New Orleans, Culture

It was time to partake of some local artistic culture (or so we thought).  So, we (along with Jeff and some of his friends) went to an outdoor play that was part of the Fringe Festival going on that week. (Google Fringe Festival.)

The narrator, Turtle, greeted us as we walked to the play site

The play was titled The Vanities of the Poor.  So far as we could tell, there was nothing about "the poor" in it.  We really couldn't tell what it was about at all.  The audience had to stand or sit on the ground and then move around as the scenes moved from place to place in the small city park.

Did the crowd love it? We couldn't tell.

To the cast (and many in the audience) the play was oh-so-very-important.  I guess we're just not sophisticated enough to understand what it was all about. 

The cast and the orchestra

The ending was just weird

Was it worth the $8 ticket price?  Definitely not, we all concurred afterward.  Fortunately, it was not vulgar, simply boring.   

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After the "play" we went to Buffa's to see the latest episode of Treme (an HBO drama about New Orleans) on the big screen, and to hear some live music. 

An enthusiastic crowd at Buffa's

We love the live music in this town . .  most of the musical talent is simply amazing.

Jazz pianist Al "Carnival Time" Johnson was the night's headliner

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The next day there was a free concert at the Joy Theater by Grammy award winning Chucho Valdes.  This was a big event in the city.  Valdes is one of the premier jazz pianists of all time . . . right up there with Oscar Peterson and Chick Corea.  

See his website:  Chucho Valdes Website .

We were near the front of the line

The Valdes Quintet

His playing is simply magical

To round out our Crescent City experience, we wanted to get come Cajun cooking and drive through the Quarter again.

BTW, it's not the French Quarter, doncha know?   Real N'awlins folks just call it The Quarter.) 

Come back and enjoy the rest of New Orleans with us.