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Sweet Light

Take a nighttime drive down Bienville, from Galvez to Jefferson Davis. It’s dark. There’s a house with some lights near Tonti, another near Gayoso. Generators, I guess. There are no street lights. The Bienville corridor is dark.

Except for our street.

Sweet Light

When we got power restored to our house, it also resulted in two more street lights coming back on Salcedo.

So we’re in our own little pool of light this Christmas.

Holiday Lights

Seems like there’s some carol lyric that would be appropriate to quote here, about Christmas and light and so forth. But I can’t think of it.

We went down to the Quarter to get some oysters. It is Christmas Eve, and as far as I can recall it is the first Christmas that Xy and I have ever spent away from either of our families. I wondered what the Quarter would be like on Christmas Eve. It is surely the most sacred night in the American psyche, but far from our families we hardly know how to celebrate it.

So: Desire Oyster Bar, on Bourbon at Bienville. They had oysters, but no shucker. We got some turtle soup and some beer, a salad and red beans and rice. Then: down Bienville to Chartres, to a dark little bar called the Chart Room, for a couple drinks. Then: back up to Bourbon. We’re still craving some oysters. Bourbon House is closed. Acme is closed. Felix is closed. Damn. We end up at Arnaud’s Remoulade on Bourbon. The staff seems sulky and bitter at having to work on Christmas Eve, but the oysters are salty and delicious. Then: Molly’s on Toulouse for a couple drinks and an embarrassing game of pool. (At least it would be embarrassing if there was anyone around, but there isn’t.) Then Xy’s craving a dessert. We make our way down to the cooler end of Decatur, but Envie is closed. Eventually we find ourselves back the other way, at The Original French Market Restaurant. More drinks and more oysters (even saltier and deliciouser if that’s possible) and bread pudding and pecan pie and coffee. Mmmmmm…

And home. WTUL is back on the air, and we have electric light, and I’m having a little Wild Turkey, and it’s warm for December, and I’m with Xy in New Orleans. Who could ask for more?

Published inFood & DrinxHoly DazeKatrina

6 Comments

  1. Mom Mom

    Christmas greetings to you both! It’s rather warm and wet in Indiana. Can’t find your phone number at the moment so this is the best way to send our greetings.
    Mom & Dad

  2. Wow! Such a beautiful site. I came by way of Tim’s, by way of Laurie’s. Merry Christmas. I’m glad you found the oysters and especially the “deliciouser” oysters.

  3. I’m here from Tim’s blog. We’ll be visiting the Quarter in March. Sounds like it will be a challenge, but we’re up for it. Congratulations on the lights!

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