A New Orleans Love Affair

Sitting room in the Clio Suite

Here is an excerpt from a recent review: "The trip was a gift from my husband for my birthday, he was there too, but this really is a story of how my romance began with NOLA..."  That's a good husband.  Luckily, he's not the jealous type.  

There are currently about 370,000 people living in New Orleans.  That's down from 480,000 prior to The Storm.  See how long I've lived here?  I've started to call Hurricane Katrina just "The Storm." We've only lived here four years but that's what happens when you immerse yourself in a place.

By the way, as long as I'm thinking of it.  Nobody here says Hurricane Katrina caused the flooding.  There have been more and worse hurricanes to hit New Orleans.  What caused the water damage and the subsequent evacuation was not the storm itself, but the failure of the federal levees that surround the city.  It's an important distinction.

A rainy day in the 7th Ward

Here is something a lot of people say during their first visit to New Orleans: "We could live here."  Yeah.  You could.  It isn't called The Big Easy for nothing.  The city is still missing about a fifth of its pre-Storm population, so there's plenty of room.  Want to know when New Orleans' population was at its highest?  According to the 1960 census, there were 627,525 citizens.  There is plenty of room.  

Bed in Les Fleurs Suite

If you've booked a few nights in Les Fleurs Suite don't get too attached to the pictures we've posted in the past of the bed.  It is getting replaced tomorrow.  It's another queen, but it's an antique.  It used to be in the Clio Suite, where it was "plantation size," but we sent it to the shop to turn it into a queen.  What's plantation size mean, anyway?  That's innkeeper talk for a full size bed.  Now you know.  I'll take some new pictures of the new bed tomorrow.  Stay tuned.

Same sign, other side, different day

See that picture I put up above?  If you're thinking about visiting New Orleans and you want a boutique bed and breakfast experience, that's called subliminal advertising.  

Recently, a lot of people have been writing to us to say that they've been reading our reviews on trip advisor.  Both Frau Schmitt and I, your humble narrator, would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to write us a kind review.  Neither of us has any background in the hospitality industry.  Our only experience is with the regular kind of hospitality, so it is gratifying to learn that we are doing our jobs right.  

Tammie the Housekeeper

Tammie the Housekeeper has been reading our online reviews, too.  Here's what she has to say: "You should tell folks not to believe everything they read.  You don't want them to get their hopes up too high."  Thanks, Tammie the Housekeeper, you just did that. 

Art gallery on Royal Street

In one last bit of news, I was on Royal Street in the French Quarter the other day when I saw this portrait in a shop window.  It's a picture of Grandpa Elliot Small.  It's a striking resemblance.  How do I know?  Because I see Grandpa Elliot just about every day before breakfast.  That's what it's like to live in New Orleans.  If I were you, I would click on this Grandpa Elliot link.  It's worth it.

And on that sugar sweet note,
A votre santé,
La Belle Esplanade bed and breakfast.