As the birthplace of jazz, I felt compelled (as a longtime fan of the genre and its many spin-offs) to make a musical pilgrimage to Louisiana's largest city: New Orleans, home of the annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. My friends and I arrived for the festival's second weekend, from May 5 to 7, 2006. From New Orleans dixieland and big-band swing to bebop and sultry vocals, the Jazz Fest was exceptional in its ability to bring together a dazzling range of performers all in one space.
I indulged wholeheartedly in the festival fare: crawfish étouffée, fried frog legs, fried eggplant smothered in crawfish sauce, broccoli soup, gumbo, Cajun crawfish rice, a po' boy sandwich, and bread pudding crowned with berry compote. The food hit all the right notes - savory, sweet, and utterly improvisational.
Back in the Vieux Carré ("Old Square"), better known as the French Quarter, we soaked in the raucous energy with an evening of fine dining, bar-hopping, and dancing - ending the night at the famed Café du Monde, open around the clock. Their beignets, blanketed in an unapologetically thick layer of powdered sugar, were legendary. Paired with their bold, chicory-laced café au lait, the combination was unforgettable.
With a history steepd in French, Spanish, and Afro-Caribbean influences, the Crescent City is a melting pot of N'awlins cuisine and soulful Southern cooking. I reunited with my favorite biscuits and gravy there, and found myself equally enchanted by the colonial-era architecture: 18th-century wrought-iron balconies, Spanish-tiled street signs, flickering gas lamps, wooden shutters, ceiling fans, and cascading topiaries - all contributing to a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.
Yet amid the vibrant sights and sounds, the aftermath of Category 3 Hurricane Katrina, which struck southeast Louisiana on August 29, 2005, still cast a long shadow. Though nine months had passed, the pace of rebuilding - of homes and lives - moved with the same slow rhythm as the Deep South itself. Many locals remained displaced, living in hotels. Vacant homes stood in disrepair, skeletons of what once was, suspended in uncertainty.
Above left: A portrait of jazz master Miles Davis
Above right: A soulful breakfast spread ~ fluffy biscuits smothered in gravy, with hash potatoes and scrambled eggs on the side
Above: A New Orleans streetcar, affectionately known as a “tram with soul” ~ still rattling down oak-lined avenues since 1835
Above left: Lisa and Danica
Above left: The Confederate flag ~ a symbol of Southern identity and a legacy of division
Above right: Muffuletta - a hearty New Orleans sandwich layered with Italian cold cuts, cheeses, and a tangy olive salad, all pressed inside a round sesame loaf
Above right: Fresh oysters from Acme Oyster House
Above right: St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square is the oldest continuously active Roman Catholic cathedral in the United States.
Above left: Beignets from Café du Monde (generously dusted with powdered sugar) paired with their signature chicory-blended café au lait (iced)
Above right: The Mississippi River
Above left: Boiled crawfish ~ a Louisiana staple, seasoned and served hot from the pot
Above left: A BBQ slab of ribs served with mashed sweet potatoes and long beans ~ comfort food with deep Southern roots
Above left: A steamboat on the Mississippi
Above: The interior of St. Louis Cathedral ~ the present building was largely rebuilt in the 1850s, yet a church has graced this site since 1718.
