New Orleans Photo Diary, Part 2

One of the pure joys on New Orleans is its music scene. From historic venues like Preservation Hall to virtually any street corner, the city is alive with music. All kinds of music. Rock, folk, funk, and, of course, New Orleans style jazz. If you don't want to get "cooped up" in a club environment (there are many, and they are excellent!), don't fret. Just turn any street corner and you're bound to find someone playing some terrific music.

Below is the first example. This is Jackson Square, just in front of Jackson Park. This brass band was kicking up a storm when this little boy appeared with a small trumpet. He must have been about 3 or 4, so he wasn't playing the instrument. But he sure knew all the other moves! Perhaps, some day, he'll be another in the long line of legendary New Orleans trumpet players.

Here is probably the best example of spontaneous music in the city. Cat and I were heading for some brunch at a place in the city's Garden District. We should have made a left at one street but made a right instead and walked smack into a neighborhood SECOND LINE celebration. Descended from the city's famous jazz funerals, they parade with the costumes, floats, and music you might encounter at a funeral but without the casket or mourners. They have become a type of block party parade and usually take place on a Sunday afternoon (as this one did). I'll have much more on this incredible experience on the blog within the next few days. In the meantime enjoy the photos. Just keep in mind, because of a quirk in the blog, the photos are in reverse order. So, start below (I'll show you where) and work back up the page.

Please start the photo sequence for the Second Line at this point and scroll upward.

Another of the many contrasts that I feel make New Orleans so appealing is the variety of music and were you can experience it. For example in the photos below, on the same night, we went from listening to this solo street-corner violinist to the rock-funk-jazz of The Crescent City Brawlers at a club on Frenchman St.

(below) The Crescent City Brawlers in action on a Saturday night.

(below) The legendary Little Freddie King at the equally legendary d.b.a. club on Frenchman St. For a $10 cover he blew the lid off the place!

(below) This acapella group entertained us at the bar at Arnaud's (one of NOLA's oldest restaurants).

(below) One of the many jazz clubs that line Bourbon St.

(below) As I mentioned, great music is everywhere. This trio was in the Jazz Courtyard on Bourbon.

(below) Still more jazz on Bourbon.

(below) The legendary Preservation Hall, dedicated to the preservation of New Orleans style jazz. What people should note is that it's really more of a ROOM than a HALL. It's VERY small, and, therefore, very intimate. Wonderful! (no flash photography!)

New Orleans Photo Diary, Part 1

For me, and certainly many others, New Orleans is a very special place. Much like New York, it offers the best and worst of things that are human nature. But NOLA does it (like NYC) in it's own special way. I was there in the days after Katrina and saw this magnificent city nearly die. But it didn't die. In fact, as I can attest after 4 incredible days in The Crescent City, New Orleans is, indeed, in good health. In the coming days I will share some of the hundreds of photos that I made and share some insight as to why it is one of the most intoxicating (no pun intended) cities on the planet.

Here are the first of a series of photos that I will be sharing. Of course, I intended to relax and, so, never used my 35 mm. Instead I wound up taking over 300 with my little point and shoot. So, as not overwhelm you or ME (it takes a lot to get these photos to this stage!), I'll do them in a series over the next few days.

The wild street scene on a Saturday night on Frenchman St. - sort of NOLA's East Village.

The noise of Frenchman St. is contrasted by the solitude of this lone violin player on Royal St. in the Quarter.

The interior and exterior of NOLA's oldest and one of its most elegant restaurants, Antoine's

It's hard to believe that the serenity of Antoine's is just a few blocks from the madness of Bourbon St. But that's why I love NOLA. You are ALWAYS surprised.

This being the South, football is KING! And on this night they were partying in the streets (literally) when #1 LSU beat #2 Alabama. This party was in the Warehouse District.

The Oldest Catholic Cathedral in the US, St. Louis as seen from Jackson Park.

The tomb of a voodoo priestess with offerings left by admirers at the ancient and wonderful St. Louis Cemetery on the edge of the quarter.

Graffiti adorns the tomb

Another voodoo grave with offerings.

Cat at the grave of a high ranking voodoo priestess.

Some of the offerings left to curry favor with the dead.

A voodoo priestess' crypt show graffiti left by worshipers.

A very spiritual place.

Street graffiti on Frenchman St.

A classic NOLA home on Frenchmen St.

NOLA is a light rough around the edges sometimes. And that's why we like it!

A woman shops for fresh produce at the French Market.

Ordering the best Muffaletta's on the planet at the Central Grocery.

One of the hundred of antique shows in the Quarter.

"Dust Graffiti"!

One of the many incredible street performers in the quarter. He was absolutely still even in this awkward pose!

The Corn Stalk House. Check out the rail and you'll see why.

Classic New Orleans architecture at Jackson Square.

Cat strolls the French Market.

Napoleon's House. Now a nice little tavern/restaurant, it's the Napoleon House because it was actually being negotiated to have Napoleon stay there for his exile.

Nothing like a piping hot cup of Joe at 2 a.m. in the Clover Grill!

Or the best greasy cheeseburger cooked under the hubcap of an AMERICAN car!

Finger-licken' good. Yep, the begnets at Cafe DuMonde are irresistible!

Cat takes a breather at the Corn Stalk House.

A pensive moment over a cup of Joe at Stella's.

Social commentary: Islam and Peace

Photo: F LoBuono

You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war. Albert Einstein

It's been said by Muslims around the world, over and over again: "Islam is a religion of peace. Islam is empowering to women and the underprivileged". Well, it's one thing to say it and entirely another thing to live it. I keep hearing "peace, peace, peace" from the world's Muslims but all I keep seeing is "violence, violence and more violence". Virtually every hot spot on the planet is caused by some type of Muslim extremism. Women are threatened with flogging in Saudi Arabia just for simply wanting the right to drive a car. Gay women are raped as a "re-education" policy in Muslim controlled Somalia. Christians and Jews are threatened with violence if they openly practice their religion in many Muslim countries.

And now the latest: a magazine in Paris was firebombed last night because they had the audacity to attempt to publish a representation of the Prophet Mohammad on the cover of its edition dedicated to the so-called "Arab Spring" uprisings. I know that many (it may be difficult to say "most") Muslims abhor this type of narrow-minded violence. Well, it's time to stop talking about it and show it! Where is the OUTRAGE within the Muslim community? Where is the CONDEMNATION of this type of abhorrent behavior?

It's almost as if the Muslim community is saying "we are a peace loving people and, if we have to, we'll kill you to prove it".

You cannot simultaneously call yourself peaceful while bombing the world to prove it!

Douche of the Day: Kim Kardashian

OK. This one's gonna' be brief. The reason is that I don't want to waste any more time on her then I absolutely have to to make my point. Today's Douche of the Day (DOTD) is Kim Kardashian. Yes, she of the large breasts, bigger butt, and questionable "talent", Kardashian has earned her title by filing for divorce from her husband of 72 days (I won't bother mentioning his name because it's immaterial!). After earning a reported $18 million for the exclusive rights to her wedding photos and video (that's over $200,000 for every day of her marriage), the woman who inherited the title of famous for being famous from Paris Hilton, has decided that the conflicting schedules of she and her husband was an obstacle that was too difficult to overcome. WTF?! My wife and I are on such different schedules that some weeks I don't see her for more than 5 or 10 minutes at a time on any given day. And although it presents some challenges, we both agree that, perhaps, it's one of the reasons our marriage has actually lasted as long as it has! LOL!

I suppose to put it simply and succinctly, do you really GIVE A SHIT what a woman who does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to enrich our lives does with her personal life? Really?! Just the fact that I've heard her name mentioned at least 150 trillion times today infuriated me enough to name her Douche of the Day. To write any more about her, or even THINK about her beyond this last line, is just a waste of my time - and should be of yours too!

Photo of the Day

The Hudson River appears as quicksilver with the sun setting behind the Statue of Liberty and the Staten Island Ferry. This photo was made on the day of the 125th Anniversary of the Statue.

F. LoBuono/All rights reserved