PODCASTING 101 AND MARDI GRAS MUSEUM

Out of the blue, Jim and I got a call from a guy named Craig Kraemer, a native New Orlean, who does podcasting. In my personal realm, I already have people who say blogging? What's that? Well...you know the routine. So, now I'm going to try and explain podcasting.

Craig, pictured with me above, does audio on-line interviews with people about his favorite city. He is passionate about New Orleans and his card reads: New Orleans, PodCasting.com. His mission is: Rebuilding New Orleans One Voice at a time. The Chamber of Commerce ought to hire this one man cheering squad! He feels deeply the pain and frustration the whole city went through after Katrina, because he had to fight the same brick wall, dealing with insurance, Fema, and so on. Voila! New Orleans Podcasting.com was born out of that tragedy.

Podcasting is like a local public access event where you and your neighbors turn the spotlight on yourselves and listen to and network in a positive way with your friends and neighbors-your community. Normally, he interviews locals but got wind of our blog and asked us to communicate on his Podcast. We sat on a sunny bench near Cafe Du Monde and talked with him about our visit here. Its simple really. He has an affordable device, an Ipod with inputs to take your audio, then uploads it to a computer. He can edit the information if needed, then post it on-line for anyone with a computer to listen in. Sort of like blogging, only live audio instead of reading. He has a whole library of podcasts that you can select from once you are on-line. Groovy! His phone number is 504.944.8879 if anyone is interested in contacting Craig. He is going to email us a lead so we can listen to it when its posted.

The great part of this experience for us was learning about podcasting, plus he gifted us with a coveted, decorated coconut shell offered during Mardi Gras by the Zulu Krewe, and a Zulu Medallion. He asked us if we'd seen the Mardi Gras Museum? We told him we had. Not true! What we saw was Mardi Gras World, a huge difference.

The Mardi Gras Museum is a treasure. It has videos, great photos and a fascinating history of Mardi Gras as it developed over the centuries.

With coconut in hand, we read with heightened interest the struggle black Americans had to simply organize themselves to march in a parade that leaned heavily on black culture, their music, ritual masking, colorful costume and joy de verve.

In 1781 authorities forbade slaves and people of color to wear masks or feathers, or mimic white people during carnival season. The carnival celebration went through several metamorphosis' from mud slinging disgust, dismissing the parade as a low class exhibition, disallowing women to participate in Krewes and more. The parade and the fancy balls that are part of Mardi Gras had their own changes reflecting various mores of society as well. The Zulu Krewe insinuated themselves into the parade by dressing in black face. They mocked white society and got away

with it. It opened the door for black participation.

Elaborate costumes are a treat for all of us to behold. These were worn by the chosen queens of the parade. The selection of a king, called Rex and a queen is explained in the museum. A later krewe began a hollywood flavored entry, where a celebrity is chosen each year to head their cortege. A great place to visit before your first Mardi Gras.

The first king from 1902. Today a king, called Rex, is selected by his contribution to New Orleans Society rather than his money or influence in the Krewes. America lacked royalty, so they made up their own. An interesting take on that, when British royals, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor were guests at the Rex ball in 1950, they were escorted to Rex's throne. Then the confusion in protocol, who would curtsey to whom? The Duke and Duchess graciously curtsied and acknowleged Rex and his Queen.

The Indian's costumes are so elaborate they can cost thousands of dollars to make. Without knowing the costs, we ran into the Indians playing in the French Market and got a photo of this years orange feathered costume. They are works of art, embroidered, beaded, bejeweled, with silver, leather, feathers and all manner of elaborate decoration. As soon as Mardi Gras is over, they begin work on the next year's costume.

Why do they do it? Because they enjoy it, being central to the celebration, exhibiting their work and talent, sharing it with others, having their work recognized and photographed and participating in the grandest party in the U.S.

Jim and I visited the New Orleans Mint and, a very different laundromat, the St. Louis Cathedral and Cemetery, and bought tickets for the Cabildo. Louisiana Museum employee Jimmy Jackson gave us a vivid run down of this place and promised that we will be visiting a museum where we can dance?

FOX NEWS PREDICTS END OF WORLD

A Fox News reporter claims the end of the world is near. Personally, I question the science, or lack of science, put forth for this claim but if the past is any indication, Fox will stand behind this reporter and won't back down. The reasoning goes like this, and I quote:

WE GOTS A BLACK PRESIDENT

WE HAVE A WHITE MAYOR

BUDDY D WORE A DRESS

PIGS HAVE FLOWN

HELLS HAS FROZEN OVER

THE SAINTS WON THE SUPER BOWL

THE END IS NEAR!

Hey, brother, its Fat Tuesday. This is New Orleans. Here people do whatever the law allows and the law is lenient. Its Bacchanalia. Its a fun street party. Its friendly and no one seems to take offense if you offer something a bit rude or crude. The spirit of fun prevails and no one takes it seriously except the proselytizers who at one point blocked traffic on Bourbon street. The police moved them. The crowd booed and flung a few beads at them, but no one got violent or ugly about them raining on their parade.

The past few days showed me organized parades. Fat Tuesday is about a people's parade. Dressing up, celebrating, having fun, entertaining we tourists. A show that can never be repeated. Each year is a different experience.

Folks are begging for beads from the balconies. Bead throwers tease the crowds, try and get the girls to show some flesh and have just as much fun as the people in the street. Music blares here and there along the way. You can't help but break into a dance now and then.

The crowds look like this, kind of stunned and in awe.

There are beautiful, unbelievable costumes. Children parade with parents. Mothers decorated their strollers and joined the throngs. No one is a stranger; greetings of Happy Mardi Gras on everyone's lips. One tall dude came by and kissed me on the cheek. Whatta town! I loved every minute. Who wants to miss Fat Tuesday?

A tourist like me, this guy estimated his beads weighed five pounds.

They were throwing souvenir panties off a balcony and I outreached this guy. He just smiled and tried again.

We walked from Canal St. , to Bourbon, to Esplanade and back to the Marigny neighborhood. We slipped into a cafe bar, had a good beer, Cajun crawfish boudain for me, a sandwich for Jim.

This young woman fell asleep in her plate. Click the link below for more pictures, but be warned there is adults only content.

http://picasaweb.google.com/1579penn/FATTUESDAY21610#

MARDI GRAS RETROSPECTIVE

This is my second visit to New Orleans, but my first Mardi Gras. What a difference a date makes! In 2007 the city's struggles in the aftermath of Katrina were still raw and sore. What joy to be here during the Saints big win and the crowning glory of a great Mardi Gras.

Unforgettable memories forged, to take on the road with us. But, we aren't ready to leave yet. Will the City seem drab after "the ball" is over? Will it somehow lose its luster?

Sifting through my pictures, I found gorgeous wrought iron work all over town. Beautiful buildings from the 1800's preserved for posterity.

I can think of only one other city where music is like food, Vienna. But New Orleans has a unique sound and rhythm, the berceau of hundreds of great blues musicians. Not everyone can be a great musician. It tickled me to see guys on the street drumming on five gallon plastic buckets.

And the beads. I had such fun hanging them in the windows of the motor home. I figure they will lose their luster like Christmas trimmings do after Christmas and I'll take them down eventually.

And then, there is the food for which New Orleans is famous. What bounty, the Mississippi River and the ocean at your feet. Fresh fish on every corner. Alligator sausage. Muffaleto Sandwiches, gumbo, crawfish ettoufe, jambalaya. We hope to eat our way across the city.

The home cooked variety was pretty good too!

No, New Orleans is a World Class City, and she will never lose her luster, but shine on for succeeding generations. I only hope I get to return to one of my favorite cities.

MARIGNY AND THE FRENCH MARKET

My partner Jim wanted to visit the French Market. We walked through the old area of Marigny and found everything French, signs, a Frenchmen Hotel, a Paris fountain, a statue of Joan Of Arc, and Frenchmen Street, which made Jim very happy.

The street scenes here are San Francisco, Haight-Ashbury, University Ave., Berkeley, 1960’s. Street musicians, laid back, friendly people, artists, dogs to pet. Shops with opium pipes and cigarette rollers; a strong gay and lesbian population. Homey, ragtag eating places, tacos on the street, everybody has to make a living, man! (I found a another endangered species- a working telephone booth.)

The music never stops. Everywhere, people are having a good time. Everyone knows everyone’s business and they like it that way. One shop keeper told us that Marigny was just chosen the best neighborhood in the United States. He didn’t have much in the way of detail, who judged it, or what criterion.

This graffitied building even had its windows painted over, but it was open for some kind of business. I opened the door and peeked and got a glimpse of a billiard table.

This clinched the Haight with this well used telephone pole.

The Spotted Cat piano player was hammering out tunes. The joint was small and cozy. At night, I’m guessing it is a very friendly place. I want to come back here.

A woman told me she lives next door to this “found junk” artist. Her comment, “You should see his yard!” I laughed because I would have loved to see his yard.

When we reached the French Market, music was in full swing. This costumed fellow jumped off the stage and played with the crowd. Oh, the costume, to die for.

As you might guess, characters abound here. And this gent decided you don’t have to wear your mask on your face.

Boiled peanuts were a new food to me. Though salty, they were quite good. We enjoyed Creole chicken with dirty rice and peas; and alligator sausage stew from a market booth. Both choices were delicious, plentiful and cheap. We saw people waiting in line 20 deep to get into buy a muffaletto sandwich.

If you don’t have jazz musician friends, you can still have a jazz funeral. A mime told me and I quote: “You only have to do three things. Die. In order to die you have to live. In order to live you have to take a good shit once in awhile.” Street wisdom!

We wondered back to “The Quarter” , stopped for real brews at Crescent City Brewhouse and watched the kid shuck oysters. He told us he sometimes does this for 13 hours straight. He makes it look pretty easy, but you have to have the right tools because it isn’t easy.

Around Jackson square the proselytizers were in full sway. The gentleman above challenged passersby to a chess match for $5 a game. Fortune tellers, tarot dealers, face painters, portrait painters, street musicians, artists and tourists crowded the square.

We visited a jillion souvenir shops trying to find a frog hat for Jim. Alligators? Plenty. But no frogs.

I took a lot of pictures. You can check them out with this link.

http://picasaweb.google.com/1579penn/FrenchMktNO2010#

ITS ALL ABOUT THE BEADS AND DRINK

Mardi Gras Parade number two, for us, was a different animal. Fast moving, giddy excitement, people screaming for beads and plastic junk, including me. The whole street was alive, moving, cheering, smiling, having crazy fun. The New Orleans Police Department is very laid back and helpful. If a cop saw an errant football, cup or moonpie that missed its mark and ended up in the street, he would helpfully push it to the curb or hand it into the crowd.

The theme of this parade seemed to be drink. There was a nod to Valentines day in a couple floats, also Thoth Krewe with Egyptian God floats, but drink after drink and places to drink rolled down the street. I didn't count but over 20 floats were named for individual drinks, grasshopper, mimosas, brass monkeys, champagne, singapore sling and so on.

Did I say this was a serious drinking town? This is a SERIOUS drinking town. Jello shots made with 190 proof booze.

Why bother with a single drink when you can get everything you don't need in one. I watched a bartender pour 8 shots into a single drink. They sell them in 32 oz. size to 70 oz. size. And, you can bring them out into the street.

All of the elements for a parade were present. The horseman above threw artificial roses. And, along with horses, you have bands, and music and noise. The bands didn' t simply play music, most of them danced and jived down the street.

We noticed the band escorts picking up beads from the street and giving them to the hard playing marchers. But for us it was the beads. You couldn't help but want to catch them as they flew through the air. Everyone competed for hands full of plastic beads.

And at the end of the day, most people wore their booty home.

Its all about the beads. We did like many others and put our beads in a bag. I couldn't believe when we got home to find our booty weighed 18 pounds. Whattam I gonna do with all these beads? Its insanity. And we'll go back and do it again.

We took the ferry back to our side of the river and watched the sun set over the Big Easy. A perfect name for a laid back fun city.