Main

Supersized candidates?

Has anyone noticed that it is election time in New Orleans and that the candidate signs are larger than ever? What is going on? Really, I look across the bayou and Mitch Landrieu’s sign is so big it almost looks like a neighborhood and the other day someone else was erecting a sign on their balcony and needed a crane – what goes on?

Continue reading

Main

Am I spoiling my baby?

I would spoil the hell out of Tin but I really want a child who is socially adjusted and learns independence from me, not dependence. So I’ve been asking around and so far I have one parent of two who said she had six binkys in the bed because her kids loved binkys. Then a father of almost three who said you can’t spoil a child before six months but after you have to read…

Continue reading

Main

My New Orleans

I took my niece around town today, first over to Mandina’s for a shrimp poboy, then down by the house she was born in on Mulberry Street off Metairie Road. Then we drove down Carrolton Avenue and around the riverbend to see Tulane and Audubon Park. We stopped in at Duffosat to pick up something from T’s tenant and learned that MTV’s Real World was soon to be filming in the house right across the…

Continue reading

Main

Navigating the individual

A dear friend has jokingly called T, Steve 2.0, in the past because she sees so many similarities. The truth is that no one fits neatly into any sort of characterization who I know. Is he the one in prison, or the one who was so charming as a young man? Is he the one who hired David Duke, or the one who raised well adjusted children despite? Is she the one who can’t cope,…

Continue reading

Main

The neighborhood

Loca got a call this morning that her boyfriend, Sangi, was looking to romp and play, so we went and met at City Park for some serious playtime – Tin stayed home with Mama for dancing and other activities. Then I took Tin to his first lesbian get together – the Saints game – where he was held, photographed, given crackers, played with and generally had his first all white woman get together. As much…

Continue reading

Main

Shades of yesterday’s anxiety

Last night we received numerous calls from the alarm company that monitors my mother’s apartment. They have come infrequently while she was at the hospital because my sister and her husband are staying at the apartment. They’ve been busily packing up all her belongings to take back with them to Atlanta. Naturally, my sister believes everything is hers, so she is taking the flat screen television I recently bought mom, as well as other things…

Continue reading

Main

Ending a decade of character building

My friend’s mother said since she has been in New Orleans she has noticed that everyone she speaks with mentions Katrina at some point or other in their conversation. I said, there it is. Today going to the Green Market on Magazine, I was speaking to a friend and she brought up Katrina. The milestone in so many of our lives. No wonder we all sprinkle our conversations with “Katrina.” I do believe (granted through…

Continue reading

Main

One of my favorite meals

I’m not too keen on New Year’s Eve. This one was special, it was a blue moon, we had Tin in our arms – but still the only way I like to celebrate this occasion is sitting on the front porch of the LaLa and casually walking across the street to the bayou to watch my neighbor shoot fireworks. But New Year’s day is a different story. It’s one of my favorite holidays and in…

Continue reading