Sunday, July 4, 2010

Thank You New Orleans

The big easy. People are laid back. Things move more slowly. No concern about time. Relax. Lay back. My two day seminar there was sold out and the attendees were really wonderful people and talents. I made new friends. Thank you New Orleans. It was somewhat difficult for me to adjust to the New Orleans tempo but I did it. The food was marvelous. The last day there, in a hard tropical rain, we stumbled into a shack, a little cafe, only to discover the food was fantastic. Soft shelled crab, oysters, shrimp, gorgeous fish, absolutely delicious. I ate standing up, watching the rain outside, eating on a paper plate the best meal I ever had in this great city.

One day, the students went to lunch together and arrived back at the seminar 45 minutes late. Lunch lasted one hour and 45 minutes. Wow. Well, the students missed one entire segment of the day I had planned for them. The city tempo, it seems, invades everyone's body in New Orleans. Yes, I was upset. The next day, everyone returned from lunch on time.

Eating dinner at the famous Antoines was fantastic too. Fantastic prices as well, but we expected that. After dinner, we were taken on a special tour of the entire building, even the secret passage used during the civil war! Photos all over the walls of famous people dating back to the 1800s. And then, we met the grandaughter of the Antoine's founder! She was most gracious. She signed menus for us. We'll frame them in our kitchen. I have a menu from antoines when oysters were $2.40 PER DOZEN. It's framed in our kitchen.

As I write this, it is the Fourth of July. BarBQ awaits. Happy Holiday!