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Royal Mule Team

One of the trueisms about living in the Quarter ( and different from even the experiences of our “almost-residents” aka storekeepers or other business owners)  is the scads of information that one gets from popping out on the sidewalk dozens or more times  in one day, observing the activities or even while still back in your space, hearing them happen and perhaps noting the time in the back of your mind while you put laundry in the washer before any commerce is even beginning. Those activities include workers arriving at dawn and standing in front of your door soberly assessing current tip levels; delivery trucks huffing and puffing outside from 5:30 am on, pulling cases of items out (which ramps up especially in mid-week);  knowing the tour guides who do their work with respect and gusto and those who do not;  separating the good hustlers from the dangerous ones and much more. One other  is learning the names and company of the sanitation crews and the identification of who actually works versus those who just walk and swipe at the ground once in a  while. One of the good ones is Royal Carriages. In case you didn’t know, all of the carriage companies are supposed to take their turn in the Quarter, cleaning up after their mules; however most do not bother. The one company that is consistent and conscientious is Royal Carriages.

Recently, they had an open house at their stables in the Marigny where they invited the locals via social media to see what was up and offered some free food and drink and music. I went by and was impressed by the cleanliness and attention they paid to their space. So when I saw the cleaner out on the cart today and that he was stopped right in front of my door, I thanked him for his work and we had a short chat.  His name is Roger and he is proud of his company and told me that the mules there get 4 months off per year and the place is kept “spotlessly”clean. He was as cheery of a worker as the modern world has and I am glad to have him around and to have a name to assign to his face.

The workers and residents of the Quarter acknowledge each other’s dependency on the other. We share a pride in our place and a willingness to play the hosts to the city’s millions of visitors. Royal Mule Carriages illustrates that truth.

 

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Krewe Du Vieux has a new parade route

588b6897a4fcf-imageMardi Gras 2017 in New Orleans shifts into high gear on Feb. 11 this year with a parade known for its decidedly adult themes – Krewe Du Vieux. Here is their new route.

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Storyville ‘Guidebooks to Sin’ subject of upcoming events 

“Guidebooks to Sin: The Blue Books of Storyville, New Orleans”

  • Author lecture: Pamela Arceneaux will discuss the book
  • Queen Anne Ballroom of the Hotel Monteleone: 214 Royal St.
  • When: Friday, Feb. 3, 5:30 p.m.
  • More information: The lecture will be followed by a reception and signing at the collection, 533 Royal St. The lecture is free, but reservations are required. They can be made by writing wrc@hnoc.org or calling 504.523.4662.

“What the blue books give you is the sizzle but not the steak,” Arceneaux said.

 

This promises to be a landmark book uncovering an often misunderstood era of New Orleans. Arceneaux is a very well-respected librarian and researcher and an expert on Storyville. The event on Friday will be fascinating but if you miss it you can grab a copy of the book at HNOC’s lovely gift shop in the 500 block of Royal.

 

Source: Storyville ‘Guidebooks to Sin’ subject of upcoming events | NOLA.com

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Mitch: Leave Bourbon Street alone. Leave our small businesses alone.

Mayor Landrieu: Rescind Your Cameras and Closed Doors Security Proposal

Petition is here

This is one of the nuttiest and most dangerous ideas that our mayor has come up yet. Making Bourbon a ped-only street will snarl the traffic that needs to serve a large neighborhood and will make Iberville, Conti and Toulouse (especially) virtual parking lots. (Iberville is already snarled between Bourbon and Royal when the parking lots are backed up.) That will undo the Quarter’s dynamic flow once and for all, and reduce the cross streets to 20 hour a day freight zones with the ensuing mess leaking onto the residential streets.

As for the 3 a.m. idea, I don’t even know where to begin. What about this idea will reduce random shootings, gang retaliations or even any other major crime issue? How does closing the doors of bars solve any of these? Instead we will have people leaving bars with no “eyes on the street” (meaning bartenders or bouncers or other workers) that are there now to watch out for them. Instead we will have bars and clubs going out of business.

Security cameras managed by the city have been tried and have failed. Better to incentivize businesses to install better cameras and for the city to actually USE those cameras rather than ignoring them as they do now. Spend money on building a force that investigates crimes, using available technology and witnesses and old fashioned analysis. Get OUT there and know community members, notice upticks as they happen,  build a knowledge base to actually solve crimes rather than just relying on Crimestopper rewards for the sensational crimes, ignoring the rest.

Community policing (more better paid cops, with more training, walking and biking on the streets and cops stationed inside partner businesses) will do more than any street-killing idea.

Honestly, Mitch Landrieu seems to be as out of touch as C Ray was in his last days as mayor. Maybe we need to do away with 2 term mayors…..

 

Some French Quarter Bars Owners Aren’t On Board With a New Citywide Safety Plan

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Friday protest activities

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20

1. Jazz funeral for Lady Liberty’
The “funeral” will convene with other marchers outside Louis Armstrong Park at 10 a.m. to depart at 11 a.m. on the route that journeys from Rampart Street to Canal Street and then back down Peters Street toward the Moonwalk. There, Lady Liberty’s coffin will be symbolically doused in the Mississippi River.

2. J20: anti-Trump inaugural protest and march marchhttps://www.facebook.com/events/723927517772803/
Starting Location: Duncan Plaza, Perdido Street, Time: 3 p.m.
Ending Location: City Hall, Poydras Street
Route: Duncan Plaza to Canal Street, turn onto Magazine Street, turn onto Poydras Street, ending at City Hall on Poydras Street.