New Orleans - Whew!
We were glad to get a taxi to the hotel, the Whitney Hotel in the Central Business District, not far from the station. Suggested by my AAA travel advisor, she hit the nail on the head! We had just come from a 1930's liner to a 1930's bank!
We woke up early as there was so much to see and do. My bed was very comfortable, and I had a really good sleep. It's pretty exhausting traveling on a long-distance train, not being able to walk around much, even though it's exciting. Breakfast was included at the hotel and we went down to the amazing place where it was served, the bank foyer.
The light breakfast was included, and in what a scenario. Here's the story.
As he often does, Green also painted himself into the mural. Also depicted are Weinmann and his family (peeking into the bank entrance, watching the heist unfold), as well as the restaurant's original chef, Bobby Roth of the Steak Knife, which once had a location there. Dressed in his chef's whites, Roth is shown unsuccessfully trying to withdraw money from one of the tellers while the robbery is in progress.
The mural in the restaurant known as Bistreaux at the Bank, inside the Whitney Hotel at 610 Poydras St., comes from the fertile imagination of artist Tony Green. He is a New Orleans native whose artistic talents are on view in several spots around town, including murals at Ye Olde College Inn (relocated from the artwork's original home at Mid City Lanes Rock 'n' Bowl), as well as Ralph's on the Park and the Holiday Inn on Loyola Avenue.
Green created the mural at Whitney Hotel in 2007. He drew his inspiration from the building's original use: a bank. The seven-story building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, dates back to 1909. It originally housed a Metropolitan Bank branch and in 1929 became a Whitney Bank. Part of the building is still a Whitney branch, though the structure's main use is as a hotel and restaurant.
The building's former owner, Robert Weinmann, commissioned Green to paint a mural on a wall that separates the bank from the restaurant. It was Green's idea to depict a bank robbery in progress and to paint familiar movie and comedy characters into the scene, including Laurel and Hardy, W.C. Fields, The Three Stooges and Ben Turpin, as well as a "bunch of babes and bandits," as Green described it to Gambit.
As he often does, Green also painted himself into the mural. Also depicted are Weinmann and his family (peeking into the bank entrance, watching the heist unfold), as well as the restaurant's original chef, Bobby Roth of the Steak Knife, which once had a location there. Dressed in his chef's whites, Roth is shown unsuccessfully trying to withdraw money from one of the tellers while the robbery is in progress.
There was a very welcoming young woman at the Tour desk as we were looking for a Swamp tour. There was one in half an hour, so we had plenty of time to look around the station. The bus for the Swamp tour came to pick up passengers and it was about a 30-minute ride out to the swamp boat. All was very efficient and we boarded the flatboats to go into the bayou.
Scary
I wasn't quite sure what was going to happen but looked forward to being on a boat. It was exciting when we actually saw a small alligator swimming alongside the boat.
Here's a larger one.
The Swamp bus took us back to the French Quarter where we walked through the Market and the streets, There were a few small crowds in the area, some young children doing amazing drumming patterns, not many bands yet, but things would be livening up over the Labor Day weekend. Saturday is for gathering it all together in preparation for Sunday's street parades on Bourbon and Decatur - The Gay Pride, the Decadent, and the Nude. Sadly it was too early to see a lot of feathers and fancy dress which is a big part of the parades, but there were plenty of partygoers.
We did not make it the Preservation Hall but did hear several bands playing in the streets.
Sept. 2
After our breakfast in the palatial bank foyer, we took a streetcar running along the riverside for a change, to the French Quarter. Our Hop-on, Hop-off bus ticket included two walking guided tours in the French Quarter and the Garden District. We took the French Quarter tour and had a good guide who obviously knew the history and nooks and crannies of the We came back to the Market, but it was being closed due to the
The paddle boat
We started the French Quarter walking tour here in Jackson Square, stopping off at various special places. Note the US flag is at half mast in honor of John McCain whose memorial service in Washington was being held that day.
Here is the entrance to the carriageway leading to the house which is built around the courtyard.
All over the French Quarter and other parts of New Orleans are paintings, murals, fountains, statues, and many artistic artistic pieces.
Beignets - of course, we had to have them with coffee. Somewhat like croissants. The Cafe Beignet is not as crowded as the Cafe du Monde so we could enjoy our snack and the jazz. That day it was a terrific saxophone and guitar duo. In the background, you can see the little red streetcar that trundles around the French Quarter, Central Business and the Garden District. We took the riverside one to the French Quarter.
Ready for the parades!
 |
| I love the different crests on the houses. Definitely French with the Fleur de Lis motif.
Leaving the French Quarter, we went to Mother's Restaurant, just a block away from our hotel. This was an opportunity for Louise to have a taste of Cajun and Southern in this "institution". Because we were on the early side of dinner, the line outside was not long, and we had time to peruse the menu. It's casual, you are allowed in when a table is available, and you may have to share a table, but it all goes like clockwork - go to the cashier, give your dinner choices and drinks, pay, get your table number and the cashier gives the check to the servers who dish out the food and brings it to you. Louise had a little of everything - Jambalaya, and gumbo. I had a cup of Shrimp Creole and a Po' Boy, something we have in NC, but I haven't had it in a while. It's a poor man's sandwich roast beef and gravy on French bread, using the leftover bits from a large side of beef. Of course, in the 1920s these were meant for hungry boys, and are huge, so I had to take half of it back to the hotel. It was very tasty and I managed to eat the second half the next day. For dessert, we split a slice of pecan pie, a favorite of mine, and it was really delicious.
I have one gripe throughout the trip from Los Angeles to Atlanta. Nowhere could I find really sweet southern ice tea. After taking 10 years of adjusting to it in North Carolina, I am now an addict. First of all, Los Angeles says "we have ice tea, but it's unsweetened. Some people don't want sweet. We can give you sugar" What are you thinking? says I. Southern sweet tea is made with the sugar boiled in with the tea. In North Carolina restaurants (excepting the ritzy restaurants where no-one takes sugar), there are two tea servers, one with unsweetened tea for the haters and the other with sweet tea for the lovers. It was hot weather all the way across the southern route and I was dying for a cold glass of ice tea. British tea drinkers have the same passion for a cup of hot tea on a cold night, so I have 2 tea addictions. It was only when we arrived in Asheville, North Carolina that I got my fix!
So we had two good days in New Orleans. Thankfully!
 |
Comments
Post a Comment