It is the best time of the year to be in New Orleans with perfect weather, lots of parades and wedding parties! It is not uncommon to see groups of friends and relatives walking from their hotel to a reception in the French Quarter. Antoine’s (the oldest family-run restaurant in the United States for over 180 years) is always decked out with thousands of flowers and hundreds of balloons welcoming the current brides and grooms that month. Small parades with a leading band produce lots of smiles and waves from the nearby pedestrians eager to share in their celebrations!
We were able to attend a private, iconic party in the neighborhood with musicians Tim Laughlin (cl), Duke Heitger (tp), John Gill (bj) and Tom Saunders (tuba). The lovely home in the residential area screams French Quarter charm with dozens of neighbors and many mutual friends roaming from room to room with appetizers and small plates while enjoying the music. It was an extreme pleasure to meet many of the local residents, several of whom had connections with our very own University of Arizona in the aftermath of the Katrina days.
Fritzel’s European Jazz Pub held our attention many nights with terrific talents beginning a bit after
