We spent two days in New Orleans. I had never been before and Brose’s only experience of the place was an alcohol-sodden Mardi Gras adventure forty-five years ago. during spring break of his sophomore year in college. What with the many miles of trying to convince Charlie to pee or poop in an unfamiliar city, and the frustrated hours spent searching for the shampoo or running shoes or bike lock or the poop bags, we didn’t have quite as much time to explore as we might have wanted.
My first impressions were not great. While the neighborhoods we drove through were sprinkled with charming old mansions - colorful and elaborately ornamented - we also saw many homeless and very drunk men, overflowing garbage cans, and busted up sidewalks. Everything seemed a bit broken.

Our railroad apartment in the lower garden district was clean and tastefully decorated but felt as if at least half of it was sinking into the sand beneath. For safety we had to store the bikes behind the house in a dusty shed (which also housed the washer and dryer to my dismay). To do this we had to move four giant garbage cans and Brose had to carry them down a narrow alley. The park near our apartment was dusty and littered and Charlie, the spoiled little fussbudget, refused to further soil the place with her own eliminations. We ordered in a pizza our first night which felt a little like a copout in the capital of Cajun cuisine, but it was delicious and the bed was comfy and we were happy.
Near our stay in the Garden District
The next two days we toured the city by bike, exploring the Garden District, the French Quarter, and the Art District. We wandered through the fabulous Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at City Park. We went to the WWII museum and had delicious oysters and gumbo at a place called Peche on Magazine St. We could have done more with more time and fewer canine challenges but I’m glad we saw it and not sad to be on our way to San Antonio, TX.
La Poetesse - Ossip Zadkine (1953)
Diana - Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1886, cast 1985)
Monumental Head of Jean d'Aire - Auguste Rodin (1884-1886)
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