Commanders Palace

Cemetery across street from Commanders Palace 2008

Commanders Palace 2008

I spent a few years of my adolescence living on Washington Ave. in New Orleans on the same block as Commanders Palace Restaurant which was across the street from a cemetery. We used to play hide and go seek in the cemetery. I can still feel the horror as my brother would jump out of the empty grave sites and scare the living death out of us.

Sometimes, I would travel to the Commanders Palace back patio entering through the open rod iron gates and the waiters busy setting the tables for the evening dinner would allow me to help them with the setting and placing the sugar bowls on the tables.

The back patio was lush with tropical plantings and laden with ferns. The black iron dinner tables were covered with white linen tablecloths that cascaded to the brick covered floor. Along the perimeter of the walls the bricks were covered with a soft green moss that would glisten @ sunset.
The walls held gas lanterns of black iron allowing the flame to flicker @ dusk.

IN the center was a goldfish pond where I would sit and watch the fish swishing happily about. Had no idea at the time that we actually were living in the center of the garden district. Funny how those things are insignificant to a child.

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