Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler
Only been to the big easy once but it was memorable. I think it is important to remember the great city that is rising from the loss. That does not exempt us from the atrocious handling in the wake of Katrina, just to say the city has an unbreakable spirit...
Although I will never admit how I came about my beads, I do remember fondly my visit being full of warm comforting hospitality. The day was supposed to be spent conferencing but I distinctly remember laying out on the rooftop pool, looking out onto the Mississippi as the barges slowly moved by, and I sipped slowly something refreshing.
Sure, the nights were full of live music, large hurricane tumblers and for some reason late night fried food- why not? I remember taking the St. Charles street car, all the way down to the turnaround. Getting off and buying little glass bottles because you could drink everywhere- it was a park along the way that caught our eye, where we drank by the water and recalled how as little girls our dad would take us to feed bread to the ducks in the pond. Just like the ones we saw before us, so many miles away. Some moments, you know, will never be as good again.
Looking back now I see how much of a transition that year was: From LA to SF, Relationship to Single, Sister to Only daughter. And yet, the beads have remained on the back of the door, before you even knew how much exploitation went into making them, you kept them because they are the only tangible remnants that are moving forward with you, from that time and place...
Although I will never admit how I came about my beads, I do remember fondly my visit being full of warm comforting hospitality. The day was supposed to be spent conferencing but I distinctly remember laying out on the rooftop pool, looking out onto the Mississippi as the barges slowly moved by, and I sipped slowly something refreshing.
Sure, the nights were full of live music, large hurricane tumblers and for some reason late night fried food- why not? I remember taking the St. Charles street car, all the way down to the turnaround. Getting off and buying little glass bottles because you could drink everywhere- it was a park along the way that caught our eye, where we drank by the water and recalled how as little girls our dad would take us to feed bread to the ducks in the pond. Just like the ones we saw before us, so many miles away. Some moments, you know, will never be as good again.
Looking back now I see how much of a transition that year was: From LA to SF, Relationship to Single, Sister to Only daughter. And yet, the beads have remained on the back of the door, before you even knew how much exploitation went into making them, you kept them because they are the only tangible remnants that are moving forward with you, from that time and place...
The unique local Mardi Gras organizations known as Krewes were fostered by these various strong cultures who tended to form mutual aid societies devoted to promote the general improvement in their member lives. While the first women carnival club event was staged in 1896 by the "Les Mysterieuses" ladies, all-women Mardi Gras parades are a rarity amongst the Krewes organized around traditional values of family, community and social status. The main event for krewes is their annual Ball which often stars members daughters as debutantes and the Queen and the older male members who help their King perform the ceremonies as Dukes. Traditional Mardi Gras Balls are strictly private containing long standing rituals whose mystery would be diluted by outsiders. http://www.carnaval.com/cityguides/neworleans/history.htm
posted by Lorena | 1:27 PM
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