Long Live Louisiana

August 29th was a big day in south Louisiana.  Seven years ago we watched our city being overtaken by flood waters.  Charlie and I were newlyweds and expecting our first child.  We were both enrolled in doctoral programs. Our neighborhood and home sat in seven feet of water for a very long time before the pumps were able to dry things out. 

The baby wasn't meant to be and neither was my PhD, apparently (although I do ponder getting back to it).  I thought Charlie was going to want to jump ship and start anew on higher ground.  We did move to higher ground, just off Magazine Street, and started our family and continued our lives in New Orleans.  And that was without a doubt the very best decision for our family.  

Waiting for another hurricane to arrive at our city, again on August 29th, made for a very long day here in New York City. We weren't sitting inside our boarded up home with the genrator gased up and at the ready, but I still felt overwhelemed with anxiety.  

I got teary when Freddie's teacher and our doorman asked about our family and friends.  There cannot be any fretting with two young boys so I channeled that energy and dressed the boys in Saints and LSU Tigers garb and we practiced our "Who Dat" and "Tiger Bait" chants.  We listened to the blues, read southern stories (The Cajun Night Before Christmas gets read year round around here), and there were shrimp poboys for supper. 

South Louisiana suffered with flooding.  I'm thankful those we love were spared any major damage.  I am hopeful the next news out of New Orleans will be of the few, very few, days of fall weather that arrive each October. 

Making a list

• Sidmar's
• Casamento's
• Parkway
• Streetcar ride
• Beignets
• Walk in Audubon Park under the live oaks
• Elephants at the zoo
• Magazine Street stroll
• Bordeaux Street drive by
• Boiled shrimp
• Boiled crabs at The Galley (Or should I try Charlie's?)
• Stuffed artichokes
• Smoked chicken and andouille to take home
• King cake
• French king cake
• Paddle boats and feeding the ducks
• Storyland
• Drive thru McDonald's (in lieu of a drive thru daiquiri since I am pregnant!)

The list is growing so check back.  And I promise to report on my progress getting through this list!

King Cake

In order to be able to really get our fill of king cake this year I knew I'd need to spend some time in the kitchen.  Liz sent me this recipe, which I adapted.  The original recipe is here and my adaptations are noted.

Fleischmann's Yeast King Cake 

Adapted from nola.com

Ingredients:

• 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar (I used 1/4 c sugar, 3/4 cup brown sugar)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 packages Fleischmann's Rapid Rise Yeast (I use active yeast)
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon (I just shook on some cinnamon sugar)
• Powdered Glaze (recipe follows)
• Colored Sugars (recipe follows)

Directions:

• In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, salt and undissolved yeast. (Note:  I did not use rapid rise yeast so I did not add the yeast at this point.)
• Heat the milk, water and butter until very warm, about 120 to 130 degrees. (Note:  Because I was using active yeast, I kept the water separate here and added the yeast to begin to activate along with a bit of sugar.)
• Add liquid the dry ingredients and beat for 2 minutes at medium speed with an electric mixer. (Note:  Added yeast here as well after giving it about 10 minutes to bubble up in the water.)
• Add the eggs and 1/2 cup of the flour. 
• Beat on high speed for 2 minutes. 
• Stir in the remaining flour (2 3/4 cups) to make a stiff batter. 
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours. (Note:  I did not refrigerate since I was not using rapid rise yeast.  I used active rise yeast and simply let dough rise in covered bowl near the heater.)
• Punch the dough down. 
• Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface. 
• Divide into 3 equal portions. Roll each to 28- by 4-inches. (Note:  I  divided dough into 2 balls and rolled into 10x16 rectangles)
• Brush with the melted butter then sprinkle evenly with the remaining 3/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. (Note:  here is where I used brown sugar.  I just sprinkled cinnamon sugar on top of the buttered sugared dough.)
• Beginning at the long end, roll each up tightly as for jelly roll. Pinch the seams to form long ropes. Braid, then form into an oval. Pinch the ends together to seal.  (Note: I rolled each rectangle like a jelly roll and formed 2 separate cakes.  With scissors I cut slits about 1/3 deep every few inches.)
• Place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly golden. 
• Remove from the baking sheet and cool on a wire race. 
• Brush with the powdered sugar glaze and sprinkle with the colored sugars.

POWDERED SUGAR GLAZE

• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
• Whisk until smooth.

COLORED SUGARS

• 1/2 cup sugar with 8 drops of green food coloring in a sealed jar or plastic bag.
• 1/2 cup sugar with 8 drops of yellow food coloring.
• 1/2 cup sugar with 8 drops of blue and 16 drops of red food coloring.  For the purple, mix food colorings before adding the sugar. 
• Mix sugars and colors together thoroughly in each bag.

So happy together

Freddie is tickled to have both Mama and Daddy.  Each time we sit on either side of him for a meal he leans over to Charlie for a kiss and then to me and then to Charlie and then to me and on and on and on. 

Less than 3 weeks remain until we're together again, and in a car for 20 hours relishing our closeness.  That day cannot come soon enough.

Around the bend

There's something about turning this bend in the park that I like. It's something about it aligning with a bend in the river and the breeze coming from the riverbend that changes the air here. There's a similar bend a bit further down the river along the levee as well.

I'm taking notes this week.

I am so thankful for this life and really try to be present for all of it each and every day. But change has its way making me pause and notice things a little more. I've been trying not to think of it as our last Sunday morning at the bakery or my last walk to the park really because there will certainly be more. Things won't be the same. But I know same-ness isn't a prerequisite to contentedness.

Everything has a price

Attn: The price of oysters has increased

I am not sure where they are getting oysters from to satiate us. I didn't want to even ask at R&Os tonight. The entire situation makes my heart heavy. South Louisiana is suffering, and most of us continue on without any change in our way of life. I wonder if it even crosses folks' mind longer than glancing at newspaper headlines. I sure hope it is the headline in every city in the US.

Still filling up

Don't ask about my weight.  I'm working all week, 10 hour days, so exercise ain't happeing.  Lots of yummy dinners are.

We had some oysters.  I think it'll be a long time before any of us are getting good gulf oysters.

Let me ask you a question, he says

On the phone setting up our POD, the man on the other end of the line, a Floridian I believe, says he's got to ask something.

"How do you like living there? I mean I have had a few friends that went for a visit and they just stayed. I mean, they didn't want to leave. They love it, even after all that's happened there. Is it really that great?"

At 11.55 am Meltdown #18 of the day is now in full effect.

"Wow. I guess I really need to get there."

Yes. Yes you do.

Swinging

We seem to have business to attend to every afternoon.



Very important business.


It usually takes us to the playground on Napoleon Ave. but we're checking out the play area at the Wisner Playground for a change of scenery. So nice to have two spots within a 5 minute walk.



He'll poke around and fool around with some of the equipment but he would be content to hang on the swings the entire time.


Oops. Excuse me.


Need to make a phone call.


Ok. Everything is taken care of.



Carry on.



Resume pushing, please.

A good afternoon

This afternoon we walked over to Laurence Square. It is a tiny playground with a large field just a few blocks from our house. I've never taken Freddie there because it is often crawling with big kids as the school across the street brings classes over to play. But getting out of the house today before lunchtime sounded like a great idea.


We stopped in at the bakery and picked up a snack...a raisin roll, olive bread, and perrier. Perfect for these two carb feinds!


There were just a few kids playing and Freddie acted like a teenager, ignoring me unless he was wanting another bite of food!

Here I am, Mom! Do you have a bite ready for me?

Looking at his back did give me the chance to see his potential curls. I've been waiting for those curls so I am very happy so see a bit of a flip here and there.


He actually ate just about the entire raisin roll himself, complete with raisins. I was very surprised that he didn't pull the raisins out of his mouth, but I think he was in too much of a hurry to get back over to the other kids.


I think next week will involve more of the same.

SupaBeauxl Bound!

Oh what a night! Our boys are NFC champions and headed to the Superbowl!


The feeling in the city over the past week has been amazing. *Everyone* has been giddy in anticipation of last night's game and I imagine the ride on cloud 9 for the next two weeks will mean even more brotherly love in the Big Easy. I cannot count the number of strangers I planted a kiss on last night...or who planted a kiss on Charlie.


Reading the articles about the "love affair" between the fans and the team makes me grin. It certainly is a love affair; we're some passionate folks here in NOLA. There just isn't any other way.


It was bitter sweet for us. It was our last night in the Dome, as regulars that is. I imagine this time next year we'll be pulling up a bar stool, who knows where, next to a handful of Who Dats who have been waiting to turn up that yat accent.

Southern's band rocks the half time show!

Who Dat!!!

To do:

• Finish Mardi Gras costumes, incorporate black and gold
• Get king cakes
• Mardi Gras food: poboy fixins, bloody mary fixins, Zapps and other junk food
• Finishing touches on the ladder chair, make it cozy
  
• Order keg of Abita Amber
  
• Call for port a potty to be delivered 2.4.10
• Pick up Jazzfest tickets before $120 weekend prices run out
• Superbowl food: burgers and fixins (or pulled pork and ribs?)
  
• Take 2009-2010 Saints tickets to be framed in a collage

It's an only in New Orleans list, and I couldn't be happier about it.

We Love the Hornets

Our team's not so hot this year, but they've got time yet to warm up I suppose. We still like going to the games, complete with beers and hot dogs. Tonight we made it in time to meet James Posey before the game and listen to some Trombone Shorty at the pregame festivities. Tonight's celebrity sightings: Kim Kardashian and Deion Sanders. Surely both are in town for tomorrow night's big Saints v. Cowboys game. Reggie Bush better have been at home in bed, resting for tomorrow's game, leaving Ms. Kardashian to find fun in NOLA by herself!

Yes, Snow in New Orleans

We had about an inch of snow in the city today, but some parts of the state saw as much as 8 inches. Thankfully we didn't lose power, which is fortunate considering several areas of the state were without power for 8+ hours.


My poor garden. I had lots of sprouting seeds that will most likely not recover. And the tropicals, particularly the ginger, collapsed under the weight of the collecting snow. We have some major clean up to do this weekend.

It was pretty while it lasted...all of about 3 hours.


And thankfully we are looking at getting back into the mid 70s early next week.


I've met my snow viewing quota for the year!

Snow!

Neighborhood Bar

It's all okay for us, but I'd still love a beer!
Photo taken with Charlie's cell phone on our walk

I was glad to see Henry's open yesterday, and filled with the usual suspects each glad to be out of the car and away from their kids, dogs, and mother in laws for a bit.

The chalkboard message outside always tickles me, and yesterday was no exception.

Deja vu?

August 29th should have been a day to share a poboy from Domilise's and a Miller High Life (or a Barq's root beer). 3 years past Katrina. 3 years and we've settled back into a normal NOLA routine. Instead we spent the afternoon driving away, with our dogs and wedding albums in tow.

The house is secure. The porch swing has been taken down, the ferns in hanging baskets are tucked in the shed, and the Saints' and city flag lie in the foyer. I couldn't bring myself to toss the stash of steaks in the freezer, so they're tied up tightly in a garbage sack in the freezer for easy disposal, just in case. Charlie still hasn't recovered from pushing the rotten Fridgidaire out of the Jena house three years ago. I left our neighbors a note, scribbled down some phone numbers, and off we went.

Northwest was kind enough to provide a full credit voucher since we decided to skip our flights, and drive with our pets, to Oklahoma for the three day weekend. I'm thankful for their kindness, but it made me a little nervous.... this must be serious for the airlines to be so generous.

Leaving I felt worry over our home. We're in the highest area of the city now, so I don't fear floods, but looters. 8 feet of flood water on our 1st floor pretty much guaranteed no looters last time around. But it's only stuff. Everything can be replaced.

Driving on I-49 we passed caravans of school buses on their way to New Orleans. They'll be ready and waiting for a mass exodus. There were also caravans of National Guardsmen who will patrol the city, keep her and our homes safe. For an instant I felt better and then thought back to the day we spent, 2 weeks post flood, driving through the city in an attempt to get to our home which still sat submerged in water. The few people we saw rode in humvees, carried semiautomatic weapons, and wore camouflage. They weren't smiling and wanted us out of their way. Above helicopters hovered low with military and media hanging out opened hatches. Volunteers manned airboats making their way through our neighborhood streets searching for those left in the sun on their rooftops. I didn't feel safe.

I feel little comfort from the newer projected paths pushing Gustav westward. We're not out of danger yet. Newscasts here in OKC have images of traffic picking up on the highway out of New Orleans. My inbox is filled with memos from work with instructions for next week...be safe, take care of your family, be in close contact.

We are together and we are safe, but I am teary. The hormones probably don't help, but I really fear loss for our city and our life there. We want coffee and bagels next Saturday at the Laurel Street Bakery. We want to kick off the "r months" (oyster season) at Casamento's with oyster loaf and chat with the shuckers at the oyster bar. We want bloody marys (mine virgin of course) for breakfast on our porch when the fall weather comes midOctober.

It's going to be a long few days for us.

Katrina's Brother?

As Katrina's 3rd anniversary approaches, Gustav is getting all the attention. Katrina. Gustav. There's definitely a family resemblance.

We've got plans to be out of town for the three day weekend, but now we are trying to come up with Plans B, C, and D.

Today I will contact the dog sitter to find out her plans and arrange for Plan B involving a drive back in a rental car for dog pick up if we do indeed end up heading to Oklahoma and the dog sitter needs to evacuate.

Stopping for bread, water, peanut butter, batteries, and other supplies are part of this afternoon's agenda in case we implement Plan C, not leaving the house.

Plan D will involve packing some bags, filling the gas tanks, and driving in what I presume will be gridlock traffic later this week.

I'm trying to focus on Plan A, a short trip out of town for a few days, and put the possibilities of the others out of my mind. But really we'd be foolish to not prepare.

Tonight we'll tie down patio furniture, secure potted plants, and get the house prepared. Charlie's printed out his "hurricane prep" list and we're going through the motions for some of the things...just in case.

Toasting Um Ba-bay

Walking to the car, fat and happy

To Um Ba-bay, we toasted, Charlie with a Sazerac and I with Perrier over a celebratory dinner at Luke. We were also toasting Charlie's ongoing weight loss, and my weight gain, and so naturally a big meal was in order.

Our meal at Luke was delicious: fried oyster, bacon, avocado salad, corn and crab bisque, crabmeat masion, boudin, mussels, and crabmeat ravioli!


We talked about lots and lots, but always came back to our amazement at expecting a child. We even talked about strollers and bottles. "Is this conversation for real" we each questioned, more than once.

We have another celebration planned for the end of September, post anatomy scan. Counting down the days.

Life with Charlie

He takes me to all the best places, and we have a hoot with each and every stop. And the dump is no exception. It is one place I always love, really, really love, going and probably would have never managed to lay eyes on without Charlie. Really, truly love going. I had no idea that it was even a place people drive in to before meeting Charlie!

I love going to the "transfer station" and going to the full fledged dump is even better.

Backing up to the dumpsters

There seemed to be a time when we were hitting the dump several times a month...dumping, not retrieving items. Although I do see some people leaving with more than they bring! I'm all about reduce, reuse, recylce but when you actually see the amount of stuff in the dumpsters at the transfer station, the endless line of people there to dump, or you pull up next to the bulldozer covered in gulls as you unload at the landfill it really opens your eyes to the problem we face with waste.

The dumpsters seem to stay full. A truck leaving the landfill drives by.

I am always amazed by how much we throw away. I like to look for a while at the people (good people watching) to see what they're getting rid of. Still lots of remodel rubbish from flooding no doubt, but people also toss bicycles, furniture, books, and many other things that could have found another home.

I am supposed to be getting my gloves on to help as he begins to unload the trailer of branches.

I tried to get some photos this time, but had to be quick, because I know it's hard to believe, but Charlie is often not amused by my attempts to photo document everything. I could probably do an entire post filled with pictures of him rolling his eyes. Smile.