New Orleans Louisiana Local» Events

Hurricane Katrina is 5 Years Old

Brent Pourciau — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 02:46:05 +0000

Sunday, August 29th is the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Five years ago a hurricane called Katrina devastated New Orleans like no other hurricane before. This hurricane caused the breach of the levees and the flooding of the city. Thousands died and hundreds of thousands lost their homes. It was the costliest disaster in our countries history and you can still see the aftermath of the storm today in parts of the city.

The citizens of New Orleans have worked very hard to recover from such a disaster that almost ended the city that we all know and love. A big impact on the recovery was the football team the New Orleans Saints. In 2009, this past season, they won the first Superbowl for the city since their beginning. You can say that if you live in New Orleans you are a Saints fan. This team and its fans took advantage of the championship season to not only lift the spirits of New Orleans but to prove to the country that New Orleans is back in business.

New Orleans has taken another major blow with the recent oil spill. The financial impact on the city has been very similar to that of hurricane Katrina. If you would like to help New Orleans survive another major hit please visit the city and enjoy all of the new and exciting gifts the “Big Easy” has to offer. Book a room at the oldest family run hotel in the French Quarter, the Hotel Monteleone and tour the deep history of New Orleans. You could also book a room at the Hotel Monteleone and watch a Saints game and then celebrate the victory at the Carousel Bar. We promise, once you visit, you will not want to leave. Give a gift to New Orleans, visit us soon!

Visit the Hotel Monteleone for what is going on for the 5 Year Hurricane Katrina Anniversary.

Gulf Coast Oil Spill and New Orleans

Brent Pourciau — Sat, 22 May 2010 23:24:38 +0000

I am not an expert on oil or wildlife but this oil spill in the Gulf doesn’t look or sound good for us New Orleanians but I could be wrong! I am not worried about the vegetation that is soaking up the oil because I remember when I was a kid and my neighbors would pour motor oil in their gardens and their trees would grow like weeds. What I am worried about is the wildlife. This is what makes Louisiana the Sportsman’s Paradise. I am a Darwinist when it comes to survival, this is why I can watch lions attacking defenseless animals on the nature channel without going into a deep depression but I still worry about how something like this oil spill could kill off some vulnerable species. Alligators and some turtles are definitely not in this category because they survived the dinosaurs but the brown pelicans and the thousands of different birds could fall victim to this tragedy.

The brown Pelican is our state bird and it has left New Orleans a few times before in the past because of a polluted environment. They say the brown pelican is particularly at risk because it dives beneath the water’s surface to forage. Not only could pelicans eat tainted fish and feed it to their young, but their feathers could become oil-soaked, causing hypothermia or drowning. I hope and pray that this oil spill doesn’t push our State bird away from us again.

In Louisiana we have a plethora of animals and critters in this state because of the fertility of the region. The fertility has a lot to do with the Mississippi River Delta. New Orleans is kind of like the drainage system of the largest river in the country and like most drainage it is full of everything. The good, bad and ugly. Kind of like a big pot of gumbo. If it is possible to keep a positive attitude about this oil spill tragedy I would have to say if you are going to spill thousands of barrels of oil into a region Louisiana may be one of the only regions who can handle it. Hopefully all of our massive amounts of plant life will soak up the oil and will not transfer the oils toxic chemicals to the local wildlife.

If you are not satisfied with just praying on this one then I recommend that you volunteer with the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. For more information of the Aquarium of the Americas visit the Hotel Monteleone’s listing.

New Orleans Jazzy Jam 2010

Brent Pourciau — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 02:10:52 +0000

Hotel Monteleone hosts another Jazzy Jam Week at their Carousel Bar. If you haven’t heard of the Hotel Monteleone then here is a little info. It is the oldest family run hotel in the French Quarter. They call it the Grand Dame of the French Quarter. It is located one block off of Bourbon. The building is a historic landmark and it is said to be haunted like most old buildings in the French Quarter and it is my favorite place to stay downtown.

The Jazzy Jam Week is a full week of top New Orleans jazz artists performing live at the Carousel bar. The Carousel bar is a bar that is built like an old carousel. The bar actually rotates around while you drink. Yes, you can actually drink and spin around without getting sick. Check out the video here of the experience.

The schedule of local artists that will be playing at the Jazzy Jam Week can be seen here.

Fri. April 23th: Don Vappie
Sat. April 24th: Cindy Scott
Sun. April 25th: Cherie Mannino
Mon. April 26th: Big Daddy ‘O’
Tues. April 27th: Leroy Jones & Tom McDermott
Wed. April 28th: Jon Cleary
Thurs. April 29th: Sam Broussard
Fri. April 30th: Mitch Woods & Bill Malchow
Sat. May 1st: Lindsay Mendez
Sun. May 2nd: John “Papa” Gros

I took this schedule from the Hotel Monteleone’s website. For more information on the individual artists performing select the Jazzy Jam Week link.

If you are looking for a fun locals experience in the French Quarter then the Hotel Monteleone would be a good start. The music of the city is what really creates the culture here and this concert will not only give you a dose of the culture but it will also educate you on how jazz music has shaped this city. The artists in the Jazzy Jam Week are artists that you will also see at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival. This concert is not only a treat for visitors but for us locals as well.

If you are not staying at the Hotel Monteleone, which I recommend, then parking will be an issue. I recommend that you park at Jax Brewery and walk over to the Hotel. If you are hungry don’t worry because you will pass hundreds of great restaurants on your way in. If you are having a hard time picking one then try Mr.B’s which is across the street from the Carousel bar.