For sure I am not going to include all of the photos one might expect from a post of New Orleans.
But, be assured that you will learn a little from me about the beautiful city. I was raised there and lived there for 17 years. As an adult, I often went to visit my parents during the holidays. My siblings and I lived out of state so, it was important for me to visit because I didn't want them to be lonely.
During our visits we stay at the Hampton Inn Suites on St. Charles Ave. The hotel was just recently remodeled and it suits our family just fine. Courteous personnel, clean rooms, beautiful lobby, decent breakfast foods, always hot coffee or tea available. Maps for the route to all of your adventures are readily available to you at the front desk.
Traveling for us is by car but you can also get a pass to ride the streetcar which picks you up right outside the hotel on the streetcar median. Lush, full, decadent Oak trees, and majestic emerald leaved Magnolias trees cascade over your head all about the city and along the streetcar routes. The cascading branches of the oaks are over flowing with resurrection ferns that when it rains revive themselves and flush out into a bright green fern fullness. Flowing down from the edges of the branches of the oaks in shades of grey are the moss strands swaying in the breezes. Glistening in the sunlight are the Mardi Gras beads that got caught up on a branch and did not make it to to Mardi Gras goers outstretched hand.
I love this city because of its history, beautiful architecture, wonderful cuisine, fun atmosphere, glistening waterways, beautiful seabirds, botanical gardens and of course the lovers of life…
It is a good place for me to revive my spirits, reinvigorate my love of the arts, see and hear beautiful melodies and become inspired once again. It is so full of life and there are so many beautiful things to see and do that I never fail to become inspired.
This image is of a majestic Oak Tree laden in resurrection fern and grey moss. There are trees that have branches laying close to ground level so that you can take family photos and watch the children practice their climbing on a real tree.
The counters at Morning Call are marble and the stools are for twirling by young children. Maybe the reason I had my newly remodeled bathroom floor done in the style of this floor with 2" tiles was because of the nostalgia of remembering this place during my younger years. If you look at the left of the photo, you will see a server with three cups of coffee.
Between the arches of the Oak branches you can see the red umbrellas for outdoor seating at Morning Call.
Geese graze the pond right across from Morning Call.
The gateway to the Children's Wonderland and the Carousel Gardens all decorated for Christmas.
Lighted lanterns glisten in the treetops at City Park Christmas Event.
Once you go down the walkway towards the river you will see a large boardwalk. People jog and walk this path each day. The last time I visited, there was an artist dressed in a Darth
Vader costume dancing to music from his boom box. It was interesting to watch his movements and he was totally into his character. If you look to the right in this image you will see the location of the large vessels that take you on Riverboat tours as well as Jax brewery. Beyond that is shopping and restaurants, hotels, Casino's, Conference Centers and Canal St. The bridge in the photo is The Mississippi River Bridge. Until we meet again...
But, be assured that you will learn a little from me about the beautiful city. I was raised there and lived there for 17 years. As an adult, I often went to visit my parents during the holidays. My siblings and I lived out of state so, it was important for me to visit because I didn't want them to be lonely.
During our visits we stay at the Hampton Inn Suites on St. Charles Ave. The hotel was just recently remodeled and it suits our family just fine. Courteous personnel, clean rooms, beautiful lobby, decent breakfast foods, always hot coffee or tea available. Maps for the route to all of your adventures are readily available to you at the front desk.
Traveling for us is by car but you can also get a pass to ride the streetcar which picks you up right outside the hotel on the streetcar median. Lush, full, decadent Oak trees, and majestic emerald leaved Magnolias trees cascade over your head all about the city and along the streetcar routes. The cascading branches of the oaks are over flowing with resurrection ferns that when it rains revive themselves and flush out into a bright green fern fullness. Flowing down from the edges of the branches of the oaks in shades of grey are the moss strands swaying in the breezes. Glistening in the sunlight are the Mardi Gras beads that got caught up on a branch and did not make it to to Mardi Gras goers outstretched hand.
I love this city because of its history, beautiful architecture, wonderful cuisine, fun atmosphere, glistening waterways, beautiful seabirds, botanical gardens and of course the lovers of life…
It is a good place for me to revive my spirits, reinvigorate my love of the arts, see and hear beautiful melodies and become inspired once again. It is so full of life and there are so many beautiful things to see and do that I never fail to become inspired.
Above is the side lobby of the Hampton Inn on St Charles where you can get yourself a hot cup of coffee or tea anytime of the day.
Just beyond the french doors is a small lap pool and a lovely outdoor patio. In the morning you can find a seat on the patio to have breakfast or read the newspaper provided as a courtesy.
Wondering what this is? A neighborhood telephone pole full of thousands of staples from previous poster advertisements and notices…As a child, we lived in the garden district for just a few years on Washington Ave. in an old white wooden slat two story that housed an old time Ice Cream Parlor. My mom was the manager of the Ice Cream Parlor and we lived upstairs. Two doors down was Commanders Palace Restaurant. Across the street was the cemetery where we played hide and go seek amongst the graves.
This photo sits in a frame just outside of the elevators at the Hampton Inn on St Charles Ave. in New Orleans Garden district. I love it because it reminds me of when my father would take the family to the Zoo on the weekend. Without fail, we would always go see the sea-lions that were housed in a cement pool beyond this fence the child is looking into. I was sure that I would be a zookeeper and wear the green New Orleans Zoo Keeper uniform as an adult. I do not currently have images of the New Zoo after the Katrina hurricane. But I will have some soon and I will tell you now if you go to New Orleans and have children with you it would be a mistake to not take them to the new Zoo. It is an outstanding facility. This image may be from the 50-60 era…
This photo was taken on Dec. 23 during Winter in New Orleans. This is the outside of Cafe Du Monde. The people are lined up outside waiting to get into the famous coffee and beignet cafe. It is located just behind the green wall. In Summer, the wall is rolled up. Outside, there is usually a musician playing a trumpet and offering his cd's for sale. Across the street is Jackson Square. Artists line the sidewalk selling their wares, reading tarot cards, dancing, doing magic and painting portraits of you or your surroundings. Just behind Jackson Square is The Cabildo, awesome restaurants as well as beautiful art galleries, gift and souvenir shops. If you walk just behind the Cafe Du Monde you are then a few thousand feet from the Mississippi River.
Here is an enticing image of coffee and beignets from" Cafe Du Monde'." The only items they sell are coffee, beignets, and milk for the little ones. I believe you can now also get iced coffee. The beignets are a light fried dough kind of like a fried donut but not as heavy. They are doused in silky powdered sugar and served as an order of three. Nowadays the majority of the servers are Vietnamese who moved into the area after Katrina and set up their homes and gardens in the Versailles area of the city. The place is always busy…But, if you choose to go it will be worth the wait. People have lots of other things to do so they don"t linger long at the tables. The coffee is cafe au lait, 1/2 milk and 1/2 coffee with chicory ground up in it. It has a different taste than your Starbucks Blond…
When I was a child all of the servers were African American men. They were funny and some could carry three cups and saucers full of coffee in one hand. There are other places that have cafe au lait and beignets near by Like "Morning Call "in City Park.
Here is an image of Morning Call located in City Park, New Orleans. You can get coffee and beignets here and maybe not have to fight crowds as in the quarter. I do believe you can get mixed drinks and other food such as Gumbo rather than just beignets. Its probably 20 minutes from the quarter if no traffic. In Winter, City Park is beautifully decorated with Christmas Lights and you can walk through the lighted Vignettes although there is probably a cost for that.
City Park is a large park in New Orleans with beautiful gardens, ponds, bike paths, tennis courts, playgrounds, Carousel Gardens, City Putt, City Splash, Golf, New Orleans Museum of Art Sculpture Garden, Story land, and a Train Garden. Definitely, don't forget your children and cameras.
This image is of a majestic Oak Tree laden in resurrection fern and grey moss. There are trees that have branches laying close to ground level so that you can take family photos and watch the children practice their climbing on a real tree.
This stage with columns is sometimes a theatrical production site. This is my daughter and I. It is located right across from the Morning Call. Just beyond it are beautiful gardens and ponds with duck and geese floating about. You can bring a treat for them and they will scurry out of the water to feed from your hand.
The counters at Morning Call are marble and the stools are for twirling by young children. Maybe the reason I had my newly remodeled bathroom floor done in the style of this floor with 2" tiles was because of the nostalgia of remembering this place during my younger years. If you look at the left of the photo, you will see a server with three cups of coffee.
Between the arches of the Oak branches you can see the red umbrellas for outdoor seating at Morning Call.
Lighted lanterns glisten in the treetops at City Park Christmas Event.
The Great Mississippi
If you read about the images above, you will know that the Mississippi river is just behind Cafe Du Monde on Chartres St. in Jackson Square. You can walk up the walkway towards the river from the cafe and get beautiful photos of the horse drawn carriages rented by visitors to take a historical ride around the city. Just beyond them is Jackson square and you can also see the St. Louis Cathedral.Once you go down the walkway towards the river you will see a large boardwalk. People jog and walk this path each day. The last time I visited, there was an artist dressed in a Darth
Vader costume dancing to music from his boom box. It was interesting to watch his movements and he was totally into his character. If you look to the right in this image you will see the location of the large vessels that take you on Riverboat tours as well as Jax brewery. Beyond that is shopping and restaurants, hotels, Casino's, Conference Centers and Canal St. The bridge in the photo is The Mississippi River Bridge. Until we meet again...
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