The thing is that the Café Du Monde is a cliché in New Orleans. The other thing is that it is every bit as good as you wouldn't expect a stereotype of a tourist trap to be. The further thing is all food in New Orleans is excellent. They really like to eat well in New Orleans. My advice on Bastille Day (July 14th) is to drink the café au lait. 
And if you happen to be in the Crescent City (they themselves never call their city The Big Easy), order up some beignets. They are known as French Doughnuts, which is not the least bit accurate. They are flour balls, yes, deep fried, yes and covered in confectioner's sugar, yes. But doughnuts? Sacre bleu!
These soft spongy sugary, lightly vanilla flavored delights are a type of spongy pastry all their own. I love them. 
Food and madness make their appearance in the New Orleans novel whose cover I have reproduced below. The author's story, that of John Kennedy Toole, is tragic. He wrote the book in obscurity, longhand and messily and was rejected until he committed suicide. His mother finally got it accepted for publication eleven years later and the publishing world collectively realized, once again they had blown it.
Read the book and find out why I was so delighted to spot this hot dog stand on the sidewalk. They appear in the book as Paradise Hot Dogs and Ignatius gets a job with them, to their detriment and his.
Never mind the humor of the Confederacy of Dunces, I had a great little time taking pictures and watching the passers by as I waited for my wife to return with the coffee and beignets.
It was a hot sticky sunny and breezy afternoon earlier this month as we made our way west from the Keys to California. 
I remember it well and am glad to have these pictures to remind me of a delightful pause in our drive.This trio below put me in mind of the Beatles' Abbey Road album cover. New Orleans style.
Café au lait isn't only a coffee in this multi cultural hub. 
as usual I failed completely to ask any likely candidate to raise her blouse. I am just too middle class for certain objectionable behavior. 
Lots to see in this fabulous city. Either that or he's flagging down a cab. 
Text. text. text. 
Woody woodpecker disguised as an athletic middle aged dude. 
A tribute to riepe and buffetguy. 
Louisiana is a helmet law state which seems a rather inadequate precaution considering the size of the pot holes in the streets. 
Tough guys with tiddly dogs do look absurd. Go to the SPCA and get a proper sized dog. Cheyenne is no longer available. 
She liked the music as much as I. 
Music? What music? 
Across the street there was music, though Mr Possessive failed to notice. 
Some people were busy going home ignoring the band. 
A tall man made her happy. 
And if you happen to be in the Crescent City (they themselves never call their city The Big Easy), order up some beignets. They are known as French Doughnuts, which is not the least bit accurate. They are flour balls, yes, deep fried, yes and covered in confectioner's sugar, yes. But doughnuts? Sacre bleu!These soft spongy sugary, lightly vanilla flavored delights are a type of spongy pastry all their own. I love them. Food and madness make their appearance in the New Orleans novel whose cover I have reproduced below. The author's story, that of John Kennedy Toole, is tragic. He wrote the book in obscurity, longhand and messily and was rejected until he committed suicide. His mother finally got it accepted for publication eleven years later and the publishing world collectively realized, once again they had blown it.
Read the book and find out why I was so delighted to spot this hot dog stand on the sidewalk. They appear in the book as Paradise Hot Dogs and Ignatius gets a job with them, to their detriment and his.Never mind the humor of the Confederacy of Dunces, I had a great little time taking pictures and watching the passers by as I waited for my wife to return with the coffee and beignets.It was a hot sticky sunny and breezy afternoon earlier this month as we made our way west from the Keys to California. 
I remember it well and am glad to have these pictures to remind me of a delightful pause in our drive.This trio below put me in mind of the Beatles' Abbey Road album cover. New Orleans style.Café au lait isn't only a coffee in this multi cultural hub. 
as usual I failed completely to ask any likely candidate to raise her blouse. I am just too middle class for certain objectionable behavior. 
Lots to see in this fabulous city. Either that or he's flagging down a cab. 
Text. text. text. 
Woody woodpecker disguised as an athletic middle aged dude. 
A tribute to riepe and buffetguy. 
Louisiana is a helmet law state which seems a rather inadequate precaution considering the size of the pot holes in the streets. 
Tough guys with tiddly dogs do look absurd. Go to the SPCA and get a proper sized dog. Cheyenne is no longer available. 
She liked the music as much as I. 
Music? What music? 
Across the street there was music, though Mr Possessive failed to notice. 
Some people were busy going home ignoring the band. 
A tall man made her happy. 
I felt a cad with my little squeeze box. This guy was putting his back into his picture taking.
This guy was taking a break from his clarinet.
My wife, inside the Café du Monde said they were mediocre but she is no great fan of trad jazz. 
These guys were loud. 
This guy was not loud, but he looked brave weaving through the traffic. 
Not pink Crocs but the best I could find at short notice. 
Afternoon coffee in New Orleans. An experience all it's own.
This guy was taking a break from his clarinet.
My wife, inside the Café du Monde said they were mediocre but she is no great fan of trad jazz. 
These guys were loud. 
This guy was not loud, but he looked brave weaving through the traffic. 
Not pink Crocs but the best I could find at short notice. 
Afternoon coffee in New Orleans. An experience all it's own.
7 comments:
Conch" I thank you for remembering Reipe and me during your travels. While en route to California, feel free to use us as an excuse to snap photos of women throughout the land, preferably in various states of undress (a sort of "poon pictology" of the U.S. if you will).
It was nice to see pictures of NoLa...I have always loved the Big Easy as they are a very welcoming lot to whores and drunkards such as myself.
Nawlins is a very interesting city, much of it below sea level. Did you experience any altitude sickness while there? Also, did you sample the chikory coffee?
Confederacy of Dunces is an excellent book with a semi-happy ending (even if the author's was not - but that is a matter of perspective with him finally being published). Interestingly enough I finished that a bit back.
Cafe du Monde was where I learned I was allergic to chickory. Nothing like hives at high noon in August while visiting NO. But love the food in NO.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane. I almost regret not doing the transfer to finish business school at Layola of New Orleans.
Did you happen to get to Preservation Hall ?
We made beignets at home using beignet mix from Cafe' du Monde. They were, sadly, nothing like the real thing. :(
But we ate them anyway.
Diana in Citrus
Dear Conchscooter:
What the hell is the matter with you?
The last time I was in New Orleans, I traded beads with bar honeys like they were the hottest commodities on the exchange. If there is one place in the world where you can examine hooters to your heart's delight, it is New Orleans.
Bob Skoot has eased you out of the running with a nice shot of a melon patch at the end of his current blog. I can't believe I am typing these words, but you should look to him for a prime example of blog illustration.
Now get with the program.
Fondest regards,
Jack • reep • Toad
Twisted Roads
Sounds like you've gotten a proper scolding from Riepe... :)
Sorry your trip to Denver will be so rushed. King Tut's in town! Happy vacationing. I am counting down to mine!!!
I am fucking roaring at Riepe. His recent health scare has made him sharper than ever. And, if there's a cooter to be cooted on someone's blog, Riepe will find it. Of course you could go in the other direction with pictures of nuns and schoolmarms, but you'd attract a scarily pervy crowd and I suppose you don't wish to run a peepshow for deviants.
After seeing these pictures, I believe I have been too harsh on Gainesville fashion. I do want to recommend a stop here for the best in what Riepe has called "melon patch." All those short-shorts on the coeds, you see.
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