One of the benefits of working in the public is meeting people, last week I met Valerie Britt, a lovely woman who a week prior to Katrina bitchslapping the hell out of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama had recently visited New Orleans. She was kind enough to share some of her pictures with the Spew and as always I will "spew it forward".I have never visited New Orleans, although it is on the list of places I'd like to see in my life. I'm a little perturbed that when I do see the glory that it was, it will be a more sanitized version of what previously existed. The closest I've been to New Orleans would be Disneyland's New Orleans Square (Geeky side note: New Orleans Square is, in fact, a perfect square) and trust me, they don't take too kindly to the flashing of the breastcicles for beads. Yes, they have the Jazz and the Dixieland music, but they don't have the booze and no matter how refreshing the virgin Mint juleps can be under the scorching southern Californian sun, I can only imagine it's not the same thing as an actual Mint Julep in 100% humidity with a nice slightly intoxicated college stud rubbing his hard body against me whilst dancing to the cool jazz, I fantasize the latter to often to admit. However, the history of Mardi Gras informs me that the flashing of the boobage was born of drunken "spring breakers", so, if I do ever make it there I shall remain sober and the twins will be safely strapped down.
The news is all about the recovery efforts, some of the stories are to heartbreaking to bare, the politics to infuriating, so, today I afford myself the luxury of letting you all take a few minutes away from the devastation that is the Gulf Coast and view New Orleans through Valerie eyes. I've put together a flickr page of her Algiers visit. Algiers is the location of Kern Studios home of Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World, the good news is "Most of Algiers escaped the floodwater that swamped 80 percent of New Orleans." The aftermath of Katrina's wake is horrendous, but Valerie was lucky enough to visit it before Katrina and took many pictures some of which I've uploaded to flickr for your enjoyment, the pictures are primarily Mardi Gras floats for the 2006 parade to be named the MONSTER BASH. A foreshadowing Katrina? It depends on your beliefs, but then again, the south weighs heavy with traditions, religion, Voodoo, Hoodoo and folklore; whatever you choose to believe, Mother Nature is known to work without aid from anything other than the right weather conditions to birth a hurricane. If you have any questions or would like to use the photographs please feel free to contact Valerie here.flickr New Orleans Slideshow
Do You Know What It Means to Lose New Orleans? by Anne Rice
[via ratboys anvil]
