they have done an awesome job of telling the story of a nation that came together during one of the darkest times in history. There we met 92 year old WWII veteran, Reid Sonnleitner who served on a tug during the war. The fact that the few men and women still with us of the Greatest Generation are there and willing to volunteer to tell their story is so awesome. Small children can meet people of a generation that literally saved mankind.  In just a few short years those first hand accounts of the the most devastating war in human history will be lost to time and the world will will never be the same. Because of them we enjoy the freedoms and liberties granted to us as Americans and as a nation, we are forever in their debt.

      During one of our short lulls in the action while sitting in our room, we turned on the TV and began watching the news. After a few minutes we realized that all with all the  negativity that you hear in this world about how divided we are and yet no matter where we have traveled across this nation from the subways in New York City to Venice beach, to the Gulf of Mexico and the deserts of the American West and everywhere we go everyone is always friendly and accommodating and New Orleans was no different.   We shook hands, asked for pics and delved into complete strangers personal pasts to learn more about the great people that make up this amazing world.  We can’t wait until the next adventure to see who we will meet next. 

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You can find much of what we saw and discovered at the websites below.

http://www.salvosseafood.com/

http://www.dodlodging.net/

https://www.hauntedhistorytours.com/

http://www.snugjazz.com

Happy Travels!!

Craig and Tiffanie

The Bluegrass Traveler

The Big Easy New Orleans, a city steeped in rich history and its vibrant celebration of life! This year for Christmas, instead of buying each other gifts, we decided that since travel is our passion, this was the city we wanted to visit.

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