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N'awlinz at night...

T

Terry Yager

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Joined
May 1, 2003
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Location
Saginaw, MI, USA 48601
Greets from daBigEazy!

Driving thru town on the way from the airport, I made a few observations of the local culture that I thought I'd share:

You know you're in New Orleans if:

-'Paying the rent' means going to the Army/Navy surplus to buy a new blue tarp once a month...

-You go to Jimmy Buffet's Tourist [fire]Trap, and find it's been re-named 'KatrinaVille'...

-You're in the only place on the coast where ya can't buy oysters...

-'Frog Man Henry' sings Ain't Got No Home and really means it...

-You park your car under an overpass, cauze it's the only place in town where it won't get towed...

-Ya paint fake 'high-water linez' on the sides of your car to prevent it's being stolen...

-Opening the window includes the use of a crowbar...

-Your Street Band gets busted for playing on the street...

-Your apartment has 8 doors and no windows...


--T (Kickin' it old-skool in da Crescent City...on Uncle Samuel's nickel...)
 
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I envy you greatly just the same. I've wanted to go to N'awlins since the mid-fifties. Once the big tourist guys gobble up the black neighborhoods and tart up the French quarter it will likely be like another Houston.

Oysters ? Hell in N'awlins with their prawns, Cajun food and southern bar-b-que. Who'd bother. And I do like Oysters. Especially the Malpeque ones from the cold waters of eastern Canada.

I lived in Boston back in the early 60's and one thing I crave is the great Southern cooking you could get in the small fast-food places on Columbus Ave in Roxbury.

Mmmm ! Barbequed ribs or pig-hocks in a sauce which melted the pork off the bones. Unequalled !!

Lawrence
 
All of the local oyster beds got washed out to sea, and most of the shrimp fleet was sunk. And of course, the floodwaters claimed all the crawfish ponds. Anything that is available gets grabbed-up by the 5-star restraunts, so the little guys don't have a chance. I've always tried to avoid the big touristy joints, and eat where the locals eat. (Had a wondermous pork chop sandwich yesterday for lunch). Around 7:00 pm, we hit a Mexican joint where they serve Marguritas the size of my head. Most of the patrons were Mexican, or OTMs, so I felt pretty safe in assuming the authenticity of the cooking (and the 'house band' was great!).

--T
 
Giggle, Giggle, Giggle in my pillow. That yankee pink medicine stuff does combat it tho, but only after one has paid the price of Montezuma. One does recover fortunately. heh heh. It's gotta be authentic Mexican food. Remember well my first encounter in the Mission district of San Francisco. "You're gonna die, you're gonna die" cried my very vulnerable canadian bod.
But obviously I lived with help from Pepto Bismal.

Not even prawns ? Bummer.

Lawrence
 
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Yeah, the 'seafood platter' I ordered at the lil' Mom & Pop DixieDiner-type joint consisted of shrimp, and shrimp, and catfish. I guess the Blue Channel Cats are the only thing that's still thriving.

--T
 
I think I should post sum'n humorous before the moderators move this thread into the 'Rants' forum.
I don't mean to imply that I'm not having a good time, but 'gallows humour' is just my 'coping mechanism'. If I had to choose when to come here, it would be right now. Everything is so raw, and so real. I'd rather see New Orleans at it's worst than NYC at it's best.
On a lighter note, I've been learning the language some, and I'm throwing out a quick NewOrleanian<-->Canadian 'Translation Guide' just in case ya ever do make it here.

Katrina - The sound of Mother Nature sneezing.
Jus' Rah Chair - When asking directions, it means somewhere within the next couple of miles.
Jus' Rah Chonder - Usually means somewhat more than a couple miles.
Naggin - HizonnerDa[soon-to-be-former]Mayor.
daQuota - The French Quarter.
Zydeco - Literally, beans. (A corruption of the French 'les harricots').
N.O.P.D. - Not Our Problem, Dickhead.
Way'at - This is an interesting word that seems to have a wide range of meanings, based on the context, to wit:

-When spoken to a musician: Do you have a gig somewhere?
-When spoken to a homeless individual: Where do you stash your bedroll?
-When spoken by a waitress: Have you decided what you would like to order?
-When spoken by the person working the Deli counter: Who's next in line?
-When spoken at a concert: What part of the fairgrounds are you sitting in?
-When spoken by your drinking buddy: Do you have a buzz yet?
-When spoken by the tarbender: Do you need another drink?
-When spoken as an all-purpose salutation: RahChair

In fact, the term is so versatile, it can be used and understood in almost any situation. Once you've learned some of it's intricacies, you'll have mastered at least 90% of the language, and you'll be able to blend right in with the locals.

One last term you should know: Chocolate City - Naggin-ese for 'RahChair'.

--T
 
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