Throughout the city, churches, homes and bars erect the traditionally 3-tiered altars and festoon them with red fabric, religious icons and flowers. To say that the altar offers a cornucopia of food is to understate both the quantity of food and the beauty of the display. We went first to the altar in the courtyard behind the gorgeous and iconic St. Louis Cathedral erected in 1727.

Kind women kept encouraging us to take more cookies. I liked the breads baked into hearts and crucifixes and the cake adorned with the image of trumpeter, Louis Prima. Music and food are definitely a religion here that crosses the boundaries of denomination, age, race and all that jazz. A Louis Prima cake on the St. Joseph’s altar behind the Cathedral is about as New Orleans as it gets and the baffled tourists who wandered in seemed delighted to have stumbled onto the feast.

But, we ate light as crawfish season has begun and though the early catch is notoriously small and pricey, we filled big salad bowls with crawfish and giant shrimp then ate ourselves silly.

Next, we walked to the Marigny to join the One Year Anniversary Party/St. Joseph’s Feast at the Lost Love Lounge. Kudos to the people who obviously put hours of work into constructing the altar as well as those who labored to make the beautiful meal. It was like a work of art. I felt like I should whisper in its presence.

It was so tempting to stay and join the meal being served at 7pm, but I’d never been to the Italian-American Marching Club Parade, so we made our way back to Bourbon Street. It’s rare for parades to work their way down Bourbon and I can say now that it’s not the greatest route. Though I loved the Chris Owens Easter Parade that rolls Bourbon and plan to attend it again this year, the Italian parade with its many, many stops at local generous bars fell to pieces by the time it made its way to our section of Bourbon.

Things started auspiciously enough with Ms. Jones, our second-line umbrella-pumping event regular, making her way down the street followed by the NOPD clearing the street with assistance from a tight nightclub-dressed neighbor. This city is full of symbiotic relationships and strange bedfellows. The NOPD figured out years ago that this “woman” commanded respect while entertaining the masses where Bourbon Street meets St. Ann’s at what locals call the “Velvet Line,” what others would call, “Boys Town.”

I only wish she would have stuck around because shortly after she and the Farhad Grotto Bug Patrol rounded the corner, things became slow and confused. Every 20 minutes or so, another float would roll by, mostly filled with white-dressed little girls smiling and waving, at breakneck speed. Talk about hurry up and wait. At some point, people had no idea there was a parade happening at all and blocked the streets again, not even moving as dance troupes or floats came at them.

That said, the dancers were plentiful and pretty, including Dance Connection, Gold Dusters, Renee Borne, Operation Dance, Pure Envy, Diamond Girls, Southern VooDoo Dolls, Dance Innovation and the fun and bawdy marching club, Muff A Lottas. And, for a girl who’d never seen one St. Joseph’s Altar, the parade brought me my third in one day – a huge display of mostly fresh produce in the shape of a cross, prepared by Rouses.

Lessons learned? Next year, we’ll either catch the Italian parade earlier, as we heard that it was a heck of a parade before all the distractions of Bourbon Street, or we’ll stay and fill our bellies at Lost Love Lounge. If those cookies from the Cathedral were any indication, the food is rustic and subtle and tasty as heck.

I continue to accumulate favorite things about New Orleans, but here’s my first year favorites in a nutshell.

Sno-Ball – SnoWizard

Try wedding cake (or nectar) with sweetened condensed milk

http://www.snowizard.com/

Gelato – La Divina

Must have flavor – Chocolate Azteca

http://www.ladivinagelateria.com/

Popsicle - Meltdown Gourmet Popsicles

Must have flavor – salted caramel

http://www.facebook.com/meltdown.llc

Pralines – Southern Candymakers

Because I’ve tried them all

http://www.southerncandymakers.com/about_us

Brownies – The Grocery, Inc.

Because The Farm of Beverly Hills is 1800 miles away now

http://thegroceryneworleans.com/

Beignets - Cafe du Monde

Because no matter how good you remember them being, they always taste better

http://www.cafedumonde.com/

Breakfast – Camellia Grill

Must have item – grits

http://www.camelliagrill.net/home.htm

Salad – Muriel’s

Must try dish – Shrimp and Jumbo Lump Crab Salad. Sauteed shrimp and crab with super fresh asparagus, mixed greens and lime-mango vinaigrette

http://www.muriels.com/

Appetizers – Louisiana Pizza Kitchen

Must try apps: Shrimp Maque Choux (grilled shrimp with corn and garlic cream sauce) and Grilled Italian Artichokes (marinated and char-grilled, not as good as in Rome but mighty tasty)

http://www.louisianapizzakitchen.com/

Tapas - Three Muses

Must have dish - braised pork belly with apple chutney and scallion pancakes

http://www.thethreemuses.com/

Pasta – Coop’s Place

Must have dish – pasta rosa

http://www.coopsplace.net/

Uptown Lunch – Gott Gourmet

Try the Shrimp BLT Wrap, a tortilla stuffed with Tabasco butter sautéed jumbo shrimp, fresh mozzarella, apple smoked bacon, roasted peppers and tomatoes, avocado, with chipotle cream cheese

http://www.gottgourmetcafe.com/

Dinner Experience – Upperline

Because proprietor Miss JoAnn has lived a storied life and the evidence is all over the walls of her charming gallery/restaurant.

http://www.upperline.com/

Brass Band – Rebirth Brass Band

About which I’ve blogged plenty

http://www.rebirthbrassband.com/

Musical Auteur – Anders Osborne

Because he came, he saw, he wrote and sang and because his concerts are always an experience

http://www.andersosborne.com/

Musical Wonder Woman – Irma Thomas

If you have to ask…

http://www.irmathomas.com/

Youth Band – Roots of Music

Because they provide training, tutoring, meals and rides for 125 kids throughout the city and the music is amazing

http://www.therootsofmusic.com/

Smell – (tie) Sweet Olive, seafood boil

Sweet olive because it smells vaguely of honied ripe apricots or peaches and perfumes the Garden District and seafood boil because it smells like home and means great food is near

Venue – Lafayette Square

Because it hosts the Wednesday in the Square and Harvest the Music concert series. Great times benefitting great causes

http://www.wednesdayatthesquare.com/

http://harvestthemusic.org/

Festival – French Quarter Fest

Because it was giant and intimate at the same time and all about local

http://www.fqfi.org/frenchquarterfest/

TV Show – Treme

Because it’s great and the locals play themselves

http://www.hbo.com/treme/index.html

Sports Team – The Saints

Because they teach us that anything is possible

http://www.neworleanssaints.com/

Parade – Saints Victory Parade

You had to be there

http://latonola.wordpress.com/2010/02/10/lombardi-gras-aka-when-the-saints-come-marching-in/

Charity - tie - Second Harvest

Because every dollar feeds a local family of four and the need is so increased after the oil spill

http://no-hunger.org/

Raintree Children and Family Services

Serving special needs children as well as foster child and adoption services. Because they also run Raintree House, a group home for teenage girls with no family or foster family.

http://www.raintreeservices.org/

Tranquil Spot – The Singing Oak

“The Singing Oak” created by Jim Hart, a live oak in City Park covered in giant wind chimes. I call it the bing bong tree.

http://latonola.wordpress.com/2010/07/04/ending-with-style/

Beer Spot – Lost Love Lounge

Because the people are great and you never know who you may meet there and because they host scotch tastings and game days with free food

http://lostlovelounge.com/

Radio Station – WWOZ

Because they play all the music I’ve heard live and teach me to long for more

http://www.wwoz.org/

Newspaper – NOLA Defender

Because I’m biased

http://noladefender.com/

Local Character (present) DancingMan504

Because he dances rain or shine, keeps second line alive and teaches it to children through Heal to Toe

http://dancingman504.com/

Local Character (RIP) Albert Joseph Jackson

Because he was a blessing to all he met

http://latonola.wordpress.com/2010/08/05/r-i-p-albert-joseph-jackson-the-moses-of-magazine-street/

Moment – Saints winning the Super Bowl

Because it proved anything could happen and brought everyone together

http://latonola.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/believe-dat/

Phrase – Who Dat!?!

Because “I Believe” is more poignant but “Who Dat” is much more fun to say!

http://latonola.wordpress.com/2010/01/25/who-dat/

Dance – “Getting Crunk”

Because we dance after every touchdown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CYDFoEz8rg

Awesome Cultural Thing – Mardi Gras Indians

Because they’re beyond beautiful and embody the gumbo of our heritage

http://latonola.wordpress.com/2010/04/02/indians-and-super-sunday/

Favorite Theatre – Prytania

Not only because it’s the only single screen theatre left in Louisiana, but because of the many events they sponsor.

http://theprytania.com/

Gallery - Louis Sahuc Photo Gallery

Because of the series, “The Memories of Margi and Joe” and the photo of Dennis Hopper

http://www.louissahuc.com/home.html

Antique Shop - Greg’s Antiques and Other Assorted Junk

Because they have salvaged windows and Who Dat! signs worked from metal scraps, gorgeous and reasonably priced antiques, old lanterns, door hinges and even a Mardi Gras Indian costume

http://www.gregsantiques.net/

Who Dat and Carnival Couture Shop – Fleurty Girl

Because they have black and gold tutus, local t-shirts like, “There’s no place like Houma,” Who Dat jewelry, colorful rubber cowboy boots, fleur de lis cookie cutters and painted roof tiles.

http://fleurtygirl.net/

Hats - Fleur de Paris hat and dress shop

Seeing is believing

http://www.fleurdeparis.net

Bookstore – Garden District Book Shop

Because they constantly host readings and signings and have an eclectic mix of books with a heavy bent toward local writers.

http://gardendistrictbookshop.com

Litter – Mardi Gras Beads in Trees

Because every day there are reminders that life is a celebration

I don’t know how to convey how seriously this city has always taken football. The  schools closed early yesterday. Most offices closed at 2pm. Our beloved Superbowl champion Saints were kicking off the football season. The participation on any game day is so universal that, not only are everyone from infants to maw maws to the patrons at the lesbian bar watching the game, there is almost never any crime during any game because even the criminals would never miss a game.

Every year, the NFL throws a parade and concert for the Superbowl champions. People here can afford to be picky about parades and concerts. There was some grousing about the French Quarter being shut down to build a giant stage that wouldn’t be free to the public. And the floats were still made by Blaine Kern, the king of Mardi Gras floats, but many locals were turned off by the corporate sponsorship of each float. Some boycotted, which is too say – went about their business instead of walking down to the parade.

I love a parade. I love the Saints. And I love Saints fans. So, I went. But I did see their point as I caught beads that were packaged in plastic – twice. Plastic wrap on the beads and another wrapping inside on the rubber corporate medallions. I couldn’t help but think of all the petroleum it took to make all that rubber and plastic. And many of us were unwilling to wear beads medallions reading, “VISA” instead of Zulu, so we took the medallions off. I gave all but 3 of my throws to children.

And, the many of the kids in the marching bands were wearing Mardi Gras weather uniforms in 94 degree heat while drinking only corporate sponsored Pepsi (don’t they own a water company?). A kid finally succumbed to the heat or the sugar or both and passed out right in front of us, conking his head on the concrete. An ambulance came and it became clear that other kids were flagging so that marching band decided to choose the welfare of their kids over the opportunity to represent on national television. They marched off into the distance with the crowd cheering them on, hoping they found water and AC.

All of that said, I love a parade, I love the Saints and I love Saints fans. It was wonderful seeing the fans turn out in all of their regalia. I’ve never owned a NFL team’s merchandise, not even a coffee mug. Now I have a super-cute V-neck Saints retro shirt  and a long sleeve Saints shirt for when it gets cooler. I’m even thinking of getting a bumper sticker and actually putting it on my car – something else I’ve never done. EVERYONE in this town wears Saints merchandise. I have no idea what the statistics are but I’m willing to guess that between shirts, jerseys, hats, keychains, lighters, flags, bumper stickers, etc., etc., etc., the average citizen here, including infants and maw maws, owns at least 5 pieces of Saints merchandise.

And this stuff is not cheap! Our local WalMart is as packed with $3 tank tops and $6 dresses as the next one until you get to the Saints’ section where the cheapest item is $14 and the cheapest shirt is $20. But it brings me great joy to drive through town on any game day and see cars festooned in Saints flags, infant girls with black and gold ribbons in their hair, grey haired elegant women in Saints T-shirts with black skirts and church hats, even a guy in a Saints yarmulka (photo below).

I feasted on an amazing bowl of pasta, better than my favorite pasta dish at Fred Segal in L.A, at Coops, a deceptively dive-ish looking bar with food to die for at reasonable prices.

http://www.coopsplace.net/

Then joined a fairly large crowd at Lost Love Lounge where they had 3 TV’s, the largest larger than the screens at the Beverly Center movie theatre. People cheered, clapped, and drank $12 buckets of Tacaté (a bucket full of bottles).

http://lostlovelounge.com/

As the clock wound down on our winning score, we spontaneously broke out into 3 rounds of Who Dat!?! It’s begun to sink in that we really did win the Super Bowl. That means it could happen again. And though it will never again be as special as the first time (you can’t pop a cherry twice) we can dare to believe that black and gold are going to the Superbowl  - again.

Who Dat?   We Dat!   Believe Dat!       2 Dat!

Enjoy the many photos I took:

My Friday evening looked like this: two bar stools, Abita Amber, discovering the jukebox-friendly treasures of Miles Davis & Jimi Hendrix, bizarre conversations that only two brass players could have, cheap wine, unraveling the inherent rhythm in a line of trash cans, and a film named Pink Flamingos at a dive called Lost Love Lounge. It gets worse (better) from there.

Cue three hours of sleep. 7am rolls around and I jack-in-the-box myself awake, poke the other two sleepy folks in my apartment, and head 8 blocks south to catch the Running of the Bulls. This deserves a bit of a description.

The “runners” are thousands of New Orleanians dressed in white with red sashes, and usually have a cocktail in hand. Or they’re wearing elvis costumes. The bulls are 600 poised women on roller-skates, dressed in red and wearing bull horns. Oh – they’re swinging paddles and baseball bats.

It’s our way of celebrating Pamplona’s Encierro. You can find out more about the event here.

An hour later, I was eating grits at the Trolley Stop Café on St. Charles Avenue.

…then it’s naptime and a few hours of work…

Evening strolls through and a friend drives down from Mississippi. Dinner is Middle-Eastern. Hummus & Falafel.

An hour later, while walking through the lower quarter, I sit on another bar stool (no, there really isn’t a pattern there) at Molly’s to grab their signature frozen Irish coffee. Suddenly a hand covers my eyes as I sip and a guy belches out “go get your horn!” Turning around, there’s a 20-piece thrown-together brass band playing their drunken hearts out on the street…and I know a few of them.

Long story short, the next six hours were spent second-lining and bar-hopping through the French Quarter with this group of oddballs and a good friend of mine who has just moved to NOLA.
It was a BP protest-meets Bastille Day celebration-meets typical band bar hop-meets Second Line. Crowning moments were singing the Marseille at the Joan of Arc Statue, second-lining to “Down by the Riverside” along the bank of the Mississippi, and drawling out Iko Iko on the way to Johnny Whites.

(Keith & Howard)

The iPhone can be amazing. Here’s a short clip I managed to take:

At the end of the night, my friend mentioned that on my tombstone she would engrave, “I love this city”. I think it’d be appropriate. I suppose I could sit here and make an academic analysis of the whole day… but I don’t want to scuff the experience. I love this city.

During all the hooplah over Treme, Lost Love became the place to go watch the show on Sunday nights. Then, when the World Cup got under way, with America giving a pretty good showing and therefore people giving a crap, Lost Love had their finger on the pulse, showing the games at all hours (which they still are). The stars seem to be aligning for this little place. Last week The New York Times decided to do a little photo essay about the Marigny/Bywater, and there was Lost Love last week gracing the (virtual) pages of The Grey Lady. They book all kinds of events, comedy, spelling bees–see, they’ve identified a new demographic who’s needs weren’t being served–the nerdy barflies, of which I am one. You are a welcome addition to the neighborhood Lost Love.