Mardi Gras 2016 Is Heating Up

A happy couple on Esplanade Avenue, New Orleans, LA

After last installment, I was hoping to just cruise along with photo essays of our trips to the various krewe dens last weekend.  I took a lot of photos and, believe it or not, I'm feeling a little lazy, so just posting photos for two weeks seemed like a surefire recipe to coast along easy street.  Unfortunately, our web traffic from the last post slowed down to a trickle.  Who woulda thunk that you all come here for the scintillating prose?

It's nice to know.  And, lesson learned, let's get back to the usual wordy folderol for which this blog is so well known.  Give the people what they want.  I will, however, continue using the photos of this year's floats as illustrations.  I've got more than a hundred pictures so there is no point in letting them lie idle.  

On that note, let's start with an old picture with which regular readers are more than familiar:

Tammie the Housekeeper

With Mardi Gras around the corner, the season is heating up.  By that I mean that our inn is getting busier, though the weather has been in the 60s to 70s (Fahrenheit), as well.  With more to do around the house, Tammie the Housekeeper has been around more, pitching in and making sure everything is ship shape, spotlessly clean and in good working order.

Tammie the Housekeeper told me that she has a new boyfriend.  "He's a philatelist," she told me.

When I remarked that this must make for some very interesting evenings, Tammie just gave me that sly sidelong smile she has that I've come to recognize means I will regret asking any more questions.  I changed the subject, instead.  "How do you like the new curtains Frau Schmitt hung in the Clio Suite?" I said.

The Roman Garden Float in the Rex Den

I've always liked that statue used for the Roman Garden Float.  As regular readers know, I am a student of art history.  Mind you, I've never used my knowledge of art history for more than impressing people at cocktail parties.  I am not a professional art historian.  I am an innkeeper, but, I like to think that if I ever get on Jeopardy! I'll ace the art history category in the form of questions.

In case you didn't know, this is a statue of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, being suckled by a she-wolf.  The wolf statue is Etruscan (5th century BC).  The babies underneath were added during the Renaissance (15th century AD).  Roman statues for 400, anyone?

The original:

Rome's founders

Does New Orleans have any founding myths?  Not on par with the founding of Rome.  You can read about the brothers Iberville and Bienville who founded New Orleans, but I'm pretty sure they weren't suckled by a she-wolf.

The truth be told, I find the story of the founding of New Orleans to be a bit confusing and tedious.  If you want to learn more about it, I recommend the book Bienville's Dilemma, by Richard Campanella.  It's very well written and not as dry as some other histories of New Orleans.  All histories of New Orleans tend to be complicated, however, no matter who is telling the story.

Remember, I am not providing the link above to make any money if you choose to buy the book.  It is provided for information purposes only.  As I always tell the guests when they ask if we charge for the two cans of beer we provide in our suites' refrigerators, "We are not here to nickel and dime you."

Garden of Eden Float in the Rex Den

The serpent in the Garden of Eden was the Devil.  Though I've often wondered if I've run into the Devil over the years I've lived in New Orleans, I can't say he's ever taken the form of a snake.  I've seen plenty of actual snakes here over the years, though, let me tell you.  

Before New Orleans was a city, it was a swamp.  Now, snakes aren't slithering down the street the way some people imagine, but they are around.  I often see snakes in the neglected back corners of City Park where few people venture.  They're big ugly black snakes, too.  They give me the willies, but they're usually more afraid of me than I am of them, or so I assume since they disappear as soon as they spot me.

Egyptian Garden Float in the Rex Den

Richard Campanella, the chap who wrote the book I linked to above, is the resident geographer at Tulane University.  He does fine work.  Rumors that he and I collaborate are unfounded and unsubstantiated.  I don't think he could pick me out of a police lineup, which is a good thing to be able to say about oneself under certain circumstances.

Some people ask me why I don't have a website under my own name.  In fact, I do, but at the moment it isn't much to look at.  It just directs people to visit labelleesplanade.com.  Richard Campanella has a website under his own name.  It's richcampanella.com.  If you are interested in New Orleans historical geography, and its current geography, for that matter, you should check it out.  Just like you can waste a lot of time perusing this blog's archives, you can waste equally much on Mr. Campanella's website.  

And, with all of this text written, read, and out of the way, it is time to sign off until next time.  Tune in a couple days from now when you might hear me say...."So, what exactly do you and your new boyfriend do at night, Tammie?"

Until then,
À votre santé,
La Belle Esplanade bed and breakfast
...Good memories are made on our street!