The Surreal Ending to My Time in New Orleans

I woke up early on Sunday, September 5, determined to have another great, relaxing day in New Orleans, before renting a car and heading to other stops. I rented the car over the phone, and jogged in my carpeted room. I knew fatigue might play a part in my day, but it was off to a quiet, yet effective start. Then I got the call that my mother had died.

My sister and I had known this was a possibility -- my mother had been sick with Alzheimer's for years. She was in pain, with little quality of life. The possibility of mom dying while I was on vacation had been discussed, and it was agreed that I should continue on vacation. The problem was that my sister was also out of town, and was sleeping soundly -- she could not be reached. I got phone call after phone call asking me for details of the arrangements for my mother -- which only my sister had! All this while I was trying to plan a day, check out of my hotel, and drive to a new city!

This may seem insensitive on my part -- after all, my mother had just died. I am not trying to defend or justify my actions in any way, just to describe them. I was very unsettled for the rest of the day, and comforted only marginally by my sister eventually contacting me to let me know that she was taking care of the details, and telling me to continue on my trip, as we had discussed.

I had a decent seafood omelet while eating with a young man with whom I had struck up a conversation on the street, on line outside the popular establishment -- I always trust that a restaurant with a line out the door is going to be good -- that has been my experience:

Before moving on, I want to give a shout out to Winston, the young man who conversed and ate with me during this difficult time, and remind him that I am happy to reciprocate his kindness should our paths cross again. Winston, if you read this, please leave a message, so that we can correspond! :)

But it isn't the food, or the restaurant's popularity that sticks in my mind. It's the name of the restaurant, the significance of which I only realized much, much later...

After breakfast, and among the myriad of phone calls I received, I perused the shops at Riverwalk, close to the levee:

I chose to spend the remainder of my time in the New Orleans area doing something a little different -- a swamp tour. Among other things, I enjoyed watching the tour guide feed the alligators:

Handling the various paraphernalia he handed around, including this baby alligator, was also noteworthy...

After the tour, I had to experience a po' boy before I left town:

I remember most of the day fondly, and by the end, with the help of a good friend I called, I was feeling much calmer. The alligators were amazing, and I would recommend a swamp tour if you are in the New Orleans area. It takes you away from the hustle and bustle of downtown, which may not be your goal, but it is something that really invigorated me -- seeing the life in these reptiles, and the surroundings they lived in -- after a morning filled with sorrow and stress.

Just think -- if I could have such an adventure-filled day when I was dealing with sorrow and stress -- imagine what New Orleans might offer to those who don't have such extra burdens!

Continuing in New Orleans...

After lunch, I decided to walk along the levee, being aware of what it had endured during Hurricane Katrina in 2005:

I took the free ferry to Algiers, walking around, and taking in the scenic views....

I came back, and walked along Frenchmen Street, stopping for iced tea...

...before dinner at K-Paul's....the service was excellent! I had the new experience of eating turtle soup, as well as a fried green tomato, which was scrumptious, and the sauce was out of this world!

I ended the night walking back to my hotel, taking in the ambiance on Bourbon Street...overall, not my scene, but I wouldn't have missed the opportunity to see it once, and I'm glad I did!

So...overall, my first full day of vacation in New Orleans was just what I needed...relaxing, yet packed with relaxing activities! I had much of the next day to spend in New Orleans, before I would tour other areas of the Deep South in a rental car...it was about to become very surreal...

The Little Spot

Before I get back to describing my time in New Orleans, I want to describe a great little spot with a lot of tradition along Route 22 in the Valhalla/White Plains area, just outside of New York City. It's called The Little Spot, and it's been serving customers hotdogs, hamburgers, ice cream, and the like for over 60 years! Naturally, given my diet, I just stopped for my iced tea, before hiking along the Bronx River Parkway. I got a whole lot more than that! Free refills on the iced tea! Quite reflection time in a homey little joint. Great conversation with patrons who have been frequenting that joint for decades, one since 1958! I had a nice discussion with Joe, Jr., the son of the original owner, who described the path his parents, and now he, take to maintain the establishment. My server, Greg, couldn't have been kinder. Definitely worth a stop for a drink or a meal, depending on your fancy.

Here is a link, which is a documentary describing the history of the establishment in more detail:

http://www.examiner.com/ny-in-new-york/the-little-spot-a-ny-hot-dog-tradition

Along with my walking along the Bronx River Parkway -- which was relaxing and picturesque, if not so quiet being next to a highway -- I had the Saturday afternoon I love when my "traveling" can only be a short hop drive somewhere on a pretty day like today!

Oops

Sorry, the pics for the upstairs lunch and Cafe Royal are backwards...the top pic is my lunch, the bottom is Cafe Royal...but you may have figured that out anyways! :)

New Orleans -- What Was, and What Might Have Been

Returning to my tour of the Deep South, which I began to describe prior to taking a break to describe New England treasures...

I flew into New Orleans, setting foot in Louisiana, the 47th State in which I had set foot. From all accounts, New Orleans promised to be magical -- and it was. The trip was also surreal.

I stayed at the Quality Inn, on O'Keefe Avenue, walking distance from the action surrounding and on Bourbon Street. I highly recommend the location, as it is reasonably priced as far as hotels in downtown New Orleans go, and the staff was super friendly and helpful. I was allowed to use their computer by request, and they helped substantially with other needs that arose, as I will describe.

I arrived well after midnight on Friday, September 3. The following morning, I had a good breakfast at The Original Pierre Maspero's. Here are some pictures:

I bought some beads next:

Then I enjoyed my trip around Jackson Square:

I perused the St. Louis Cathedral and the shops, buying a mask. Here is the link to Jackson Square:

http://www.jackson-square.com/

Next, and by accident, I found the New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park, where I was able to sample some local musicians for free! I learned about jazz -- and how if you have to ask what it is, you don't know:

Make no mistake about it, those children are talented. Here is the link:

http://www.nps.gov/jazz/index.htm

I was only short walk from the French Market:

I really enjoyed Bill Hemmerling's Art, which I saw at an unplanned stop at a gallery for Southern Art:

I learned about how Mr. Hemmerling had begun a career in art in his final five years of life, after he had been released from his work at Sears.

I also enjoyed Faulkner's House of Books:

There was iced tea at Cafe Royal:

Followed by a nice upstairs patio lunch!

Historic Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow

A beautiful, historic area, not far from my home in the Bronx, is the Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow district. Last year, I visited Sunnyside, a home of author Washington Irving -- very pretty. Afterwards, I had iced tea at Silver Tips Tea Room, and was so positively impressed, I returned there yesterday. Here is their link:

http://www.silvertipstea.com/fusionecommerce/browse/

They serve many, many different types of tea. The tea I had was a fruity blend that was very pleasant to the senses. They also serve food, and although I haven't sampled it yet, I am predicting that will change in the near future. Their menu is online, and includes multiple salads and sandwitches which fit into my dietary needs.

My actual lunch -- my meal out for the week -- was at The Horseman Restaurant and Pizza in Sleepy Hollow. I had the Turkey Cobb Wrap, substituting mashed potatoes for the tortilla chips (I have been having too many tortilla chips in my recent Mexican meals, and wanted to change that), and grilled chicken for the turkey, as they had no turket remaining. Absolutely scrumptious, and very reasonably priced! The restaurant was PACKED on this lovely Sunday, spring day, demonstrating that many share my appreciation for the establishment, which I have frequented on more than one occasion. In addition to the wrap I had, the restaurant has a number of tempting salads and breakfast meals I may try on future visits to the restaurant. Unfortunately, they have no website, or I would provide it, but I called in advance to ask about their menu, and received friendly suggestions. Obviously, having been to the restaurant more than once, I would recommend it!

But the area is hardly about food! There are several historic, beautiful mansions, in addition to the aforementioned Sunnyside. Among others, there is the Rockerfeller estate, Kykuit, which I plan to visit. I have also enjoyed peaceful hiking in The Rockerfeller Preserve, and the town of Tarrytown is pleasant for walking, with its beautiful views of the Tappan Zee Bridge and surrounding waters.

Getting back to my weekend trip, yesterday, I sampled the gift shop, Bella's Boutique. I am not as interested in the jewelry or flowers that some might be, but this store had a great deal more than that, including some cute games and interesting books. I'd highly recommend this store, and I also enjoyed A N U Toy Store, for similar reasons. Here are the links:

http://www.bellasboutique.com/Bellas_Boutique/Home.html

http://www.anutoystore.com/

There are a number of similar shops in the area, including clothing shops and stores with antiques.

My final stop was at Horsefeathers for some hot tea, sitting in their outside seating area, gazing at the beautiful sites. The staff was friendly, and, having perused the menu, there is a strong possibility I will return for a meal. While technically a tavern with a bar area -- a type of establishment I usually tend to avoid -- the establishment has separate, restaurant seating, and I observed families with young children eating outside where I enjoyed my tea.

You can't go wrong visiting the Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow area. Many tastes can be satisfied, and I have gone to the area for many different reasons. You're sure to enjoy!

May 1 Weigh-In

My weight remains fairly steady -- 131/132. I continue to stick to my diet and exercise, and am truly blessed with good health.