You know how you can see things in a zillion different ways just by shifting your focus? That’s one of my favorite things about perspective; it means I can go the same places over and over again, always seeing something new. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is in town doing an intricate map of the transportation conditions surrounding the proposed Lafitte Corridor greenway, so I hopped on the Surly and pedaled down to Warren Easton to meet up with a group of folks intent on putting our focus on stuff we don’t necessarily normally notice. Continue reading
bikes
A Guy Ordering a Drink at the Saint
I got up this morning with the day off and no plans, so when J. tweeted to see if anybody wanted to join her at the City Council meeting, I was in. I took the Surly and pedaled downtown for what turned out to be several hours of parliamentary procedure and such highlights as Councilmember Midura reading the menu of a new restaurant in her district into the record (I’m not really feeling the turtle panini, personally) and Councilmember Head‘s insistence that restaurant Il Posto is “the best thing that’s happened in my neighborhood in a long time.” Continue reading
Tattoo and Bike Shops on Magazine at Napoleon
My father can be a real ass, a claim he would most certainly agree with. With which he would most certainly agree. Anyway. But he is also–and I can’t believe I’m writing this down on the interwebz where it will live forever–a wise man, at times. Among the many wisdom moments he has shared with me over the years is this: “If you don’t have a tattoo, don’t get one. If you’ve got one, get another one.” Continue reading
Uptown Porch and Rocking Chairs on Annunciation
I needed a day of rest today, so today consisted of lazy bike rides solely for transportation. I headed down tot he coffee shop to finish up some grading and then back Uptown to do some reading. I got back on Rhoda to head over to N.’s for pizza and The Game. It was a cool night and lots of folks were out on their porches, talking to each other, talking on their phones, or just chilling. Continue reading
Beignets at the Hotel Monteleone for the ACLA Conference
I’m not much of a morning person. It isn’t so much that I don’t enjoy the morning–in fact, I’m quite chipper and talkative. But I don’t like rushing. So when I discovered that my panel for the American Comparative Literature Association met at 8 in the morning at the Hotel Monteleone, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, I was not a happy camper. Continue reading
A Caressing Breeze From the Bywater to the Lower Garden District
I don’t usually ride my bike with other people. When I go out for a ride it is usually so I can be alone, not because I’m thinking terribly deep thoughts, but kind of so I can empty out, not pay attention to anything but the road, the traffic, and whatever pops into my view. And sometimes I’m just trying to get somewhere, as fast as I can. Tonight, though, I rode back home with B., after a lovely evening out with a whole slew of good friends. Continue reading
Remnants Of An Old Drugstore at St. Bernard and Broad
I had one of those days where I woke up a little grumpy and it just got worse as lots of little irritations and annoyances added up. The only answer was, of course, a long bike ride in the sun under a frighteningly blue sky. I zeroed out my inbox (nothing prettier than an empty inbox!) and hopped on the Surly for a ride. Continue reading
Surly LHT and Friend at Magazine and Gravier
**Warning: this blog post is just about bikes.**
So I’m back in New Orleans from my mini bicycling vacation, but I’m already scheming my next trip out of town with the Surly (Longleaf Trace, here I come!). I had such a lovely time just hanging out on that bike, and today I went shopping and treated us both to a new saddle that I hope will make those hours on the bike even lovelier. Continue reading
Amy Hempel, Sally Kenney, and Lemonade at Tulane
Short story writer Amy Hempel is on Tulane’s campus this week as the Zale-Kimmerling Writer in Residence, and today she came to my class to chat with my students and answer questions ranging from the writerly (How do I keep my own voice and also write for an audience?) to the mundane (Where have you eaten so far?). When asked what it takes to be a writer, she said she doesn’t really think it’s about talent–it’s about obsession and nerve. Continue reading
Abandoned Piano at Beauregard and Wisner
I met up with S., an old friend from college yesterday for beer, chatter, some of her homebaked pecan sticky buns (positively ridiculously delicious–if you are in Memphis, hit that farmer’s market for sure!), and, surprise, surprise, bike gossip. You see, she has this bike that an ex gave her, and it has been living in a basement in New Orleans while she’s off grinding her own wheat flour in Memphis. Continue reading
What I Saw Riding My Bike Around Today 
