Part Two: French Quarter Fest ‘07

Moving on…still Friday the 13th at the French Quarter Fest…

To Woldenberg Park, and another extended outlay of music stages and food booths. As I was looking around trying to plot a strategy, I heard a loud plane overhead, and looking above spotted an F15 flying fast and low over the riverfront. I picked up my camera and switched it on, hoping the plane would circle back around.

As I watched it disappear into the distance I heard another one from behind. It was actually two more planes, and one began turning barrel rolls as it passed over the crowd. Ready with camera this time, I snapped as it came out of a roll.

I don’t know what the occasion was, whether the fly-over was planned as part of the festival or something spontaneous by the pilots who were returning from training, but it was really cool. It also reminded me of another unique incident involving an aircraft.

Remember NOLA’s post on her gumbo-making afternoon? Along with other odd sightings she mentioned and posted pictures of, there was an earlier incident she failed to mention. We spotted a UFO, which she refused to believe existed, but nonetheless here is a picture of it I took as it rose above the electrical lines.

Or was NOLA right and it was just a blimp flying around town in the sleet?

Update: Now who’s crazy?

Back at the festival, I was beginning to feel a little thirsty when I spotted the Tropical Isle’s booth, featuring their famous funky drinks, the Hand Grenade, the Happy Gator, and the Tropical Itch. The first two were of a fluorescent greenish/yellow color, the last was red. A general rule of mine is RED DRINK GOOD. So the Tropical Itch was what I bought. It was kind of like a Pat O’s Hurricane, fruit punch with booze. Very refreshing.

My sister who lives and works in the Quarter called. She wanted to sample the Rib Room’s festival offering–shaved prime rib sandwiches. I just happened to be on the river walk near that booth, so I found a spot to sit next this rather severe-looking immigrant family.

A monument to the European immigrants who populated the city, this impressive sculpture is one of many along the walk between Jackson Square and the Aquarium.

Cell phones are great for festivals. It was not too long ago that elaborate plans had to be made if a group wanted to split up. Temporal and geographical coordinates had to be agreed on. Common landmarks were often picked that eventually became cultural icons. For Jazzfest it was always “meet me at the flagpole at ____o’clock.” Before the cellphone, there was always a big crowd under the flagpole; its usefulness declined as its popularity increased–you had a hard time spotting the people you were waiting for.

Speaking of cultural icons, remember Ignatius J. Riley’s rendevous point–the clock in front of D.H. Holmes?

Since my sister did not know where the immigant monument was, it took 4 cellphone calls asking “where are you?” to talk her in from Jackson Square. She finally made it and got her beefy sandwich delight.

I had to get a picture of this banner the Aquarium put up.

A reminder to us all: Live every week like it’s shark week.

Summing up Friday at the French Quarter Fest, sister and I walked back to Jackson Square where I resisted the temptation to get more Tujague’s brisket and instead tried the crawfish bisque from Antoine’s.

Then dessert, some Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, which I photographed and will spare you the melted pile of chocolaty goo.

I walked back to my sister’s; remember I had parked near her apartment? Very tired, starting to get sore, but the weather was still killer and the Quarter looked beautiful. At St. Philip and Royal someone had a bubble machine set up alongside the angel on their balcony.

New Orleans is a very Catholic town; public religous statuary abounds. The courtyard of my sister’s building has one of the most common ones you’ll see, a small statue of the Blessed Mother.

The topic of courtyards in the French Quarter (another one of “our things”) is one I’ll delve into deeply in a future post. Suffice it to say this is one of the few I get to enjoy on a regular basis.

Accross the street from my sister’s is one of the supposedly most haunted places in the world, the Lalaurie House. It’s a favorite stop on the “haunted history tours” that have become so popular in the city.

Along with Brad and Angelina’s place one block down and Frances Ford Coppola’s place one block up, the Lalaurie house is now also one of the area’s celebrity properties, having recently been purchased (according to reliable sources) by Nicholas Cage.

Next post: day 3 of the French Quarter Fest; an excursion with NOLA, CS and the sister.