Beyond the festival itself (read my review of Prince and Nile Rodgers' concerts at the Superdome on the Fourth of July at this link: http://chrisbournea.blogspot.com/2014/09/looking-back-on-one-of-highlights-of.html ), the experience of being in New Orleans had a special significance for me. I've never done genealogical research to confirm if I have any kind of ancestral tie to the Creoles of Color of Louisiana, but I've always felt a strong emotional bond with the region.
(DIGRESSION: There are several ways to pronounce "New Orleans," all of them valid. I tend to say "New or-LEENZ," but for some reason I always feel awkward pronouncing it that way, since the more common pronunciation is "New OR-linz." I've noticed, however, that in many songs that mention New Orleans, such as Ike & Tina's version of "Proud Mary," it's pronounced my way. Probably because it's easier to find words to rhyme with "or-LEENZ" than with "OR-linz.")
My friends Mary and Renee had the foresight to rent a small house for our weekend stay in the Big Easy, rather than pay the exorbitant rates that hotels charge during Essence Festival weekend - especially in the touristy French Quarter.
The house ended up being in an area called Metairie, conveniently located just minutes from downtown and the French Quarter where all the Essence Festival action took place. (I just realized that sentence reads like it could have been written by the Metairie Convention & Visitors Bureau, if such a thing exists.)
The benefit of staying in Metairie was that it's a short drive to Essence Festival hotspots like the Superdome and the Convention Center, but away from all the madness of Bourbon Street and other major thoroughfares. My friends and I could hop in the car and jet over to the Essence festivities, but then come "home" to our cottage nestled in a quiet little neighborhood in Metairie and have peace and relaxation.
Staying in Metairie had a special significance, since my great-uncle James, my grandfather's brother who was nicknamed "Jiggs" for reasons I never knew, lived there for decades. Like my grandfather, Daddy Bob (who, much like his nickname, was like a larger-than-life character straight out of a Tennessee Williams play set in New Orleans), Uncle Jiggs grew up in the small southern Ohio town of Ironton, but settled in the New Orleans area after being stationed there while serving in the military.
Metairie reminds me of German Village, an upscale subdivision in my hometown of Columbus, Ohio, that is populated by small yet stylish bungalows with a lot of character. The main difference is that in Metairie, everything looks as though it's been painted with vibrant pastel colors, in keeping with the festive spirit of the region.
While staying in Metairie, I explored the neighborhood by going on morning runs. I jogged past chic ethnic restaurants I could suggest for me and my travel companions to try. I also discovered a quaint little park where parents pushed their kids on swings and pet owners walked their dogs. (There were also homeless people camped out on park benches, but the Metairie Convention & Visitors Bureau probably wouldn't advertise that.)
Surrounding the park were cute little houses that I fantasized about renting one day when I'm able to take a sabbatical from everyday life and focus on my next writing project. Spending a few weeks or, better yet, a few months living in New Orleans while writing a suspenseful novel set in the area is a dream I hope to fulfill.
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| I could see myself renting a cozy little bungalow like this in Metairie one day. |
Speaking of writing projects, one of the most special aspects of the New Orleans trip was getting to take a copy of my debut novel, The Chloe Chronicles, with me.
The Chloe Chronicles is about a young woman named Chloe Bareaux who is of French Creole heritage. Chloe is raised in Paris by her well-meaning yet overprotective mother, Maxine, who is originally from New Orleans. Chloe eventually meets a writer named Alex Michaud, who is also from New Orleans and accompanies her there to solve a long-standing family mystery.
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| Chillin' with "my girl Chloe" on the front porch of the house in Metairie. |
Getting to chill with "my girl Chloe," as I sometimes refer to my character, while lounging on the front porch of the house in Metairie and take her to visit famous sites, such as Marie Laveau's House of Voodoo in the French Quarter, gave me a sense of fulfillment and made me feel like I'd brought Chloe's story full-circle.
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| "Chloe" visits a famous French Quarter landmark, Marie Laveau's House of Voodoo. |
Another highlight of the New Orleans trip was when my friends and I walked up and down Bourbon Street and visited an historic jazz club, Maison Bourbon, and sat in on a quartet that played authentic New Orleans jazz.
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| A great way to spend a Saturday night: taking in live music at Maison Bourbon, a jazz club in the famed French Quarter. |
And of course, no visit to the Big Easy would be complete without sampling the spicy food of the region - sorry, but Popeye's just won't do.
I got to have real gumbo at Mulate's, which is billed as "the original Cajun restaurant." I also got to try alligator meat for the first time in the form of jambalaya pasta with alligator sausage at the famed Oceana Restaurant in the French Quarter.
Honestly, I couldn't tell any difference between alligator sausage and pork, beef or turkey sausage. If I hadn't been told ahead of time, I never would have known I was eating alligator.
I look forward to returning to the Big Easy in the not-too-distant future (read my recent blog post about whether the region is losing its French/Cajun/Creole roots at this link: http://chrisbournea.blogspot.com/2014/09/has-louisiana-lost-its-french-roots-and.html ).
The Crescent City will always be a place of myth, mystery and music (hey, I'm a writer; I had to work in a clever alliteration) and is inarguably one of the most special places in the world.
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