Roosevelt Christmas traditions
By · CommentsThe Roosevelt Hotel in the CBD was one of too many oldline establishments that had lost its luster, closing entirely in 2005. But after the Waldorf-Astoria gave it a $145 million makeover she reopened to great fanfare a few months ago, bringing back many of the old traditions like extravagant holiday decorations:
The hotel is still best known for its connection to Huey “Kingfish” Long who kept rooms on the 12th floor for the many nights he was in town, coming so often that he had Airline Highway built so he could make the 80 mile trip from Baton Rouge to New Orleans in an hour. For ten years he traveled back and forth, making sure there was a Ramos Gin Fizz waiting at the end for him as he met with the power brokers in town.
Seymour Weiss, the Kingfish’s friend and confidante, started out working in the barber shop, where he could pick up information from the city’s rich and powerful and pass it along; but with Long’s protection the lowly barber rose through the ranks, becoming the principle owner of the hotel in only 8 years. Despite his humble beginnings and dubious contacts Weiss was a great success as owner, even if he did have to serve 16 months in the Federal pen for tax evasion linked to his dealings with Long.
Their Sazerac bar is gorgeous and famous in its own right- not to mentioned packed with locals and tourists alike:
The whole place was packed, actually, not just the bar, with people soaking up the atmosphere, and the employees were as kind and gracious as can be. I’m looking forward to heading back after the craziness of the holidays has passed and having another go at the place.
An Oak Alley Christmas
By · CommentsIt’s been several years since we’ve gone, so this was the year. Everybody was staying home instead of travelling for the holidays, and we’ve decided to go in for a bunch of local traditions, like bonfires on the levee.
To stay true to the tradition, we would have had to do it on Christmas Eve, but Oak Alley Plantation’s fundraiser and whoop-de-doo is a few weeks before, full of music, amazing food, and the opportunity to walk the grounds without tons of tour groups all over the place.
It was damn cold that night, but we were glad to be able to have it at all after heavy rains the day before. Unfortunately, the pyre got dampened and took awhile to really get going, but it was lovely. Carols and music around the fire with Hot Cocoa to look forward to afterward. What could be more festive?
Cajun Night Before Christmas
By · CommentsLast night we went to NOMA and decided to make a stop over to see the lights at Celebration in the Oaks.
Every year I watch this little light show several times in a row, I’m powerless not to:
Favorite verse? Where he calls out the gator’s names:
Mo’ fas’er an’ fas’er de’ gator dey came
He whistle an’ holler an’ call dem by name:
“Ha, Gaston! Ha, Tiboy! Ha, Pierre an’ Alcee’!
Gee, Ninette! Gee, Suzette! Celeste an’Renee’!
Kids tap dancing in the French Quarter in 1976
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Another eBay slide, which I love. Taken in 1976, it’s something that still happens today; kids (particularly poor black kids) attach metallic caps to the bottoms of their shoes and tap dance on the cobblestones.
Here the local kids seem to be teaching the tourists to dance along with them in front of St. Louis Cathedral.
All Saints Day Second Line
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After a day of visiting various cemeteries to see what everyone was doing on this post Halloween holiday, I went to the Backstreet Museum’s 10th anniversary Second Line. More photos to follow, but this one was coming into the home stretch, turning off Rampart and back toward the Museum.
Even Pratchett’s got “Who Dat” fever
By · CommentsSorry, couldn’t resist.
Pratchett stole a Saints clapper and went to town on it pre-game on Sunday. I can’t say he gives a damn about football, but he’s a big fan of anything that makes noise. After the Herculean task of hauling the thing up to his veranda, he got pissy. He thought it worked like a bell and when he couldn’t get it to work he decided to break it instead.
Still. How ’bout dem 6-0 Saints!?
They’re well known for breaking our hearts, but the feeling around here is optimistic. Half the city’s hoarse from screaming on Sunday, and it’s only going to get more intense.
Preservation Hall Hot 4: St. James Infirmary
By · CommentsThis is pretty amazing- I haven’t stopped to count how many references there are for things past and present around town, but it’s well worth a look n’ listen.
Also, a good reminder that it’s been too long since I’ve been to Preservation Hall…
HT to Michelle for passing it on.
Pete Fountain’s Club, circa 1972
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Pete Fountain is a local legend- a popular clarinetist who moved onto the national stage with the Lawrence Welk show. Known for his warmth and humor as much as for his ‘fat’ style of playing, his reputation continued to build and after he returned home, leading up to his opening this club on Bourbon, only blocks from his friend Al Hirt’s club.
Pete eventually moved his club into the Hilton where it stayed until he semi-retired to Bay St. Louis, MS in 2003, with the intention of playing two nights a week in a local casino, but Hurricane Katrina washed away his home and most of memorabilia collected over the course of his career.
Despite the pain of rebuilding, a mild stroke and a heart attack, Pete is back to preforming at the Hollywood Casino now, and going strong.
Penultimate Dawn on Jackson Avenue Ferry
By · CommentsThe powers that be have decided that the Jackson Avenue Ferry isn’t busy enough to merit staying open, and who am I to argue? After all, it took its closing to make actually get us on it.
Well, not even ‘us.’ Some of us (ah hem) were happily still abed while other, more boatcentric of us were up with the dawn to capture the end of the line (despite having to get directly on a plane afterward- otherwise I’m sure he’d have been there for the very last day).
The ferry itself will still run to the Gretna suburb, now from the Canal Street terminal on the edge of the French Quarter where it should get more use. Or so they hope- it was still early when Charlie went, but there were only 3 pedestrians and a very few cars making the trek. From a transportational point of view, it doesn’t seem like it’s much of a loss.
But I hadn’t been inside the Jackson Ave terminal building- it squats on the corner of Tchoupitoulas, where there’s no parking and even less security in an iffy area. All of which, I’m sure, contributed to the lack of passengers, but much thought went into the terminal- inside it’s light and airy, with escalators that I’m sure haven’t worked in years, but somehow that they were included at all seems like someone was just so… uncharacteristically hopeful.
It’s even kind of attactive from the river view.
Obviously, somebody cared about this building and, like so many others, it’ll likely just be torn down now.
