Jazz Fest 2009 - Pre-fest Wednesday

Okay---gonna try this again this year, probably without as many pics since I can't remember exactly how I did that.
Anyway, here goes nothing!

We arrived in New Orleans (the greatest city in the world) yesterday at 9:30 in the morning after a flawless flight from Columbus. Someone must have made a huge mistake at the hotel because we got upgraded to a 2 room suite! I keep waiting for them to come up to say they made a mistake and throw us out, but until then....

We had a very relaxed and wonderful first day. After settling into our palatial accomodations, we took a short cab ride out to the Treme to meet our friend Leah Chase at her family's famed restaurant "Dooky Chase". For those unfamiliar, "Dooky Chase" (named for Leah's grandfather and father) has been a New Orleans institution since 1941. Located in a poorer, predominantly black neighborhood, the Treme, it has been the backbone of that neighborhood for years! In the days of segregation, it was the restaurant that all of the famous black entertainers, politicians, etc frequented. Since those days, it has continued to host presidents, world leaders, entertainers, and of course the lucky locals of New Orleans who flock here for Mrs. Chase's (also Leah) wonderful home cooking!
After Katrina, which devastated the entire neighborhood, it took a long time to get things up and running again. In fact, they are still only open for sit down service at lunch time during the week. Otherwise, it's only carryout.
No matter---it's just incredible that it's there at all!!
Young Leah (see my Fest 2007 posts) is a local jazz singer that I met several years ago after her first ever Jazz Fest set. It was one of those magical moments at the fest when you're going to hear someone else and you walk by a stage and hear this wonderful sound that draws you in and makes you forget where you were going in the first place. She's not really known outside of New Orleans, but here in town she's a local treasure for her warm and beautiful voice that is matched only by the charm of her personality!
So, we arrived at the restaurant a little early and were delighted to find that the inside really looked gorgeous. Mrs. Chase has collected art work by local artisans for many year and, thank God, most of it was preserved from the storm. It's like being in a mini museum....with food!! You really couldn't tell from the inside that there'd been any damage done---at least not in the dining areas.
Before we even had a chance to open menus, the waiters had cold tea and steaming gumbo sitting in front of us....and Leah hadn't even arrived yet!
What followed was a 2 hour feast of practically every item on the menu from fried oysters, stuffed shrimp, fried chicken (crisp on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside), Shrimp Clemenceau (shrimp in a garlic broth with peas and potatoes) to onion rings, sweet yams, greens, and macaroni and cheese (listed, to our delight, as a vegetable on the menu). As if we needed it, they then brought us out apple pie, bread pudding (with a delicious praline liqueur on top),and a piece of cake that we're convinced belonged to the priest trying to enjoy his lunch at the table next door despite us!
Even better than the food was the time with Leah and her family. What we wouldn't give to spend a day hearing stories from her chef mother and her former bandleader father!
Dave, Bob, and I at Dooky Chase

After our wonderful meal, Leah drove us back to the Quarter where we picked up some gris-gris for Bob at Rev. Zombie's voodoo shop and wandered for a while. There was a terrific collection of photos by Michael P. Smith (the famed jazz fest photographer who passed through the veil about a month ago) at the New Orleans Historical Collection on Royal Street. It featured his spiritual works, taken in local churches, etc. This was a side of his career that I (and apparently many others) was not aware of. Well worth a stop if you're in the city!
I also paid a visit to one of my favorite (and one of the few remaining) independent bookstores, Faulkner House Books in Pirates Alley near Jackson Square. Faulkner actually lived here at some point and the owners are true book lovers! Also a place not to miss when you visit.
Faulkner House Bookstore

Well----I've rambled on and lost track of time! Gonna have to finish later. Jazz Fest calls!!!