Category Archives: French Quarter

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Same old sad shed story

In my old city is an old shed market that is constantly undergoing trials and tribulations. It is in the very heart of our city, being the spot that Native Americans traded their wares and the French built the city around. However, in my lifetime it has become a set of buildings without a plan.
The link below leads to a letter in our local paper and it and the ensuing comments are important to note as many of them come from some of the vendors at that market. I am not sure the entire story is being told in this letter- well, let’s say it is not, nor did the letter writer expect to cover 250 years of history in it. The letter writer is instead pointing out the economic impact of their work. I wonder if the management has an answer to that argument; they might, but it is not clear to me if they do.

I will add that as a farmers market organizer I ran a weekday open-air market in this place (while working as a market organizer for a well-respected local market organization) as a favor to this corporation and its history as our city’s market heritage. One of the only things I was glad of post-September 2005 was that my organization could delay the decision to reopen that location. We did not reopen that market. It was the only one of our 4 weekly markets that we ultimately did not reopen and had more to do with resources and new management unknown to us, then the potential of the place. But it was a difficult place to run an entrepreneurial market, and this is from someone who happily ran those other 3 as well as a multi-day holiday market every December.

There are many ideas that could work here, but none of them (in my mind) start with pissing off the existing vendors without a strong, appropriate plan to reinvent the base. I still am not sure the management knows who their target audience is and how to reach them. I am not sure they even know how to find their target vendors or how to work with existing vendors to maximize their hard work and the market’s investment. I am not even sure that the management understands the difference between festivals and markets or between the needs of storefront businesses and itinerate tradespeople and artisans.
In short, even though I study markets daily, I am not sure of anything when it comes to the French Market.

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Carnival days

After the rain passes today, we expect 3 days of glorious Mardi Gras weather, and like millions of other people, I wil spend most of it in and around the French Quarter. Will meet up with friends and family and do things like Stanley’s for gumbo, coffee at Cafe Du Monde, and drink at the updated Carousel Bar,see a parade and hear some music. And just bike around admiring costumes and running into people and catching up.

Carnival is not about getting so drunk that you can’t stand up or flashing body parts or screaming “WOOOO” as you walk down the street. It’s about friends and creative energy and social time while forgetting your cares for a few days. Welcome.

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Sylvain review

One of the good things about having friends working on Treme (the HBO show) is that they get out and experience the city in ways that non-Hollywood people sometimes forget to. Last night, after ‘tit Rәx and drinks at Cosimo’s, E and I went to see if we could squeeze in this newish place on Chartres (where the bakery La Marquise used to be, a few doors back of Le Petit Theater- or what’s left of the theater!) for dinner. Since she often goes there with her T coworkers, she got us in quickly and also could recommend items from the menu.
We started with drinks- me, a Moscow Mule (which is showing up on menus all over town all of a sudden) and she a French 75 (another favorite of mine) along with a fried eggplant appetizer (nice lemon tang) to start. Then to the shaved brussel sprout salad (good) and my entree, the duck confit with black-eyed peas and Maras farm sprouts (seemed odd to call them that- is Gerard still growing sprouts? I thought not…) and a nice bourbon mustard. E had the roasted beets on bruschetta which she thought had slightly overcooked bruschetta, so they agreeably toasted some new ones for her. We added another drink that was a pleasant gin based cocktail with orange slice (did not catch the name or the recipe) near the end. All very good, service was excellent and even though crowded, the place has a nice ambience and not overly smushed (even with people chatting up the Hollywood actor 2 tables down who was in for dinner.) So, a pleasant end to a pleasant day, and another restaurant to recommend in the Quarter and some duck for brunch today while Barkus rolls past.


Sylvain site

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Well it’s our weekend to be the hosts!
This Sunday, we gather in the Quarter for one of the top parades among local parade goers, Barkus. This dog parade is up there with Muses, Zulu and our new favorite, ‘tit Rəx. Barkus’ theme this year is “Mission Impossible- Canine Protocol, Armstrong Bark Reloaded” so look for a lot of Tom Cruise inspired black climbing outfits and cool sunglasses hanging off ears…
This is year 20 for the organization, and this parade grows more fun every year. And all done on behalf of animal protection causes. And for those who ask me where it is in the Quarter, don’t worry-you’ll find it on your own!
Barkus site
Right after you have your friends stake out your spot for the parade, head up to Frenchman for the best costume market of the year. This from its organizer, the Godmother of Flea Markets, Cree McCree:

I’m delighted to announce that Threadhead Records Foundation is the nonprofit sponsor for this year’s Carnival costume bazaar at the Blue Nile. THR’s generous support continues a Frenchmen Street tradition dating back to the first Carnival Creations Bazaar at Cafe Brasil in 1991. Cofounders Tracy Thomson and Oliver Manhattan are among the artists and designers displaying their wares at this fabulous city-sanctioned event, which rises from the ashes of the Great Blue Nile Costume Bust of Mardi Gras 2011.

Threadhead Records Foundation Presents:
21st Annual Carnival Costume Bazaar
Barkus Sunday * February 12 * 12 Noon – 5 PM
Blue Nile * 532 Frenchmen St.
504-948-2583 * Free & open to the public

A dozen of New Orleans’ most creative designers, hatters, costumiers and mask-makers offer a vast array of one-of-a-kind costumes, masks, accessories, props & festive Carnival creations.

Featuring: Oliver Manhattan, Tracy Thomson/Kabuki, Mo Lappin/Howlpop, Jonathan Woods/Calamity, Cree McCree/Cree-ations, Jessica Radcliffe/High Bohemia, The Hat Man/Charles Barkley, Christeen Wright/Avante Garb, Joy Patterson, Darlene Hargreaves, Kate McNee, Natalie Pierce and Veronica Russell.

A don’t-miss event for people who take Carnival seriously!

What a weekend to be on foot and in the sliver!

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Texaco building on Canal to be renovated for low income seniors

Canal street needs to add a diverse set of residents and this project may be the kick off to that.
In any case, it has long been my contention that tax credits for Canal building owners that renovate their largely empty upstairs floors should be considered; those tax credits would be given with rent controls so that regular people can animate our main street.
However, the Texaco building has been empty for far too long-I wonder how long it will really take to renovate it? I also wonder if this is the beginning of the end of the Iberville housing; this article talks about moving seniors from there. Besides high-rises being sometimes difficult for seniors to navigate it makes me wonder if moving people from there is to change the community aspect of Iberville in order to hand it over to developers.

Texaco building

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Gumbo

A classic version found on the corner of St. Ann and Chartres (aka Jackson Square). Stanley’s gumbo has loads of meat and seafood amid a nice dark roux that’s not too thick. That they offer the added potato salad is nice: I have turned some heads in parts of the city that don’t believe in potato salad in the gumbo, but once in a while I like it. I learned about it at a demonstration at the old Wednesday Crescent City Farmers Market by Wayne Baquet, the Creole restauranteur of Lil Dizzy’s and Zachary’s fame even though he says in this interview with Sara Roahen that he doesn’t use it.

Southern Gumbo Trail oral interview