Author Archives

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Scavengers

It’s not that unusual to see people running wildly through the streets of the Quarter, zigzagging their way from side to side. However, the times that it does not involve catching beads from balconies or avoiding iPhone-stealing thugs are rare.
The scavenger craze has been here in the old city for a while, which has allowed locals the chance to watch groups of white people hunting a list of worthless trinkets first rather than just to take home to impressed yet puzzled family members. For active visitors or even bored locals, these hunts can be a fun way to spend a fall evening while out in the glorious weather. Take a minute and click through to this deal for a reduced price scavenger hunt, courtesy of Living Social coupons:
Living Social hunt

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Revolution in a Can

Spoiling walls and doors and windows is shocking and difficult to understand, but for some, it is their choice of activism. I have never raised a can to a wall and probably never will, but it doesn’t mean I don’t notice the anger and get the point when I see it used as a tactic.

(you’ll need to register to read it, but then can delete your account.)
Revolution In A Can

See my interview with the Grand Duchess on her take on graffiti in an earlier post by searching categories for “graffiti” or “Grand Duchess

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Night out in French Quarter

An invitation came to me:

The ladies auxiliary of the Madison Street Society

Want you to join us for

Tuesday, October 11, 2011 500 block of Madison Street 6 PM

Meet your neighbors from Madison Street, Dumaine, Saint Ann Street, Chartres and Decatur Streets

Meet representatives from the City & NOPD’s 8th district

ENJOY!

Food: thanks Tujague’s, River’s Edge, Oceana, Alpine

Music: Johnny J and the Hitmen with Mike Sipos

Also: Cash bar by Tujagues

Raffles: to benefit Cops 8 – thanks Michael Smiraldo & BH Nails

Donations welcome

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St. Anthony’s Garden’s archaeological dig and garden

The high winds of Hurricane Katrina managed to displace two large oak trees in St. Anthony’s Garden behind the Cathedral, dislodging 30 feet (9.1 m) of ornamental gate, while the nearby marble statue of Jesus Christ lost a forefinger and a thumb.

Restoration of St. Anthony's Garden at St. Louis Cathedral..

The garden restoration is finally underway….This video link tells its fascinating history (albeit a bit hokey with the fuzzy recreations) and about 14 minutes in, tells about the dig that started the restoration. Nice to know it was a flower market at one point, and how many toys they found in the excavation…And that the earliest structure in the French Quarter ever found in a dig was uncovered. And that fruit trees and native plants are being used.

<http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=5507649944314471148&hl=en&fs=true

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Tree Maps

Mapping is a great way to show both what is available and what could be. Maps can also be the best way to literally show context. My own awareness of the city and region I live in is largely based on 2 things: anecdotal accounts from individuals, and old maps and ephemera.
I began thinking of mapping the French Quarter a few years ago and did the first one (Cheap Drinks, Bookstores and Extra Bathrooms, also known as CDBB) this year to show both local and tourists something new about the old city. It can be downloaded from this site, by searching in the mapping category.
After that map, I began thinking of other ways to surprise and came up with mapping the tree canopy and best native trees.
I walked every block of the Quarter to map the canopy of trees experienced in the public areas and then asked for volunteers among my friends to double check my work and add to it-and got 4. Greg and Jennifer had already helped with the CDBB map, and so stayed on for this one too. Beth and Marcela came to it with their own interest; Beth probably because she’ll help any organizer friend of hers and Marcela because of her passion and knowledge on native planting.
So, am currently working on finding an artist to refine my map, then will have the Tree Canopy map ready by end of year. The native tree piece is still being worked on by Marcela, and I am adding a link to her beginning, entertaining work:

Native

and stay tuned for more.

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Time Banking

TimeBanking.

What is it? How does it work?

There are hundreds of TimeBanks around the world. TimeBanking is based on the belief that our communities work better when all of our contributions are valued. It rejects the notion that we belong in separate classes of “givers” and “receivers” and establishes a way to reward all types of work — caring for our children, elders, and others who need it, building community, helping out our neighbors.

TimeBanking is about spending an hour doing something for somebody in your community. That hour is counted as a TimeBank Hour that you can spend on having someone in the network do something for you. You earn TimeBank Hours for each service you perform. Instead of members “owing” the one person who helped them individually, we can choose to give and receive the many talents and skills of all the members.

TimeBanking connects you to the best in people because it creates a system that connects unmet needs with untapped resources. It provides ways for us all to contribute and benefit.

Timebanking can be a very effective way to bridge gaps across different demographics, bring people together as a community, build a resource base to solve problems or realize dreams, connect people with needed goods and services, and give people a way to feel valued and do what they like to do.

How do we start a TimeBank?

For an opportunity to learn more about timebanking and have your questions about about the process of participating in a timebank answered, join Stephanie Rearick, co-founder of Dane County TimeBank in Madison, Wisconsin (www.danecountytimebank.org), as she speaks to us about her experiences!

When? Monday, September 26 at 7 p.m.

Where? LHA Community Center, 621-623 N. Rendon (in Mid-City, btwn. St. Peter and Toulouse)

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Lucky break that it wasn’t broken down and carted away…

Turns out the owners of this property could have demolished the whole thing. Uh, oops City Hall.
I guess there is no substitute for knowledge, even at City Hall. I agree with Councilperson Palmer’s acknowledgement of the problem, but do not believe that one-stop permitting would entirely alleviate bad clerical work.
Best to beef up signage and posting so that savvy neighbors (of which there are many in the old city) can catch the mistakes. And maybe, have someone they can call over the weekend when they see illegal demo or repair activity.

WDSU story