It’s the first day of spring today, and it is also the closest Sunday to St. Joseph’s Day, which means in New Orleans that today is Super Sunday. This is the day that most of the Mardi Gras Indian tribes from all over the city come together to parade through Central City and then gather in the park, displaying their suits and rehydrating after marching in the heat wearing up to 150 pounds on their backs. After getting a little of this and a little of that done, I hopped on the bike and headed out to meet S. for an afternoon with the rest of the city to loiter, linger, and look. Continue reading
festivals
Ribbons in the Wind at Royal & Esplanade
I woke up early this morning, put on an old prom dress and some eye makeup, tossed my tiara in my bike bag, and headed out to see what New Orleans was doing on a Mardi Gras day. I rode up to St. Charles and took a left and happily swerved between the kids throwing their footballs in the streets and parents pushing strollers and people drinking and dancing and laughing while waiting for the last parade of the season. Continue reading
Bobby J. and Stuff Like That at Woldenberg Park for Zulu’s Lundi Gras Fest
Here’s the thing. I love riding my bike, but Mardi Gras time is really more walking speed. I see things entirely differently when I’m walking–I’m closer to the ground and moving three times more slowly, so I find myself wandering places I don’t normally notice. And there’s a lot to see during the carnival season. As a guy I was chatting with as we paused at a stop sign on our bikes pointed out yesterday, Mardi Gras is all about fantasies (and the only fantasy we saw around us was the dream of finding a place to put the car–take a bike or walk and expand your fantasy life!). So yes, this is another guest post from a pedestrian. Continue reading
Costumed Attendees at the Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con at the Convention Center
Ok, I am really, really into my bicycle. I ride everywhere, every day; I write about it, I read magazines about it, I am an active member of our local bike advocacy group and have trained to be a cycling safety instructor with the League of American Bicyclists. Some might call me a little obsessed. Whatever. I’m glad I’ve found something to do and think about that brings me so much pleasure. Continue reading
People Watching Fireworks Along the Mississippi
It was a stormy last day of the year today, and I spent much of it inside, reading, reading some more, watching, and thinking about what a lovely 2010 I had. There was so much good stuff in it–books, music, friends, cats, bicycling, festivals, music, learning–I really has a most excellent year. And then it was time to go out. On New Year’s Eve. This is a dangerous night for a biker, especially in a town like this one where drinking and driving is totally normal. (You can get a daiquiri from a drive thru, for pete’s sake.) Continue reading
Lighted Tunnel From the City Park Train at Celebration in the Oaks
I woke up at a reasonable hour this morning, tied up this loose end and that loose end while doing laundry, and by 3pm had put the Fall 2010 semester to bed for good. You know what that means? Time to go for a bike ride. I took the Surly out and headed to Lake Pontchartrain via Bayou St. John and City Park. It felt so, so good to ride with nowhere to be at any particular time. Continue reading
Painting People Gold at Republic in the CBD
There I was, innocently going about my finals week, when bam, I get an email from my former student E. asking if I’d like to attend the fundraising party she’s throwing for her new Americorps Vista job with Evacuteer.org, a job for which I wrote her a glowing recommendation letter–every glow earned by her smart and curious student ways. Free party? Open bar? Sign me up! Continue reading
Festive Hat at Opening Day at the Fairgrounds
It’s Thanksgiving and I woke up thankful for many things. I am thankful for my sister, who googleyvideochatted with me first thing on this holiday morning and let me show her my cats, for whom I am also eternally thankful. I am thankful for another 80 degree day with plenty of sunshine but just enough clouds to keep me cool for a bike ride. I am thankful that a few years ago I figured out that it’s going to take about 20 minutes to get there–I can either sit in a car, frustrated at all the other cars, or I can get on a bicycle and flyyyyy through the air via my own little legs pedaling in rhythm (I’ve decided to go with the latter). Continue reading
People and a Dog in Costumes on Bourbon Street
It’s Halloween in New Orleans, and the city is all dressed up to go out. I, on the other hand, am just not in the mood. Sometimes I just get all scrooged out and become a total buzzkill, and the best answer for everyone involved is for me to just get on my bike and go for a ride by myself. And that’s what I did today, making a stop at S.’s to try and fix her pinch flat on her new bike. Yeah, that’s the downside to the internal gear business… After many unsuccessful attempts, I threw in the towel and headed out to see what the more spirited types are doing for the holiday. Continue reading
Tents at the Voodoo Experience Music Festival in City Park
We are in the last days of October and here in New Orleans that means it’s time to put a sweatshirt in the saddlebags when heading out in a skirt and tank top to ride under a perfectly blue sky, sun overhead. What a delight! I had a lovely Saturday, reading for pleasure before hitting to road for a very leisurely pedal out to Lake Pontchartrain. And then I remembered it’s music festival weekend in City Park. I don’t quite have the cash to lay out for the show, so I decided to see what I could hear for free just by biking around. Continue reading
What I Saw Riding My Bike Around Today 