Mardi Gras Indians - A Piece of New Orleans Culture

Every community has it's own unique flavor.  The way people dress, the way they talk and the food they eat, along with the town's history and demographic make-up contribute to the flavor of a community like the ingredients of a stew, or since I'm in New Orleans, like the ingredients of a jambalaya.  Jack and I have enjoyed exploring the neighborhoods, restaurants and music of New Orleans during our stay here, getting a taste of the things that set New Orleans apart while we learn about the culture of this most unusual city. 

One of the most unique things we did during our stay here was to observe the Mardi Gras Indians "Super Sunday" Parade on March 18th.  The Mardi Gras Indians are primarily a tradition of the African American community of the inner city of New Orleans.  While typical Mardi Gras organizations form a "krewe" historically, slavery and racism excluded minorities from participating in typical parades and the black neighborhoods of New Orleans developed their own traditions of celebrating Mardi Gras.  They called their krewes or gangs "tribes" in honor of the Native Americans who helped the African Americans break away from slavery. 



In the past, on Mardi Gras, Indian tribes met to settle scores, often violently.  Due to the general chaos surrounding Mardi Gras and the fact that everyone was masked, police were able to do very little to stem the violence.  As times changed and traditions evolved, "masking" as an Indian has come to mean designing and creating a new costume to wear every year.  

The costumes are hand-made using feathers, sequins and rhinestones.  Each Indian traditionally does his own beadwork and the costume designs are kept secret until Mardi Gras.  Costumes are so elaborate and expensive that no one wants to destroy all of their hard work by fighting or causing trouble so the parades are usually non-violent. 

The Spy Boy leads the procession of the Big Chief of each tribe and signals back to the Flag Boy when another tribe is approaching by using chants, songs or hand gestures.  The Flag Boy carries a large decorated staff which he uses to carry the message to the Big Chief.  The chief is followed by other tribe members or "Second-Liners".  When the two tribes meet, the Big Chiefs greet each other by displaying their plumage and using chants or songs.  The song "Iko Iko" used in the movie Rainman is a traditional chant and is often sung when tribes meet.  During a parade it is a high compliment to tell a Mardi Gras Indian that he is pretty, probably the only time when telling a man that he is "pretty" is an acceptable accolade.  

Jack and I really enjoyed observing the parade and taking pictures of the fabulous costumes.  The people masking were proud of their beautiful costumes and happy to explain their traditions.  The Spy Boy pictured below with me told us that he is an attorney in his everyday life but that his passion is masking and keeping the traditions alive.





Jack and I especially enjoyed seeing the young girls and boys in their intricate costumes marching with their families.  We hope to see more of the Mardi Gras Indians next week-end at the Jazz and Heritage Fest.

 

New Orleans Voodoo

I hate slasher movies and don't like to read murder mysteriers or anything involving women or children in peril but I must admit to a fascination with the supernatural.  Fairies, vampires, werewolves - I'm your girl. New Orleans is a city that is closely associated with the occult so it only makes sense that I would want to do a little research into the supernatural while I'm visiting here.

When my sister Deb and brother-in-law Bob were visiting here recently we made a stop at the New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum which bills itself as the original and only actual voodoo museum in New Orleans.  Located on Rue Dumaine in the French Quarter, the Voodoo Museum was created in 1972 by Charles Gandolfo who was a New Orleans Creole native, artist and cultural preservationist.  General admission is $7.00 but because I mentioned that we found them on the internet our admission was only $5.00.  On the day we visited no one was available to give us a tour so we walked around the 3 cluttered rooms ourselves.  Below is a picture of the altar room where people still leave small objects or money on the altar as petitions to the voodoo spirits for intercession.



The Museum's website states that it's purpose is to explain the history of voodoo and it's contemporary existence by exploring voodoo as a spiritual practice,  discussing the facts and folklore surrounding voodoo, and exploring the fusion of voodoo into music and jazz, Mardi Gras, movies and literature. 

Voodoo came to Louisiana when African captives were brought to the territory as slaves bringing with them their religious beliefs rooted in spirit and ancestor worship and their knowledge of herbs, poisons and the ritural creation of charms and amulets used for protection or harm.  Over the course of time, Catholic traditions and practices were incorporated into the voodoo faith and the spirits that presided over everyday life gradually took on the names of the Catholic Saints.  Louisiana voodoo recognizes one God and multiple lesser spirits who intercede in the lives of their followers.  Followers can connect with these spiritual forces through music, dance and the use of snakes which represent Legba.  Unlike the traditional Judeo-Christian imagery of the serpent as a representation of evil, voodoo practioners believe that Legba represents the connection between Heaven and Earth and is the main spiritual conduit to all other spirits and to God.



During our visit we learned that the most famous voodoo practioner was the healer Marie Laveau.  Born in 1801, Marie Laveau was a free woman of color who specialized in love potions and sought to help the hungry and poor. 

In New Orleans, a voodoo priestess is called a Queen and a priest is called a Doctor so Marie Laveau is often referred to as the Voodoo Queen.  New Orleans musician Malcolm "Mac" Rebennack gained fame when he took on the persona of Dr. John, the Night Tripper a name that came from an early 19th century Louisiana voodoo practioner.  His first solo album was called Gris-Gris which is the word for both the act and the object of voodoo magical power.  Wikipedia says that the album contains voodoo rhythms and chants and was ranked number 143 in Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".  It might be fun to try and find that.  I wonder if it's on ITunes?



Our stop at the Voodoo Museum was entertaining and informative.  It made for a nice break in our exploration of the French Quarter and got me to thinking about the history of this area and the diverse cultures of the people that live here today.  I'm excited to learn more about New Orleans.





Things We Love About New Orleans

New Orleans Likes: Food, Music, the "Vibe",Feel of History, Smell of Flowers  Everywhere, Friendliness (to humans and dogs), Weather,
Outdoor Lifestyle, Walkability, Festivals, Drew Brees

New Orleans Dislikes: Mosquitos, Heat, Broken and Bumpy Sidewalks and Streets, No Recycling

Jack and I have been in New Orleans now for almost a month and it has taken me that long to start feeling settled in.  Jack seems to feel right at home here and has said more than once that he could see living here.  He loves the heat and humidity (and it's only April!) and of course, the great food and music. 
While I like it here in New Orleans, I don't get the feeling of "home".  We really enjoy the Garden District neighborhood where our rental house is located so it's not that.  Our current home is one half of a double shotgun style house with high ceilings and hardwood floors.  It's certainly not a fancy place but it's clean and safe.  We laugh and say that it's like your dream first apartment after college - close to retail, lots of bars and restaurants, public transportation and Walgreen's.

Jack and I really enjoy the four block walk to yoga class at Shanti Yoga Shala and then stopping at Martin's wine store to pick up a bottle or two of wine on the way home.  You cannot beat their selection and prices! On another day, we might stop at Mahoney's to sit outside and split a veggie poorboy and some amazing onion ring straws washed down with an Abita beer.  While we hiked when we lived in Illinois, we rarely walked to anyplace like a restaurant or store and we are both really enjoying the walkability of New Orleans.  It's also fun to take the trolley that runs between Uptown and Downtown. The wooden seats, no air conditioning and the open windows give the trolley that old time feel that is one of the things we enjoy in New Orleans.

Last Friday, we walked down to Perlis Clothing so that Jack could get some new work clothes (shorts).  Perlis is an old time department store that sells Men's, Women's and Children's clothing.  Unlike in many stores today, every sales person seemed glad to see us and talked to us.  Pleasantly.  They made eye contact.  The owner came over and told me about living behind the store when he was a boy, Jack's salesperson told him about her grandchildren and her recipe for stuffed peppers, and I learned all about the young shoe salesperson who taught himself English at school after his parents immigrated to New Orleans from Korea, earned a scholarship to Tulane and is now headed for medical school.  Such a different way of interacting here.   

 

We love the beautiful homes here in the Garden District and Uptown and, as always, we wonder what these people do for a living?  Some of the homes are amazing, and while you know that they have to be less expensive than a similar home in a city like New York or Chicago they still must cost a great deal. 

Last week, while I was out walking Coco in the neighborhood, I came upon the film crew preparing to shoot scenes for Quentin Tarantino's new movie, Django Unchained.  A neighbor of the home the studio had rented for the shoot told me that it was a Tarantino film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Morgan Freeman, and Sacha Baron Cohen so I Googled the film name when I got back home.  Unfortunately, no celebrities were spotted that day.  

Jack and I feel very lucky to be able to spend some time in this beautiful city.  We've walked and driven through almost all of the neighborhoods and have found a lot to like.  In the next several weeks, we have both the French Quarter Fest and Jazz Fest to look forward to along with trips to the Rock and Bowl for Zydeco Music and trips to Mandina's and Mother's for local food.  I'll keep you posted!

   

St. Patrick's Day - NOLA Style

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  Today was a beautiful sunny day in New Orleans.  Jack and I got moving early this morning so that we could go for a run in Audubon Park before heading back to watch the St. Patrick's Day Parade.  We took the bus up to the Park and the Trolley back home which costs $1.25 each way.  We didn't want to move our car because we were told that traffic and parking would get crazy this afternoon as people poured into the area for the St. Patrick's Day Parade.  Public transportation was easy and convenient but I've got to learn to relax and WAIT for it to show up.  Things seem to run at a little more casual pace in the South and I find myself getting impatient. I'm not sure why.   

Audubon Park is beautiful and we had really enjoyed our run there.  Jack and I are so grateful that we are healthy enough to get out and run, especially considering that Jack could barely walk last year at this time.  It was a wonderful day to get outside; sunny and breezy and not too humid.  Audubon Park has century old oak trees which offer a lot of shade, lots of open green space, a lagoon, a zoo and stables.  We like the 1.8 mile paved path for running and biking that goes around the park.  It's right in town, surrounded by beautiful homes and near to Loyola and Tulane Universities. 



After our run we headed home to eat lunch and head over to the parade.  You couldn't ask for better weather to enjoy the St. Patrick's Day Parade.  Jack and I staked out a good spot on Louisiana Avenue which is a few blocks from where we are staying. We brought Coco with us but ended up bringing her back home mid-way through the parade.  As usual, she was a hit with everyone sitting around us but the noise got to be too much for her. While we only brought over lawn chairs and a few drinks, many people arrived early with tables, coolers, portable tents and lots of food.  

People really seem to get into the spirit of the parade and lots of people were in costume which was fun and added to the party atmosphere. 



There is a strong Irish presence in New Orleans which was a surprise to me.  Of course, on St. Patrick's Day everyone is Irish or pretends they are for a little while!  Jack and I were surprised that to find that the parade was primarily made up of walking groups from Irish bars and Irish organizations along with parade floats. 

 In addition to throwing LOTS of beads, marchers in this parade have a tradition of carrying styrofoam sticks with silk flowers stuck in them so that they look like floral parasols.  Women on the parade route are then given a flower in exchange for a kiss on the cheek.  





Along with beads and flowers, groups gave out items like garters, stuffed animals, plastic cups and underwear. 



The most unusual things we saw thrown from the floats were heads of cabbage and little packets of carrots for soup.  The streets were littered with beads, trash and vegetable bits.  

The floats were bright and colorful and played lots of fun, upbeat music. We enjoyed the music but were disappointed that there was very little Irish music played in the parade.  We were hoping for lots of bagpipes!  In fact, there was only one band in the parade.  The kids did a great job but looked like they were worn out by the time they reached our spot on the parade route.  Jack and I enjoyed all of the floats and terrific people watching. 

Neither one of us has been to Mardi Gras but if today is any indication, it must be a LOT of fun.  I think that a person would really have to build up to it.  How do people get the energy?  I'm not sure that I'm up for the challenge.  It was great to go to the parade and celebrate but then it was great to come back to our little place and enjoy the quiet.  Jack and I had a great time sharing in a New Orleans tradition and would recommend the parade for anyone. Despite the huge

huge amounts of alcohol being consumed (you can walk around with open alcohol here) it's very family friendly.  Lots of multi-generational groups were there along with the younger generation of partiers and everyone got along beautifully.  Just remember to keep your head up if you are standing in the front or you might get conked on the head by a cabbage! 



Charleston Restaurant Review

If you've been reading our blog regularly, you know that Jack and I have spent a lot of time trying out different restaurants in Charleston.  I can honestly say that I did not have a bad meal during our visit.  While it is all fresh in my mind, I'd like to share our recommendations with you. 

About two years ago, I saw the movie Food, Inc. about America's corporate controlled food industry and it changed my life and the way I think about food.  Not that my body is a temple or anything but, after learning about the way animals are treated on corporate farms, I just don't have a taste for meat any longer.  With that being said, before coming to Charleston, I was worrried about finding a lot of restaurant options because low-country cooking is so meat-centric.  What the heck is pork belly anyway?  Luckily for me, Charleston chefs are also very much a part of the farm to table movement and there are lots of delicious vegetables and grains to choose from at most restaurants although you might have to ask the server for some help with that.  I do eat fish which gives me some more options.  While Jack eats mostly vegetables and fish for his main course, he still eats meat on occasion and enjoyed sampling some traditional Southern foods during our visit. 



Jack and I agree that the best meal that we had in Charleston was lunch at a restaurant called Husk.  We were able to sit outside (in February) on the second story balcony which added to the experience.  The coffee they serve at Husk is specially produced for the restaurant in Haiti where the soil is similar to South Carolina soil in the 1800's.  It was strong and delicious.  We loved the shrimp and grits and that the cornbread came to the table in a little cast iron skillet.  We could see why Husk was named, "Best New Restaurant of the Year" by Bon Appetite magazine.  The service was great, too.

The executive chef at Husk is also the chef at another local restaurant, McCrady's.  Jack and I enjoyed the 4 course tasting menu at McCrady's thanks to a gift certificate from our daughter Emily and her boyfriend Grant.  The restaurant features southern cooking with a modern flair and the sauces and food accents to each dish were what made them stand out.  Simple dishes prepared in a new way. (At least to me.) We had a rutabaga soup as a starter that was out of this world! The service at McCrady's was attentive but not pushy and we loved the ambiance of the rooms with lots of dark wood and local art work on the brick walls.

The restaurant is down an alley and has large windows that were the doors to a stable in the building during George Washington's time.  Legend has it that he would eat in the meeting room upstairs and that a cannon would be fired each time a toast was made in his honor so that all of the Charleston citizens could drink with him.  Hard to believe that a building that old is still standing.  If you plan on visiting Charleston and would like to visit either of these restaurants try and make reservations prior to your arrival.  Due to a recent write up in the New Yorker and other national publications, Husk and McCrady's are a hot ticket in town!

In addition to eating at some of Charleston's "must see" restaurants like Poogan's Porch and SNOB, Jack and I tried to search out some great places off the beaten path where the locals go to eat (like Merichka's in Joliet).  We found several spots just by talking to people that we came across while we were walking Coco, who is a terrific Good Will Ambassador for us since everyone wants to stop and talk about her. 

Trattoria Lucca was suggested to us by a number of different people who each mentioned the restaurant's take on Italian food.  It is definitely not Olive Garden; while pasta, handmade fresh daily, is served with each dish, it seems to be a component of the meal rather than the centerpiece.  We liked the fact that the restaurant is hidden away in a residential neighborhood in a tiny, old store front.  It's so small that there is no waiting area and you need to walk down the block to their bar, Enoteca which is also in an old store front.  The hostess calls Enoteca when your table is ready and you can bring your drink back down to the restaurant with you.  It's quirky and fun.



Our favorite restaurants seemed to be the casual, relatively inexpensive ones with a great, fun vibe that just so happened to be located within walking distance of our rental house.  It goes without saying that their food was good too!

Five Loaves restaurant started out as a soup and sandwich lunch place that later expanded to serving dinner.  It's another small space in a residential area within walking distance of downtown but not on the tourist strip.  It's close to the College of Charleston and can get crowded.  They don't take reservations so the earlier you get there the better.  I will say that we never waited more than 15 minutes and they let you order your drink and take it outside while you wait for a table.  On Wednesday and Saturday nights they offer 1/2 price bottles of wine which is a nice thing if you're a wine drinker like me. 



Fuel is a cross between a diner and a Caribbean bar that is located in an old gas station. It has a great outdoor bar that allows dogs.  Jack liked the Jerked Chicken sandwich and I loved the Shrimp Tacos.  They had good music on the sound system the two times we were there and when the weather is nice they open the garage bay doors in front and back.  Recently featured on Diners, Dives and Drive-Ins, Fuel is a lot of fun.



There are so many more wonderful Charleston restaurants that I could go on and on. Check out Barsa for if you like tapas and visit Grocery for great local food served in three different portion sizes; Tastes, Small Plates, and Entrees.  This offered a great way for the two of us to try lots of different things and everything we sampled was first rate.  Make sure to leave room for the Churros which is their signature dessert.  The crispy, donut-like sticks are served with a trio of sauces; Salted Caramel, Dark Chocolate with a hint of Orange, and White Chocolate.  Heavenly.  I don't eat meat but I do love dessert!

While we are on the subject of dessert I do want to make sure to mention two bakeries that we really enjoyed visiting during our stay.  Sugar is located on Cannon Street down the block from Five Loaves restaurant.  They supply the desserts for both Five Loaves and Fuel along with other local restaurants.  We enjoyed our cupcakes sitting outside in their tiny courtyard with a glass of sun tea.  Jack had peanut butter cupcakes with a strawberry jam filling and I had a caramel cupcake.  Coco enjoyed bits of a gingerbread bone.  









Wild Flour Bakery is located on Spring Street and on Sunday mornings they sell giant sticky buns with pecans and equally giant cinnamon rolls. Yum! Well worth the walk or drive over, they sell out of those items quickly so either get there early or plan on waiting until the next batch comes out of the oven. 

Charleston has so much to offer; history, shopping, quick access to the beach, great restaurants, beautiful homes.  It is very walkable.  Both Jack and I could really see living there.  At least in the Winter when the weather is good.  I'm not sure how I'd like the heat and humidity of August.  We both wholeheartedly recommend Charleston as a wonderful place to spend a few days, a few weeks or longer.  

Savannah Road Trip

One of the many great things about Charleston is how close it is to OTHER great places.  Hilton Head, Savannah, Charlotte, N.C.,  the Blue Ridge Parkway, are all within a few hours drive.  You can drive to the ocean at Folly Beach in 20 minutes from downtown Charleston which seems pretty amazing to me.  Door to sand in 20 minutes, wow! 

It rained here most of last week-end but by Sunday morning the sun had come out and Jack and I decided to head down to Savannah for a little road trip.  Rather than leave her at home all day, we brought Coco with us.  That dog loves a road trip!

Jack and I found Savannah to be a very beautiful city filled with little neighborhood parks or squares surrounded by sprawling homes.  Wikipedia says that there are 22 parks of various sizes.  What an oasis after a long day at work!  (If I was working, of course.)

Savannah seems to be another walkable city with an active business district right in the middle of a lovely residential area.  The downtown area seems to be quite a bit smaller than the business district in Charleston with fewer shops and restaurants than we found here.  We were able to cover all of it on foot in just a couple of hours. 

One of the places we liked best in Savannah was Forsyth Park with it's beautiful walkways lined with live oaks and azaleas.  About the size of 2 or 3 square blocks, Forsyth Park is surrounded by massive private homes and homes that have been converted to Bed and Breakfast lodgings.  If you plan to visit Savannah try to find a place to stay near this park.  The park is within walking distance (a few blocks) to restaurants, shops and bars and is just a great place to hang out and people watch.    

A good time to visit might be around St. Patrick's Day, on March 17th.  The weather is typically mild at that time of year unlike the humid, tropic-like summer weather in Savannah.  Savannah's St. Patrick Day celebration includes a parade and a Mardi Gras type celebration in the waterfront Historic District.  Could be lots of fun - kind of a Mardi Gras - lite.  We would definitely like to spend more time in Savannah on our next visit.

Life is a Practice, Not a Perfect

Recently, one of my friends asked me what I do all day, now that I'm not working, and it really got me thinking.  What do I do?  What should I be doing?  In America, perhaps more than anyplace else on Earth, our identities are wrapped up in our job descriptions and our bank accounts.  As a young, stay-at-home Mom I often found myself dismissed as having nothing of interest to contribute to a conversation and having limited power when it came to financial decisions.  When I re-entered the workforce after a divorce, I took a lot of pride in being able to define myself by a title, "Caseworker, Executive Director, etc."   

It has been unsettling, to say the least, to let go of that piece of my identity by quitting my job and hitching my wagon to someone else's star.  I tried that when I was young and it didn't work out too well for me.  Much as I wanted an adventure, it's a pretty big proposition.  It seems as if I'm supposed to learn something from the whole thing.  But what, exactly?  Am I supposed to  let go of my Catholic guilt and relax and enjoy life?  Love myself more?

Am I being called to a higher purpose?  If so, please turn up the volume. 

Right now, I think that maybe it's all about conquering my fear.  I have a pretty dark outlook on life that I struggle to manage.  Fear of failing, fear of something awful happening to someone I love, fear of - you get the idea.  Luckily, Jack is a great balance for me.  While I tend to think that the worst will happen, Jack always expects the best to happen and we balance each other out.  Jack talks me off the ledge and I keep him from bobbing along like a helium filled balloon. 

While I work to figure it all out on this road trip I'm trying to challenge myself to do things that are out of my comfort zone.  (Aside from selling our house, quitting my job, and going on a cross-country adventure that is!)  Before I left Illinois, I had started taking yoga classes with the terrific ladies at Just Breathe and it was a very positive experience.  So, when we got to New York City, I thought that maybe a good way to push the envelope a bit would be by taking Bikram Yoga classes. 

Bikram classes are 90 minutes long and practiced in a room that is heated to 105 degrees with something like 80% humidity.  I should mention that I hate humidity.  In addition, this being New York, the majority of my fellow students seemed to be actresses and dancers - both young and FLEXIBLE.  And comfortable with nudity.  I've never seen so many women of all ages walking around a locker room completely unclothed in my life.  No towels, even!  Definitely out of the box for a former Catholic school girl from the Midwest but a good challenge for me.  I still hate humidity.

When we came to Charleston, I stuck with Bikram classes several times a week and added running to my list of things to try.  I've run on and off for years but have rarely entered races. That whole fear thing makes it just too stressful for me.  But, racing is one of my goals and I plan to enter a race wherever we go until it's no big deal. 

With that goal in mind Jack and I entered a 5K race a few weeks ago. The Race and Roast featured an oyster roast and live music after the race and we were excited about trying something new.  The course was on the property of an old plantation and runners started off by running through an avenue of live oak trees and then out onto a trail through the woods.  After the race, runners could stay for the oyster roast and listen to the live band on the shore of a small lake. 

Despite my pre-race anxiety, I had a good time, didn't fall, wasn't last and finished in a respectable time for me.  Jack had not done any running at all since his back surgery in September (I mean, not even around the block) but finished the race and enjoyed a celebratory Palmetto beer with me post race.

After the race, we really, really wanted to eat oysters with the rest of the participants but they smelled like river mud and we just couldn't bring ourselves to do it!  Jack and I were definitely in the minority.  People crowded around the tables and couldn't seem to get enough of those oysters.  Maybe it's an acquired taste?  How do you get past the smell?  Some people even brought their own oyster shucking glove and shell opening tool from home.  Maybe next time.



All in all, I'm having a good time trying to figure it all out.  My goal is to NOT do a lot of thinking about what comes next.  I'm trying to take each day as it comes and let go of my feelings of "should".  It's harder than it sounds (for me) but as they say in yoga, "It's a practice, not a perfect."  For now, I'll just appreciate the great weather in Charleston, the terrific restaurants, and the chance to have some time to enjoy life.  I'm grateful for the gift.