Tales of NOLA: A Jazz and Po-Boys Experience

“Don’t you just love those long rainy afternoons in New Orleans when an hour isn’t just an hour – but a little piece of eternity dropped into your hands – and who knows what to do with it?”                                    ―Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire

I did experience eternity time boxed into a few moments (or hours? I can’t tell) in New Orleans and hence was forced to write about my experiences in this city which is this, that and all that Jazz! We were walking through the French market; a local flea market by the Mississippi river, bargaining over “made in China” souvenirs and sampling made in Louisiana street food and it started pouring. The rain forced us to sit down and nibble at the delish crab cakes but more importantly forced us to just stop and enjoy the pitter patter and the city; something which seems so far-fetched for a New Yorker.

My trip to New Orleans was a much delayed one but there could not have been a better time from a personal perspective (will save that for later in this piece). After living in United States for more than two years, I finally decided to take a trip down to New Orleans, Louisiana with my boyfriend for the annual Jazz & heritage festival which is spread over two weekends in April every year. NOLA being the birthplace of Jazz attracts the greatest line up of the artists and last year boasted about the likes of Billy Joel and B.B. King.

I had only heard of the cultural smorgasbord that New Orleans is (apart from the debauched cacophony of Mardi Gras which it has come to be known for); but, nothing prepared me for the sensory explosion and the contradiction that defines this colonial swampland turned iconic city, inhabited by the refined milieu of artists and connoisseurs of culture as well as students of colonial societies. NOLA to me presented one of the biggest contrasts in terms of its identity. It seemed to imbibe the culture of Paris, the sexual escapades of Amsterdam and the nouveau free spirit of New York. It’s not only unique in its existence, it’s unique in the kind of tourism/ tourists it attracts. While Mardi Gras attracts the spring breakers and people who would enjoy watching the spring breakers, jazz, art and cuisine attracts the discerning traveler throughout the year.

The French quarters aka Vieux Carré (oldest neighborhood) exemplify the old world colonial charm with streets lined up with colorful houses with large wooden French windows, decorated patios, balconies with intricate railings and courtyards bubbling with fun, laughter and togetherness. Tourism has translated into emergence of Bourbon street as the hub of music, bustling sea food restaurants, street performers, tattoo parlors, hotels with balconies and strip clubs selling sex on the side; Royale street with more antiques than whole of US combined, cafes and boutique stores selling anything from local art to Italian dresses and painters and artists, clairvoyants and palm readers gathering around the Jackson square.

New Orleans has several European influences due to colonial history and is named after a French city. It’s multicultural, multilingual heritage is exemplified in its architecture (French and Spanish predominantly), music (Jazz) and cuisines (Cajun and Creole).

While the intoxicating smell of Café au lait and beignets in the mornings promise another great day in this wonderland, Jazz, church bells and laughter waft through the streets during the day. Night time is symbolized by loud hustling of tourists and locals dining or taking in centuries of Louisiana culture through exquisite Cajun / Creole (the basic difference being that Creole has tomatoes) dishes like gumbos and jambalayas or etouffees and loud music pumping out of numerous clubs and bars.

This also meant more than just a trip on a personal front too. Reveling in the food, culture and music brought me and my boyfriend closer after going through a rough patch and reminded us of all the good times we have had. Now, I don’t know if it was the happy travelling me, the daily dose of morning Baileys or the sheer charm of NOLA, but we had a whale of a time just walking around soaking in the sun and rain. Experiencing the culture, sampling the local cuisines, dancing in the streets, discussing power, Physics and terrorism in the same vein and it struck me distinctly as this period of constant bliss and the kind of relationship I would want my kids to see their parents have.

It was also our first ever music festival in any part of the world and watching B.B. King live and just being part of something this magical and moving was an experience in itself. However, being the foodie that I am, exploring the food stands was as exciting a prospect for me (throwing up after eating alligator meat notwithstanding). The hustle-bustle on the streets and the boutique shops did catch our fancy; however, I remember some of our happiest moments as lying down by the Mississippi river or sitting in the park eating banana split with abandon.

Oh! and for all of you wondering what the title means – it’s NOLA (New Orleans Louisiana), jazz (self-explanatory), po-boys (local sandwiches filled with fried meat) and a beignet’s ( french name for a local pastry dessert topped with powdered sugar) take on ‘been there done that’.