houses

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Housing Piles at MLK & St. Charles

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It was absolutely perfect out there in New Orleans today. It was just a touch cooler and just a touch drier, and by the time I left work this afternoon, it wasn’t even windy. I headed toward Mid-City with a plan to stare at the lake, but my desire to avoid rush hour traffic pushed me off course and through Central City. I found some smooth asphalt on MLK, and spun across Claiborne before stopping at Galvez to put on my sunglasses. I chatted with my sister for awhile while waving the “how you doin'” to the passing cars. I snapped this picture of the posts of a new B.W. Cooper will go. Maybe. Someday, but definitely not before we get Mr. Peanut Park over on Simon Bolivar. But also this picture is of that tree against that blue sky, but wait, also of chain link fence. Many scenes in New Orleans today, many feelings.

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Blighted Building at Bernadotte & Baudin

I spent the day working from home on the endless revisions of this endless article, and after a lovely chat with the lovely R. who stopped by to recount yesterday’s victorious master’s thesis defense–yay!–it was time to take the bike out. I headed toward the lake ISO pelicans on this perfectly sunny spring day. I needlessly worry sometimes that that 20 mile loop will ever get old, so today I took a left after I rolled off the Jeff Davis overpass and rode around Mid-City for a bit, figuring I’d end up at the lake at some point. Continue reading →

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Ramshackle House on Calhoun & Rocheblave

I had one of those days where work just gets the best of you, so when the day was done, I needed to go on a bike ride. I headed toward Broadmoor with no real destination when I stopped to take this picture of a dilapidated house on Calhoun, between Rocheblave and York. It looks like it’s made of weathered old cardboard, lacking the comfortable facade of its neighbor. Just a few blocks on and I was on Versailles, looking at huge and beautiful homes. Continue reading →

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Halloween Decorations at State Street & St. Charles

Some day soon I will not be able to start a post talking about how perfect the weather is, but today? Today, the weather was perfect. I headed out in the morning for an appointment and then rode up to campus for lunch with a student and an afternoon of grading and reading and grading some more. The day ended with wine and cheese and L.’s paper and a good discussion. Such a nice day. I pedaled home in the dark along St. Charles and the wind had an extra chill. I stopped to take a picture of this house at State Street. These people are very, very excited about Halloween. Continue reading →

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Pink House at Eleanor & St. Charles

I woke up early this morning and got right to work before heading up to campus on my bike. Pedal, pedal, pedal–it was good to get the kinks of yesterday’s long ride out of the legs. I had such a long day, but it was one of those long days that just feels worth it. It had a little bit of everything: challenging classrooms, a hint of completion, genuine intellectual stimulation, and a really good salad. Continue reading →

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S.W. Green House at 219 South Miro Street

S. has a job again, starting Monday, so when she asked if I might like to ride our bikes around on her last free Friday afternoon, I happily agreed. After getting some work done at the office I hopped on the Surly and headed to Bayou St. John to meet up. S. wanted to ride around the Mid-City Historic District to check out some of the homes that are in the way of the  footprint for the new VA hospital. Some are being moved, but others face demolition. Continue reading →

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Serious Warning on a House at Willow & Gen Taylor

I woke up early and worked all day long, putting on a show for classroom after classroom. After lunch was when I really started to plan my afterschool. Buzzing in the background of the rest of the day was, “bike, gym, steam room, bike, leftover chili, T-flippin’-V.” And when the day was done, well, that’s what I did. I rode down Willow to avoid traffic and stopped to take a picture of this house on Willow and Gen. Taylor with a stern warning out front: “IF YOU GO IN AND I SEE YOU I WILL KILL.” Continue reading →

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Post-Wedding Clean Up at the Van Benthuysen-Elms Mansion

What did I see riding my bike around today? Well, I saw a lot of bachelorettes. It’s wedding season, and it’s everywhere. Last weekend’s ride through City Park, for example, ran me through three different weddings. I rode my bike down to the Quarter for a few tweaks to the Surly at the bike shoppe, and then to R.’s for writing group with him and S. Then it was back on the Surly to La Petite Theatre to volunteer for tonight’s performance of Noche Flamenca. Continue reading →

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Blighted House at Peniston and Dryades

Today was the first day of school for the semester. And as I told my students, after my birthday and the first day of school, there’s simply no other day I like more. It’s so full of promise! Continue reading →

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Blight, an Empty Lot, and New Construction Near LaSalle and Fifth

It was another cold and crispy day in New Orleans, but today was game day. Last day of the regular football season, and the Saints were ready to finish a good one. Or not. I hopped on the Surly and headed down to the Treme to find out. Continue reading →