New Orleans is Changing

The sign at St. Joe's Bar

St. Joe's Bar is on the corner of Joseph and Magazine Streets, uptown.  It's across from the Whole Foods Market in the old Arabella Streetcar Barn.  The first Whole Foods in New Orleans was on Esplanade Avenue.  It was where Canseco's is now.  There is going to be a new Whole Foods Market in our neighborhood, again.  It's going to be in the old Schwegman's on North Broad Street.  

Things are changing at St. Joe's Bar.

Signs in the window at St. Joe's Bar

The posted policy on the bottom has been in effect for a long time, thanks to Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who passed away the other day.  Louisiana was the last state to raise the drinking age to 21.  St. Joe's Bar is close to Tulane University, so it has always been leery of college IDs.  In Boston, you have to have a state-issued ID, a military ID, or a passport.  No college IDs allowed anywhere.  It's the law.

Also, as if it were in Boston, there is no smoking allowed inside St. Joe's Bar.  The sign in the window reads, "Thanks in advance for your interest in the health of our guests and the St. Joe's Family."  I'm pretty sure this doesn't refer to a certain family that was visited by magi, but New Orleans is a very Catholic city.  You never know.  Most things are other than they appear.  Unlike in Boston, smoking is permitted on the patio.

More signs in the window at St. Joe's Bar

In another window there are two more signs.  One of them repeats the bar's smoking policy.  This probably needs to be said twice because, unlike in Boston, smoking is usually permitted in bars in New Orleans.  The other sign is more poignant, written hurriedly by hand. "Our insurance no longer allows us to permit dogs in the bar.  Thanks."

I didn't stop in, but I hope dogs are still allowed on the patio.   

Across the street from St. Joe's Bar

Things are changing around St. Joe's Bar.  Uptown New Orleans is different from Downtown.

A votre sante,
La Belle Esplanade bed and breakfast.