The Last Day of Essence Fest

Venerable Mother Henriette Delille

We were booked full this weekend for Essence Fest.  A wonderful group of women stayed with us.  Good company makes good guests, the same way that good guests make good company.  There wasn't a sour crawfish in the pound.  

They had to leave today, which meant we didn't have to clean rooms from top-to-bottom right away.  Playing hooky, we headed down to the Convention Center to catch the festival's last day.

We don't go to Jazz Fest because we can't really justify the cost of a ticket for the amount of time we will be able to spend there during our busy season.  The daytime events during Essence Fest, however, are free.  

I didn't bring my camera.  It was charging.  It has been a busy weekend.

Because our street is so quiet, even though it is close to all the action, we didn't realize how many people were in town this weekend.  We don't usually go to the Central Business District.  It was our first Essence Fest, though this is our third year living here.  I always say four, but Frau Schmitt makes me do the math and she is right, as she usually is about these things.

There were tent vendors set up all along Poydras Street.  The sidewalks of the CBD were crowded on a Sunday.  You can't say that every day.

We took our scooters, naturally, and we took a wrong turn before Convention Center Boulevard.  Good thing.  The lakeside streets weren't as congested.  We parked unobtrusively on the sidewalk. where we wouldn't be in anybody's way, and we joined the crowd headed to the Convention Center.  

It was crowded in the Convention Center in a very good way.  No wonder so many people come to New Orleans over Independence Day weekend.   

If you are wondering about today's photo, I forgot my camera.  I chose a picture of Henriette Delille, because I had to give directions this week to the Backstreet Cultural Museum.  We looked at the map.

"It is here on the last street before North Rampart," I marked it with my pen.  "The map says St. Claude Street, but they changed the name about a year ago.  It is Henriette Delille Street, now.  Bear right on Bayou Road and keep going.  It turns into Governor Nicholls.  Right after The Tomb of the Unknown Slave, turn uptown, left."

The street is now named after Ven. Henriette Delille, who is the first native-born African-American to be considered for canonization.  Until the maps catch up, it is a pain in the neck to give directions, but most people agree that it is a change for the better.

A votre sante,
La Belle Esplanade bed and breakfast.