It was a five-parade day, which meant I woke up early, read in bed for a couple of hours, and then headed out for an insane number of parades. I made it through the first three, and then headed home for a rest before dinner with S. and B. and then more parades. The crowds were crazy, so I took the bike and headed downtown for a different sort of parade–Eris–where the spectators were the parade. Lovely, lovely. After a long evening of drinks and chats with friends, I was back on the bike, headed Uptown, through this trash at St. Charles and Canal, signs of the fun that dominated early in the day. This is the ugly part, though. So much trash! I dodged the stuff that could turn my front wheel and headed home, another lovely Carnival day in the books. Thank you, New Orleans.
CBD
Power Lines at Tchoupitoulas & Euterpe
I didn’t ride my bicycle today. I wanted to, what with the sunshine and the light breeze and the cooler temperatures, but my body has made it clear that it needs a day or two out of the saddle, and I decided to listen (a rare choice, if you know me). So how can I write a blog entry, if I didn’t see anything while riding my bike around today? It’s time for a guest post from a pedestrian! Continue reading
Solidarity With the People of Egypt and a Red Streetcar on Canal & Poydras
Today’s ride started off under a clear blue sky with a bright sun–no more frozen precipitation for us, thank you very much. I headed over to C. and P.’s house for a baby shower–congrats, C. and R.!–and then rode down to meet up with a rally some folks organized to stand in solidarity with the people of Egypt. I spotted a crowd on Poydras and headed over with my bicycle to join them. Continue reading
Buses Parked in the Bike Lane on Magazine & Andrew Higgens
I was out of town for almost exactly 24 hours and returned home exhausted, to a house with no heat and no water (frozen pipes). We’re having a cold snap. It was so cold in my bedroom that getting out on the bike seemed like a great idea, even in this weather, so that’s what I did, first Uptown to meet a student and then down to the Marigny for coffee and a chat with S. 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
Yellow Flowering Tree at Constance & Annunciation
Do you ever have those days where you just feel exhausted in the very marrow of your bones? Today was that kind of day for me. Which meant that as much as I wanted to ride my bike to the Po Boy Fest or the Congo Square Rhythms Festival or out to Chalmette, I walked to brunch and then straight back home to laze about with my cats and The Grapes of Wrath. I can’t believe they let high school kids read this anti-capitalist, anti-private property, anti-disciplinary state apparatus screed, or that there isn’t a revolution of the working class led by high school juniors every year. Everybody should read this book. Anyway. Continue reading
Flowering Tree Near Newcomb Hall at Tulane
It was yet another beautiful early fall day in New Orleans. I hopped on the bike to head to school early, and the air was just a teensy bit cool–perfect. I taught and taught and lunched and taught and by the end of the day I had a really impressive headache lodged behind my left eye. Ugh. I did not feel like doing anything but lying around in the dark, but I got on my bike and headed down to the gym. Then I discovered I’d left work I needed at the office. Sigh. Monday on Wednesday. Continue reading
Parking Lot at Loyola & Perdido
Yep, still sick, but today my throat hurt more and I was coughing up grosser stuff and my body was less fatigued, so thankfully I think this means I’m on the mend. (Colds like this remind me how glad I am I quit smoking four years ago–this would go on for the next six weeks if I was still puffing away.) I worked from home and got some rest, but did head out on the bike this evening to meet T., a loyal reader of the blog, visiting from San Francisco. Continue reading
Blue Sky and Clouds Over Dauphine & Piety
I had a juice date with S. down in the Bywater this morning, so that meant I got to hop on the bike early. I don’t usually see downtown at that time of day, and I swear the light is different. I had trouble deciding on a route. I wanted the speed of St. Charles without the rocky riding I expected on Camp Street in the CBD–they’ve been resurfacing it for repaving–but I decided to risk it, and took Prytania down to Camp. Guess what? Continue reading
Storage Center at Howard & Baronne
I feel like it should be fall. It’s mid-September, my courses have been meeting long enough to have their own personalities, and the drugstore is full of Halloween candy. It should be cooling off. But on days like today I am reminded that it’s still hot and humid and sticky. And between you and me, I’m ready for a break from that, just for a minute. After a ride to the office and a stop at home for lunch, I pedaled down to the Quarter to meet S. for popsicles. Continue reading
What I Saw Riding My Bike Around Today 