What is pure New Orleans?

Another beautiful New Orleans day

Rachel was nagging me this morning about what today's blog post will be about.  I don't want to give you the impression she was annoying me.  After all, she has an English accent.  She is absolutely charming and it makes Frau Schmitt and I very happy that she's the first one down for breakfast every beautiful day she's been staying with us.  She likes to chitchat, and, well, that's one of those things that we like to think we do best.

So, to satisfy Rachel's curiosity, and presumably yours, gentle reader, we're opening up the old mailbag today. 

First off, we got a letter from Ann, of Ann, Anne, Ana and Jackie who stayed with us last year.  Who could forget them?  They were a real hoot and we're looking forward to them coming back this year.  Every one of them got their own suite, too.  They were very nice.

Anyhow, Ann wrote us that our house appears in the PBS show "Genealogy Roadshow."  I didn't know there was such a thing.  Didja know that you can watch TV shows on the computer?  I didn't until I watched this episode.  Our cameo is at 19:26.  The weather was beautiful the day they shot that scene.  It usually is, of course.

Another beautiful afternoon in City Park

I don't enable comments on this blog.  It isn't because we don't want feedback.  It's more because most of the comments are spam and I got tired of deleting links to other people's B&Bs or to sites that don't pertain to what we're talking about.  You know the kind: "Thank you for writing this very informative blog.  I think this might be of interest to your readers: corncobpipe.com."  [Note: this is just an example.  We've never been spammed by Missouri Meerschaum.  I just wanted to give them a plug but couldn't tie it in to the topic at hand any other way.]

We do get emails though, as Ann's correspondence proves.  We welcome these.  Keep those cards and letters coming!  The other day I got another email in our inbox.  It read:

"Dear Mr. King, 

It appears that you are bragging about your pricey gym membership in your blog post dated January 31.  This seems out of character for you.  Can you explain your motivations behind this unexpected and unseemly hubris on your part?

Sincerely yours,

Stinky Carmichael"

Well, Stinky (whose name has been changed for privacy purposes, as have all the names mentioned so far), your humble narrator wasn't really bragging.  It's true a membership at the New Orleans Athletic Club does cost a tad more than membership at Anytime Fitness on St. Claude Avenue, but it doesn't cost that much more.  I did that to whet your appetite.

We've worked out a deal with NOAC, as we like to call the New Orleans Athletic Club hereabouts.  Just like if you stay in one of the ritzy hotels downtown, you can go to NOAC, too, if you stay with us.  It does cost $20.00 a day, but you'll get access to a real palace of a gymnasium that has a pool, boxing ring, indoor track, and all the usual fitness machinery, as well as a bar and a library, a sauna, and a steam room.  

What we offer at La Belle Esplanade is a chance to share in our world.  Live like a local, if you will.  You can exercise in style if you choose to.  Of course, most people do so much walking while they stay with us, they aren't looking for more exercise, even if it includes the sweet science of pugilism.  

Our location in the middle of Esplanade Avenue virtually guarantees a good night's sleep, especially when you consider how you'll exhaust yourself walking everywhere all day, from one good rich meal to the next.  That's what Sherry (not her real name) told me after she slept through breakfast while Rachel was peppering me with questions about the blog.  She must have been really tired; nobody ever skips breakfast.  It's the most important meal of the day!

And then, Mr. Okra came around the corner

Mr. Okra's truck passes through our neighborhood once or twice a week.  The Roman Candy cart, not so much.  When we see both of them on the same day we go to the race track up the street because it's a beautiful omen when it happens.  We always walk home winners.

With that in mind, we'd like to direct your attention to the Roman Candy Rum website.  Watch the video on their homepage.  That's pure New Orleans, friend, pure New Orleans.  It's pure New Orleans.

A bayou afternoon

If there is one thing I've learned from the all the mail we've gotten from our former guests, it is that it's great fun to wear a hat at a jaunty angle, chaw on an unlit cigar, flourishing the cigar for emphasis, and read this blog aloud to friends and family.  I'm going to try it some day.  It's all in the delivery.  

À votre santé,

La Belle Esplanade bed and breakfast.