Culture, Fun, Beauty in a Park?

I'm just going to put this out here for you. I like new and different. Sure it's great to go to New Orleans and visit the French Quarter, drink on Bourbon Street, dine at Arnaud's and listen to Jazz at Preservation Hall. But . . . 

I also like to find parts of New Orleans to see that I haven't experienced before. I like some variety in my traveling. And to that end, with this trip to NOLA I tried to combine the tried and true with something new. I was traveling in the company of someone who had never been to NOLA and I am a veteran of the city. So we worked together to accomplish the goal of something different combined with what New Orleans is most famous for.

Fountain at the entrance to Audubon Park

Here's what we found that was not your ordinary run of the mill, everyone does that kind of thing. We found city parks. They're free with the exception of either special events/special activities.  If you like to golf, then be sure to bring your clubs with you. There are several municipal golf courses and driving ranges available to you (as well as many private courses.) The municipal courses are in the parks.

Traveling with your kids/grand kids and need to keep them occupied during the day? Though the city is famous for it's fine dining locations you can still show the little ones a great time and get them something good to eat without breaking the bank. Just visit one of the parks while you're in town.

Do you enjoy taking an evening stroll with your sweetie, then relaxing with a quiet cocktail and some delicious food while listening to a local group in the background? Visit a park while you're in NOLA and you can do exactly that.

Does fine art trip your trigger? Or maybe your a veteran gardener and you love to see different plantings to stimulate you can experiment when you. Do you like to visit the zoo? How about a boat ride, bicycle ride or jog? Visit a park while you're in NOLA and you can do all those things. 

The entrance to the park

Spend a day outside the Quarter by taking the green line up St. Charles and stopping at Washington St. for a free tour of Lafayette Cemetery then cross the street to Commander's Palace for lunch. Walk off lunch at Audubon park strolling around the lagoons and golf course or make a stop at the Zoo. Head over to the Golf club for a thirst quencher and then dinner overlooking the greens. Or take a picnic with you from one of the many delis in the Garden district and eat al fresco staking out your Gazebo over looking one of the Lagoons. 

Audubon Park - is located on St. Charles up river from the Quarter. You can catch the green line streetcar at Canal & St. Charles to the park. The park has a well maintained golf course, almost 2 mile walking track, several lagoons with water features filled with wildlife, large green spaces populated with Live Oaks dripping with Spanish Moss, several large Gazebos, formal garden areas, Audubon Zoo, and a Golf Clubhouse where you can stop in for a drink, breakfast, lunch, dinner or brunch on the weekends. 

This was one park I had always passed by without stopping because for me there were so many other things I wanted to see. But now having experienced the park, I would recommend this being a stop on your trip to NOLA. Well worth the stop, especially if you like golf, green spaces or wildlife.

A great place to visit while in NOLA is City Park. You will see as many locals there as tourists. There's so much to do there that we chose a couple of items on our list and decided to leave the others to our next trip. The two we chose were the Sculpture Garden and the Botanical Garden. Both were worth the visit and can be done in an afternoon. 

City Park - is also located on a street car line, the Canal Street or red line has a spur that takes you to the entrance of the park.  City Park is home to the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Bestoff Sculpture Garden, the Botanical Gardens, Storyland, Hines Carousel Amusement Park, Equest Stables, the Train Garden and NOMA cafe. Of the many choices we had we chose the Sculpture Garden and the Botanical Gardens. Neither was a disappointment for us.  As a matter of fact they were the opposite. 

I'm a flower person and this Botanical Garden did not disappoint. Of special interest is the Train Garden, one of the gardens inside the Botanical Garden. It is a permanent exhibit unlike many other places that only showcase G scale trains during the holidays or on special occasions. I also enjoyed the Zen Garden. Truly peaceful.

From the Sculpture Garden

From the sculpture garden. This reminds me of the beads
that hang on many of the trees along St. Charles left
from the Mardi Gras parades.

One of my favorites, a giant spider. These folks were nice
enough to let me take their pic along with mr. spider.

Unusual, but striking in the sculpture
garden.

A view of the Zen Garden

Meditation area in the Zen Garden

Another view of the Zen Garden

St. Luis Cathedral miniature,
all made by hand with only plant
materials

In the train garden, one of the trains

The train garden with another of the miniatures 

Tombs from Lafayette cemetery  in the Garden District.
 These were smaller than 6" in height and were
about 4" in width. Such detail for so small in the train
garden.

St. Luis Cemetery, just outside the French Quarter
replicas in the train garden.

A French Quarter home replica

Another train in the garden

A home from the Garden District.

a home from the Treme District, just outside the French
Quarter. The Treme was historically a free black area.

A home in the Uptown area

A French Quarter home

Choo-Choo

So tiny, this one I didn't find out what it represents

One of the flowers at Audubon with a Monarch

Another Monarch. They were everywhere in the gardens

One of the Gazebos for gathering, picnicking at Audubon

Where I found many of the flowers covered with Monarchs

Just a pretty

What will become a Monarch

In the main garden at City Park

Yep another one

An arched trellis in the main gardens
at the Botanical Garden in City park

In the formal garden, getting ready for
Christmas at City Park                        

Another shot of the general gardens

Main garden

This was such a neat plant, I'd like one
like this in my garden.

Love this garden shed. Would love if Dan
could make me one like this. 

From the Rose Garden, done in a formal Parterre pattern

The butterfly garden

Another from the butterfly garden

Spiky

A bench in the butterfly garden, the garden was funded by
Tom Benson of San Antonio

The Orchid garden

Another of the beautiful orchids

Love the colors on this. So delicate

Gorgeous Magenta color

Succulent Garden taken from behind the waterfall

Succulent garden

The Carnival of Life

Saturday morning, our first full day in NOLA. My travel buddy has headed out on a swamp tour. I head over for some sweet childhood memories. Not quite as light and fluffy as the one I remember my Mom making but pretty darn close, close enough that with each bite they elicit a smile. Beignets and milk, just like I remember. After breakfast, serenaded by a lone trumpet player, I head across the street to Jackson Square for some major people watching before taking in the Presbytere and the Cabildo.

Indian Krewe member

One of the first sights I see upon exiting Cafe Du Mond was someone who was dressed in all pink feathers. Headdress, loin cloth, arms all in feathers, hot pink feathers. Tall, dark skinned is all I could see from behind except of course for the feathers. As I walked closer I saw members of one the city's many Krewes of Mardi Gras in full regalia. A couple from the Mardi Gras Indians Krewe were showing off this years costumes. One all in pink the other all in yellow feathers. Tourists paying for the privilege of getting  a picture by posing on the Square with one or the other of the men in feathers.

Human transformer

As I move on I see an already gathered crowd and head that direction. In front of me I see a small electric car. The kind kids get to drive around in when they're small. The car drives around in a circle a couple of times. No child driving, so there must be someone with a remote. And then the car stands stands up. It's now a Transformer. A human transformer/car. I laugh. There's clapping, laughing and plenty of oohs and aahs as the crowd also recognizes the magic of it too. I watch a few minutes then move on around the square to see more.
Early in the morning the carriage drivers and their steady steeds are just pulling into place. The mules (yes they use mules and not horses) are dressed up with flowers, ribbons and bows. Some are multi-colored, some are in just one color with many shades. Drivers dressed to match their animals and carriages. Offering rides to anyone who walks by, I smile and keep walking. This is way to good to leave right now.
The artists are setting up. Water colors, acrylics, oil, framed, unframed, raw canvases not streatched, old windows with art, slate tiles. Muted colors, bright & vivid art, black & white, charcoal colors. And the artists are just as different in appearance as their art is.
Fortune tellers already in place before anyone else got there. Card tables, folding chairs, table clothes, candles and assorted paraphernalia set out on their tables. They will read palms, cards and bones. They can tell your future, your past, your love life, give you advice. They too are a mix of looks. Some all in black, some in standard clothing and some in amazing outfits.  Each one promising to tell you all you need to know.

Is it music or art?

Musicians too are beginning to set up. Some solo, some in small groups of 2 or 3, some in larger groups of 6-10 musicians. Staking their place outside the wrought iron fence that marks the actual small Square of green and statues with more wrought iron benches. Tuning up, getting ready to play. And all of this was just in the morning.
Coming back in the evening we find brass bands leading newly married couples and their guests thru the streets followed by the 2nd line and all escorted by New Orleans police. As they wind their way thru the quarter to end the procession at the location of their choice for the reception. We were lucky enough to see at least 4 of these wedding processions wind their way thru the narrow, people filled streets of the Quarter.
Football fans came out in the evening also. Decked out in their team's black & gold colors from head to toe. Happily celebrating ahead of the sure victory for their team.



In New Orleans they don't hide crazy, they parade it on the front porch and give it a cocktail. Meanwhile we tourists tip them for their eccentricity as we wander the streets of New Orleans.

Because we don't need a reason, said a local

Carriage driver & his trusty steed

The Human Transformer

Mardi Gras regalia

Black face with Mardi Gras
Regalia

While they played, she danced on the sidewalk in front
and to the side of them.  

Carol, my travel buddy with N'Awlins NateScott
after she came back from her swamp tour.

I would think with both ginger & mint this would be very
healthy, no?