Segments from a mural on Frenchmen Street
Hike down Chartres Street throught the French Quarter--and you'll eventually reach Frenchmen Street, with its antique shops, restaurants and venues for live music. The music here is fifty cuts above the 1970's garage bands that play in the bars on Bourbon Street in the Upper Quarter. Usually, there's a Neville playing at Snug Harbor on Frenchman Street--or a street musician playing classical guitar.
One bit of advice: if you're staying in the Quarter, you don't have to take a cab to Frenchman. It's only about five or six blocks away from Jackson Square.
Lafitte's on lower Bourbon, said to be the oldest bar in the United States. It has no electricity and is lit only by candles at night (see video below). Any electric devices seen are being powered by extension cords plugged into the business next door.
The pleasure is in the details. Almost all of the houses and apartments have some kind of detail to set them apart from the others. One just has to be observant. Luckily, I was with Paul who never ceases to find the interesting detail hidden amidst the expected. Here's a gruesomely graceful hand attached to an iron fence. Brightly colored, broken bottles provide decoration and protection against would be courtyard intruders at the same dwelling.
Check out the sculpture of two nudes making love in the greenery in the courtyard of Lafitte's. The story (and there's always a story) goes: an artist created them to pay his tab in lieu of cash.
Broken glass and ceramic breasts deter would-be intruders to this courtyard!
Below: The Thai Restaurant that we ate at the last night in NOLA. Great food, no liquor license. If you go, pick up a bottle of wine from the liquor store at the corner. Actually, the food was so excellent, we didn't even mind not having drinks!
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