The Big Easy - New Orleans - a Photo Essay

Jackson Square is the spiritual center of the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The square was designed after the famous 17th-century Place des Vosges in Paris, France, 
by the landscape architect Louis H. Pilié and is roughly the size of a city block

ART
New Orleans 
A Photo Essay
By Jack A. Atkinson

It's time for summer vacation! In the US, New Orleans, Louisiana is the perfect destination. If you enjoy the exotic and also love food and music, "The Big Easy" is your kind of place.

The "most excellent" Cabildo was the seat of the first (Spanish) colonial government in the area. This structure was built between 1795 and 1799 to replace the Cabildo that burned in the  great fire of 1794. In one of the rooms of this building, the Louisiana Purchase was signed in 1803, nearly doubling the size of the United States.

The Cabildo's breezeway entrance.

Across from Jackson Square, Café du Monde has been serving French chicory café au lait and Beignets (French doughnuts) topped with confectioner's sugar since 1862.

Café du Monde serves thousands daily.

Café du Monde servers filling mugs with strong coffee and warm milk.

Across from Café du Monde, an example of New Orleans style architecture
in the French Quarter.

Central Grocery is the home of the original New Orleans' Muffuletta Sandwich.
This deli is located just down the street from Café du Monde.

A wedding party dances down Chartre Street.

The French Quarter, also known as the Vieux Carré,
is the highest ground and the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans.

The Natchez is a steampowerd paddle boat offering daily cruises up and down
the Mississippi River, departing from the French Quarter.
(photo: wikipedea) 

A print of the Natchez
steamboat
available on board.

The flag leading the way on the bow of the Natchez.

The steam-powered paddle wheel on the stern
propels the riverboat forward.

On The Natchez's a jazz trio performs during dinner service.

The Creole Queen, another paddle boat offering bayou and swamp tours down the Mississippi.

Place d'Arms Hotel on St. Ann Street, 
is one of many wonderful hotels in the Vieux Carré.

A quintessential New Orleans courtyard
is the centerpiece of the Place d'Arms Hotel.

The charm of St. Ann Street at night. Humidity is high in New Orleans
and rain is always a possibility.

St. Ann Street ends at Jackson Square.

Dixieland Jazz can be heard on many streets in the quarter.
Above: Street musicians play Jazz in Jackson Square with eyes closed and 
souls firmly embedded in their music. 

Music is the heartbeat of New Orleans.
Preservation Hall was established in 1961 to preserve, perpetuate, and protect 
one of America’s truest art forms, traditional New Orleans Jazz. 

A street musician entertaining the crowd on Royal Street!

Tap dancing near Jackson Sq. for tips
using smashed drink cans nailed to their tennis shoes,
plus all of these dancers
have perfected a very unique loud hand clap!

A younger set of New Orleans street musicians.

A Zydeco band performs in a club on Bourbon Street. Zydeco blends Creole two step, blues and rhythm and blues music together, a washboard and accordion are the basic instruments.

Neon invites tourists to indulge.

Bourbon Street gets rowdy
every night, until dawn!

The name Bourbon Street implies drinking!

A New Orleans pigeon forages for treats dropped by tourists.

Shopping is one of the biggest and 
most pleasant experiences offered by the French Quarter.

Window shopping at the toy store.

Window shopping at the toy store.

Window shopping at an antiques store.
Antique stores, art galleries and 
Creole Cooking specialty shops
are prolific in "The Quarter".

Window shopping at book store.

Mardi Gras decorations are available year round.

Much of "The Quarter" is dedicated to
"Ghosts", "Haunted Tours" and "Voodoo Dolls".

Mardi Gras Bead shops abound.

A display of a Wild Tchoupitoulas
Mardi Gras Indian outfit.
These wild feathered and beaded outfits
are worn during Mardi Gras.

The famous St. Charles Streetcar.

1885 map of New Orleans, a lithographic print by Currier and Ives.

FOOD

The Camellia Grill, a longtime favorite diner. 

Working the "Z" at the Camellia Grill.

Camellia Grill's catfish poboy.

Tableau Restaurant on St. Peter Street at Jackson Square in "The Quarter".

Turtle Soup at Tableau.

Shrimp Remoulade with crab at Tableau.

Fried Oysters in Creole Sauce with crispy parsley at Tableau.

Potatoes Tableau (at Tableau).

Redfish at Tableau.

Commander's Palace is located in the Garden District.

BBQ Shrimp at Commander's Palace.

The interior at Commander's Palace.

A Signature Dish, Bread Pudding Souffle
at Commander's Palace.

Pecan pie a-la-mode at Commander's Palace.

Next to Place d'Arms Hotel is Muriel's Restaurant.

On the upper floor of Muriel's Restaurant there is a seance room.

Tomato and strawberry crepe at Muriel's.

(All photos taken or used with permission, original photos © Copyright Jack A. Atkinson 2014)

Until later,

Jack

ARTSnFOOD, is an online publication dedicated to "The Pursuit of Happiness through the Arts and Food." ™ All rights reserved for all content. Concept, Original Art, Original Text & "Original or Assigned Photography" are © Copyright 2014 Jack A. Atkinson under all International intellectual property and copyright laws. All photographs were taken and/or used with permission. Artworks © individual artists, fabricators, respective owners or assignees.