First Day in NOLA

You won’t believe how much we did in just one day, our first day in New Orleans!

In the morning, we took a walking tour of the Garden District, starting with Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, and winding through stately Victorian mansions and majestic oaks. We saw houses owned by celebrities and houses featured in movies. Our guide, a former teacher, was a great storyteller.

In the afternoon, we walked to the French Quarter and wandered for a while. Artists were everywhere at Jackson Square; a lively jazz band drew crowds on Royal St., and the Bourbon St. bars were blasting music and selling high-octane drinks in novelty glasses. It was exciting, but we were glad that we were living far from the cacophony and crowds of the Vieux Carré.

That evening, we attended a live performance by our favorite jazz singer, Cyrille Aimée. After years of being unable to see her perform, we had learned just a few hours earlier that she would be giving a benefit concert in the French Quarter. What serendipity! We sat outdoors in a historic courtyard, on a beautiful cool evening. The concert was intimate and wonderful - a perfect end to a perfect day.