Vacation, Day 1, 10/21/2009, Part 4

My favorite neon of the night--at the Acme Oyster House--for the team, not the beer. I'm not much of a beer drinker.


Kay, Mama and I thought we'd be walking a little over six blocks from the Place D'Armes Hotel to the Acme Oyster House. We'd made that estimate after looking at a paper place mat sized French Quarter map. What we didn't know was that we'd be covering half a mile--I just got the Google walking directions which actually matched our route. Thank goodness Mama had her walker because when she felt like a rest, she'd whip that little thing around, set the hand brakes and take a seat. Kay and I would stand beside her, looking here, looking there, all three of us talking and watching people. Naturally, I took photos.

We walked up St. Anne to Royal, where we turned left. Naghi's, Jewelry, Judaica and Antiques, is on the corner. Would that the sky had been blue that late afternoon. I really like this view of the wrought iron and the balcony.


We walked by the back of St. Louis Cathedral. From their Web site: The Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis King of France is the oldest Catholic cathedral in continual use in the United States. Be sure to remember this photo when you see another one that I took on our walk back to the hotel.


Right across Royal is the Rodrigue Studio. From its Web site: Featuring the artwork of Cajun artist George Rodrigue, most famous for the "Blue Dog" series of paintings.


Looking along the side of the cathedral, towards the Mississippi River. How would you like to encounter pirates down this alley, by the dark of night? We did, naturally. It's Pirate Alley, y'all! There's a cafe about half way down--that's where we came across folks in pirate garb, talking like pirates, too. They loved Mama!


What in inviting spot, even on a humid evening. Can anyone explain that window at the top of the photo?


This didn't just catch my eye, it grabbed it. For seven and a half years back in the early to mid 1950's, my family moved every three months or less--Daddy's job building water cooling towers for industrial purposes led to that situation. We lived in various trailers, none more than seven feet wide, in 26 states. As a result, maps fascinate me. I asked permission to take this photo.


Here's the sign for the store, Road Trip on Royal.


We saw several of these. I like all the layers of paint.


One of the more well-known eateries we passed on our way to our destination.


Mama's stepping out. Kay's grinning at the metal cutie in the shop doorway.


Makes you wonder who would answer any one of those five buzzers, doesn't it?


Fleur de Paris, custom milliners, on Royal.


I found this online, about French Quarter architecture: Outside doors are tall and surmounted by arched and barred transoms. Above them one should note the narrow second-floor balcony, just two or three feet deep and supported by scrolling brackets of hand-wrought iron from the forge. The cast-iron "gallery" of later vintage is different--wide and supported on columns, all cast from molds in commercial foundries, not from mom-and-pop blacksmith shops. These were frequently added in the 1850s to houses first built with balconies in the 1830s.

So I'm wondering if the one with the posts in this photo is a gallery. It doesn't look wider than two or three feet to me, but it might be.


I'm thinking these two are balconies--they look narrower than the ones in the previous photo, don't they? See the person on the lower one? I doubt I could have ever been comfortable in that position, even in my younger years.


Wait a minute. This might be the one that shows both of them side-by-side, the balcony on the right, the gallery on the left. I can't explain to y'all why I'm so curious about this distinction, I just am.


My smiling Mama in the French Quarter!


Looking back the way we came, down Royal, past a great big tree that stands beside the building that houses the Louisiana State Court of Appeal Fourth Circuit and the Supreme Court of Louisiana.


Isn't this a beautiful building? It's the New Orleans Police 8th District--seems like I've seen it in TV shows and/or movies.


Mama's resting in front of the police precinct. I wonder what Kay said to make her laugh?


Y'all know I love neon.


Here's the hotel itself--huge, ornate and so white.




We're almost there. Watch out, we're all hungry!


I had my assignment.


More great neon.


Food orders placed, my Acme Sunset arrived at the table--love that plastic cup! Fruity hard liquor is relaxing, ya'll. Honest.


My fried shrimp platter, before I ate it all right up! To tell you the truth, I started eating without giving a thought to taking a photo. Those Ritz Bits and Kraft Caramels were so long gone. Thank goodness it dawned on me to take a photo. Mama got a fried oyster po'boy, Kay got a fried shrimp one. Both cleaned their plates, just like I did--I shared fries with Mama.


Another neat neon sign in the back room of the Acme--we were seated back there which was just fine with us because the air conditioning was holding its own, not like in the front room where the opening door let in warm, humid air every few minutes.


Here's the front room, shot from that door just before I stepped out onto the sidewalk for our walk back.


We made stops by two praline shops, Royal Pralines and New Orleans Praline, to get Mama a sweet tidbit at both stores. She'd said no to the bread pudding at the Acme Oyster House but couldn't turn down the thoughts of sugar and pecans. No photos of that, though.

Saw these looking in store windows on the walk back to the hotel.








Guess where we planned to go the next morning!




Here's the photo that I wanted you to see, in relation to the day time one I put earlier in this post.


Back at the hotel after some fine time together, walking along Royal mostly, enjoying being with each other and with Kay. All of us looked forward to a good night's rest.

Vacation, Day 1, 10/21/2009, Part 3

A bit about our hotel, found on the Internet. Well, the bit I found on the Internet. The hotel we found at 625 Saint Ann St., New Orleans:

The Place D'Armes Hotel is an intimate, historic hotel property perfectly located at Jackson Square in the heart of New Orleans' fabled French Quarter. The hotel is one of three distinctive and unique AAA triple diamond rated French Quarter hotels owned and operated by the Valentino family of New Orleans. The Place's 84 guest rooms are set in eight historic renovated and restored townhouses which surround a lushly planted courtyard.

The two sections of the courtyard and the swimming pool, as seen from the third floor gallery right outside our door. Notice how tall those magnolias are?


The Place D'Armes is literally steps away from the St. Louis Cathedral and the rich street theater of Jackson Square and within easy walking distance of all major downtown New Orleans attractions - Bourbon Street, Royal Street, the French Market, and Canal Street.

The Place D'Armes recently underwent a major renovation and without losing its historic charm is discreetly equipped with the latest amenities and services including high speed internet access in all guest rooms and wireless access in all public spaces.

Guests of the Place d'Armes Hotel experience Southern grace and charm in well appointed rooms and suites decorated with a French Quarter sensibility.

Mama in our room, with her walker.


Another shot of Mama that shows one of the beds.


Guest rooms at the Place D'Armes feature elegant antique reproduction furnishings and rich appointments that create a warm and authentic New Orleans atmosphere. Amenities at the hotel are comprehensive and include high speed internet access and wireless in each room as well as outstanding 24-hour concierge service.

Kay in our room.


The Place D'Armes is a AAA triple-diamond rated property featuring 84 guest rooms in eight historic restored French Quarter townhouses.

In the lobby.


Our room is on the third floor, right. You can see our window peaking out through the leaves of those magnolia trees.


Another one of the townhouses that make up the hotel.


The first floor of our building is in the background behind this ornate fountain in this section of the courtyard.


We left our hotel to walk to the Acme Oyster House for our supper. Mama's walker is just out of sight in the photo. Thank goodness we had it with us because she'd never had made it there or back. Mislead by a tourist map, we underestimated the number of blocks between the hotel and the restaurant. More on that tomorrow!


By the way, Kay's truck is parked just to the right behind us, where the Park sign is. When we drove up and were being helped with the luggage, one of the men looked out of the garage opening and said, "Wasn't that Brad's wife, walking by? I sure think it was." So I immediately pop out onto the sidewalk and see a slim, well-dressed brunette walking away from me, wearing these out-of-sight-unusual high heels. Seems like two other women were with her, too. Not wanting to holler out, "Angelina!" I turned to ask the man, "Do you mean Brad Pitt's wife?" "Yep," he replied, going on to tell us that they own a house "...right over there." Only my utter fatigue at having by then been awake for so many hours and traveling so many miles kept me from trotting right out of the garage and down the street, just to make sure. I didn't even take a photo. I'm telling you, I was tired, T-I-R-E-D.