Jambalaya Diaries: Thursday, January 17th

Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot. -Charlie Chaplin, actor, director, and composer (1889-1977) 

Was rather overcast when we first arrived but Thursday was a beautiful day, blue, blue sky, no clouds but blustery and quite cool whenver out of the bright sunshine. We strolled from our place to the French Quarter, enjoying all the sights, (the wrought iron balconies), and sounds, (busking bands on many street corners), popping into stores as the fancy took us. We stopped for a quick bite to eat, (red beans and rice, gumbo), before we joined a walking culinary history tour of the French Quarter.

There were only eight of us, (couple from London and two young women from New York),  along with our delightful guide, Reneé. In brief we visited Antoine's for Creole Seafood Gumbo; Leah's for Traditional Creole Praline; Arnaud's Remoulade for Shrimp Arnaud; Desire Oyster Bar for Turtle Soup; La Divina for Muffaletta and Gelato; Brennan's, (Known for Bananas Foster! We didn't taste here but visited a fascinating museum of gowns worn by Brennan's wife, Maud, as Mardi Gras Queen); Creole Delicacies for Red Beans and Rice and Tujague's for Beef Brisket with Creole Horseradish Sauce and Sazerac. (I did not know what this was so this is a brief description: Sazerac is a local New Orleans variation of an old-fashioned cognac or whiskey cocktail, named for the Sazerac de Forge et Fils brand of cognac that was its original prime ingredient.) What was so wonderful about the tour was that we were able to go into many, if not all, of the various dining rooms, (and even the kitchen at Antoine's), where we had the places to ourselves while Reneé imparted her more than considerable knowledge of the history and evolution of the various family businesses, local politics and cultural traditions.

Tour took almost three hours so by the time we caught the bus, (easy connection from Canal right to our doorstep on Magazine, $1.25 exact change, Please!), back The Sisterhood wanted to stay in. It was quite chilly and they didn't fancy venturing out again, even a few blocks down the street.

 The portions of food we'd tasted had been delicious but not huge, (except at Tujague's where the serving was a hearty one and tender and succulent beyond belief!), as you might imagine, but the cumulative effect was pretty filling. This being the case I suggested a large green salad and my companions agreed. Forthwith, I threw together a Romaine, cuke, heritage tomatoe saladin, topped with feta and diced roast beef slices, (overlefts from filling for sandwiches I'd made in Dallas), garnished with chopped green oniones. Polished off a few Coffaros, a 2010 Escuro,  and another 2010 Barbera, (The Sisterhood claimed it was too, too chilly for whites!), and everyone was more than happy. Said goodnight to the Downstairs People and then, after loading dishwasher, up to read in bed until shortly after midnight. To be continued...

Marvin Angelo Mercado

At work today I watched a child with down-syndrome help another child with cerebral palsy do her stretches. Cutest thing ever

Ayn P

So happy for it to finally be warm enough again to have all the windows flung open right mow..#Cal-adian!!

Hi Goils!

Left Dallas at 8:45am, yesterday, without any trouble. Straightforward drive through slightly rolling countryside in both East Texas and then Louisiana. Incredible flooding in Landry Parish due to torrential rain about a week ago. Saw many houses marooned in small lakes, completely surrounded by the standing water not yet receded.

Arrived from Dallas at 5:30pm without difficulty except couldn't figure out how to open lock box containing house keys! Finally managed and then muled our possessions up long, long staircase to second floor of our very comfortable apartment. We were given permission to occupy master bedroom so we had to negotiate another, even slighter longer staircase. 

Once settled, we took a quick drive down Magazine to shop at Breaux Foods for dinner: salad fixings, deli-ribs and breakfast stuff, yogurt, fruit, etc. Back home to store groceries and then to airport to collect Lynne and Peter.  Other than the fact that exit from freeway to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport International Airport in Jefferson Parish was closed so Garmin Goil was fussed, we picked them up, (I waited, illegally, while CL went inside),and we whisked them home.

Had a grand evening eating and chatting and drinking. Bed at after midnight so slept like a baby as I was up at 5:30am! The AGng are shouitng so I must away. Off to discover New Orleans on this beautiful day, blue, blue sky, no clouds but blustery! Fondetos and Love, Mom and Dad!

Sounds great, super jealous of this part of the trip!!! Take lots of photos, describe all the food that you consume, and please buy me something pretty, possibly kitchen inspired(bowel,table cloth) from there. :)

Love you, Chloe Alexis xxxxx

Oh! I want presents too!!! Ha ha ha

Sounds grand...Rae fell and broke her wrist quite badly the day after they got back

Looking forward to your tales of New Orleans

Rae was painting over at their rental house and fell off a ladder poor dear. She’s doing okay though despite being in a full arm cast and says Joey is taking care of her. 

Hi Patrick.

Well you must be now relaxing in your very nice apartment in New Orleans after all that driving. Boy this is quite a road trip! Trust you enjoyed your time in Dallas. Must be quite a wealthy area down there with all that oil swishing about! At least gas prices there must be cheap. Unlike here at £1.40 a litre (us$2.25!) That's why we do a lot of walking! New Orleans must be a fascinating place. In my mind I imagine the place full of quirky bars with delightful music pouring from them!
We went to St Maarten on our cruise last year. We spent our time in the Dutch part of the island. I had wished we had had the time to visit the French part but, unfortunately, time is limited when cruising. I'm sure you will find your time there relaxing and a welcome break from driving no doubt!

Gayle did a fine job with the saw while I bellowed out instructions!

I met my sisters yesterday at a hotel on Falmouth seafront for morning coffee. It was a very blustery day and the surf was quite high for the south coast which is usually quite calm. Gayle didn't go as Wednesday is her morning for aqua aerobics! She has to keep her body supple don't you know! Gayle met us all later at a cafe further down the beach for lunch. The hotel, Royal Duchy, have a very nice lounge with picture windows overlooking the sea and Pendennis castle, one of two castles built by Henry VIII. The other is across the estuary at St Mawes. They were built to repel the Spanish and to prevent Spanish ships from entering the estuary which leads all the way to Truro. They were never used since the Spanish Armada were defeated at sea and never reached our shores. We had a short walk along the front but one of my brother in laws, Brian, suffers from emphysema so can't walk that far. Both he and my sister, Audrey, are in their 80's. They spent a lot of years in Canada. Montreal, Halifax and Ottawa. Brian was a Director at Department of National Defence. Their three children were born in Canada but two of them live in England. Sadly their first child died at the age of 11 from a brain tumour. Brian's brother was a captain in the Canadian Army and retired to Spain.

Earlier this week we had the exciting job of cutting down a dying tree to the entrance of our car park. Gayle is a dab hand at using a cross bow saw! Next week we have to get some scaffolding installed to repair one of the chimneys. A couple of bricks have disintegrated and when the wind is in a certain direction it forces the rain into the inside of the chimney breast which causes water to penetrate the wall in our spare bedroom! The chimney needs repointing anyway so Bill and I will get it done when he returns from holiday next week.

Falmouth

Are you still on for visiting this year? If so we were wondering if you had dates in mind simply because we would like to start thinking of booking our flights to Vancouver. I have noticed that the airlines have started increasing their prices already! We were thinking August but it would be nice to have a few days overlap over here if possible. I know you plan to travel a fair bit around Europe while you are here if I remember correctly. Anyway, if you could give it some thought and let me know.

Gayle has just finished baking muffins so we are now off for a long walk and then stop off somewhere for coffee! Have a great time in New Orleans. Must be some great food there! Best wishes Derek Gayle did a fine job with the saw while I bellowed out instructions!