Post Katrina Tour
I’ve been curious about how well the French Quarter has been doing since Katrina and I finally decided it was time to go see for myself. I headed out with my camera about 10am this morning and decided to stroll around for a few hours, take some pics, and maybe have a bite to eat. Click all the images for a larger version!
Above: I had heard the Cafe Du Monde was reopened and were serving 24 hrs a day again. No way could I go down to the quarter without stopping in for a snack!
Above: Ahhh, cafe au lait and beignets! Damn this shit is good! Don’t inhale when you try to get a steaming hot bite of one of those powdered sugar coated confections! It goes right into your nose and lungs and you can often see the unprepared patrons gagging and choking when they try to take a bite! hahaha
Above: This area in front of Jackson Square is usually crammed with artists hawking all kinds of works, prints, paintings and crafts. Totally deserted today. I wonder how it is on a weekend? Hmmm.
Above: I just had to get a picture of this interesting sign, you would think it might be a bar or music venue but it was actually just another crappy souvenir shop.
Above: I wanted to eat lunch here but they were closed in spite of the sign saying they were open. Central Grocery is supposedly the inventors of the original muffelata sandwich, man those are so good!
Above: This statue of Joan of Arc just cracked me up, the plaque on the base says it was a “gift” from France! This fucking thing was so goddamned gaudy looking I thought it was some kind of tribute to a dead gay frenchman or someshit. No doubt they either thought it was too ugly to display in their own country or they regifted it from Germany to us! And, I was surprised it had such a teeny, tiny little cock for a stallion!
Above: This photo is for Cootera, her favorite N.O. watering hole when she comes to town. The Chart Room was open! Yay! Of course, I just had to stop in for a little refreshment! The place was still in it’s horribly dilapidated condition that gives it all it’s cool and relaxing atmosphere, the cheap drinks are a big plus too! The only real damage I noticed was all the cloth awnings outside were missing.
Above: This photo is for Laurie, this is her favorite hotspot and karaoke bar when she comes to N.O. I’m sorry, but the Cats Meow hasn’t reopened and there was no indication on the outside as to when it might. It didn’t really look damaged except for the neon sign missing.
Above: This photo is for Jeanette who is so fond of talking about passing gas, I just happened to notice the book in a shop window and snapped a shot of it!
Above: This shot shows some of the worst damage that I saw down there during my little walking tour, not too bad! I know there was shitloads of cleanup being done since Katrina and it showed. The streets were reasonably clean and garbage free for the most part.
Above: The No Longer Super Dome, it actually looked pretty good, they’ve been working feverishly to repair the roof and it looked all finished from what I could see. I understand the interior is in pretty sorry shape though and won’t be ready to reopen till next year some time. The last time I was inside this place was back in the freekin’ late 70’s! I went there to see the Stones and some totally unknown band at the time called Van Halen. That concert was the first time the dome had ever sold out in spite of the NFL having played there for like 5 seasons previous! Yeah, the Saints suck ass, always have always will! LOL
I also made a short video clip while I was there today, it’s not all that great and my camera is made for stills, not video and I certainly ain’t no Cecil B. De Speilberg or anything but it’s kinda cool if ya wanna check it out!
Or you can download it here.
Have fun!!
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KICK ASS!! The Chart Room survives!! Thanks for posting that, Sev. I love ya, ya big lug.
SWEET!! The Cafe du Monde is open!! I see our corner table!! Seems pretty quiet compared to when I was there. Thanks for posting these!!
That was actually really cool. I am dizzy now after watching it though.. woo oooh oooh.
THe cleanup is amazing!!!!!!
Call me crazy but I would still love to be a tourist:)
You feelin’ a little old yet?
Did I see Royal Cafe!?!?! Yum! I’m disappointed dog, no Preservation Hall and Pat O’s. You’re slackin’
Yay youi’re still around and blogging! Thanks for giving me the link to find you. I’ve always wanted to go there and have cafe au lait and beignets even though I can’t pronounce it. Great pictures!
The video was cool! I’m glad things aren’t too bad in that area. That passing gas book cracked me up - with my recent stay in the hospital, the docs and nurses were obsessed with it.
Glad you had a good day out.
*HUGS*
lookin good, considering what it was just a month or so ago.
The video is cool. Especially crossing the bridge with all the shadows. And oh, I looked where you told me not to on the golden stallion. shame on me
heh..story of farts.
Great pics! I have only eaten at Cafe Du Monde only once, and I was very drunk at the time. perhaps I need a revisit!
I really need to go down to New orleans and do some book research! Hah! What an excuse!
Yay New Orleans is coming back!!!! Thanks for sharing your pics Darlin.
And by the by, I think I inhaled powdered sugar a time or two myself at Cafe du Monde
I am sooo glad you posted that little flick. It does my heart good to see N.O. looking so good. And to see people on the streets. I’ve spent some great time there, and I had hoped it would come back to life. And so quickly! YEAH!!! Thanks for sharing!
It DID look like there was a food theme going on there. He He!
I really enjoyed these pics!! very cool…
and I don’t know what beignets are but they look DAMN GOOD!!
Thanks for the pics and the video. Glad to see NO coming back to life!
Lilly
Your wish is my command and here I am. Heh.
*giggles like a 5 year old* Heh heh. The story of farts, eh? Sounds like my kind of book, for sure.
What kind of chunk of time did your tour take out of your day? And that you thought of us while you were out? *hand over heart* Simply touching.
Ohhh, looky there! I can buy it on Amazon.com! AND read an excerpt. How fun! (Link)
love to see how things are coming along!
love to see you enjoying your city again!
Thank you for the pix Se7!! It’s good to see NO comin’ back
@ Jeanette…. did you read the reviews?
Questions:
Is there still water in the 9th Ward?
Are you able to live in your house?
Nice work,photog. You rock ‘n’ roll.
Nice pics. I was impressed by how everything looked. I thought the elephant ass was the front cover of a bush biography…
Great pics!!! I’ve never been to NO, so I enjoyed the mini-tour.
And I WANT that coffee and heavenly looking confection… mmmm!
I made a new banner for your site. Come by and see it when you get the chance. I’m not very sure about it.
Yay! Thanks for sharing those photos - it’s good to know that New Orleans is coming back.
Thanks for sharing this. I liked the pics, and loved the mini-movie. My boy went this weekend. He said it was different and it was the same, that driving the “wrong way” on the single span of I-10 was weird but that driving by Chalmette at night, with the sad expanse of total darkness was even weirder. He said that Claiborne looked like hell but that St. Charles looked great. He said the FQ was mostly the same (except for so many more hispanics and MPs), best as he could recollect (through the haze), and that the MPs looking the other way at the underage drinking at The Boot were kind of creepy. He said his apartment looked great and it felt great to be there. He can’t wait to go “home” in January.
It’s so good to see that New Orleans is cleaning up and coming back. Great pics & video.
“Regifted from Germany” LMAO!
Great clip. I have never been down to New Orleans but the history of it all must be fantastic. I hope not too much was damaged to take away from all of the history.
I’ve never been to N.Orleans so thank you for this visual treat.
WIsh i had time to download the video and watch it. Later, b/c I was on a roll and am in the middle of 2 (non-glacier 
) paintings.
(I finally got a gravatar last night, so I hope it shows up!) Love your dog pic at the top of these comments!
Shoot no gravatar. The site doesn’t say how long it takes to go into effect. I activited my account. I made the graphic sq and the right size…. sigh….
Thanks for the pic of the Cat’s Meow. The pictures are wonderful but it sure makes me sad to see Cat’s boarded up like that. I’m going to link to this post so everyone over at my blog can see what’s going on over there.
Hi Sev, thanks for th tour around some of the French Quarter and the interesting comments
Found your blog at Laurie’s.
Thanks for posting this!
Sophmom–so glad you posted your comment–I haven’t thought about the Boot in years!
Glad to see the city coming back to life!