Sepia Scenes # 25 : Preservation Hall

Preservation Hall in New Orlean's French Quarter is what sepia is all about.

No additional tinting needed.

You can enjoy all the other beautiful Sepia Scenes here. This meme is hosted by the fabulous Mary the Teach.

5 & 6/100 Strangers: Bondo and EJ

Bondo, EJ and I met when I was on the way to church on Palm Sunday and I stopped to see why so many bikers and Sheriff's deputies were gathered at Stokes' Victory Polaris Motorcycle Dealorship on Mobile Hwy. Bondo was the first person I met and he explained that they were all set to ride off to the Beulah Sausage Festival on a charity ride to benefit Sacred Heart Hospital's Camp Miracle. It was called "Riding For A Reason" and I had to leave before their departure for Beulah Land so I don't know how many riders they had compared to last year's 900 but a steady stream was rolling in as I was leaving.

Bondo

EJ

Bondo said that there's a charity ride of some kind every weekend and I have to say that I was really impressed with the love they radiated for their cause and for each other. I'll post more about their gathering on Sunday.
And Bondo, if you read this, my email address is pensacoladailyphoto@gmail.com. I need you to drop me a line because I forgot the name of one of your friends and I need it before I post his picture (and forgive me because I messed up the photo of you and your beautiful bike. I'm soooooo sorry!).

PDP On the Road: New Orleans Part VII: Random Photos

I'm ending my trip to New Orleans with some random photographs. If you get the chance to go this time of year you'll have a great time. We were there for about 24 hours in perfect weather and I wish I had been able to stay for much longer. The last two photos are of the iconic castle house that tells you you're almost there and of the new I-10 bridge over Lake Pontchartrain . Seeing it, even though it's not finished, made me want to stand up and cheer.

I found the name of this liquor store a little disturbing.

Checking into a hotel down on Decatur Street.

A typical Bourbon Street scene.

The castle house.

The new I-10 bridge over Lake Pontchartrain. Woohoo! I'll be posting more photos of our trip in the future.

PDP On the Road: New Orleans Part VI: 4/100 Strangers Sunday

Sunday is the Sabbath, a day of rest. Of course, not every religion or denomination's Sabbath is Sunday and it definitely isn't a sabbath for clergy or lay people who help with religious services. They choose a different day to withdraw and reflect as well as do the things they enjoy for relaxation and recreation. Maybe they like to smoke a Cuban style cigar?

Last Sunday evening I met Pedro while he was working in The Cigar Factory on Decatur Street. He spoke no English and when I asked him his name he smiled and said "Pedro" very softly while pointing to his tape dispenser where his name was written on a piece of masking tape. I love his leather hat and his smile with his cigar clamped in the side of his mouth. I didn't get the impression that he considered what he was doing work, it was more like pleasure.

PDP On the Road: New Orleans Part V: Café du Monde

Originally, I inteded to visit Café du Monde in the morning so I could sip café au lait in the early morning chill but we found ourselves in The French Quarter that evening. We made no plans for our free time, it was whatevah! We walked over to see if it was open and that was that.

This is part of the nice Sunday evening crowd and you can see the take-out window to the right.
It's very popular and I wish they had a franchise in Pensacola down on the waterfront. It would never be empty, I promise.

Here are our nice hot beignets and cafe au lait.
Sooooo good, just indescribably delicious.

This is inside where the servers with their sugar britches line up to fill their orders. The powdered sugar is EVERYWHERE: on the beignets, the tables, the floor, your face, your fingers, and no one minds a bit. Like other restaurants and hotels along the Gulf Coast you hear a lot of Eastern European accents here. I love the lilt of their voices.

The next day I was drawn back by the sounds of sweet music these two women were making.

I have to say, they were the glummest, most disinterested musicians that I've ever seen. Their music was wonderful but they looked like they would rather be somewhere else. Not me!

PDP On the Road: New Orleans Part IV: Scavenger Hunt: Collections

I took this video from the steps of St Louis Cathedral. I'm not sure if this is what Carrie, who hosts this meme over at View of You Photography had in mind when she picked "collections" for this week, but we're going to be posting from Nawlins for a few more days and there's always a collection going on whenever street performers are working.

It takes a lifetime to upload a video to Blogger so I only have this small snippet of a much longer and better version. I guess I should learn how to upload it to YouTube? There's a first time for everything.The photo below was taken while I was filming and the one you see just below was taken later. You see me photographing a marker that commemorates the creation of Jackson Square Mall in 1976 under the direction of mayor Moon Landreau. Wouldn't you just love to have a mayor named Moon Landreau?

PDP On the Road: New Orleans Part III: Sky Watch Friday: How to lose the money shot...

You start out by riding in your car through New Orleans. You're looking out the window and you see a bright red helicopter. You start tracking it as best you can, keeping your lens on it as your driver navigates S Claiborne St.

Suddenly the Louisiana Superdome comes into view. You keep snapping away...


until the helicopter slows down and does this cool pivot, begins to descend to an invisible landing pad. Suddenly and unexpectedly, your digital camera screen turns black. You read: change the camera batteries.

And that's how you lose the money shot. See, it's simple! In the photo above we've turned onto Poydras St and we're waiting for a police officer to tell us to go through an intersection. “Design Your Life” : The 54th Annual New Orleans Home & Garden Show was the main event and why anyone needed to arrive via helicopter, well I can only wonder. The red arrow is pointing to the landing pad back behind this part of the Superdome. It was awesome seeing that cherry copter drop for the landing.

Fly here to see all the friendly skies of Sky Watch Friday hosted by Wren, Ivar, Sandy, Louise, Klaus, and Fishing Guy, some of the hardest working people in memedom.