I have an enormous amount of work to do, but all I want to do is post these pictures I found of JazzFest from 1980.
Experience Frenchman Street Jazz
“With a dozen world-class shows a night, the 600 block of Frenchmen Street is the song and soul of New Orleans, a city that has lived the blues and gave birth to jazz. Listen in and meet washboard player Chaz Leary.”
Southern Living did a travel section on “South Central” Southern USA, which I guess includes New Orleans, and they spent some time talking with Washboard Chaz. It’s a cute little interview with a staple of Frenchmen Street and one of the nicest people ever. Although, Southern Living apparently cannot spell Frenchmen which is sad because it may be one of the easiest streets to spell in New Orleans. So they just spell it both ways. Meanwhile I get confused.
A French Quarter wedding second-line (by Taylor Davidson)
I’ve been to a number of weddings where I have taken, essentially, this exact same picture. At first, as a photographer, I wish that the crowd would slow down a little, that the lighting was a little better, that you could see the faces, the outfits, the people and the very lovely umbrellas. But then I back up and realize that it wouldn’t capture anything and what the hell am I doing standing on the sidelines? Let’s dance!
The Onion Sports News Articles Always Make Me Laugh
“Things are going very well for me here, and every day I am thankful I chose to come to New Orleans,” Brees said in response to a question posed by Times-Picayune reporter Mike Triplett about the Saints’ current popularity. “Seems like I could probably just walk up to someone, knife him in the gut or shoot him point-blank in the face, and then walk away without anyone doing anything.”
——
When informed of Brees’ comments, some New Orleans residents seemed to find the quarterback’s words troubling.
“I don’t understand—Drew wants to kill someone?” said newsstand owner and Saints fan Bobby Kearny, 53. “Who is it? Because I’ll take care of that for him so he doesn’t have to lift a finger, no questions asked.”
Source — Drew Brees Casually Wonders Aloud If He Really Could Get Away With Murder In This Town
BE FOREWARNED
The first Saints game of the season is about to start and I MIGHT get emotional. The following things might be brought up
-I HATE BRETT FAVRE, let’s pretend he wasn’t a whiny bitch that all the refs think should be able to play without being tackled, but he also peed on my uncle in law’s car. So it’s personal. -I want to cuddle Brees, Bush, Vilma, Porter, Shockey et al -I miss Fujita. He is both attractive and has personal convictions. And the tv coverage will probably include his Gulf Coast ads -I still get upset about Weezy cheering for the Vikings last season. I might be able to drop this grudge if the Saints win by a 20 pt margin. might If the game ends in that way that would make tomorrow suck, then the grudge will only get stronger -LSU away games make my thirst for football greater
Basin Street Blues - Preservation Hall Jazz Band with Merle Haggard
A perfect song for the lazy end of the summer, which shouldn’t end here until about November 1st.
Lovin’ it.
I put this book aside after receiving it as a present, because I have a very difficult time reading Katrina related works. HOWEVER, I bit the bullet and started reading this book and was able to finish it in a day. It was a reminder about how everything can go horribly and disgustingly wrong, but also that the toughest situations give the brightest souls a chance to shine.
(via defendneworleans)
Okay Nature— I’m ready for summer. It’s crawfish season, Abita has put out their Strawberry Ale and I’m tired of sweaters. Get on it.
(via lapoor)
Bobby Hebert doing the stanky leg.
Miami has no idea what is coming.
Video of British people saying Who Dat
Have you ever wanted to see The London Times try to channel their inner New Orleanian? Maybe you never thought about it before, but now that the option is there you would like to explore that idea. The idea of watching people who pronounce the “h” in herb try and say a phrase coined by people who use only 60% of the letters in any given word.
It is soooooo worth it.
(But seriously Times Online, thanks for the support. Except for Murad Ahmed, you kind of seem like a cock gobbler.)
See You Later Alligator- Bobby Charles
RIP to a real music legend
33 Simple Things You Can Do to Defend New Orleans (cheap and fast)
33 Simple Things You Can Do to Defend New Orleans
(A Facebook note by) Ray Cannata - 1/15/09
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=284935626557
1. BUY LOCAL!: Don’t order online. Don’t fight traffic to the burbs. Take a minute to think about places in Orleans Parish that sell what you are looking for. And tell the store owner that you are buying local and are glad they are there. 2. RECRUIT TOURISTS: Invite somebody from out of town to come visit. If nobody has spent the night at your place in the last 3 months you are being inhospitable. Think of four people to invite. One or two will come. They will spend money while they are here. And some may love it so much they will move here! 3. RECRUIT RESIDENTS: Make a written list of 5 friends who you think might thrive in New Orleans, and start thinking about ways to sell the city to them. 4. WRITE WASHINGTON: Write an email to SOMEBODY in Washington about the need for more levee funding. The new administration increased the federal budget almost 50% in one year (biggest increase in American history) and not ONE EXTRA dime for flood protection that wasn’t already in the old budget. What happened to the great talk about ‘making it right?’ NOLA voted overwhelmingly for the president. Don’t let him and Congress take our votes for granted. 5. POST POSITIVELY: Go on Nola.com and post something positive about New Orleans as a ‘comment’ for a news story. Help morale and set a vision for the city. Emphasize how much the city needs people who care, and give readers a mission. Also emphasize how hard many are working to see the city recover and ways that things are moving forward better than ever. Do as many of these as you can in 15 minutes today. 6. FACEBOOK: Post the same sort of thing on your Facebook status or Facebook notes. Join 3 more positive NOLA-oriented FB groups. 7. POST FOOD REVIEWS: Give positive votes or reviews of your favorite Orleans Parish restaurants on UrbanSpoon.com or Yelp. This helps tourists want to visit. (Especially places besides just the Quarter). 8. REMOVE LEAVES: Take two minutes to clean the leaves and junk out of the storm drain on the street in front of your house. Put the leaves in the trash (don’t push them down the drain!) This helps control flash flooding. 9. NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOC: Join yours. 10. PLANT something attractive and native to the region in front of your house. Beautifies the city, improves air quality, absorbs excess water, and cools the air. Buy the plants locally (American Aquatics on Esplanade in Marigny; Garden Trellis on Maple in Carrollton; Green Parrot off Tchoup in Uptown, etc.) 11. CHURCH: Go to church in your neighborhood this Sunday 12. JOIN: Become a member of a group doing good in our city, or promoting the arts or entertainment: the Preservation Resource Center, WWII Museum, Ogden Museum, ASPCA, WYES, Audubon Society (zoo, insectarium, and aquarium), Friends of the Library, etc. Join 2 or 3 groups (usually just $25-75 a year). 13. COLLEGES? Know somebody with a high school age kid looking at colleges? Suggest Tulane or Loyola or UNO. Offer to have parent and kid stay with you if they’ll come look. And arrange for them to get coffee with a current student you know. 14. RAIN BARREL CISTERN: get one from EcoUrban in Midcity and use it to water your outdoors plants. Empty it the day before a big storm is coming. Helps prevent flash flooding, and watering plants from it cuts down on how much water is being used from the reservoirs and is much better for the plants. 15. HORNETS: Go buy a jersey or game ticket. The Saints are getting all the attention lately and the Hornets need our support to stay in NOLA. If you don’t care about the NBA, do the same for the BIG EASY ROLLER GIRLS instead. 16. PRAY: for New Orleans right now. 17. PICK UP LITTER: Walk just ONE lap around your block, bagging any litter you find. Takes under 10 minutes to go 1 block x 1 block x 1 x 1. OR the lot on your block been vacant since Katrina? Take just 10 minutes and a trash bag or two and go pick up the junk that’s been accumulating on the lot. 18. WALK: Walk somewhere today instead of driving. Reduces traffic, parking problems, crime, and summer heat. Increases social capitol, NOLA’s greatest asset. 19. BIKE: Buy a bike (great place on Carrollton) and use it often instead of your car 20. SCOOTER: Go test drive one at Uptown Scooter on 3900-block of Magazine. They are not pushy, very funky, and very honest. Sell Buddys or Aprillias for $1500-$4000 that get 80 MPG and can go 55 MPH. If more people had these instead of cars our city would have less congestion, less noise, more parking, less engine heat, less air pollution. Think about getting rid of a car too! 21. STREET LIGHT: Call 3-1-1 and report that street light that’s out near your house. 22. LEVEE.ORG: Get on the email list for Levee.org 23. TATTOO: Get a NOLA-themed tattoo (by a LOCAL tattoo artist, of course). Permanent ad for our city! 24. GARDEN: Plant a small garden or fruit tree in your back yard. EcoUrban in Midcity can help (be patient, they are slow and absent minded. But cheap and good people). Buy local from them (or Garden Trellis in Carrollton, Green Parrot in Uptown etc.) 25. STREET SIGN: Street sign been missing from your corner for years? Make a funky colorful one yourself with nice big letters and hang it. Or get French pop artist Simon (studio near corner of Magazine and Jackson) to make one for just a few bucks, and hang it up high. 26. PRUNE: the bushes or low tree branches that may be blocking the sidewalks next to your place. 27. PICS: Those photos you have that showcase the uniqueness, beauty, funkiness or needs of New Orleans — post them on Facebook, Flickr or some other place that will be seen by others outside our city. 28. AMAZON: Write a quick reviews on Amazon.com of 2 or 3 of your favorite NOLA themed books — Chris Rose, 1 Dead in the Attic; Confederacy of Dunes; Letters from New Orleans; Walker Percy novel, etc. 29. LIGHT BULBS: Outdoors, change the dead bulbs, up the brightness, and leave them on at night. Encourages walking at night and reduces crime. 30. REGISTER TO VOTE. Right now, take 5 minutes to mark the dates and places of all elections in your iPhone, calendar, etc. 31. FLAG: Buy a NOLA-themed flag at the flag shop on Jackson and Magazine, or some locally owned store 32. MUSIC: Support one of NOLA’s most unique cultural features, something most other cities don’t have — its signature music. Go to Louisiana Music Factory on Decatur in the Quarter and buy some NOLA music CDs. Go to Tips, Maple Leaf, or one of the places on Frenchmen this week and put something in the tip jar. 33. BOOK: Make the next book you read one on New Orleans history. Try Bienville’s Dilemma by Campanella, or It Happened in New Orleans. Browse the local interest section of Maple Street or Octavia or Garden District Books.
Treme the new HBO show by David Simon
