Translate

Monday, August 27, 2012

back from New Orleans...




Cafe Aulait and Beignets in French Quarter


Sorry I haven't posted (or commented on your post) in about a week.  Just returned from a week in New Orleans visiting relatives and 'old haunts'.  It was wonderful.  I got my cafe aulait and beignet 'fix', as well as a great soft shell crab po-boy, red beans and rice, and a wonderful pecan praline style catfish plate!

Friends and family took us down to the 9th ward (3rd time since Katrina) where we got to see what was being done.  There is still a lot of empty lots as well as boarded up houses that were abandoned, but there is a lot of new construction also.  We saw where Brad Pit is building houses (strange looking housing - but housing!), and  saw the Music Village where they are building homes for musicians encouraging them to move back to N.O (these I liked and are in keeping with the style of the area).


They also took us to the Lakefront and Lakeview area where my family's house used to be.  That house (that my dad built) is gone and still remains an empty lot.  But the area has been cleaned up and new houses are everywhere.


One of the levees that broke is within walking distance of my cousin's house in Lakeview.  Her house needed to be demolished and everything was lost.  It took her these last 7 years to get her house rebuilt and built to the 'new standards'.  The living area is all on the 2nd floor... so if 10 feet of water come in again, it should be safe...?  (With Isaac threatening any day, we may test this theory)



 This is my old high school (St. Mary's Dominican)  on St. Charles Ave. which used to be in combination with Dominican College, but is now owned by Loyola University.  St. Charles Ave. was not hit too badly with Katrina and things looked pretty much the same along the old street car lines. This area is beautiful and the trees lining the streets remain.

All in all, New Orleans looks good.  It's been cleaned up since Katrina and in my opinion, is 'on its way back'  (if Isaac doesn't cause havoc).  At one time I was not inclined to believe this could happen (the devastation was so vast).

Another favorite place of mine is City Park.  I love City Park. It is a huge park with huge old oak trees and lagoons, ducks, etc.  - and it had fallen into somewhat negligence and disrepair before Katrina.  I didn't see it immediately after, but was told that it was a mess.  We visited this past week and it had been cleaned up and fixed up and it was just beautiful



I guess this is my post for today.  Please pray that Isaac doesn't cause too much trouble.  As strong as it is, this city and its people don't need another set-back.  I know they are 'prepared'... as much as you can be... and I know (from personal hear-say) that many will not leave.

Now I'm going to spend the rest of my morning reading 'your posts' (the ones I missed while gone).  It will keep me from worrying about family at home. 

Thanks for reading.

14 comments:

  1. My best memory of a long ago visit to New Orleans is Spanish moss growing in live oaks. Like living in fairy land. Praying for the best outcome.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It doesn't sound like Hurricane Isaac is going to be very big... maybe a 1 or a 2 (if that)? And you have to remember that it really wasn't the hurricane that caused the problem with Katrina, but the old levees. These levees as well as the pumps have been repaired and replaced and 'should be' strong enough now to withstand this. Not that flooding in some areas won't always be a problem since its below sea level, but if the levees and the pumps work, it should be OK.

      Delete
  2. Hi Rian! We missed you in cyberspace...but those photos from your visit are lovely. It looks like you had such a nice time. That cafe au lait is making me crave one...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You know, I have come to love Texas, but I do miss New Orleans (family, food, and ambiance).

      Delete
  3. What a wonderful visit! Your first pic is making me SO hungry. :-)

    I've never been to New Orleans, haven't had the opportunity to travel much or far at all. I'm glad that reconstruction is going well--all I really recall is the horrible news coverage after Katrina.

    Yes, fingers crossed (and the boys will cross their paws) that Isaac is a miss or at least is downgraded and doesn't cause any real damage.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you. We have fingers and paws crossed here also.

      Delete
  4. I bet you miss the old haunts, friends, neighborhoods, probably for the rest of your life. What Katrina did was so horrendous that will be etched in everyone's consciousness for generations.
    Glad to know Cafe du Monde is still around, that beignets are still being served, and musicians can still return to old NO.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cafe du Monde and Morning Call are both still around and doing well. And the Musicians are coming back. Unfortunately musicians don't make a lot of money and building that Musicians village in the 9th Ward - I think was a stroke of genius...

      Delete
  5. We are keeping the city and its folks in our thoughts as we watch the hurricane news.

    ReplyDelete
  6. That first photo made me hungry. Iv'e never had a crab po-boy.
    I hope the storm passes by with as little damage as possible.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We love po-boys; oyster, fried catfish, shrimp, or soft-shell crab. I can get catfish po-boys here in Texas, but I feel more comfortable eating crab in New Orleans. Seafood is great, but I was brought up to believe that you should always eat it fresh.

      Delete
  7. Thanks for this post. I think a visit to New Orleans requires elastic pants because I'd be constantly eating! It's great to hear the positive notes that the city is looking rebuilt again. I so want to get to New Orleans....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are right about elastic or stretchy pants because the food in New Orleans is great.

      Delete

Thanks for reading and commenting! It makes my day...