New Crop

The berries will be in soon, but who needs shortcake!


We're chugging the Strawberry Harvest Lager while we can get it!

A little bit of Munich right here at home

I've been fighting a cold, and our 4:45 rising time each morning has suffered because of it. Thursday and Friday morning when the alarm buzzed, "we" decided it best to remain in bed. I don't know of anything that would get Charlie to decide otherwise. And each morning we decided to sleep in, before the clock showed 5:00, it began to rain, affirming our sleeping in. Getting up would have meant a waste and how perfect to sleep while the rain pitters on the windows.

So to make up for our lack of exercise Thursday and Friday mornings, it was time for the park Friday after work. And wouldn't you know when we got to the park it started to pour. We thought to wait it out but quickly decided it was a sign. A sign that an evening at Oktoberfest was a better way to spend our Friday. Exercise in the rain or drink beer in the rain?

Off to the Deutsches Haus.

The rain stopped as the sun set making it extra muggy out. But promises of 17 different beers in 42 taps got everyone out. The line trailed a block down S. Galvez.


This year Deutsches Haus has a mission to raise awareness of the role of the Haus, past and present, in the community. The proposed "medical district" and VA Hospital jeopardize its continued presecnce on Galvez, their home since 1928. Everything means something to someone in New Orleans. Brats ans biers would be just as good to me anywhere in the city, but German New Orleanians feel differently. It's their haus, after all.

Oktoberfest in New Orleans is just what you'd expect...


...grown men in lederhosen...


...brats and strange men who've visited the taps too often (have no idea who this guy is!)...




...beer (and thus beer goggles)....


...did I already say strange men and sausages? (Sorry, Bruno. This picture was too good!)


And lots of music...music to accompany the chicken dance!


I think Elizabeth and Bruno got their fill until next year!


We even found the perfect flag for the porch!

Yes, a flag with a mug of beer!

I think we may have had our fill of German beer and food for the season, but Oktoberfest has three more weekends to celebrate. Take a drive down to the Haus if you can, and share in one more New Orleans tradition.

Rain Day

Today we got out of the house right on time (that is, we were on time according to Charlie's schedule) and didn't think twice about the weather forecast. The cloud cover kept it cool and the crowd was thin. It was going to be the perfect day...

We had a spread for breakfast ...




And it was perfect, for about 45 minutes.



And then it rained.

Hard.



We stuck through it at the Gentilly stage until my shivering drove us to look for cover. There didn't seem to be an end in sight. We called it a day, headed home, took warm showers, and planned on a day long Scrabble tournament.



But after watching the weather forecast and getting the "all clear" from Bob Breck, we decided to try it again.



We enjoyed a few hours at the fairgrounds with thin crowds and cooler temperatures.

The boys watched ZZ Top and the girls watched the people.

We were able to enjoy Jessica and Sean's after fest tradition of tamales from the neighborhood vendors trying to make a buck.



This family was selling tamales and shots on their porch. I'm sure the conversation was interesting as well.



Another fest Friday... can't think of a better way to spend the day.

Let the Festivals Begin

The Jazzfest flag is up.

Jazzfest will bring us into summertime and the festivals of Louisiana. I hope we manage to make it to a few in south Louisiana.