Report From New Orleans

      Our Minister of Culture just returned from a quick trip down South to review goings on in NOLA.  The big event to be watched was St. Patrick's day and its parade(s).   Unbeknown to most of Americans,  St. Patricks Day is a big day in the Big Easy.  This goes back into local history when an Irish brigade came to town to help fight in a local conflict.  The support was much appreciated and resonates to this day among the local gentry.
      The end result is a mini-Mardi Gras style event.   Some regular krews turn out; a few motorized floats are seen; and many marching bands.  Locals like the vibe because it includes mostly folks from the parishes, not unruly tourists and college students on holiday.   This year the weather cooperated: gone was the rain that was forecast, to be replaced with sunny, warm weather.   As part of the experience,  a crawfish boil was held near Magazine St. for our Minister and friends.   It was a huge success.  The chef preparing the feast is a long time local who knows his way around the kitchen.  His name is Jimmie and he knows crawfish.  His "boil" includes not just mudbugs, but also corn on cob, local sausage, okra(if avail), onion, and a little pepper(not too much).
      Also on the list of places to visit was "The Parkway" for a Po'Boy sando: w/ fried oysters, please.   Another stop was "Fair Grounds", a local coffee house near the fair grounds race track.   The vibe has changed there since 2011, but the coffee remains excellent.   A stroll through Audubon Park marked the list as complete.  The return flight was delayed because of rainy weather in Oaktown, but our minister was not the worse for wear.