Dear Students: here is your sixth blog topic. Visit some place in New Orleans that you’ve never been before and blog about it. You can blog about any place you like, but it should be a specific place: a building, a park, a street, etc. If you want to blog about the French Quarter, find some particular part of the Quarter to write about. This blog should be posted some time BEFORE our class on October 29. Respond by hitting the RESPONSES button underneath this entry, and make sure your post is at least 250 words. Happy blogging!
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I was born and raised in New Orleans. I have been all around New Orleans and the French Quarter. However, I have never been to the St. Louis Cathedral until September of 2008. The St. Louis Cathedral is a place that almost every tourist has been to or heard of. I have always walked past the St. Louis Cathedral, but I never went inside it. I even see it on television every now and then when i am at my grandmother’s house. My Aunt had her wedding at the St. Louis Cathedral and it was gorgeous inside. The interior design and structure of the church is very nice. It has an olden style to it, but it also has elegance. I loved the long wide aisle. The ruby red carpet on the altar looked and felt cozy and easy to walk on. It also completed the church very well. The altar was also very pretty. The lights in the cathedral light up the cathedral really well. Also, the lights in a way seemed brighter and focused near the altar. There were many pews and many rows. In addition to the beautiful interior, the people that tended the cathedral were also very nice and helpful. I think I think this cathedral would be perfect for any religious ceremony. I felt great to be able to walk in the cathedral down the long aisle. It was wonderful walking in the cathedral and out of the cathedral. My first expression when I walked in was WOW this place is amazing!
Courtney: you’re right – it’s beautiful. I recommend that everyone attend a Mass at the Cathedral, even if you aren’t Catholic.
I was born in Houma, La, but I lived in New Orleans for about eight years, so you can say that I was raised here. I’ve been to most places in New Orleans with my family and ffriends, but there is one place that I have never been. I went to the french quarter this weekend and I thought it was beautiful. There was suck a variety of places to go. there were different places to eat and there were many different places to shop. The scenary was amazing. the French Quarter isnone of the many places that i here tourists and many people all over the world come to see. Not oonly is it an amazin place to see, it is also historical. It has a lot of value and meaning to New Orleans. I love the big opening in the middle of it with the big waterfall. It was also a well. There was a lot of change in the well. I put a couple pennies in there. Next me and my family took a lot of pictures. Then we went ate at the Cafe Dumonte. The beignets were delicious. I told all my friends about them. I plan to go there really often because I loved the time we had. My family also plans to spend a weekend down here so that we can visit more exciting cites. I couln’t believe that i hadn’t been there in all the time that I lived here. I loved the experience and i plan to visit more historical places.
I did not know exactly where I should go to observe wonderful places of New Orleans. I ask my friend for a few suggestions. She told me to go to the Cathedral of New Orleans because it’s very beautiful, so I took the time to travel there to witness the beauty myself. When I first arrived, I was stun to look at the size of the building. It was extremely large compare to my church in New Orleans East. People say never judge a book by its cover. For the first time, that saying was reversed. The outside of the building was beautiful and the inside was extremely better. It looks like one of the Cathedral in Rome. They had paintings embedded into the ceilings. Theses structures within the paintings remind me of Michael Angelo paintings. Theses paintings have a unique vibe to them. It made me feel so peaceful when I look at them. I just stop and stare and the ceiling with amazement. They have pretty lights fixtures hanging from the ceilings. Yes, it was bright in there. I never experienced the liturgy in the Cathedral. One day, I will go to see how mass is being presented there.
Rhondalyn: try to check out Cafe Du Monde when there is a full moon or a bright sky out. There is usually a huge and powerful telescope that someone brings out for stargazing!
Quincy: I think you are referring to St. Louis Cathedral, which is indeed very beautiful.
I have been to the French Quarter a few times but I have never visited the St. Louis Cathedral by the Jackson Square. I have seen its view from a disance but I have never been inside this remarkable, historical landmark. I know that St. Louis Cathedral is one of the oldest cathedral in the U.S history. And today it is still standing in the city of New Orleans. The cathedral has been around since the 1700s and it is amazing that it is one of the most known landmark in our city. Recently, I have for the first time, attended mass inside the cathedral. The architecture inside the cathedral was outstanding. It was very beautiful and I notice the art work that was created on the high ceiling was something that caught my eye. While during mass I can hear organs on top and singing of the choir. The St. Louis Cathedral reminds me of the St. Patrick Cathedral in New York. Its style of how it was built centuries ago were both similiar. The only difference is that the St. Patrick cathedral is actually one of the largest cathedral in U.S and it is known for its gothic-style. But the St Louis cathedral is much older. I have been inside the St. Patrick cathedral also and what amazed me was that all around the cathedral there were HUGE built organs on the wall. It looked like huge tubes which I thought was pretty cool. I am satisfied to have finally step inside the St. Louis Cathdral, because my whole life I would questioned it and wonder how it looked on the inside. I traveled alot around the U.S and I have been to many places, but funny thing is that I have lived in New Orleans my whole life and till today, I finally step inside the St. Louis Cathedral. Besides the cathedral I am looking forward to seeing more of the city that I have missed my whole life.
Thuytien: nice description of the St. Louis cathedral.
New Orleans is a very large place. It is a lot larger than the city where I am from. The place I chose to visit was The River Front. While there we went to the mall and the aquarium and the IMAX theatre. Although I am not from New Orleans, this particular place kind of reminded me of home. The mall and its surroundings reminded me of the boardwalk at the Baltimore Harbor. The whole outlay of the mall/boardwalk was similar to the Harbor where I am from. The stores inside the mall were also a lot like the ones in the mall at the Baltimore Harbor. They had stores to get little souvenirs to remind you of New Orleans just as they have souvenirs at the boardwalk to remind you of Baltimore, MD. Also at the Harbor in Baltimore is the science museum and the aquarium. The aquarium at the River Front reminded me of home also. Although I’m far from home, there are places here that give me a sense of home.
One of my favorite past times is eating. This past week I had the wonderful experience of having lunch at Camellia’s Grill. This is a very well-known restaurant on Carrollton Ave. It mainly serves soul food, and is known for it’s amazing and humungous omelets. One of my friends decided to try one, and it was delicious. I wanted to stick to the basics by having a cheeseburger with chili cheese fries. When we first walked in, the restaurant was packed. We were kindly guided to seats along the wall. The one thing I did notice about Camellia’s was the closeness of the dining area. The restaurant is centered around a long bar table with cute dining chairs. While you are waiting to receive your food, you can watch the talented cooks go to work right in front of you. It was outstanding. Not only were the workers skilled, but they seemed to enjoy what they were doing. They joked constantly with the customers, and showed an interest in whomever they were serving. In addition, the customers eat really close to one another. At first, this was way outside of my comfort zone…I like to have room. However, once the food arrived in front of me, I quickly forgot who surrounded me. It was just me and my delicious meal. I tried to savor every last bite. I completely understand why the restaurant has stayed in business so many years. Camellia’s Grill is truly one of the cherished restaurants of New Orleans. My experience which included tremendous food and service left me feeling satisfied and in good spirits.
A place I decided to go is Café du Monde in the French Quarter. I found this place special because it relaxing in a weird way and many people just want some where to talk. I have a strong love for food and that also made the place delightful with the warm beignets that melt in your mouth and nice cup hot of cup chocolate. When I went there it was a cool night and the accessories of food made my experience much better. This place is a great representation of New Orleans because to me it shows the inner part of it you are out side eating with flies and dirt but I still feel relaxed. The music the radio plays is more of jazz and blues and sometimes they even have actual musicians playing in the outside area. You can feel the breeze of the river blowing around kind of misty but cool the only thing is when its cold it makes you colder. When I was there everybody was doing there own thing, someone was even dancing but I think he was a little drunk just freely walking down the street. I also enjoyed it because the service was pretty decent. Cafe’ du Monde is a place where I would look forward to going on the regular bases just to relax especially on a cool day with a cup of chocolate. This restaurant is a place that will make me drink chocolate even though I can not have it. My experience was awesome just my type small, nice setting, relaxing and fun to clear your mind or hang out with friends. I rate it A+ (plus)
I haven’t recently ventured out into an unknown location in New Orleans other than the malls and clubs, but in April I came to New Orleans to view the D-Day museum with my history class. The museum was nice. The highlight of the museum for me was the airplane in the center of the entrance. It was a nice size museum and well put together and organized. However, I am not too fond of history, so after I looked at the different displays and memorabilia, I was bored and ready to leave. I did enjoy moments of the museum but only because I was in a group with my friends. Other than these moments, I felt like I was stuck in my history class all over again. Besides the plane at the entrance, I remember that there was a display on legendary baseball player. I also went to the Riverwalk and along Decatur St. on this trip. For some reason, I seem to remember the Riverwalk and Decatur St. better than the museum. Of course I went to Cafe du Monde and ate beignets. I think that was my first time eating beignets. I also looked inside a couple of boutique. However, that whole area is extremely expensive, so I just window shopped. My favorite area was the fountain. I walked around and read the different provinces and crests on the wall surrounding the fountain. I believe they were Spanish provinces, but I’m not certain. Anyway, I found out that my name was also a province’s name, so I took a picture with the display. I really enjoyed Decatur St. and the Riverwalk. This area seems like a lively yet tranquil place to hang out.
I recently visited Jackson Square and some of the beautiful attractions there; many people consider this area as the heart of New Orleans located in the historic district of the French Quarters. Visiting this area was a wonderful experience. I had the opportunity to visit the Cabildo which is one of the most historical buildings in the United States. The Cabildo was established during 1795 to 1799, it took four years to build. The Cabildo has some played an important aspect in history. It has served as the seat of the Spanish Colonial government in New Orleans and it was home of the Louisiana Supreme Court during the trial of “Plessy vs. Ferguson” in 1896 when they ruled “separate but equal” . After I left the Cabildo went to The Presbytere established in 1791. The Presbytere is a museum that focused on “Mardi Gras: It’s Carnival Time in Louisiana” it depicts five major themes of Mardi Gras festivities. It also has rooms filled with Mardi Gras memorabilia, such as handmade gowns that were actually worn by Kings and Queens. I also visited the St. Louis Cathedral built in 1724, but it has been rebuilt twice after a hurricane and fire. St. Louis Cathedral is the oldest active Roman Catholic Cathedral in the United States. This church was dedicated in 1794. I would recommend that everyone take the opportunity to visit Jackson Square and experience the wonderful history that is there.
I have lived in New Orleans all of my life and the one place in New Orleans I have always wanted to visit was City Park. I have driven past City Park but never actually walked through it. I was finally able to find the time to go with a few friends. As we drove into the park, I saw so many trees and I thought that was all we were going to see all day. When we parked the car and started to venture into the park, I saw that there was much more to the park than I had expected. It was full of different sculptures that were very interesting. There was also a pond that was full of different fish. When I attended Jesuit High School, my friend’s brother had caught a record catfish in that very pond. His picture was displayed in the Times Picayune. Also in City Park is NOMA, New Orleans Museum of Art, which displays different styles and forms of art. NOMA is a wonderful museum that will enable one to gain a greater appreciation for art. NOMA is one of the few art museums in New Orleans and attracts tourist from all over the country. My friends and I had a great time in City Park and it allowed us to see nature’s true beauty. I plan to visit City Park again in the future, but for the moment having the image of City Park in my memory is all I need to calm me down when I am distressed or worried about things in life.
For this week’s blog assignment, we were asked to visit a place that we have never been to. Therefore, I decided to visit one of New Orleans’s famous and educational sites, the Aquarium of America, which is located off of Canal Street. The Aquarium of America is one of the top ten aquariums in the United States. It provides over a hundred different types of species from across the globe, including those that live in a different type of climate compared to New Orleans’s hot and humid environment. One particular creature that requires a consistent atmosphere is the adorable and enjoyable penguins. Although their aroma is not quite pleasant, they do provide children with amusement and happiness. In addition to the large number of sea creatures, it also provides accurate information and trials to demonstrate their characteristics. For example, some creatures contain specific pigments that allow their appearances to change by the adjustment in lights. As a result, the aquarium provides children with freedom to adjust the fish tanks’ color lighting. The aquarium also allows interactions between the children and the underwater creatures by enabling them to pet them while being safely supervised by a specially trained employee. It also allows a romantic setting with their walk through tunnel, which enable the viewers to grasp the feeling of being submerged with the creatures. Overall, my experience at the aquarium was an enjoyable and well educational experience. I hope that those who do come visit New Orleans take some time to visit this wonderful place.
Mikaella: what did you think of the Aquarium and the IMAX theater?
JaNae: thanks for the vivid description of Camiella’s Grill! This is truly a New Orleans favorite, and the city was VERY happy when it finally opened up again after Katrina (it sat boarded up for a couple of years).
Candace: thanks for the nice description of Cafe Du Monde. They bring out a huge telescope on clear nights, and you can pay a bit to look up at the stars!
Valencia: thanks for the nice description of the D-Day Museum (which is now called the National WWII Museum). Any idea why the museum is located in New Orleans? Anybody know?
Terri: thanks for the interesting description of Jackson Square and the Cabildo. I knew that “Plessy v Ferguson” was a New Orleans case, but I didn’t know that it was heard in that building. Thanks for the information!
Alan: thanks for the nice description of City Park. The park, by the way, is about a mile away from campus and is close enough to walk to. If you are there in the early evening you might see me with my dog Otis and my wife Azeb!
Thuylinh: thanks for the nice description of the Aquarium. It is a great place to check out. So is the new Insectarium on Canal St.
Well personally me i like uptown new orleans. it is my favorite part of the city. Its just the overall community of the neighborhood. House tell stories uptown. Its like you can look at somethings up their and tell what the place has been through. Their is no lieing up thier it tells the real story of new orleans not the french quarters. You can see the true struggles of the city. And altough their is a lot of crime that goes on up thier its still a great place to grow. You learn how to defend yourself and how to make it through the struggle. Livng up their teaches you how to work hard and how to make you circumstances work for you rather than you work for your circumstances. Im also from uptown and i loved staying up their because of the people and the history you learn about up their. Their is no other place that i would like to stay. I hate staying in Algiers. I mean all the Djs,block parties, and second lines that they have up their. Its my favorite place in whole wide world.
Dwayne: we would love a description of a more specific New Orleans place. Uptown encompasses a huge area of the city; what block or part of Uptown are you referring to?
A place I love to visit here in new Orleans is the Downtown. It makes me feel the living city and it’s unique culture. The River walk is where my family and I enjoy walking especially during winter. Many tourists visit the River Walk mall which is located on Poydras street across from the Jackson statue. This mall is full of tourists, stores, and different scents. My favorite part of the mall is the fudge factory. The employees show there special techniques with the fudge. After they finished there special techniques the watchers are given the opportunity to taste the fudge, it is delicious. Right by the River walk Mall is the Aquarium which takes like five minutes to get there. Its full of all different kinds of fish, even sharks are there to see. While your at the aquarium make sure to stop by the Imax. Some shows that are viewed in the theaters are shown at the Imax. The Imax makes a person feel as if there in the movie itself. My last favorite place in the downtown is Café Duma where the benyas come fresh out the oven with a cup of coffee on the side. It is a place that is very relaxing with jazz music played by a musician. Many times when I go to Café Duma I see a mime across from the café. They are amazing and scary at times. These are places I like to visit and take my time to enjoy. If anybody isn’t from New Orleans I suggest them to go to the River walk, Aquarium, and to café Duma these are places to enjoy with your family and friends.
Amel: I think you mean Cafe Du Monde (it’s a French name), where they serve beignets (also French).
Being from a city that is so much bigger than New Orleans, I tend to get bored pretty easily. I was born in San Antonio, Texas, and raised in Atlanta, Georgia and Houston, Texas, of which are much bigger than New Orleans. So since I’m not from here, I don’t really know of too many places to go. I’m not really in to the historic parts, especially since I think it would be hard to find someone to go with me. I like to go out to clubs, and I have heard a lot of not so great things about this one club in particular. I like to form my own opinions about things, so I went to a club called Roc-a-fella 2.5. When I first got into the club, all I could think was that the interior was really nice. The free drinks, free food, and free admission were a plus. The location was nice, and I really didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. I know that there has been a death in the building, and supposedly other incidents occurred in the past. I felt comfortable with the high level of security in the club, and I was glad that I had come to get my own opinion of the place. Where I come from, that place would be considered really safe. People complained about things like being shot at. I don’t think that occurs often, and even if it did, I’ve been there and done that before. Overall, it wasn’t nearly as bad as what I had expected.
Jasmine: thanks for the description of the club.
I have not been to many places in New Orleans. I have no car and I am not very knowledgeable of the bus system. So I can only describe a place I accidently stubble across and only stayed but for a few minutes. It was the Riverfront. It was like a mall only better. There were so many different places to eat it was ridiculous. I wanted to try and eat everything. Uncaring on how much weight I would gain or how obsessed I would look. The different variety of foods were shocking to me I have never witnessed such in Alabama. They had Greek, to Cajun, to Chinese, to those All-American dishes we all love. The clothing in certain areas was interesting. Like the Mardi-Gras store. It sold a huge variety of mask and costumes and got all excited about Mardi-Gras which is something I would not usually get excited about. Considering that in Alabama it not a big holiday, in fact it is rare that a person would do anything on Mardi-Gras. Another store sold foreign outfits and I wanted to try one on except there didn’t seem to be a changing room in the small store. There was very expensive jewelry. And even a souvenir store where I want to purchase my mom a gift. The outside was beautiful. It’s like standing on top of the ocean. For miles and miles all you can see is water and maybe a boat. Toward the end of my adventure there were familiar stores like Gap, Coach, and Nine West. Overall it was a great place and when I have more money I plan to go back and splurge.
Jennifer: you must not be from Mobile, because Mardi Gras IS a big deal there. In fact, the first Mardi Gras celebrations in the United States were in Mobile, Alabama.
I am not from New Orleans, but when I was little my family and I used to come visit. And my parents would bring my little brothers and I to the Aquerim. One if the other places we would always stop by was Cafe Du Monde, in down town. My parents, aunts, uncles cousins would have coffee. I always loved their beignets, and after wards we would always go to the river walk. The wind blowing, pretty buildings around at night, and just being with the family always gave me a feeling of happiness. Just recently, I visited those same place again with my family and all those feelings I would get as a chid came back to me. All those memories made and the laughs shared made me think of those days I spent there with my family and friends I was little. Now going to school at Xavier and living in New Orleans, I would love you visit more places, and learn more about the history to this beautiful town. There are many places that I haven’t visited and would love to go to with family and friends.
Hira: what is it specifically about Cafe du Monde and the Riverwalk that you find so attractive? Give details!
New Orleans is the perfect place to visit when you want good wholesome cooking. The restaurants are among the best of the best. Individuals will never be disappointed by the food. Some of the best restaurants are hidden within the French Quarter. I went to visit Mona’s. Mona’s is an Italian restaurant that serves any type of pizza and pasta. When I first walked inside Mona’s I was disgusted at the appearance of the restaurant. It looked like it had never been cleaned. Little did I know, Mona’s was supposed to appear as though it was run down. This look gave Mona’s a more noncurrent look. The place where it is located used to be a carriage stable. The horses used to be brought there and washed. I had a great experience at Mona’s. I would definitely return and bring others with me to enjoy themselves while they indulge in great food. The food was freshly cooked and made to the customers liking. The restaurant was covered in different Mona Lisa pictures and painting. The painting and pictures connected the scenery of the restaurant and the name, Mona’s. This experience brought about many thoughts of New Orleans, such as how many restaurants, boutiques, etc. are hidden within the city. I don’t exactly remember where Mona’s is located but I know it is close to the French Quarter in one of the side streets. After leaving Mona’s I wanted to explore more of New Orleans and see what else I was missing out on.
Ebony: I know the guy who used to own that place. And, by the way, there’s an excellent African restaurant called Benachin right next door.
Ive been to the New Orleans Audubon Zoo. I think that is the only New Orleans attraction Ive been to. The Zoo was a fun experience for me. I met a variety of animals that are amusing to watch because some can make really weird sounds like one strange big bird I saw in a cage. Forgot the name of the bird tho. Im glad I get to see huge animals like the elephant and the giraffe because they stand out the most. I recorded a few memorable videos of them on my camera. It was a good thing a brought it because I can show my family and friends animal pics and video. My favorite animal I saw were the white tigers. I didn’t know that white tigers can be so beautiful instead of the usual orange ones. Their eyes look scary but I love it! They should be called the king of beasts but too bad lions took that title. Haha! What surprised me the most is that there was a big peacock walking on the side of the pavement and so it was my first time seeing it and yet I got so close to it. The peacock’s brilliant fan like feathers were amazing to look at. Ive seen other animals too but then this blog will be too long so maybe next time.