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Tag: NOLA

Favorites from NOLA

 

After each trip, the LEAP Ambassadors break down their favorites from the experience.  And so they did on the NOLA trip, with the following results.

Favorite Restaurants:
1) Napoleon House: This is primarily a sandwich shop, and the students were very much impressed with the muffaletas.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Napoleon House

2) Oceana: This is the most “Chilis” like of our New Orleans dining places, so it’s little wonder it was most liked by Makayla and Maggie.  In fairness, it does have a solid and diverse menu, giving people a choice of diverse New Orleans food.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Oceana Grill

3) Elizabeth’s: Tied for second was Elizabeth’s, a truly original New Orleans joint, with praline bacon a highlight.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Elizabeth's

Favorite Food:
1. The Muffaleta: The New Orleans’ invention, the Muffaleta, wins the day!

Favorite Museums:

  1. Ogden Museum of Southern Art: This museum was favored by Ryan and Ilexus.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, James Surls

  1. World War II Museum: This was actually tied for first place, with Makayla and Maggie naming it as their favorite.  Interestingly, Makayla and Maggie most enjoyed the interactive exhibits.  Ryan, on the other hand, thought it was better the last time he visited, when they had more artifacts and commentary, and fewer interactive aspects.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum

Favorite Art Pieces:

There wasn’t a lot of consensus on the art, but some standouts included:

  1. Benny Andrews: A black artist whose style was vaguely reminiscent of the Regionalists, with a strong emphasis on the African-American experience.

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2. Courtney Egan: Virtual Idyllis

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3. James Surls: And, of course, we always enjoy seeing James Surls’ work!

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Favorite Activity:

  1. There was a tie in the favorite activity department, with two students liking the Segway Tour…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Segway Tour

…and two students most enjoying their scavenger hunt.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans

There was also general agreement that this was one of the most fun LEAP trips, with many interesting sites…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Jackson Square, NOLA, St Louis Cathedral

…and sightings…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Red Dress Race

Author mikeyawnPosted on August 18, 2019Format AsideCategories Art, Civic Engagement, Civil Rights, Food, Fun, Law, Politics, TravelTags LEAP Ambassadors, LEAP Center, New Orleans Louisiana, NOLA, Red Dress Race, Segway Tour, SHSULeave a comment on Favorites from NOLA

A Louisiana Tour

Today is what is known as a “travel day” in LEAP circles, but that does not mean we spend the day exclusively in the car.  We’ll make the most of our day–beginning with a trip to Cafe Du Monde.

Cafe Du Monde

By Miranda Estrada

We ventured to the French Market one last time for the well known and loved Cafe Du Monde. Cafe Du Monde opened in 1862 and has been serving coffee and beignets to the residents of New Orleans and all who travel there. It’s a very popular destination!

When we arrived, we were greeted by two long lines. Luckily for us, we stood in the shorter of the two for to-go orders. Cafe Du Monde serves hundreds of cups of their coffee – made with chicory. The origin of coffee with chicory stems from France and was introduced in New Orleans in the Civil War when the ports were blocked off by the Union. New Orleans then turned to chicory because of its similar flavor to coffee in order to stretch their coffee supply. Today, visitors can enjoy several variations of the coffee: Au Lait (steamed with half and half with milk), iced (Maggie and Makaylas favorite), or traditional.  What people seem to love the absolute most is the beignets. Cafe Du Monde’s beignets are a thick French doughnuts sprinkled with generous amounts of powdered sugar. We tried our best to keep the powdered sugar in the bag and not all over ourselves and the van as we headed to see the Sculpture Garden before saying goodbye to New Orleans.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Cafe Du Monde, Beignets

Sculpture Garden

By Maggie Denena

After finishing our coffee and beignets, we visited the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at The New Orleans Museum of Art. The sculpture garden is located in the 1,300 acre City Park and houses over 90 sculptures. There are several entrances to the garden, and we entered near the beautiful Deborah Butterfield horse sculpture.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Besthoff Sculpture Garden, Deborah Butterfield

Her fame as an artist derives from her sculptures of horses. While her horses appear to be made from wood, they are often made of other metals (in the photo above, the horse is made of bronze, meticulously crafted to give the appearance of wood grain).  I have seen her work previously in Denver and Phoenix (on LEAP trips), and I always enjoy them.

There were several more notable sculptures in the garden, including those done by notable artists whose work we are now beginning to recognize:  Claes Oldenburg and Joel Shapiro…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Besthoff Sculpture Garden, Claes Oldenburg

…Robert Indiana…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Besthoff Sculpture Garden, Robert Indiana, LOVE

…Anish Kapoor…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Besthoff Sculpture Garden, Anish Kapoor

….and Jesus Moroles…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Besthoff Sculpture Garden, Jesus Moroles

We came across one of Professor Yawn’s favorite pieces, Monkeys by Rona Pondick, which is quite strange.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Besthoff Sculpture Garden

I also saw a Louise Bourgeois “Spider,” for the first time.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Besthoff Sculpture Garden, Louise Bourgeois

The Sculpture Garden is open year-round with free admission, and I hope to eventually return to New Orleans and further explore the City Park and sculpture garden!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Besthoff Sculpture Garden, George Rodrigue, Blue Dog

Just like that, we were out of New Orleans headed to Baton Rouge!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Besthoff Sculpture Garden,

New Orleans State Capital – Makayla

 Towering 450 feet high with 34 floors, the Louisiana State Capitol building in Baton Rouge is the tallest capitol building in the United States. The building was commissioned by Governor Huey P. Long in 1931, costing $5 million and it took only 14 months to complete.  With its towering structure and an intriguing sky, we experimented with moody black-and-white photos.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana State Capitol

The structure was crafted with an eye toward symbolic meaning.  For example, there are 49 steps that lead to the entrance of the capitol. The original 13 colonies were designated by stars while the other states were marked with the year they became a part of the U.S.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana State Capitol

When they built this capitol, there were only 48 states in the U.S., but they added a step just in case we got another state. In 1959, Alaska and Hawaii joined the United States, so they share the last step before entering the building.

Most capitol buildings have rotundas, but the Louisiana State Capitol is one of nine without domes and one of four in the design of a skyscraper.  Because it has no ceiling dome, there is no circular floor, hence no rotunda.  They do offer, however, a circular (bronze) map of the state, one designed by Sois Seiferth and weighing almost 4,000 pounds.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana State Capitol

Additionally, we learned about the First African American Governor in the United States: P.B.S Pinchback. Pinchback was the 24th governor of Louisiana, serving from December 9, 1872 to January 13, 1873. Pinchback also took part in challenging Louisiana’s “separate car law,” a challenge made famous by Homer Plessy in 1896.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana State Capitol, PBS Pinchback

On the same floor, to the left was the House Chamber and to the right was the Senate Chamber.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana State Capitol

We then made our way to the exact location of an assassination inside the capitol building. On September 9, 1935, Huey Long was assassinated in the hallway. There was even a bullet hole from the event still in the marble!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana State Capitol, Huey Long

Long is now buried on the grounds in front of the capitol building. His grave lies at the center of the park designated by a monument in his honor.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana State Capitol

We then made our way into the elevator to climb up to the observation deck. The observation deck was on the 27th floor, and it took two different elevator systems to take us all the way up. From the top, the view was amazing!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana State Capitol

We could walk in a complete circle around the top of the building to see all of Baton Rouge’s angles.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana State Capitol

State capitol buildings are always a favorite stop for LEAP.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana State Capitol

It’s always interesting to compare buildings and learn about the history behind each state. We really enjoyed this capitol and were glad we could stop and tour it on our way home. Sadly, this was our last stop in the Bayou State. Up next, home sweet home!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana State Capitol

Author mikeyawnPosted on August 16, 2019Format AsideCategories Art, Civic Engagement, Law, Politics, TravelTags Baton Rouge, Besthoff Sculpture Garden, LEAP Ambassadors, LEAP Center, Louisiana State Capitol, New Orleans Louisiana, NOLA, SHSULeave a comment on A Louisiana Tour

Summer Chills in New Orleans

With Saturday being our last day, we wanted to make the most of it.  And that involved starting the day off right.

Court of Two Sisters

by Miranda Estrada

Our day began with a brunch at the Court of Two Sisters on Royal Street. We were greeted at the entrance by “charm” gates. The legend is that Queen Isabel of Spain had the gates blessed so that charm would pass to anyone who touched them (not a bad way to start!).

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Court of Two Sisters

The Court of Two Sisters’ name is derived from two actual sisters who belonged to a well-respected and aristocratic Creole family – Emma and Bertha Camors. The two sisters owned a shop that dressed some of New Orleans finest women with Mardi Gras costumes, perfumes imported from Paris, and formal gowns. The sisters would often serve tea and cakes in the courtyard to their favorite customers, which began a tradition that people still do today. While there is no longer a shop and we didn’t sit out in the courtyard, we were still able to enjoy a Jazz Brunch. The brunch featured things we all liked, such as an omelet bar and eggs benedict…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Court of Two Sisters

…but it also allowed us the opportunity to try new dishes such as turtle soup and Duck a l’orange. One side dish offered that the entire table could not get enough of was the sweet potato salad. Everyone’s favorite part was the dessert – while the buffet style allowed us to try our own combination of sweets, a common favorite among the table was banana foster with homemade vanilla ice cream. After our brunch at the Court of the Two Sisters we decided to walk around the French Quarter (much needed exercise) before heading to the Arts District for our next stop.

NOLA Normalcy (i.e., everyday crazy)

It was a busy day in New Orleans.  In addition to the regular New Orleans nuttiness…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana

…it was Red Dress Race Day, which is an event that promotes drinking while running–running in a red dress.  While we did not witness the actual race, we did see a lot of the runners roaming around the French Market once the race was done.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Red Dress Race
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Red Dress Race
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Red Dress Race

To make sort of a trifecta of street intrigue, it was “hexfest weekend,” which promises a “weekend of witchery.”  Of course, this prompted protests.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Protesters

We opted for relative normalcy…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, French Quarter

…but, while this was interesting, we had some learning to do….

National World War II Museum

by Maggie Denena

Following our massive meal, we made our way to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, a destination I have been looking forward to for most of the trip.

While Ms. Stephanie got our tickets, we took a few minutes to walk around the lobby and see some of the equipment on display. Notably, there was a Higgins boat. As the name suggests, this boat was designed by Andrew Higgins of New Orleans. He began manufacturing this design to explore the Louisiana bayous for oil and gas in the 1930’s. The boat was used in both Europe and the Pacific during WWII but is most known for its part in the Invasion of Normandy (D-Day) that allowed Allied men and vehicles to quickly exit via ramp onto shore.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum

The World War II Museum is very expansive and even though we devoted two full hours to the Museum, we only had time to visit the third building: Campaigns of Courage: European and Pacific Theaters. Here we traveled through the immersive and interactive exhibits. First, moving through the battles of the Pacific, then moving onto the European front, we became mesmerized by the exhibits.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum

There was so much information to take in we could have wandered around all day!

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2119532/?ref_=nv_sr_1?ref_=nv_sr_1

The museum has continuous narrated footage from different battles and important events throughout the exhibit, detailing the experiences of different soldiers.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum

There were extensive displays of the attire from the different branches of the military and the terrain they encountered.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum

I enjoyed seeing the women’s military and nursing uniforms, and I especially enjoyed learning that women were allowed to assist in wielding and working on essential battleships and other machinery for the war.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum

Makayla and I came across the personal story of Desmond Doss, who was the Medal of Honor recipient that “Hacksaw Ridge” (2016) was based on.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum

“Hacksaw Ridge” happens to be Makayla’s “all time favorite movie” so it was exciting that she got to see Desmond Doss recognized in the museum as the first and only conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions of carrying between 50-100 wounded infantrymen from the area they called Hacksaw Ridge during the Battle of Okinawa.

We ended up having to quickly move through the last few sections of the European theater to stay on our time frame…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum

…but I really enjoyed having the opportunity to visit The National WWII Museum for the first time and I look forward to returning with an extended schedule.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum
SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum

Up next, we headed to Sno-Bliz for a cool-down treat!

Hansen’s Sno-Bliz

by Miranda Estrada

For a cool afternoon treat on a humid New Orleans day, we headed to the Uptown area of New Orleans near the Garden District to try “snoballs” from Hansen’s Sno-Bliz. Hansen’s Sno-Bliz celebrated its 80th year in operation, and is actually where the snow cone machine was invented.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Sno-Bliz Hansen's

The business was opened in 1939 by Ernest and Mary Hansen. While the operation is now owned and run by their granddaughter, Ashley. When we arrived the line was out the door, which is not uncommon for this James Beard Award winning establishment.

After waiting for not too long the line led us inside the shop where we were instantly greeted not only by the whirring of the machines but by the different articles and signs lined on the walls.

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The flavors varied and some were more unique such a rosemary mint and honey lavender. The shop even gave us the option to put different toppings and combine the snoballs with ice cream (a “hot rod”). Maggie tried a hot rod root beer with condensed milk on top, Makayla went with a hotrod chocolate with condensed milk on top, while Ilexus tried Honey Lavender (a light refreshing option and my personal favorite).

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Sno-Bliz Hansen's

We all enjoyed our Sno-Bliz, which was is truly unlike any other shaved ice treat due to the layering of the light fluffy shaved ice and homemade syrups. Overall, we waited for 30 minutes, and the preparation of the sno-bliz took about 15 (we were a little indecisive) however, it was well worth the wait. Hansen’s motto is “There are no shortcuts to quality”, and that certainly holds true for their snoballs.  And while Hansen’s isn’t air-conditioned, it does provide “air-conditioning for the stomach,” providing us with a nice chill on a summer day.

This was a great stop for this hot New Orleans day. Following this stop, we went back to our hotel to prepare for our hair-raising ghost tour!

Ghost City Tour

by Makayla Mason

Disclaimer: most, if not all, of these stories are not based in fact.  We are passing them on as told to us.

We opted for a different type of summer chills, by paying for a “Ghost Tour of New Orleans,” which began the tour at Jackson Square where we met our tour guide, Valentine. As we began our tour, we were shocked at just how many ghost tours were being conducted. It seemed as if every corner had a big tour group hearing the same stories.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Ghost Tours New Orleans

The tour consisted of seven stops that were all buildings in the French Quarter. Some of the stories were cheesy, but two of them we found pretty interesting.

The first one was Hotel Villa Convento.SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Villa Contevo

The story is that the house was a brothel run by a madam and sometimes when men would go inside, they never returned. The men were often given a lot of alcohol, beaten, robbed, killed, and then buried in shallow graves. According to the local lore, the ghost of the madam now hunts the hotel. Interestingly, it wasn’t this part of the story that intrigued us the most. This house is rumored to be the infamous “House of the Rising Sun” described in the song by the Animals. The lyrics state:

“There is a house in New Orleans / They call the Rising Sun / And it’s been the ruin of many a poor boy And God, I know I’m one.”

The next story is about the LaLaurie House.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Lauralie Mansion

Again, according to lore, this home involves a tale of a woman who married for money and killed for pleasure. Interestingly, Nicolas Cage once owned and sold this property. The story, that may or may not be true, goes as follows: Cage was inside the house and saw a ghost, and he has been experiencing strange things ever since. The locals told Cage he was “cursed,” and that the only way to get rid of the curse was to be buried in New Orleans. This is supposedly why Cage has a pyramid-shaped tomb purchased in New Orleans. It is rumored that Cage called the building “ghost front property.”

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, St. Louis Cemetery, Nicolas Cage

Although not as scary as we hoped, it was still an interesting tour! After receiving our dose of apparition tales, we decided to end the night with a restaurant we discovered on our scavenger hunt: Napoleon’s House!

Napoleon House

By Makayla Mason

After sweating a lot from the ghost tour, stepping inside Napoleon House for dinner was a relief.

We started with a cheese board that had Irish cheddar, swiss, and aged blue cheese with a tomato jam and garlic French bread.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Napoleon House

We also ordered a sample spread of hummus, tapenade, herbed feta and goat cheese spread with warm pita bread.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Napoleon House

Because it was our last night in New Orleans, we wanted to try to check off some bucket list food items that we wanted to be sure to try on the trip. We ordered a Muffuletta which is a warm sandwich that contains ham, genoa salami, pastrami, swiss cheese, provolone cheese, and Italian olive salad. It was “invented” in New Orleans.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Napoleon House

This was the fan favorite, even for Ryan and Miranda who do not like olives. We also ordered a Shrimp Po-boy (also invented in New Orleans) and Jambalaya.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Napoleon House

For dessert, we ordered Pistachio Cannoli’s, Bread Pudding, and Cassata which is a Neopolitan style ice cream cake with jelly candy filling.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Napoleon House

We then walked back to the hotel, excited for what tomorrow will bring!

Bourbon Street

Following our full day, we walked home down Bourbon Street.  Bourbon Street is almost a perfect microcosm of NOLA, with the same kind of people, only more numerous and more rowdy.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Red Dress Race

And messier.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Bourbon Street

But we preferred to remember happier aspects of the day!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, French Quarter

Author mikeyawnPosted on August 15, 2019Format AsideCategories Art, Civic Engagement, Food, TravelTags Court of Two Sisters, Ghost Tours, Hansen's Sno-Bliz, LEAP Ambassadors, LEAP Center, Napoleon House, New Orleans Louisiana, NOLA, Red Dress Race, SHSU, WWII MuseumLeave a comment on Summer Chills in New Orleans

Walking Through New Orleans

Segway Tour

by Miranda Estrada

LEAP student’s second day exploring began with us diving into the rich history New Orleans has to offer – via Segway.  While most of us have been on Segway tours previously, this was not true for Maggie or Makayla.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Maggie Denena

Our tour began with the Saint Louis Cemetery No. 2. Our tour guide, Ray, explained how New Orleans cemeteries are quite different from most graveyards.  Because New Orleans is below sea level, when a grave is buried underground, it can become wet and float to the surface. Instead of underground burials, their solution was to entomb their beloved above ground in marble chambers. We had the chance to respectfully explore, and we found tombs that dated back to the early 1800’s.

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Then, we made our way to Louis Armstrong Park which is named after the famous jazz singer, who  is a native New Orleanian.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Armstrong Park

Louis Armstrong Park is also the home of Congo Square. During the 18th century, slaves in Louisiana were given a day of rest on Sundays. During their day of rest, slaves would congregate in the congo square to play music and dance. Congo Square is now credited to be the birthplace of Jazz Music and has influenced all music.

Armstrong Park is also home to New Orleans Municipal Auditorium. Although no longer in use, it once hosted guests like Elvis and Led Zeppelin and even the inaugural season of the NBA New Orleans Jazz team. In between Congo Square and the Municipal is a statue of Allison “Tootie” Montana, of the Mardi Gras Indian Tribe.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Congo Square

Montana served as “chief of chiefs” for over 50 years and worked to change his tribe’s violent culture to a cherished heritage.  After learning about Montana, we then headed out of the park and through New Orleans “Treme” (pronounced “Tre-may”) neighborhood.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Segway

As we rode through the streets we stopped briefly along the way to see Marie Laveau’s last known residence. Laveau was a renowned practitioner of Voodoo in New Orleans.SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Marie Laveau

Our next stop was Jackson Square. Jackson square, which was originally named “Place d’Armes” and was designed as a military parade ground and open market by the Spanish. A year after the Battle of New Orleans, the square was renamed to commemorate Andrew Jackson as a hero of the city.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Jackson Square

The square today is a popular site for vendors, artists, and street performers. We walked around and stopped to see a jazz ensemble and take a break in the shade.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Jackson Square

After Jackson square we had the opportunity to see a Banksy piece!  Banksy is an unidentified street artist from England. His work often includes political and social themes. After Hurricane Katrina, Banksy did 10 different pieces throughout the city of New Orleans, however, only two remain. The Banksy piece is protected with a covering so people cannot attempt to steal the artwork.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Banksy

We continued through the city getting to see another property once occupied by Marie Laveau, this being one of the buildings that housed her liquor business. Our tour guide then showed us Frenchman Street, which is tucked away from tourists as a spot where locals like to enjoy great food and music of all genres.

Once we left Frenchman Street we headed to Crescent Park. Crescent Park is an urban linear park that connects to the riverfront. This gave us a great view of the naval base, bridges, and even a steamboat.

While we weren’t allowed to take our Segways into Crescent Park, we had the opportunity to Segway along the Mississippi River when we made our way to MoonWalk which was the last stop of our trip.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Mississippi

Luckily, our Segway tour ended just as the rain started. Next, we headed off to lunch.

Lunch Elizabeth’s

by Maggie Denena

After our Segway tour, we were all ready to fuel back up at a local eatery, Elizabeth’s Restaurant. A popular diner among both tourists and locals, LEAP has visited Elizabeth’s a couple times during past trips. Elizabeth’s is known for the funky decoration and ambiance, with Dr. Bob’s Folk Art covering the walls. According to Chef Byron Peck, their mission is to make everything from scratch and keep the dishes unique and respectful of local culture. I think that so far my favorite part of New Orleans is the local’s dedication to preserving their past traditions and cultural philosophies.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Elizabeth's

For lunch, we started off with their almost famous Praline Bacon as well as an order of Boudin Balls and Old Fashioned Callas.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Elizabeth's

Not surprisingly, the praline bacon was almost addictive, and there were no complaints about the other dishes either. Scraping off up the Creole Mustard Sauce served with the Boudin Balls and fighting over the last piece of praline bacon, we finally got around to ordering lunch. Ordering last, I chose the spicy sausage special which was basically a breakfast sandwich, served with spicy sausage and hash browns.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Elizabeth's

Ilexus ordered the Redneck Eggs, which came with fried green tomatoes, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Elizabeth's

Makayla ordered the Duck Waffles, which looked like a typical waffle but was actually cornbread.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Elizabeth's

Miranda decided to order a Shrimp Po-Boy since Louisiana was the birthplace of the sandwich.

Elizabeth’s Restaurant was a pretty neat diner with some fun characteristics of New Orleans, along with some great food! Following lunch, we hit the streets of the French Quarter to see what we could discover!

French Quarter Scavenger Hunt

by Makayla Mason

With an entire afternoon to explore the French Quarter, Professor Yawn and Stephanie provided us with a scavenger hunt. These were our clues, and we were able to get most of them.

  • Find Napoleon’s ‘Home.’

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Napoleon House

  • Find a Blue Dog outside of our hotel.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Blue Dog, George Rodrigue

  • You’ll like New Orleans, but this small street will make you want to go ‘aaaarrrrggghhhh.’

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Pirate's Alley

  • Take groupie with a street performer. We found singer “Blue,” and she was nice enough to pose with us!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans

  • Do the Moonwalk.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Mississippi

  • This store is full of ‘Sound and Fury’ and, although you may have trouble finding, there is light in August. Take a photo with the store sign!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, William Faulkner

  • Catch a Satchmo sighting.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Louis Armstrong

  • Have a New Orleans praline.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans,

  • This street is fit for a king!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans,

  • Tacky t-shirt!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans,

  • Eat beignets!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Beignets

And, of course, this meant getting powder all over us!

Although we did not get to completely finish the scavenger hunt, we had so much fun exploring the French Quarter, checking items off the list as well as browsing through the market and different stores.

We also went inside the St. Louis Cathedral. The Cathedral was beautiful with stain glass windows and murals on the walls and ceiling.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, St. Louis Cathedral

It was a calm oasis compared to the loud hustle and bustle outside its doors.

Once we were done exploring and the heat had finally wore us down, we made our way back to the hotel for some down time.

Oceana Grill – Makayla

For dinner, we went to Oceana Grill, which is located in the French Quarter, on the corner of Conti and Bourbon Street.  Oceana has been voted into the top 10 restaurants in the U.S. for everyday dining. Their delicious food attracts people from all over including many celebrities.

After taking our seats we ordered Gator Tail Bites and Oceana and Rockefeller Oysters for appetizers (both of which are chargrilled).  Maggie had never tried oysters before and Miranda had only eaten raw oysters, so they were excited for this new experience.  We also snacked on “gator bites.”

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Oceana

For our entrees, Makayla and Ryan ordered the Taste of New Orleans, which included creole jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice with smoked sausage. Maggie and Miranda had Cajun inspired pastas and Ilexus chose the Crawfish Etouffee.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Oceana

For dessert, we all split the Bananas Foster Ice Cream Cake and the New Orleans Bread Pudding. Both were very delicious!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Oceana

With satisfied appetites, we walked back to the hotel with a small detour down the infamous Bourbon Street.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Bourbon Street

Day two of our New Orleans adventure is under our belts. It is incredible to be immersed in the history, culture, and traditions of another place and have the ability to embrace every aspect of their home. Day two in New Orleans was amazing, and day three surely will not disappoint!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Maggie Denena, Makayla Mason

 

Author mikeyawnPosted on August 10, 2019Format AsideCategories Art, Civic Engagement, Food, Fun, Politics, TravelTags Elizabeth's, LEAP Ambassadors, LEAP Center, Louis Armstrong, Marie Laveau, Napoleon, New Orleans, NOLA, Oceana, Segway Nation, SHSU, TremeLeave a comment on Walking Through New Orleans

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