Spring into Spring

I love spring. It’s my favorite season of all, even if it doesn’t last very long in New Orleans.  The long term forecast says that we are expected to have a cooler, wetter than normal spring in 2010.  I could do without the wet, but the idea of it not being sweltering hot anytime soon is wonderful.

One of my favorite signs of spring is the blooms on the Japanese Magnolia trees. They don’t last very long, so I had to grab the camera when I saw this one in Algiers this past weekend.  My neighbor tells me that the sure sign that winter has passed is when the pecan trees begin to leaf, but that hasn’t happened yet, so I’ll just be content with gorgeous pink blossoms.

Next weekend, we’ll spring forward into daylight savings time. I’m really looking forward to that extra hour of sunshine and the change to take more pictures all around the city.

HAPPY SPRING!

Popp Bandstand | City Park New Orleans

I absolutely adore old buildings.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a house or a business, the attention to detail that used to be the norm is incredible.  So when I took a drive through City Park recently, I was captivated by the different structures that dot the park and the history behind them.

Popp’s Bandstand was dedicated on July 4, 1917 and has been the site of many live, free musical performances over the years.  Even the March King, John Philip Sousa, led a band on this stage. 

Can you imagine if you had been one of the lucky people to be there?  They probably never imagined that all of these years later, those musical arrangements would be part of our national fabric and history.

More City Park history

Map of City Park

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For information about home buying or selling in New Orleans, or relocating to or from NAS JRB New Orleans, please contact the West Bank Living Team. It would be our pleasure to assist you with any of your real estate needs and have a little fun while welcoming you to our community.

Cruising the Mississippi River with the Krewe of Choctaw

It may have been cold and gloomy outside, but onboard the Steamboat Natchez, the Krewe of Choctaw celebrated their 75th anniversary with the annual river parade yesterday.  We boarded bright and early in the morning for a 2 hour party cruise up and down the Mississippi River that was full of fun, music, food and Mardi Gras royalty.  The view of the city of New Orleans was a bonus, with such a different perspective of the city when it’s seen from the river.

With a fireboat from New Orleans leading the way and one from Plaquemines Parish following behind, there were picture perfect moments all along the way.

Since it was pretty darn chilly and windy, most people were smart enough to stay inside, where the food was hot and the music kept them moving.

 

Choctaw’s street parade will roll on February 6, 2010 through Algiers, Terrytown and Gretna, the day before the Saints take the field in the Super Bowl.  These riders are ready!

Pssssttt…look for me on the neutral ground side of the shrimp boat float and I’ll throw ya something

Happy Mardi Gras!

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For information about home buying or selling in New Orleans, or relocating to or from NAS JRB New Orleans, please contact the West Bank Living Team. It would be our pleasure to assist you with any of your real estate needs and have a little fun while welcoming you to our community!

Dripping With Spanish Moss and History | The Live Oaks in City Park New Orleans

Did you know that City Park in New Orleans is home to the largest stand of mature live oaks, not just in the country, but in the world? Dripping with ghostly looking spanish moss, they are a beautiful sight to see when you are driving or walking through the over 1,300 acres that make up City Park.

With branches that soar into the sky and reach out to touch the ground (just begging to be climbed on), some of the oak trees in City Park are over 600 years old. They have survived numerous hurricanes and the tendency of man to clear a path for progress.  They sheltered the original Native American inhabitants that lived along the banks of Bayou St. John.  They were witness to many duels of honor right into the 1800’s.  These live oaks were watching over the bayous and swamps long before the French and Spanish showed up to settle the area.

From the City Park website:

City Park’s oldest and largest live oaks are located along the vestiges of old Bayou Metairie, a remnant of an ancient distributary of the Mississippi River. The McDonogh estimated at 600 years old, Dueling and Suicide Oaks are among the remnants of this ancient forest that started long before Iberville and Bienville first scouted the area for a site to build the city and port that became New Orleans.

Driving through City Park on a weekday (especially during the school year), you can always find an unoccupied place to stake a claim under one of these magnificent trees. Spread a blanket, sit back, relax and let history wash over you.

More about live oaks in City Park

History of City Park, New Orleans

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For information about home buying or selling in New Orleans, or relocating to or from NAS JRB New Orleans, please contact the West Bank Living Team. It would be our pleasure to assist you with any of your real estate needs and have a little fun while welcoming you to our community.

Lucky Dogs

In any other part of the country, you’d think I was talking about some pampered pooches.  In New Orleans, a Lucky Dog has a whole other meaning.

The hot dog carts have been a fixture in the French Quarter for as long as I can remember (and was the one craving I had when expecting child #1).   The company has expanded and now will provide carts and servers for company picnics, parties and more.  Fun, but to me they should still be eaten late at night while standing on the sidewalk just off of Bourbon Street….

Visit the Lucky Dog website for more information

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For information about living in New Orleans or relocating to or from NAS JRB New Orleans, please contact the West Bank Living Team.  It would be our pleasure to welcome you to our hometown!

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