New Orleans, You've Won Me Over (Jazz Fest 2009)

It's no secret that I haven't always been a fan of New Orleans. To be fair, before last weekend I'd only been once -- New Year's Eve 1999 (remember that time that everyone thought the world just might end? Y2K? Oh yeah.)  It was a bad time to see the Big Easy -- crowded event, zillions of people. My impression of the city was not favorable: I thought it hot, dirty, and rather annoying.

So how to remedy that? Go back the weekend of another huge weekend. Jazz Fest 2009.

Now that I've been back home for 24 hours I can share this: I still think New Orleans is hot, dirty, and rather annoying (at least parts of it are). But I also know that it has amazing food, crazy people, stories that practically hit you on the head, and a ridiculous share of history, music, tragedy and character.

I've learned the New Orleans is much more than Bourbon Street (gross) and beignets (yum). It's filled with people with grit and edge, that stare adversity in the face and say, "let's go get a margarita." Gotta dig that.

JazzFest itself was brilliant. It was about 90 degrees, with 100,000 people packed into a relatively small space, but everyone pretty much got along in rocking out.

We stood for eight hours straight, and every bone in my body now hurts, but it was worth it to watch Kings of Leon play their Southern rock served straight up, to pose with costumed parade marchers, and to generally take in the masses.

In honor of my first JazzFest, and first good New Orleans experience, here's my top ten list (+1) from the JazzFest weekend, in no particular order:

• Meeting a girl from San Francisco (see right) who brought her travel hula hoop all the way to JazzFest (on the plane). When we started talking about hooping (a new found interest of mine) she gave me her turquoise hoop. Quite a conversation starter for the rest of the concert ....

•   Watching Amy eat her first ever raw oyster at the Acme Oyster House. Seriously, some of the biggest and best oysters I have ever eaten.

• Meeting a new Twitter friend at the Acme Oyster House. He and I were Tweeting and noticed what we were doing. So we became immediate Twit friends, and messaged each other throughout the weekend.

• Getting our palms read in Jackson Square by a palm reader with a dog named Bagel. I learned that I was "highly creative," "fiery," and "prone to moodiness." You don't say.

• Listening to Cowboy Mouth sing "The Avenue," about New Orleans' rebirth.

• Meeting local booksellers in the "Books" tent at Jazz Fest. Could have spent all day here.

• Climbing over some poor soul who fell asleep by the elevator on the fifth floor of the Whitney Hotel.

• Meeting the coolest group of friends from California (not related to hoop girl) who made us laugh.

• Discovering all the funky shops on Magazine Street. Forget Bourbon, this is where it's at.

• Eating an omelet at Gott Gourmet stuffed with Gruyere cheese, caramelized onion and the freshest shrimp.

• Rocking out to Kings of Leon. Dang.

So there it  is. I'm a convert. What are your thoughts: New Orleans: your thoughts?  Let me know in "Comments."

For more photos, check out "Jazz Fest 2009" album at the right.

Comments

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New Orleans is always in my heart. I'm glad you got to see it shining.