Someone asked me if I have any fond memories of Louisiana? I do, and it is unfortunate only my distain has come through in my blog. It is a very interesting place to visit. Why else would I have agreed to move there? I lived in Lafayette, which is Acadiana. The Cajuns descended from Acadians, which were from around Nova Scotia. The truly Cajun part of Louisiana. I would love to go to my primary care physician’s office and listen to the “coon asses” (the accepted nickname there—not one I made up) talk to each other. It is a whole different world. Not everyone in the area speaks Cajun French. Sadly, it is starting to be a lost language. There are a few immersion schools left, but many of the older Cajuns would tell me their kids felt there was a stigma associated with being Cajun (things like the movie The WaterBoy…best movie ever by the way). I used to laugh when an older Cajun would say, “Sha, where you from? You surre sound funny.” I was raised by a Yankee and a Cracker. The Yankee (my Mom) won and we were not allowed to say “ya’all”, or “fixing to”. Actually, my Father would not allow those words either. (He did buy me my first 22 at age 8.) The result is a voice that one Cajun told me sounded like “a newscaster or sumthin’.” The food is wonderful and gumbo remains one of my favorite foods. The state was put on the map with Katrina and that is a whole other blog. The gulf coast is still a mess. Don’t believe any paper or news show that tells you otherwise. I don’t believe it will ever be the same.
I have art I bought there that hangs on my walls and reminds me of the good parts of Louisiana every day. The pictures I've attached are crummy quality because I just took most of them with my phone.
My favorite artist is Foret. Just one name:
The big one is huge and I used to have it over my jacuzzi tub when I lived in Lafayette. John said the lady in the paintings "haunted him." Maybe she saw through him?
Another one I love is H. Sarre. This is called "Da Bathtub Madonna":
The last one is Chamain O'Mahony:
Her stuff makes me laugh because it looks like my cat Mai (her real name--new rule, animals and bitches keep their real names):
I belonged to the foundation room at the House of Blues and I loved to go to concerts there.I saw so many great people--Elvis Costello, Allen Tossaint, Lucinda Williams, Incubus (Brandon is a GOD), Surfjan Stevens...the list goes on.
Yep, it is a good place to visit and that's about it.
Did you not also see NERD with special guest Justin Timberlake there?? I really liked NOLA when you took me there...Brennan's is my favorite. Where else can you drive your boat up to a bar in the middle of some river that I cannot spell that has a mascot black lab named Kitty? Good times..
ReplyDeleteHello Sulie,
ReplyDeleteI saw NERD at the Orlando HOB. That was when Cameron Diaz was backstage dancing. Fun! I believe you are talking about taking the boat up to the Prop Stop on the Tickfaw (insert Deliverance Music). You sure got a purty mouth.