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French Quarter Fest 2016 – Thursday

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Two days of Tennessee

In no particular order:

  1. I go to the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival every year, except when there is a cruel twist of fate and one of my work trips must come then. I think that has only happened once or twice in the last 20 years, but it seemed like a betrayal to my own spring routine. Clearly I never forgot it.
  2. I often pay for a panel pass but just as often I volunteer (and know to expect excellent volunteer supervision from Karissa) which means I get that pass for my (few) hours of work, which is so very much appreciated. I’d like to see the volunteer numbers beefed up a bit and some experienced folks given titled jobs ( I see some of the same people each year). And maybe volunteers can get free theater tickets or a panel pass to encourage those with different interests?
  3. One time I purchased a more expensive  pass that gave me access to the Master Classes which just seemed like more panels, except held on Thursday. However, I often also purchase a single ticket to a theater offering or a special event; this year, I would have gone to see Poppy Tooker, but her event sold out early. Honestly, I think getting the panel pass and individual tickets  is the only way to go, unless you rich or need to get your name on the thank you list.
  4. I often skip the Stella Yella (think its actually called the Stella Yell Off) on Jackson Square ‘cuz the crowd is HUGE now and unless you are on a balcony or camped out for hours, you cannot see it. And also,  sometimes the yelling intensity is frightening and I start to get concerned for the actors. (Is there an ambulance nearby in case someone pops a vessel?)
  5. When I first started to attend the Fest (around 2000), I knew no one and happily sat there invisibly, listening, daydreaming and taking notes. Now, I know many of the attendees as my neighbors, and others from doing civic work around the city. I’m not sure I prefer one mode over the other; my time as a observer was sweet and now my time as a chatterer in the hallways is fine too. I just never want to be one of those people who only talk to each other. You know who they are.
  6. Williams Center @ HNOC has been a great addition to the venues. I think Kenneth Holditch’s Walking Tours have attracted new people to the Fest.
  7. Over the years, the effort to add new voices and different perspectives has worked reasonably well. The attention to POC and gender-fluid writers and performers has definitely grown and is treated with dignity and thoughtfulness. However,  some panel topics have worn a bit thin (isn’t there a better way of offering indy publishing perspective than that one 3-person panel?) and yet the stuff about Tennessee and his work seem to be constantly updating and offering some new perspectives.
  8. What happened to the literary world panels? Am I wrong in thinking there used to be more literary agents, editors etc discussing the book publishing world?
  9. Why not more on simply the world of theater, either here in New Orleans or across the US?
  10. I do like the contests (one-act, poetry etc) , but think we can learn hear more about the process and the contestants during the regular panels.
  11. The Saints and Sinners programming is a welcome addition to supporting writers of more genres.
  12. Suggestions: I’d like to see some more (gasp!) TWO person panels or even straight interviews with one author/playwright. And why not show Streetcar each year in the Quarter on the last night, maybe projected in the Square?
  13. Master Class as actual classes? More programming outside of this weekend? theater offerings at schools? TW short story book club at area libraries? (although a shout out to the WriteNow program held during the fest is necessary…)
  14. More used books for sale? How about giving our front line folks (i.e. booksellers at the bookshops around town) a few free tickets to a single panel? so many of them are working writers and of course talk to many literate folks every day and so can spread the word about TWLF.
  15. and this is sort of self-serving, but I think TWLF should encourage more bloggers, tweeters, occasional writers to participate and to write about those on the panels, their works and the entire deal.

Still, in a hurried world of shouting candidates and Kardashians, Tennessee reminds us to care for our sensitive souls. So, knowing there is one more day is a pleasant way to end today:

TWLF16Sun

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 Cabrini to gain off leash dog park

Preliminary plans for the dog park determine that about 1/4 of the park space would be fenced off for dogs to run off leash.

Some community members gave their feedback that this space would be too small for the numbers of dogs expected to show up in the area. Judge Williams indicated that NORDC may be open to designating a larger portion of the park for dogs — specifically, what is now the planter/ former wading pool which would possibly be good for use as a small dog area. This would relieve potential space issues in the larger dog area.

He also indicated that the Cabrini Dog Park is a project in progress — that he wants NORDC to finish this first stage soon (before summer 2016) and that if it’s determined that an abundance of dogs are using the park, the space can possibly be expanded in the future. 

Source: Share Cabrini

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Easter Parades French Quarter 2016

17th Gay Easter Parade benefiting Food For Friends, Easter Sunday, March 27th, Pre-Parade Party & Parade Participants Check-in 3-4pm @ GrandPre’s, 834 N. Rampart Street. (Pick up your Parade Ticket at this time for placement in parade. You will not be allowed to join parade without entry ticket.) (www.GayEasterParade.com)

Line-Up on North Rampart (Armstrong Park side)
The parade begins @ 4:30pm starting @ Armstrong Arch, left on St. Ann, left on Bourbon, right on Esplanade, right on Royal, right on St. Louis, right on Burgundy, left on Dumaine ending at N. Rampart, with Post-Parade Party at GrandPre’s, 834 N. Rampart @ 6pm.

 

Parades

Easter Sunday’s lineup of parades starts early that morning with The Historic French Quarter Easter Parade from Antoine’s Restaurant at 9:45 a.m. to St. Louis Cathedral for 11:00 a.m. Mass. The parade, consisting largely of mule-drawn carriages and old convertibles, makes its leisurely, roundabout way through the French Quarter, handing out stuffed Easter bunnies to the kids, along with other trinkets.

Following Mass, participants in the parade promenade to Jackson Square opposite the Cathedral to show off their Easter bonnets and other finery before returning to Antoine’s. Awards are given out for the best Easter bonnets, Easter baskets and overall Easter attire.

Later, around 1:00 p.m. is the Chris Owens French Quarter Easter Parade. This tradition, which began back in the early 1980s, features renowned French Quarter singer, dancer and all-around entertainer Chris Owens as the Grand Duchess. She stands proudly on her gaily decorated float, assisted by elegantly attired attendants while decked out in one of her stunning, tight-fitting outfits.

The parade starts at the corner of Canal and Bourbon streets and makes its way through the French Quarter, past the Chris Owens Club at 500 Bourbon, with colorful floats and vintage convertibles and accompanied by one or more of the city’s famous brass bands. Plus dance groups and other entertainers. And, of course, since this is a New Orleans parade, there will be plenty of throws – Easter-themed – to catch from the floats and the open-top cars. This parade is a sight you’ll never forget!

There is also an annual Easter Bonnet Contest at Good Friends Bar, a GLBT neighborhood bar at the corner of Dauphine and St. Ann streets in the French Quarter. Anyone can join in and some of the bonnet entries can get pretty outlandish. The crowd votes for the winners, and you can almost certainly expect to hear impromptu renditions of Irving Berlin’s classic song for the occasion, “Easter Parade.” For information call (504) 566-7191.

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The Woman Named Leah (Spoiler: you want to buy some lucky beads?)

This is a story about her passing in 2011, but i wanted to record on this blog the story of The Bead Lady’s whereabouts. She was always drawn to my mother and would stop and tell her long stories as my mother answered mildly,” oh really?” without knowing what she was talking about. I have always appreciated my mother’s tact with street people.

In 2007 Yitzchak Shpock arrived at Louis Armstrong Airport looking for his sister, Leah, who had disappeared over 40 years earlier….
One kind women, Martha Owens, took a real interest in helping Yitzchak track down his sister. It turns out that Leah was a New Orleans street personality well known as “the bead lady” for over three decades. Though she had not been seen on the streets for ten years, many people remembered her. Where was she now? It was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

With the dedicated help of Julie Powers of the Coroner’s office, who was helping to locate people that were missing since Katrina, the search began in earnest. Finally, using a lead from the Social Security Admin, Leah was located at the East Louisiana State Hospital – a state psychiatric ward in Jackson, LA.

Source: The Woman Named Leah