That's right, you heard me. Shanna and I are moving to Old Metairie in September. The double homicide less than two blocks from our house a few weeks ago and the brutal murder at Pal's two nights later were the straws that broke our backs. We're retreating to the edges of this battle.
There's also this map of crime within a mile of our current home from January 1st - August 1st, 2007:
That pink square in the center is our block. Anyone have any questions about why we are moving?
Sometimes the opressive Louisiana summer heat produces within me a deep feeling of melancholy and torpor, not unlike what French poets refer to as the Spleen. My only reprieve for the past few days has been a few good World Cup matches, cold beer with friends and the salty, sweet words of Anthony Bourdain. I wonder how common this seasonal malady is. I bet it regularly affects half of the population down here, probably many more this year.
Here's my Inventory of activities for Spring 2006. It's everything I've been doing, working on, eating, reading, watching and listening to for the past three months. I've been keeping these lists for 5 years now and they serve as a great document of all of the external elements that shape my experience. I love looking back at them.
Books
The Rider by Tim Krabbe
Shaping Things by Bruce Sterling
Visionary in Residence by Bruce Sterling
A Good Old Fashioned Future by Bruce Sterling
Time Out Barcelona
Barcelona Eating & Drinking Guide
Ajax in Action
Head Rush Ajax
Movies / DVDs / TV
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Terminal
Wedding Crashers
Paycheck
Videodrome
V For Vendetta
Crash
The Hole
City of God
Party Monster
Elizabethtown
Sopranos Season 6
Entourage Season 2
Wonderland
Red Dawn
The Aristocrats
Kung Fu Hustle
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Lost Season 2!
Entourage
The Sopranos
Big Love
The Battle of Algiers
Tarnation
L'Auberge Espagnole
Barcelona
Citizen Kane
Into the Blue
Domino
The Interpreter
Rumor Has It
In the Mood for Love
Deadwood Season 2
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations
Music
KCRW
Feist
Rogue Wave
Samba
Tropicalia
Gotan Project
Cibelle
Gnarls Barkley
Seu Jorge
Sergio Mendes
Manu Chao
Jorge Ben
Gilberto Gil
Caetano Veloso
Gal Costa
Brazilian Girls
Alton Ellis
Projects
Cox Ecommerce Administration
Web Marketing Efforts
Local and Lovin' It
Events
Rouge Roubaix 8
St. Patrick's Drunkery
NCAA BB Tourney Watching
Tour of Flanders
Paris Roubaix
French Quarter Fest
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
Giro d'Italia
Michael O'Brien's 50th
Holiday in Barcelona
Barcelona Futbol Madness
Douglas Gordon at the Miro Foundation
Vinyl & the permanent collection at MACBA
Degustacion at Cinc Sentits
Memorial Day Cookouts
Stuff
Cox Digital Cable with DVR
Jellybeans
Croissant d'Or
9 Roses
Italian Sausage with Swiss Chard
Shrimp Fettucine
Airport Express
Carrer Aurora no. 11
Jamon Iberico
Cafe con Leche
Croquetas
Boquerones
Vichy Catalan (Agua con Gas)
Cava
Spanish Quesos
Lomo
Pa amb Tomaquet
Anxovies
Pintxos
Tortilla
Muji
Durrum Wraps
Vodka con Limon
Mojitos
Estrella Damm
San Miguel
Spanish Gummies
Vino Blanco
Black Beans & Rice with Tortillas
Jorge Ben Jor "O Telefone Tocou Novamente"
Cafe con Leche
Gal Costa
Caipirinhas, Mojitos & Margaritas
Gilberto Gil
Jamon Iberico
Caetano Veloso
Spanish Goat Cheeses
Alton Ellis
Black Beans & Rice on Grilled Tortillas
Cava
Vino Blanco
Grilled Meats & Vegetables
Deadwood, Season 2 (and coming soon, Season 3)
Agua con Gas
Things I would like to do this weekend:
Work on side projects
Work on personal web stuff
Go on at least one long distance ride
Watch the Giro at the R Bar
Catch up on some reading
Upload the rest of my Barcelona photos
Go to the movies
Rock the Grill
Shanna and I met up with a big group of our friends yesterday and headed down to the Jazzfest, thanks to Ryan's contribution of free tickets. We started off with food, of course. I had a few of the usual favorites but the standouts were the new Andouille Calas with Green Onion Sauce & Vaucresson's Crawfish Sausage Po-Boy.
After the treats we headed over to Congo Square and caught Soul Rebels Brass Band, who rocked the house. The next stop after that was the Williams Plum St. Snoball Stand where we enjoyed delicious snowballs covered in condensed milk. Next up we met Kay & Louis over at Economy Hall to hear some great traditional jazz followed by a trip over to the Acura stage to see the first part of Allen Toussaint & Elvis Costello's amazing New Orleans R&B set. Hearing Elvis belt out Ernie K-Doe's "Mother-In-Law" was a real treat.
The icing on the cake was getting down to Rebirth Brass Band who totally ruled the stage and the crowd. After they finished a very tired Shanna and I rode home. I finished the day by meeting up with Will and Sonny for a beer at the R Bar.
I'm totally sunburnt and tired today but it was worth it. I always enjoy my one day of the year at the Jazzfest.
This city is not OK. Riding through Midcity and into downtown on a slow moving, displaced St. Charles streetcar today provided me with a stunning panorama of just how down and out this place really is. First off, the ride was free. Fares are being paid for with FEMA and state support. That's just weird.
Secondly, there were only about 15 passengers the ENTIRE ROUTE. This is a route I have ridden hundreds, perhaps thousands of times in my life and a pre-K rush hour ride on the Canal bus or streetcar was always a packed and uncomfortable thing. It was very disconcerting to be able to sit anywhere on the car and only have to stop a few times the whole run.
The ride also allowed me to really take in the destruction and lack of progress, not to mention people, along the route. It's downright heartbreaking. From the piles of deconstructed homes and businesses still lining the streets to the broken windows and burned out carcasses of downtown, things have hardly changed at all since September.
The only bright spot was that the streetcar now runs all the way down the riverfront to the French Market so I only had to walk a few blocks from the end of the line to my house.
None the less I heartliy recommend talking the ride. The weather is really pleasant right now, the ride is free and it provides a unique perspective of our current situation.
Here are some things I want to do this weekend:
