ART I so glad I went to New Orleans

The Art of New Orleans

Inner & Outer Journey

New Orleans allowed me to gain a new appreciation for art. The art of New Orleans is so many things. From the music on the street, Iron work on the galleries, the art along the fences of the Jackson Square, the art in each gallery, the dances on the sidewalks, and even the poet who sat on the corner typing on an old typewriter custom poems for people who crossed her path. New Orleans is where people express themselves and are appreciated for it. If I was an aspiring artist I would be making my start in this city. 

While in New Orleans we had a few hours to tour local galleries, more specifically Royal Street. I went with my roommate Amy, and my classmate Robert. We had so much fun taking our time walking through all of the galleries. One that we spent a quite a bit of time in was Kezic Gallery. It didn't take long for me to realize that I couldn't even afford the smallest print they had available. This gallery was high end. I quickly fell in love with this textured art that was actually created by the owner of the gallery, Diego Lukezic Kezic. His art really spoke to me. It was simple, and bold at the same time. It had texture, color, and reached out to you and made you feel calm and happy. His art was peaceful. 

There were a few other places we went to, one I considered to be what I thought as a shot gun gallery. Osterhold Boudreaux Gallery and Studio. It was small and narrow as you walked in. At the back of the gallery or what you would consider a hallway sat a desk with the artist. The art in this gallery was very different. Usually an artist is famous for painting one specific thing in many different ways, this artist paints both dark and light objects. He also goes to weddings and paints a scene from the wedding. Very unique that this artist can paint such dark things such as dragons and demons but also paint weddings and flower vases. He articulates both so well. 

The next gallery I found interesting was the Sutton Gallery. It had high end paintings along with steel abstract furniture that was beautifully made. The thing I found most interesting about this gallery was a specific young artist who mostly paints landscapes, and does it well I might add. Her same is Isabelle Dupuy. She sets dates with this particular gallery for live paintings. I was talking to one of the salesman in the gallery and he spoke highly of her and her skills. He said that within the last week he had sold 30 of her paintings. He said that he can hardly keep her paintings in stock. I was unable to take pictures but she does have a website I have checked out and her work is some of the best I have seen. I think what I liked the most about this gallery was that the artist does live paintings, and that she signs every painting that is sold from that gallery.

The last gallery I want to talk about is the Kako Gallery. This was one of my favorites. Not only does this gallery stock up local artists pieces, but it is another what I would consider a shot gun gallery. Very unique and hip. Also very interesting, above the gallery is apartments. At the back of the gallery is a court yard that the apartments look out on to. How neat would it be to live above a gallery, especially as neat as this one is! I fell in love with the vibe of this place. It felt welcoming. There was so many different styles of art. It had a piece in their for everyone. What I liked most about this gallery was their style. I would recommend this gallery and all of the ones that I mentioned in this post to anyone going to New Orleans. The city has a lot of great pieces of art, you just have to know where to look for them. A lot of the artist that are in the galleries are also on the square. It is important to talk with the artist and get their opinions and stories on each piece. It is neat to see what they have to say about their art, compared to how you see it. The city of New Orleans Is alive because of the artist's in it bringing color and texture to the streets. 

The Sound of New Orleans

Music

Inner & Outer Journey

One of the best things New Orleans has to offer is the sound of the city. There is never silence. Which isn't a bad thing. The music of in the city makes it come alive. There was a couple of time while walking around the square I felt as if I was in a music video (wishful thinking). The music of New Orleans creates a mood, a good one that is. You constantly feel happy while listen to the different styles of Jazz and Blues played by very talented musicians making a living doing what they do best, making people smile through music.

While in New Orleans I fell in love with a Jazz band called Tuba Skinny. I ended up buying two of their Cd's and have been listening to them none stop since I returned. What caught my eye about this group was their confidence. The parked their instruments in the middle of the road, pulled up some chairs and started playing what I would consider the "sound of New Orleans". They were good, and authentic. They made their presence known to the city, but played with such grace and beauty. The jazz was up beat, but they through in a few blues songs which made them diverse. Tuba Skinny captivated the attention of everyone on the street, and they didn't have to beg anyone to listen they were so good people stop in ahh of their talent!

The music made me feel happy, I could have listened to it all day. The musicians were humble and unique. It was relaxing to listen to them. It was if they were telling a story through their music. I remember catching myself smiling because the sound made me feel like a kid again. I only saw them once when I was there, but once was enough. They imprinted a long lasting memory with me.

Tuba Skinny

While in the city I also got the chance to go to Fritzels where I encountered another very talented brass/piano jazz band. They were very enthusiastic and put on an amazing show. The environment in Fritzels was one of a kind. It put you in a great mood, and allowed you to have a whole new appreciation for the city and the artist's in it. The piano player was so handsome (I mean talented). The set up in Fritzels was tight but the music made up for it. During our time in New Orleans there was a lot of different styles of jazz and blues, but the most authentic sounding ones most defiantly had to be these two. I saw a couple of other bands play and they were good, but through a more modern twist to it. The bands that kept to the basics were the ones that I enjoyed the most. I am glad that I took the time most of the nights I was there to go out and enjoy the music. This city is where artist live their dreams. I am just glad that even if that means setting up in the middle of the street, they have the confidence and the skill to do just that, and make a living while doing it!

Fritzel's

Farewell New Orleans

Inner and Outer Journey

For this post I will be sharing my favorite place in New Orleans. This was easy for me to decide. This place is public. You do not have to pay to go. It is full of diversity, and lots of color. This place many people call home. This place has both art and music. Any guesses? 

 The Streets of New Orleans

I fell in love with walking the streets of New Orleans. As a social work student I went to New Orleans in search of something. I didn't know what it was, or where I would find it. It was a feeling, I was searching for. I found that feeling walking home one night after having a great night out with friends, or at the time strangers. The streets were full of people, animals, trash, art, music, street performers, you name it; you found it on the streets. You are probably wondering why the streets of New Orleans is my favorite. It is simple really, everyone was welcomed. We watched these street performers one afternoon and they ended their show with a quote "remember there is only race, the human one". This spoke to me, and has been in my mind ever sense. While in New Orleans you never felt judged or out of place. Being different was the trend. Not one person looked the same. Not one building was identical (close, but not). 

The streets of New Orleans told a story. A sometimes hard, work in progress, came a long way story. The sidewalks were unlevel, the roads were narrow, but it also was the place a community came together during tragedy. It is the place where people are giving (most times) to those less fortunate. It was the place I found myself more times than not thinking about how beautiful this city truly is. Not just the scenery or temperature, but the people in it as well. It felt like home. 

I loved walking around a night and seeing all of the lights. Listening to all of the music and sounds going on around me. I saw things that made my heart happy on the streets of New Orleans, and sometimes the opposite. The streets of New Orleans allowed me to use all 5 senses. I could see everything I needed just by walking. I heard some of the greatest music, from some of the realist musicians. I tasted some of the greatest food I have ever had (highly recommend the Beignets). I smelled some of the strangest, and at times not so pleasant scents. Lastly I touched someone's heart. Whether we realize it or not, when touring and talking to strangers maybe about what they do or where their favorite spot in the city is, we are connecting with that person. We may do this by giving money to a homeless handicap women, or a mentally Ill man. It could even be acknowledging the talent of a street performer. All of this happens on the streets.

I will miss walking the streets of New Orleans, and more specifically the around the Jackson Square. The weather was beautiful, the people were pleasant, and the history was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. I would most defiantly encourage others to visit and even more so walk the city. It is for sure the best way to see the city and become familiar with what it has to offer. I had the most amazing time on this trip. Coming for school was just a bonus. I think this trip was both educational and exciting. There is honestly so much to do in New Orleans you need like two weeks at minimum to get in everything. We covered a lot of information, and tours in a short amount of time but I wouldn't change a thing. New Orleans Trip 19' was a success!

Bitter Sweet

Inner Journey

Monday, our free day. Also our last full day In New Orleans. We just got unpacked. We just figured out our way around. We just found our favorite spots. We just formed our friendships. Now It is our last day. I spent my day with some of my favorite people from this trip. Each of us are at agreement that we do miss those we left home, but are so grateful for the opportunity to not only explore New Orleans, but to do it together. I am tearing up as I realize the trip is near it's end. I have loved getting to know everyone and stepping out of my comfort zone, and going on a trip where I knew no one coming in, and now I will be leaving with some of the most unique friendships I have ever had. We spent our final day in the Big Easy, checking things off of our to do list. Shopping, touring the garden district, walking around the square, French market, and our grand finale a fancy dinner. 

It is crazy how fast you can become attached to something, or even someone. My roommate and I have formed a bond that I will forever be thankful for. I couldn't have done this trip without her. I think that both share so much in common, and yet have differences that compliment one another. It has been so nice to have my constant group of five to share this trip with. (Amy, Robert, Anna, Emma, and I)

Monday made me appreciate the opportunity Methodist College presented me with. I would have never gotten to know these great people the way I do now without this trip. Walking around yesterday to all of the different shops, not having any really set plans made me realize that these girls are my real friends who I hope to continue a fun and true friendship with. I am thankful for this Monday, which is rare for me. I hate Monday's! This one was bitter sweet because I was able to spend it in one of my favorite cities, with my new friends. What a great start New Orleans gave to us!

Monday Funday

Outer Journey

Monday, January 7th. Forecast, brightly sunny with a temperature of... 72° 

Being from Illinois I didn't know what to do with myself with this nice of weather right after the New Year. What a gift I thought, until I realized not only was the weather beautiful it was our FREE DAY. My roommate Amy, my new friends Anna, Emma and I decided to spend the day together. Wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I have had so much fun with these girls! Anyway, we talked about all of the things we had done, and determined that there was only one thing for sure we wanted to make sure we scheduled in before our departure, the garden district. 

We hopped on the street car and away we went. We rode the car a little to long and ended up having to back track which was fine, because we came across the Fresh Market. It was huge, and had such a large variety of food/spices/Etc. We ended up getting these apple/cherry pastries that were to die for. Then we went on our very own walking/self guided tour. It was a blast walking through the neighborhood just admiring the elaborate homes and their detail. We were almost through the garden district when we fell upon this little hole in the wall shopping center called The Rink. It had a coffee shop along with a bunch of other little stores including (book store, childrens store, and a few others). A good hour we spent in there and it was well worth it. Goodies were purchased. 

The we were off to the square to finish up some shopping at a few stores, and the French market. Yes, I went to both the Fresh and the French Market. I had the time of my life laughing with those girls making memories, and forming friendships. Last night came to an end with the most fancy dinner I have ever ate. Not a joke! I was wearing a black jumpsuit which was very elegant, the waiter switched out my white cloth napkin for a black one so I wouldn't get lint on my outfit. Fancy Pancy! The food was the most exquisite food I have ever tasted, full of flavor. I pretty sure if I was to describe the flavor with one word, it would be CLASSY. Yes, the food tasted classy. It was not cheap by any means, but I enjoyed my last night on the town with some of the greatest people I have ever met, pretending that we weren't poor college students. I have had the best time in New Orleans and it was saddening knowing that was our final Hurrah! 

The Restaurant we ate at. 

It is a world renown five star restaurant.  

Our "gift" from the chef. Garlic egg and caviar.

Sweet Sunday

Inner Journey

Sunday was one of the more calm days. I felt at ease with the day, and as if I was getting a hang of navigating the city. Almost starting to feel like a local. We have covered a lot of territory and learned a lot of information in a small amount of time. So Sunday was perfect for going through two museums and be able to slow things down and take in the information at our own pace. I had lunch at one of my favorite places down here called Willes chicken shack, I am in love! Food has been a really big part of this trip, not over eating food but eating good foods and not just eating junk. I have tried many new foods which has been at times both scary and delicious, not to mention expensive. I wouldn't change a thing, It is all about the experiance.

Sunday gave me time to reflect and enjoy what was happening around me. For instance acknowledge the scenery and to form and appreciation for the art that this city is made up of. I also was able to enjoy the businesses and the hard working people that make up the population of New Orleans. The biggest thing Sunday taught me, was to be appreciative for my freedom and ability to belong to whatever religion I choose. I am so lucky to live in a state that is not at high risk for hurricanes. It would be so hard to rebuild and go through the pain and devastation that New Orleans did during Katrina, and their other disasters. Going through the museums yesterday made my heart hurt for the families that lost their homes, and the ones that lost their loved ones.

I ended Sunday with good food and even better company. We sat down for our first fancy dinner of the trip, at Nola. It was so unique and delicious. I tried bone marrow for the first time and loved it! The seasonings down here have bursts of flavor that I will defiantly miss when arriving back in Illinois. If you are ever in New Orleans make sure to check out Nola the restaurant.





 

 

What I wrote at the Presbytere Museum to put in the vault.

Presbytere Museum

Presbytere Museum 

Bone Marrow

 Nola Lemonade

See what the food at Nola is all about...

Jan 6th

Outer Journey

Good morning, and it was. The morning of the most beautiful Sunday weather I have seen in a while, started at the Presbytere. What is the Presbytere? It is a two story historic building. The lower level is a tribute and museum of the tragic Katrina. The upper level displays the start and the past of Mardi Gras. This was such a fascinating museum to go to, and If I get to come back to New Orleans I will have to go back to it. The history and facts displayed about Katrina were so raw and tragic which is what made the museum so interesting. I knew about Hurricane Katrina from school, but I now know the devastation and impact it had on this great city. The museum had so many exhibits and facts to read. The most interesting thing on the lower level that I found was an electronic map that displayed a map of the united states. Around the map was different natural disasters (hurricane, mudslide, tornado) just to name a few. You could click on one of the disasters and it will highlight the states that were at high risk, and low risk. I clicked each disaster and was intrigued to see the results for each state.

After the museum a few of us headed over to the local convenient store which is located right on the square. It is the home of the first Muffuletta and that was one thing for sure I knew my group of friends wanted to try. I was not to excited about it. It has an olive spread on it which was very strong scented, and I am not a fan of olives. My classmates loved it. The sandwich was huge and all three of my classmates split one sandwich and still had a quarter left of it. It was the size of my head. Not an Exaggeration. The highlight of yesterday was sitting in the front of the Jackson square on the stairs watching the street performers dance and tumble, while keeping the crowd involved. It was so much fun to watch and they were so proud to do what they loved, they had a message at the end of the performance "and remember there is only one race, the human one" that really spoke to me and made me realize how diverse and open New Orleans really is.

Another highlight from yesterday was our haunted history which we did at dusk. It was very sickening to be honest. We learned about this women who abused her slaves. Tortured and murdered them for irrational reasons. She tortured them in her experimental room. In this room she would break the libs of her slaves and reset them in crazy positions. She buried some of them a live, some were buried in the floors of her house. Worse of all there was 65 bodies recovered from her back yard most of them were pregnant slave women. I left the tour with a sour taste in my mouth, and my stomach was in knots. The night ended at a hip restaurant Nola which exceed all expectations. If I am going to spend my money on myself I am going to spend it on trying new things, I would never get to try in Illinois. I am having the time of my life here in Nola!

Light sweater weather...

Saturday was a beautiful day to tour. There was just a little wind, the sun was warm and the city was full of tourists. The day started on a humble note as we visited the convent and the church learning about the history of the buildings and the religion. I was born and raised Baptist, so it was a little confusing to me to be fed all of that information and not really understand the religion and their specific beliefs very well. I found so much joy and relaxation while just walking around the city, and enjoying the beautiful weather. The class walked to the French market. I love craft shows, vendors, and food all of which the French market had to offer. We had only about an hour to check it out and eat. So all though I saw a few things that caught my eye, I will be needing to go back to do some shopping.

Tour of the Ursuline Convent

Saturday was such a great day, A little more laid back than the last 2 days, but busy enough where I wasn't bored. The day continued on and it was time for our final tour of the day, the food tour. I had the best experiance with this. The tour guide, the food, that chefs, the restaurants all were tremendous! I loved tasting the city. All of the different flavors, and spices. The most rare part of the tour was learning the history behind the seasonings and how different New Orleans cuisine is from Illinois. I tired a number if new foods which I would more than likely never try at home, but when in New Orleans you try new things in order to experiance the city correctly.

Saturday night a few girls and I headed out on the town. We visited a few local club and listened to some of the best jazz I have heard. It made me feel happy and I wanted to dance. Very intergenic music, and you could tell other listeners felt the same. It was getting late so we grabbed an Uber, and headed back to the hotel, except I typed in the wrong address, so we detoured and while detouring we saw the super dome while it was lite up at night. The super dome was amazing and a site I was happy I was able to see. Made it back to the hotel, and slept like a baby. Saturday was great day. This trip is flying by, but the experiance I will be able to talk about are ones I will never forget.

 

Saturday on the Square

Outer Journey

Saturday in New Orleans is busy to say the least. Each side of the square was packed with local artist, street performers, and crafters. There were so many people that were touring around the city today. It was surprising to see how many groups came to this city to celebrate something (birthday, bachelorette, new years) you name it. This morning I woke up and went down to the lobby of our hotel to work on homework while enjoying breakfast. Before I knew it, it was time to get headed to the square for class. We met in front of the gates of the park and went in after the gates were open to find a semi quite place to talk as a class about our first full day of New Orleans experiences. It was nice to hear about the others experiences and how they view their favorite spots in the city thus far. We wrapped up our class time and headed over to the Ursuline Convent. The sweet tour guide made a joke at the beginning of the tour and told us all that no one was allowed to leave until we were baptized catholic I responded jokingly "well I'm going to have to call my mom and tell her" a few of the students laughed and I knew my mom would laugh as well. The Convent and the tour guide we had were remarkable. The tour guide a member of the church was very passionate about sharing the history of the building and its past as well as keeping us entertained. He was considerate of our time and spoke about how he didn't want to bore us, but he wanted to speak about the truth of the convent and let us know how special it is to its people. The architecture was impeccable. The detail was very indebt. 

 

Cathedral 

                                                                       Ursuline Convent 

Fast forward two hours, we arrived at the St. Louis Cathedral and had a single group tour with just Methodist college students, which was nice not to have to share our question time with anyone other than our fellow classmates. The Cathedral was beautiful, and our tour guide was the sweetest little lady, reminded me much of my grandma. She talked about the rebuild of the church which was unique, and suprising to find out that people are buried in the floor of the church. It felt a little disrespectful to be walking on marble that people were buried under, but I guess if it doesn't bother the members of the church, it shouldn't bother me. Up next, French Market. It was busy but I should have expected that, it was a Saturday after all. The crafters and salesman were eager to make money, no doubt they did, they were good at persuading. We had about 45 min to walk around the market and grab lunch before heading to my favorite tour this far, the culinary tour. Naif was our tour guide and his home town routes made the tour what it was. He was interesting to listen too, and knew his stuff. I tried a beef brisket po-boy from Tujague's and it was delicious and had so much flavor. The second stop of five was at Creole Delicacies where as class we tasted red beans and rice, not my cup of tea. The third stop was at Antoine's and this restaurant was an allusion. It didn't look very big from the outside but it was huge and had many, many dinner rooms which spoke to its character. The fourth stop was at the cities favorite Leah's Pralines. I had never had a Praline before, they are very sweet and I'm not so sure it hasn't put people in a sugar coma before. The last stop was at Arnaud's where I tried Gumbo, shrimp remoulade, and turtle soup. I liked the gumbo a lot, and the turtle soup wasn't bad. By that time I was stuffed and ready to head back to the room. Had a little down time before heading out to Fritzel's for some of the best Jazz music I have heard here in New Orleans.

                                            Antoine's                                          Fritzel's 

Walk and talk

Inner Journey

The first full day was... Exhausting. My feet have never hurt so bad in my life. It was the day for tours, four to be exact. It didn't help that none of us know how to properly understand the route or the timing for the street car. Which led to much frustration and wasted time. The tours that we participated in were very educational and great to listen too. The only thing I disliked was the lack of moving around. When I think of a tour, I think of visuals and little clip its of information about what we are seeing. Some parts of the tours I found a tad boring just because there was so much repetition about what they all talked about. Digging deeper, yesterday made me realize why I want to become a social worker. The high level of homelessness down here is outrageous. I felt sad and didn't know what I could do to help. It is hard at times down here to be able to tell the difference between someone who lives on the streets and someone who uses the streets to hustle. Something I noticed about the homeless down here is that, the majority of them have dogs. Like how can you be homeless and take care/feed your dog if you have a hard time feeding yourself ? Not judging just observing. I felt saddened for the number of handicap homeless people who were either mentally or physically unstable. As a social worker it would be my duty to reach out to these individuals and give them the information they need, whether that is information about local shelters, or information about job fairs I feel that I could play my part in that way.

On a more positive note I have really felt like I am connecting with my classmates and forming friendships. It is refreshing to be forming new and different relationships and getting to know one another on a different level. Not everyone travels with what once were strangers, but can now call them friends. I still miss home, and more personally my boyfriend (cheesy, I know but true). This winter break has been different than most. Usually I have little to do, and a lot of time to relax. This break/ trip has been busy and kept me on my toes which is a nice change of pace.


                          

Something that I thought I would share is my new appreciation for art. While touring yesterday I learned a lot about the stories of the galleries and the meaning behind some of the pieces which I found very interesting. My favorite gallery was the Kako gallery. It was what I would call a shot gun gallery. Very long and narrow which lead to unique design. I got further into the gallery and saw a court yard behind the check out desk and asked it I could go back their and look, and the lady working allowed me to. Turns out it is a court yard to the apartments above the gallery. The court yard was over looked by balconies which were made out of the most beautiful iron designs. I was in awh and immediately fell in love. I knew that if I was ever to live in this city it would have to be in a place like that! The last thing that really stood out to me was the street performer artists. There was a particular group that's talent radiated over the city. They had so much energy it made me feel relaxed and joyful to be here, I even bought one of their cd's. Overall the day was crazy good, I took a lot of information in and was able to spend time with some great people. The first day was a success and made me appreciate for what I have.

     This is the Street music I spoke about, I could have sat and listened to them all day, very talented!

Two of the greatest people I have met (Robert & Amy) 

No time to waste.

Outer Journey

The first full day in the city arrived. I was tired, but found it in me to get up at 5:30 in the morning and head out to the square with My roommate Amy and classmate Robert. Why you ask? The cities famous Beignets. 

They were delicious, but that was just the beginning of our day. As a class we met in front of the St. Louis Cathedral and met up with our tour guide Milton. The Three hour tour was about this great city and its history. Touring through the square looking at the architecture and the story behind when and why they were built. Very intriguing to listen to the knowledge of the city that Milton has. He is very intelligent and knew his stuff which is what made the tour so much fun. We started to migrate towards the world known Congo Square, as we walked the streets we were able to learn about the different style houses and the back story of why they look a certain way and what type of people lived in them. 

We walked to right outside of the French Quarter and crossed the street to wear the Slaves use to conjugate on Sunday's, their "day of rest". Congo Square. It was monumental to see and learn more about. Congo Square was part of my prior research to the trip so it was neat to see the updates they had made, and learn more about the historical landmark from a local. We ended the tour walking through cemetery. I was surprised to find out that the only way you can walk through it is by tour guide, due to the high level of vandalism that was happening. The tour of the cemetery was interesting and I was surprised to find out more about the Voodoo queen, and that Nicolas Cage has already purchased his stone in the cemetery and surprisingly enough it was in the shape of a pyramid (go figure). It was so interesting to learn about the history of the people who are kept in the cemetery and their importance to New Orleans. The tour ended and we had to find our way back to the square, eat lunch and meet at the Pharmacy Museum. We speed walked to a local famous Po-Bo shop Johnny's Po-boys, which has been around sense 1950. My first experiance with Po-boys was so good. Very glad we chose to go there. Lunch was quick, and before we knew it we were at our second tour and it was packed. We then had to venture off on our own to Royal street which is filled with gallery's and little cafe's. We took some time to reflect and get a cup of coffee at Café Beignet before admiring the art in a few galleries. My favorite art, was an artist who focused on French contemporary landscape. Impeccable art that really caught the eye of many who enter the gallery. The afternoon flew by and by the time I knew it, it was time to meet back up with the class for our tour of Frenchman street, where we looked at local craft vendors and were able to listen to the home town music, Jazz. It was a long day of walking and my feet were on fire. The walk home was horrendously painful, but we made it and I celebrated with a long hot bath. Our first full day in the city was eventful and one to remember. 

                  

              Café Beignet                                                                                            Craft Market

The artist, and art that I fell in love with!

 

   Magazine Pizza                                                                                                        Johnny's Po-boys

Food in New Orleans has yet to disappoint, so good!