It’s always funny for me to hear or read certain types of out-of-towners who probably moved here looking for Transgressive and Decadent Fun go on and on about how they’ve “gone native” and are "real" New Orleanians now. The problem for me is that there really isn’t any real way to “go” native. You are either a born New Orleanian or you are not. Sure, you can grasp an idea of what this place is and your place in it. However, the only way to truly be “of” this city, with its slow organic cycles of growth, regeneration, and degeneration, is to be from a family that has been here for generations and to spend your entire life here.
That being said, here is a list of a few of the more potent memories and intensities that combine into an approaching idea of what it means to me to be “of” this city:
The Shrove Tuesday evening ride of the Mystick Krewe of Comus ( I miss this more than anything else)
Maison Blanche, D.H. Holmes & Krauss, the glory days of Canal Street
Jingle, Jangle, Jingle, Here comes Mr. Bingle…
Seafood City! Very Pretty! Stay with Al Scramuzza and you’ll never be a loosa’!
The Fairgrounds before the fire, hanging out with the old man and feeling like I was doing something naughty
Popeye & Pals, “Roll ‘Em!”
Pontchartrain Beach (notice the spelling)
Bud’s Broiler after a summer swim
Getting wasted with your high school friends at the Tree of Life, The Fly and The Moonwalk
Skate Country 1982
Sitting at the top of the family ladder during Carnival
Learning the old Carnival Songs from your Great Aunt
Learning the secrets of Boiled Crawfish, Red Beans & Rice, Gumbo and Etouffee from your Family, not a book
Morgus & Chopsley
The splendor of a Sunday afternoon at Kaldi’s
Beer and Independent Cinema at Movie Pitchers
Climbing my Uncle Bobby's Fig Tree
Sitting in my Nanny's glider on a beautiful Spring day, my little brother climbing in the tree above me
Jazz Fest, before the Really Big Acts started, when you could still bring in your own Ice Chest
WTUL in the heyday of late 80’s College Rock
World’s Fair ‘84
Riding in the backseat of my cousin's Z28, driving down Terry Parkway and listening to "Freakazoids"
Cinema City
The Original Lakeside Theatre
The Pitt
Rockin’ The River and Shakin’ The Lake
All ages shows at The Abstract Café
Decatur House, Kagen’s, Pussycat Caverns, The Blue Crystal, RC Bridge Lounge and The Warehouse Café
Seeing Morton Anderson kick the field goal that got The Saints to their first Playoff Game
Greasy late night treats at the Hummingbird Hotel
Shake That Thing Like A Salt Shaker
Hey You, What’s Your Name? You on the Radio Wit Your Boy Wild Wayne
The Hong Kong and The Golden Dragon at the height of their splendor in the late 70’s
Getting Ice Cream at the KB
