Christmas in New Orleans

[Neecy]

I just wanted to share an entry from a blog I've been following and enjoy very much. It's written by a guy who's living with his family in a FEMA trailer in an almost abandoned neighborhood in New Orleans. It's very well written and his words really help you visualize what those who remain in the city are going through and how much more needs to be done.

Anyway, he has a lovely post up about his Christmas decorations this year. It's defiant and sad and wonderful all at once.

http://timsnamelessblog.blogspot.com/

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

1. I'll Be There Soon

I will be making my 3rd post Katrina trip to New Orleans, and about my 12th overall. I've lost count. I'll be there over New Year's, staying for the first time at Hotel Monteleone in the quarter. Perhaps dining for first time at Antoine's and Arnaud's.

We also plan to tour the damage, which is still monumental, and anticipate it being somewhat sobering experience.

God Bless New Orleans!

[BOSSHOG]

2. "I'm dreaming of a White Trailor"

Bennie Grunch's latest Christmas song. Bennie is a New Orleans Legend and adds to his Christmas songlist each year. his twelve yats of Christmas is legendary. I'm heading to NOLA tomorrow to do a little Christmas shopping. Bringing New Orleans back one beer at a time. Despite the sadness the locals have an incredible sense of humor.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

4. Snooks Eaglin & Eddie Bo

Bosshog,

You're probably a N.O. music afficianado. Are these guys worth seeing? They're playing Rock N Bowl while I'll be there, and it seems like they each have loyal followings and reputations.

[BOSSHOG]

5. Sorry teammate

I'm not much of an aficianado, I just love the city. But Kermit Ruffins plays every thursday night at Vaughan's in the Bywater. He rocks the joint and talk about ambience. The place is a dump and I say that lovingly; its supposed to be a dump, its part of its charm. Glad to hear you are coming down. I'm not familiar with whom you mention but I bet you have a good time whenever you go. Sugar Bowl crowd should start rolling in after Christmas, then all Mardi Gras breaks loose.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

8. Kermit

We saw him during JazzFest at Blue Nile. He was excellent.

Would still like to see him at Vaughan's on Thursday night. I hear it's a great show, with lots of atmosphere and barbecue thrown in.

Unfortunately we won't be in the city until late Thursday night, so Kermit at Vaughan's will have to wait.

We don't particularly care for the Sugar Bowl crowd, and since the game is on Wednesday 1/3/07, the college crowds might not start rolling in until Tuesday night, when we're gone. Since LSU is one of the teams, it might not bring in as many out-of-towners as if a different team had fans traveling from outside the region.

Hopefully we'll be back for a 3rd run at JazzFest in late April. Never been to Mardi Gras. Since I'm a tax CPA, the timing never works out. Someday g-d willing though. Someday.

[BOSSHOG]

12. Hate to tempt you with this but here goes

The French Quarter Fest is 13-15 April (bad timing for a tax guy??)

http://www.fqfi.org/

Its a free jazzfest before the jazzfest. Kinda the locals little secret. Great music and great food throughout the quarter without the logistical headaches one might encounter with the Jazz Fest. We've been going for years and love it. There is also the Satchmo fest, a musical and food tribute to Louis Armstrong. The website hasn't updated but next year's event is the weekend of 4-5 August. A comfy lil fest down by the French Market and the Old Mint.

If ya think you'd like Mardi Gras you'll love Halloween. The French Quarter gets all dressed up and there ain't no need to have anyplace else to go.

Thanks for your continued support for the city that care forgot.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

13. Thanks!

Yeah...heard about the FQ Fest. Sounds interesting, but as you said, problem with timing.

I've come close the last 2 years to booking a trip over Halloween. It will work better on a weekend, as opposed to a Tuesday like this year. Next year it's on a Wednesday, so that ain't gonna happen.

I'm fearful that some things have changed for the worse since I was there in April, because I know lots of businesses are struggling. We can hope that the Democratic controlled Congress sends some relief to the city, because I expect the WH to do as little as possible, unless New Orleans changed their name to "Iraq," then I'm sure the administration would go all out to "help" the people.

Come to think of it, New Orleans is better off without King george's help. He's done enough damage already.

[thingfisher]

14. I bet a few billion dollars would help NO a lot more

than it has helped the Iraqis! To bad we are squandering so much money there when we need it so desperately at home. Maybe Haliburton could get a no-bid contract to rebuild??!!#*!!**#

[uppityperson]

3. thank you for posting this, very interesting.

would you please cross post it to the Hurricane Survivors Forum also? http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=360
Thank you.

[Neecy]

7. done

Thanks for the reminder :)

[brer cat]

6. Thanks for sharing this blog.

I was in NO in Sept. It's amazing how little has been done in some areas. I was also very surprised by the size of the FEMA trailers. I had somehow pictured standard single-wides...but the ones we saw were no bigger than our RV. Sad to picture families living full-time in so little space. But I guess it sure beats living on the streets.

It's wonderful that they have decorated for the season. As grim as the situation may be, at least they have kept the spirit.

K&R

[likesmountains 52]

9. I was under the same impression...they should really be called FEMA Campers..

[uppityperson]

10. Here is a link to the video of their house 3/26/06

A 9-year-old girl gives a tour of her soon-to-be demolished house in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRzP4muSIYY

[Xithras]

11. Found something sad recently.

During the Katrina flooding, Google was kind enough to update their maps and Google Earth to display the latest satellite imagery. At some point after the city was drained, however, Google pulled the flood images and loaded in their place the only satellite imagery they had...the GIS data from New Orleans before the flood. I was browsing through this a few weeks ago, and I was struck by how utterly normal and green everything looked...a typical American city on a nice spring morning, with roads, and neighborhoods, and schools, and shopping centers, and all of the trappings you'd expect to find in any city in America. As I looked at this snapshot of what New Orleans once was, I couldn't help but wonder whether it would ever look that way again. Normal. Peaceful. Typical.