Jazzfest closes and we partake of a light supper

Some of the same characters show up year after year at Jazzfest -- I mean among the music lovers, not the musicians. That many of the musicians will return, and that new talent will surface, are givens. But among the fans, there's the barechested god Mercury in sandals, tight shorts, graying pigtail, earring, amulet.  I think in his real life he's a dentist from New Jersey. Sliding and grinding behind a feathered Mardi Gras Indian are two genteel ladies in their Garden Club best. Every year they show off moves that would make a pole dancer blush.The slim blonde in bra top and cutoffs who so memorably tore up the dance floor at the Cajun stage a couple of years ago is feeding ice cream to little blond twins in a stroller.

The television series Tremé has generated a lot of jobs for locals, hence a lot of good feeling, and a number of bands included its theme in their acts. The theme adapts wonderfully well to different musical genres, too.


And the food. Always the food. Booth after booth of local
 and regional specialities. Two kinds of jambalaya, 3 kinds of gumbo this year but the hands-down best is the pheasant, quail and andouille gumbo, po'boys: cocoon de lait, softshell crab, fried oyster, duck, crawfish. Crawfish beignets, fried oysyter salad, crawfish remoulade, fried chicken. Cajun music, modern jazz, Willie Nelson, Dixieland jazz, blues, Jimmy Buffett (local boy makes good and moves to Long Island), zydeco, Dr.John (local boy makes good and moves to Long Island), non-stop.

Here is the capsule description of Jazzfest : it's kinda like a state fair, only with MUCH MUCH better music and MUCH MUCH better food and no animals.

And so, weary and still wearing a baked-on enameled coating of 100 SPF Neutrogena, we had this visit's last dinner at Mother's on Poydras Street. Not fancy, but good food, authentic and generously dished up with kindness and good feelings.



Jambalaya, fried oysters, red beans and rice. How nice. Then back to to room to "pack"-- 3 pair shorts, 3 tanks, slacks and silk sweater for restaurants with tablecloths, shoes, spare shoes, extra shoes, other extra shoes, and a truly frightening collection of the products and implements that keep me presentable. Hard to maintain the delusion of being low-maintenance when I have to confront all that stuff at once. Oh, well, at least I didn't have to worry about electric adapters and converters.
While packing we watched the latest episode of Tremé. Life imitating Art imitating Life imitating Art?