Jazz Fest Blues.

Are there no Andouille Calas with Green Onion Sauce at Jazz Fest this year?? We missed them on Friday and I cannot find anything about them in Off Beat for next weekend. I scoured Food Area One for a good half hour, loosing our window for the Cochon po' boys before the line got unbearable. In other words: it was a truly dedicated search.

Seriously, it is easier to wait and have them once a year at Jazz Fest then it is to get a babysitter and have dinner in Kenner. Plus, it makes it much harder to enjoy Rosemint Tea, Cochon de Lait po'boys, and Fried Eggplant with Crawfish Sauce without knowing that I can have Calas before and after.

Jazz Fest crack problem

Yes, I realize that I will burn for all eternity. The devil made me do it.

Weekend in the City

As with every weekend in recent and not-so-recent history, the focus of this weekend has been Getting the Kids Away from the House so that Paul Can Work. Luck for us, the business apartment rented by my Dad's company was available. So directly after school Friday afternoon, Paul dropped us off in the Central Business District and we've been here ever since.

Staying at the apartment is like being a tourist in our own city; exploring a new neighborhood. We've stayed here many times before and each time I like it more. Saturday morning, we walked around the corner to the Farmer's Market, where we listened to live music and the kids ate sample strawberries. Then we walked through the CBD, past Will's favorite hotel (the "W") and looped around the line of diners outside Mother's, which just felt like a photo op.


After admiring the fountain in front of Harrah's, we finally ended up at the Aquarium because it made sense. The kids played in the park at the riverfront while we waited for it to open, mostly admiring the tugs hard at work and marveling at how incredibly high the water is this year.

Inside, the kids were great. They worked me in classic style. Will shouted for my attention at every second, while Kate was happy to silently wander herself lost. It made more sense for me to follow the silent one, since she so easily would disappear in the crowd. So Will became That Kid who annoyed everyone shouting "MOM COME HERE RIGHT NOW, PUHLEEZE!!!" Every. Ten. Seconds. I managed to be Teflon Mom and not be annoyed. In other words, I tried hard to be a Normal Person and had much more fun as a result.
We had a great visit, made especially fun by the White Alligator, who was up for action. He floated, opening his mouth and showing his big teeth, right up by the glass.
No worries, Kate. We know you totally could take him.
I tried out some different exposures in the viewing room. Meaning that I got a few minutes of playtime myself. Score One for Mommy!

(That's Will and Kate on the left.)
Initially, I thought we'd take the streetcar somewhere for lunch. Maybe down to the French Market? But it ended up being noon when we left, the snack I brought along didn't satiate, and I had no sunscreen. So we walked through the shade of Riverwalk to the end and then turned up Julia Street back to the apartment. I kicked myself the whole time... all this cool stuff around on such a beautiful day and we're in Riverwalk??... but the kids loved the fountain and checking out the river boats, so I figured I was redeemed.
Will stopped all walking when he saw this: "MOMMY! LOOK AT THAT GO SAINTS SIGN!"
The Children's Museum was in full swing with a block party. I forgot to buy the early member tickets and didn't want to pay the hefty door fee, so we enjoyed Johnette Downing from the street. The plan was to do this again for The Imagination Movers, but we all ended up sleeping through their performance. Will was disappointed, so we put on the Calling All Movers! CD and had a dance party inside.
We woke up to church bells and enjoyed the procession of brides and bridesmaids into the church next door. After dinner, we ran out in our bare feet to dance on the sidewalk as they second-lined down to the Ogden.
Paul joined us for an hour for dinner, then headed back home to work a few hours before bed. He gave Kate a bath which was a nice break for me (read: I threatened to swallow the key and trap him forever.)
One day, we hope to stay here as a family -- scratch that, maybe just as a couple? -- and be tourists in our own city.


(Random note: These pictures... actually virtually all of the pictures I've taken in the past two weeks... were all taken with the 'new' used 10D (the $300 deal was worth every penny) and the 28-135 IS lens. I'm still getting used to both. The 10D is heavier and bulkier, but I like that it feels meaty in my hand. I don't think the weight would bother me too much if I was shooting an event, but it impacts storage and ease of access for when you're not holding it all the time. I love the controls and the sound of the camera, which are definitely built for a more advanced user compared to the design of the Rebels. I notice noise much more in this camera at high ISOs than with the 400D, but this is really the only performance issue that stands out, and I rarely shoot above 800. I am really having fun with the 'new' toys... and need to get some pro input because have no idea what makes sense to take to Peru!)

V-Day. It's here for a reason.

Jessica at Feministing.com posted about the V-Day events happening in New Orleans this weekend, which is great. But then she notes that none of the websites' regular contributors could make it to the event, so she recruited outside of the area, and outside of the Gret Stet, actually, to liveblog the weekend.


What, are all the local feminists at French Quarter Fest and unavailable?

Did all the New Orleans' feminists evacuate and not come back after Katrina?

Were there not enough Women's Studies majors to chose from at Tulane?

What would have been wrong with the words of the thousands of women of New Orleans who will be attending the event?

And for those New Orleans' women who won't be attending due to their living in the poverty and isolation V-Day seeks to address, couldn't feministing.com have offered to sponsor a few... in exchange for some words about the event?


V-Day is celebrated as an International call to the importance of Women's Health; it is a performance piece that signifies a global movement. However, it is intentionally being done HERE, in NEW ORLEANS, featuring specific new monologues written about real women living HERE, because of the historical significance of our city's history and what it has meant in the lives of the women of this place. This aspect of the event should not be overshadowed or forgotten. As is the case with any story of poverty and loss, the ones who suffer the most are women and children. New Orleans continues to be the poster child for both of these ills; these monologues have significance to how our city and our people will be remembered. Part of a global movement, yes, but RIGHT NOW signifying an important step in our recovery.

I understand why feministing.com may want to keep writers whom they know and trust to adhere to the kinds of writing the website wants to reflect (I love feministing.com, learn from the posts, and enjoy reading it ... but yes, there was some criticism in that last sentence) --- but within this context, I am disappointed that the website authors determined that bringing in an outsider was more important than finding someone local. Someone who could truly talk about the new monologues using both a feminist (or maybe 'feministing') lens AND the understanding of what it means for those pieces to be performed HERE.

No offense to the friendly youth coming in for the weekend to cover it. I'm sure her reflections will be thoughtful. But will she be able to comprehend what it means for the hundreds of women who have not yet returned and were brought back for the weekend's events? Will she be able to capture the frustration, heartache, and loss that we in this place have come to recognize as daily aspects of life? Will she be able to contextualize how a monologue about 'a woman in New Orleans' can symbolize an entire city's struggle for rebirth? No offense, but no. And if you can't get that, well, you're missing a HUGE part of what this weekend means.


UPDATE: Jessica has offered to include reflections from local women regarding the event on her website (see comments). Thanks!

E-L-M-O. And The Dog.

On Saturday afternoon, we made Paul clean himself of debris from the back and walk around the block to Octavia Books, a local bookstore that also was one of Will's first words. (He loved walking in the bookstore during our walks around the block and would request "Octavia Books!" as a way to tell us he wanted to go for a walk.)
Here is Kate. Storytime had ended and we were waiting for The Big Event.
MEETING ELMO. WOW.

Elmo "signed" a book (a bookstore clerk stamped it with Elmo's signature) and I took some pictures.

Then, the day continued. Paul and Will went to the back to work on the house and Kate and I walked hand-in-hand to Whole Foods. We had just walked into the parking area when Kate saw The Dog. I had to tighten my grip on her as she tried to run with all her might towards the animal, who had noticed Kate and was equally struggling to reach her. The dog was probably a year or younger, of medium size, golden like a retriever with a fluffy tail and with big floppy ears. Very Cute. The dog and Kate finally met at the door, where they kissed and hugged and squealed with delight. I said to the woman holding the dog's leash, "What a cute dog." She hopefully replied, "Oh, the dog is up for adoption. He needs a home." I looked down at Kate loving on that puppy. Uh-oh.

"We have a cat," I quickly replied and scooped her up. We said goodbye and went into the store. Kate was great in the store, but I was worried about having to walk past the dog again. Then, I saw the dog's keeper in produce -- so I assumed that the dog had already found a home.

WRONG. We left the store and found the dog and woman again; she'd put the dog in the car for a second to get him a some watermelon. The Kate-dog love fest began again, with even more intensity. Seeing the dog was even more exciting to her than seeing Elmo, if you can imagine such a thing. I was getting desperate.

"My oldest got bit by a dog when he was little and is deathly afraid," I lied, knowing full well that Will has been begging for a dog for weeks.

This time, when I scooped up Kate, she began to cry. "Doooooooggggggg, Nooooooo, DOOOOOOGGGGGG!" She wailed, reaching with all her might over my shoulder.

And then, the dog started to whimper. Over her cries, the garage filled with his whimpers... followed by (and I am not making this up) his HOWLING. So there I am, holding a snack of groceries and a squirming, crying Kate who is reaching behind me calling out to this dog who is whimpering and howling to her.

I am pretty sure this puts me in striking distance of "The World's Worst Mommy" award. But we are not getting a dog!!!

The Carnival Season is Here!

It's Mardi Gras time and we're gearing up for the biggest event of the Carnival Season!

The Annual Parade of the Krewe of Abeona!

Paul and I have been brainstorming our family's float and costumes. Will brought home a costume he'd made at school (a shiny purple cape, or as Will says it, "cafe" -- rhymes with 'safe'). He declared it a hero cape (cafe) and we went with it... coming finally to a Mardi Gras Superhero type theme with Will as Captain Mardi Gras, Kate as the faithful sidekick Lagniappe, and Paul and I as the Beignet Bunch. We were thinking of hero-type costumes (with helmets) in purple (for justice), green (for faith), and gold (for power)... or some kind of twist on that idea.

The Krewe of Abeona rolls on February 1st this year, down Oak Street and Carrollton. Today, they drew names to Crown their King and Queen, who (in the Mardi Gras tradition) lead the parade and toast the celebration. Like last year, floats, live music, costumes, and the signature throw (the Golden NuNu) will mark the celebration.

The King and Queen of this year's celebration were selected this morning. This year's King is...

(wait for it)...


WILL (!)

Wait, it gets better. This year's Queen?

ANA (Will's amor! In his words: "Mommy, I love Ana.")

Here she is, as pictured during the Po' Boy Fest:

If your heart isn't breaking just a little at the cuteness of this, it could be a sign that you are experiencing heart failure (seek medical attention, quick!) The Mothers are appropriately stressing over the costuming issue as we have only a month -- One Month! -- for this Mardi Gras season. (Honestly a month? Is that really enough time for us sinners to get it all out? For Pete's sake, shouldn't we revise the rules on these early Easter years? We have Daylight Savings to get the most daylight out of each day, so why not extended Carnival season on early Easter years to get the most out of the world's best party?)

Here are the King and Queen below, conspiring in a tea cup during Will's birthday party:

What's IN this season? Under 5 Art!

Self-portraits, decorated wrapping and tissue paper, earrings, paintings, votives, cards, and more graced La Divina on Saturday night. Will's self portrait is in the middle of the top row, above. When Will told us about making his self portrait (the kids had a full discussion and study of the shapes and colors of their faces before making the pieces) he told us that he has a very LONG head. With each display were detailed documentation about the kids' process in making each piece.

You can see some the documentation below. (Although the class picture in the center was taken by me in front of the Nix Library a month or so ago.) Will made about 10 pairs of earrings! I bought 5. I thought Will would be thrilled with me wearing his creations... but NO! He keeps telling me that I can't wear them because he made them "to raise money to buy animals for people who don't have food." When I explain that *I* bought them and gave money for them to buy the animals, he gives me a knowing look and says, "no you didn't." I wonder if he'll accept the cleared check as evidence?
We had a great time at the event. We were lucky that Sydney, our old neighbor (whose beautiful Bat Mitzvah we attended two weeks ago) called and asked if she could come over Saturday. So Sydney came along, which meant Paul and I had a break from constant Kate-wrangling. I don't think I would have been able to take pictures (or enjoy a gelato) had Sydney not been there!

These little paintings were awesome. Will had one called "dark" that our friend, adopted little sister, and Abeona curly-haired sub, Michelle took home.
I loved the cards!
Meanwhile, outside, the kids played. Ana decided she liked the lion outside of the sushi place next to La Divina. She sat on this perch, waving to people ("bye, have a nice night") as they passed.
Kids, patrons, parents, and more... can you spot Will and Kate?

Will joined Ana on the lion. I heard her whispering to him, "Will, we can stay here forever. We can watch all the people walk by. We can eat all the ice cream we want..." Sounded pretty good to me. Enticed by her offer, or maybe just happy to get away from some of the excitement, Will stayed there for awhile. (Long enough for Emmy and I to giggle at the two of them deep in serious conversation.) Then, when her (totally awesome) boots slipped off, Will jumped down and put them back on her feet. (I was too hit by cuteness overload to negotiate the camera properly and missed the moment.)


Although the kids haven't decided what animals they are going to purchase yet with their donation, they DID reach their goal... they earned enough to buy a cow!!

Bring your livestock!

Click on the flyer for more information!


PS: I get first dibs on the BEAUTIFUL EARRINGS Will made for this event!

Double Shot Under the Big Top

Thanks to Emmy for the invite and to the thoughtfulness of a friend who comped us the tickets, we enjoyed Oshner's Double Shot Under the Big Top Children's Health Center fund raiser. Emmy brought Ana and I brought Will -- making it a special night out with Mommy for our big kids. We met up with other friends (Emmy's neighbor, Georgia, who is the owner of The Bead Shop, and her daughter Amaya, who is about the same age as Kate).

Ana and Will are great friends and watching them was a delight. For example, when Ana was scared to go alone down the big slide, Will climbed up and held her hand for the trip down.
Strong man and bathing beauty. This was set up over by the dunking booths, where Will was obsessed with wanting to "dunk someone." I told him that it was a real bummer we'd forgotten to bring Daddy, because he would have LOVED being dunked.
There were several jugglers and street performers. Both Will and Ana held the spinning plate.

Photography aside: I used the 24mm lens that my Mom washed (three times) in the washing machine when it returned from the Grand Canyon wrapped up in Dad's clothes. Amazingly, the lens works -- and it works well! It's a bit clunkier in auto-focus, but still faster than I would have thought. Manual works fine (with kids around, I often use auto because they move so much -- otherwise, I prefer manual). Although it seemed very sensitive to exposure and gave a lot of flare in different situations. This may also be a bit of user error because I'm experimenting more with exposure after playing around with this during sunset shots with Matt. Because I don't really have any time to set up shots in this type of setting, I didn't get any of Will with the plate properly exposed. Bummer, because one of them is really cool. But I did get some cute shots of Ana. (I pixelated this one a bit to get some more subject focus -- the result of me having trouble with auto focus.)
In addition to the inflatables and performers, there were 5 huge inflatables, a silent auction (we all put in for a variety of stuff but got outbid at the last second), jewelry making (the kids made key chains), t-shirt decorating (Will's is Very Will, in that most things are completely colored all in black), cookie decorating, and a TON of seriously great food from local restaurants. All free!

Radio Disney was there and had a dance-a-thon, hula-hoop contests, and group dancing. Ana and Will were mesmerized.
Then Ana started to pick up some of the moves.

After dancing, they decided they wanted to go back to the Big Slide (see it in the background, behind the stilt walker?) That was when Will made his move:
(He was very sweetly helping her down from the curb, as Emmy and I stood behind giggling.)

And off they go!

ACS Walk

Audubon Park, Saturday morning.

Movie trailers lined up on St. Charles Avenue at the top of the park, in front of Loyola and Tulane's main campuses.

The fountain.
Vignettes.

Favorite moments from the walk, below.