Katrina: The Mid City Story

A post that makes this whole thing worth while.

2005-09-27T20:03:00.000-05:00

This email I received tonight from Georgi Shearin who was desparatley trying to find out if his elderly Aunt in Mid City had gotten out of the city and if she was even alive. I posted his information on the blog. His email perhaps puts this whole thing into perspective and although it was brief it did make me realize how many of us and how deeply this thing has affected us.

"My Aunt Jean has been found, still living in her house with her dog. She is doing ok and has provisions, the National Guard and Army have been stopping by and leaving provisions for her.

But my special thanks and gratitude go out to first you Jon, for having the blog, and second to the fine folks that have responded - Cheryl Wagner for giving me hope and to Penny Young for making that hope come true. Penny actually went to my Aunt's house and called us from her cell phone - hearing Jean's voice brought all those hopes to realization. Words cannot express the thanks that Jean's relatives in Tennessee feel. Looking forward to meeting all of you when the city is re-opened.

Georgi"

WOW! A great story from Caroline Cook.

2005-09-27T18:41:00.000-05:00

HI! I am a midcity resident living on Orleans ave. near Delgado. I've been wanting to write to you but things have been extremely hectic!
My boyfriend and I decided to ride out the hurricane at his house on St. Peter St. behind my house on Orleans Ave. I got stuck working at the hospital (ochsner) and spent the entire Sunday getting my parents out of town, my house ready and my boyfriends' 100yo house ready for the storm.
Obviously, the hurricane was terrifying!!!!!!!! We ended up crawling onto the floor to the stairwell where we huddled for 5hrs. in the stairwell with our flashlight, radio, blanket and pillow. Following the hurricane, we walked the neighborhood to assess the damage. Our beautiful area rcvd. extreme damage and flooding was evident in the area but not directly in front of our house YET. The next morning, one of the neighbors banged on the door, "Rick, Rick, the levee broke, you got to get out, the water is coming in!!!"
Out of nowhere, the water was suddenly there. It must have came in through the night. Again I panicked thinking we would end up on the roof. Luckily, my boyfriend's house is very high off ground so did not rcv. flood damage. HOWEVER, he rcvd. extensive roof damage and it rained inside his house LITERALLY during the hurricane.
Long story short, we were stranded for 1 week before being rescued!!!!!!!!! Our adventures were incredible. We even managed to get a boat from City Park and paddled to the pumping stations down Marconi Meadows to retrieve military meals. Once there, we were encountered by men with guns!! For the first time, I saw fear in my boyfriend's face! They ended up helping us with our boxes of meals and we helped them with their boat. We paddled back to Orleans ave. thru the Oaks LITERALLY paddling up into the trees, IT WAS SUREAL!!!!
Our rescue took 12hrs!! The rescuer was John Goodman's body guard!! I ended up in the hospital with rash on my face and legs. I became allergic to the antibiotics and ended up with partial facial paralysis.
Meanwhile, my family put us on the MISSING PERSONS list and was frantic!! We had no way to communicate.
I am back at work at Ochsner but very sporadic shifts and living at hospital. When not working, I'm living in BR. I've managed to sneak back into the neighborhood 2-3x/wk. to feed Rick's cat and all the cats left behind in the neighborhood. 2 animal rescue missions have donated food to me.
I miss N.O. and miss midcity!!! I will be back!!!!!!!! Very sad for our neighborhood, the park, etc. This has definetly changed my life. I desire simplicity and stability AND a good night's sleep! Caroline Marie Cook from Orleans Ave.

Response to Palmyra and S. Gayos

2005-09-26T12:35:00.000-05:00

from John Weilbacher: If CW is familiar with that area, he knows that crime is rampant there (it's a big drug corner). The answer to the question about my insurance adjuster being fired upon is yes someone shot at him.

Mid-City Re Entry

2005-09-25T21:13:00.000-05:00

Please help someone. I've been told today that I must vacate where I am staying, and I've got nowhere to go. Is there any day set yet for when residents can return to Mid City - 70119? Can I get back in through some sort of "back-door" system? Thanks for any help.

Madonna Franco
madonnafra2@netzero.com

(Jon adds: If you are in Louisiana staying at a hotel then they can't kick you out. Blanco's orders.)

Missing Person

2005-09-25T19:00:00.000-05:00

It’s now been almost a month and I still have not heard anything about my Aunt Jean that lives not more than about two blocks from Cork and Bottle. Could someone PLEASE check to see if she is still in her house at 3911 Toulouse St. I have registered her on each and every data base that I can and still no concrete information. Could you please check on her and e-mail me back? I would be on my way driving down there but I’ve been told and from what I’ve seen on the news would not be let in by the authorities. Jean is 76 and lives alone with her dog Karma. Her relatives in Tennessee are very concerned and worried about her.

E-mail – shearing@yahoo.com

Phone – 865-966-6546

Work – 865-218-2610

The Cheese Case

2005-09-23T22:37:00.000-05:00

Ok, a rite of passage for all good New Orleanians has/will become cleaning out the refrigerator. That is, unless the fridge in question has 200lbs of fresh, gourmet, unpasteurized cheese in a cooler that had been out of power for a month. I can not impress on you all exactly how uniquely rancid this thing smelled. And it leaked. The rich bleus on the bottom shelf liquefied and leaked out. Without a doubt the worst smell I have ever smelled. Here are pictures to document the most horrific thing I have ever done in my entire life. Click on any picture for a larger, more "in depth" image.

"Raw" Material

The %$#*@# thing leaked all over the place. No that's not water, that's melted, liquefied cheese and, yes, we destroyed the affected wine. I don't even want to tell you what was growing and crawling inside those boxes.

The adventure begins, please God make it quick.

Hey, who ordered the Bleu cheese? Nice beet red face Jon. How are those dry heaves treating you?

Oh my, this disgusting thing is empty (there were no pictures of the rest of the progress because the photographer couldn't bear the smell and had to bail.

Thankfully we are near the end of this terrible thing.

And Jon gets some well needed fresh air.

More Mold Info

2005-09-23T19:46:00.000-05:00

This was a posted as a comment on an earlier post, but I thought it important enough to bring it to the forefront:

i am an architect and would like to clear up something about mold issues: one this is run of the mill mold, not the toxic mold of media sensation. toxic mold is usually seen where very cold things (such as A/C ducts) are in contact with hot areas, and almost always in new (post 1970), tightly sealed buildings. the type of mold we will see is easily controlled with bleach and ventilation. as far as coliform bacteria, there is less danger as the city dries up (but get your shots before you come back!). as bad as it looks and smells, the houses around cork and bottle are quite salvageable. with a few major exceptions, new orleans is a matter of repair, not rebuilding. charleston saved many similarly inundated buildings after hugo; this will be a much bigger operation, but it must be done unless we want to be jackson, ms. just get used to the smell of bleach.

the national trust has a useful guideline booklet here:
http://www.nationaltrust.org/hurricane/flood_booklet.pdf

i hope this helps keep hope alive.

until the next tasting,
jimbo

Meg and Her Red Cape

2005-09-23T12:03:00.000-05:00

Meg is great. If you know Meg you no doubt agree with me, if you haven’t the first idea who Meg is just trust me on this one. She is great. Meg is the only realistic idealist I know, she slyly draws you into deep conversations, always brings up points you’d never consider and she is a downright pleasure to be around. Meg believes in New Orleans and puts that practice to work. In fact she makes her living on that thought. Even before the Hurricane, she wanted the city of New Orleans to be a fully renovated glory of its former self, she longs for the history of days long gone, but she also understands we live in the real world. She is an urban pioneer, renovates historically significant homes next door to crack houses and refuses to let the adversity of city living make her quit. Her front door, inner door and living room wall is marked by an errant bullet from a neighborhood barroom brawl which claimed a life under her living room window. The bullet holes still stand as some sort of testament to her internal fortitude and devotion to the living history of New Orleans and she has NO PLAN to move out. Some people would say Meg is crazy. I think she is cool. I get it. I get what makes her tick. She’s a hard lady to knock down.

I drove Meg through the city Monday and let her visit her Treme home. I quit counting the “Oh my’s” the “Oh no’s” and the plain old gasps. We drove the blocks in Treme and Mid City and Meg’s head was on a swivel, not knowing which direction to look in next. Somehow, though, you knew this wasn't stopping her. She knew EVERY house in her neighborhood and almost spoke to them as if they were people. She loves her neighborhood and she loves New Orleans. When we were driving back to Baton Rouge on Monday and the threat of Hurricane Rita was becoming obvious instead of saying “Woe is us” Meg got on the horn with a Climatologist buddy of hers and figured out what this storm was going to do and how to prepare for it.

The other day I received an email from a distraught friend who has been exiled to Chicago lamenting the fact that there will be no more New Orleans. I disagree. I disagree because New Orleans has Meg. Meg for one will be back with a broom and a mop and a hammer and a smile. New Orleans is a very lucky city to have so many of the Megs of the world living in it and loving it. Take comfort in that fact. So long as everyone has a bit of Meg in them this city will be fine. And, no, it won’t become a modern suburban nightmare. It will look like New Orleans. That’s if Meg has anything to do with it

Formatting Change

2005-09-23T07:58:00.000-05:00

Sorry about the errors in formatting you've seen in IE over the last few days. I do everything in the greatest webrowser ever inveted - MOZILLA FIREFOX - which isn't nearly as fragile as Internet Explorer. My wife pointed out to me that the page looked wrong in Explorer, I've fixed that and I apologize if any of you were having trouble reading it.

Mold = Bad News

2005-09-23T06:57:00.000-05:00

My buddy Marc Pagani sent me this link of the damage Mold can do to a house. While my heart goes out to this family in these pictures, I hold out hope that the century old construction Cypress houses a good number of us in the Bayou St. John area live in will hold up better than this newly constructed apartment in Metairie.

CLICK HERE FOR THE PICTURES

GREAT Photo Fundraiser Idea

2005-09-23T06:47:00.000-05:00

Photographers Jenny Bagert and Herman Leonard invite you to participate in a fundraiser featuring a Special Edition of New Orleans Photographs by Herman Leonard & Jenny Bagert. Proceeds will be contributed to the victims of hurricane Katrina.

Six images have been selected.
Each image is a limited edition of 250, 11” x 14” giclee prints.
$325 per print
Please see the attachment for details.

We are confident that New Orleans will be our home again. Please help us make this happen for as many as possible.

All our best,
Herman Leonard
Jenny Bagert

(Jon adds: These prices, especially for the Leonard work, are a STEAL! If you have a mental image of Jazz in your mind chances are it was from a photograph you saw that was taken by Herman Leonard. He is THE great Jazz photographer. Jenny Bagert works with Mr. Leonard and although her style touches his it is still a style uniquely her own. In 35 years someone will be writing that Jenny Bagert is THE great New Orleans Music photographer. Buy a Bagert Photo, ask her to make a Katrina comment on the matte and in a couple of decades your artwork will be priceless)

Some Palmayra Street Questions Answered

2005-09-23T06:46:00.000-05:00

My name is John Weilbaecher and I wanted to respond to an older post that you had. Adam Wilson and Megan Finn were asking about Palmyra and S. Gayoso. I am (was?) renovating a house near that corner and I have received a report from my adjuster. He said that the water was about 3 ft. high inside the house (which is up on piers so about 6-8ft total in the area) and it is now completely covered in mold (to the point that it cannot be entered for an extended period of time without some sort of breathing apparatus). He had no trouble entering as the authorities (National Guard or whomever) had opened houses to conduct survivor/body searches. I am sure that they are aware of the relative safety of the neighborhood so it would probably not surprise them to learn that the adjuster was fired upon during his inspection. I am sure this is not very comforting right now but this is my understanding of the situation. The worst part of the whole experience for me so far is not knowing what happened to my house one way or the other so perhaps this takes care of some of the uncertainty. You can put them in touch with me if they want to contact me.

Best Regards,

John Weilbaecher

PJ's Coffee Shop Hangout in Hammond

2005-09-23T06:45:00.000-05:00

Hey again Jon,

Just wanted to let you know that there seem to be a fair amount of New Orleans "refugees" in this area. I'm in PJ's in downtown Hammond and have met quite a few homegrown folk. It's nice to talk to neighbors!!

Anyone around these parts might want to stop by sometime. The coffee is typical PJ's but the place seems friendly and has excellent wireless. It's not FairGrinds (MY coffee hangout at home) but it'll do til I can get back.

Also, to mention again, anyone interested in my pictures from Leda and Verna Courts, as well as the area around FairGrinds on Ponce de Leon, and some Banks St. in MidCity, is welcome to email me at itskimnotkimberly@yahoo.com. I will be happy to send a link to access the albums. I've attached a some random pics for you as well.

Missing home terribly,

Kim

More Great Mid-City Pictures

2005-09-23T06:44:00.000-05:00

Here is an extensive gallery from a rescue worker, a friend of my stepsisters'. Starts out in Lakeview, but lots of mid city photos towards the end.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?Uc=n7vl128.10k36pe4&Uy=-lsttlk

Still thinking about trying to get in this weekend. That thing's headed to Galveston.

Cheers
Mitchell Powers

Mold

2005-09-20T22:54:00.000-05:00

Good information about the mold.

http://www.cdc.gov/mold/stachy.htm

Photos from Danny Brennan

2005-09-20T21:01:00.000-05:00

Although (selfishly) I only have pictures of my house on Orleans Ave., others MidCitizens (Ian, you need a royalty on this one) may be starving for photos...

www.brennansprinting.com/katrina/4005OrleansAve.html

Thanks.
-danny

From Neil Guidry

2005-09-20T20:59:00.001-05:00

please check out the website, it's a local relief effort put together by some of Sonja's friends. A good place to danate if your not sure where to. www.lhainfo.org please pass it on. thanks

North Hagan Information

2005-09-20T20:59:00.000-05:00

We recovered one friends papers (international student) and many
belongings from 2000 block of Broadway. The ceiling had rained down
into his appartment, but most things came clean with a bit of
scrubbing.

We also saved my girlfriend's cat from her appartment behind John
Dibert. It was amazingly fine.

Surveyed the house in the 900 blk of hagan. It looked like the places
on the north side missed water by ~1 ft. while it was closer on the
south side. My house only had water enter the lowest back room by
about 1 ft. *across* (not up) the floor. So the water came within ~2
inches of seriously flooding our house.

Something do to in Chicago this Thursday

2005-09-20T06:38:00.000-05:00

To anyone who is exiled in Chicago, a good friend of Cork & Bottle Marc Pagani is up there with you. Marc must have some amazing friends in Chicago, people who want to lend a hand. If you need a good diversion and want to hang out with some fellow New Orleanians, check out this site

http://www.jcsteinbrunner.com/mailer/09-22-05/default.htm

Damn Spam

2005-09-19T21:22:00.000-05:00

Sorry folks, I had to turn off the anonymous post feature for comments becaue I was getting killed with Spam. Don't these people know we've been through a tragedy!?!

Bienville Resident Checks In

2005-09-19T21:13:00.000-05:00

First, we went to high school together (jon's note: this is a miracle, I went to high school with about 6 other people) Thank you for the postings. It has been very helpful sharing my experience with others just through your blog. Thank you for all of the photos.

I did get to my house on Bienville on Saturday. We live by the Moral house. Our house was nasty. Jon, today my brother and I went with my mother and grandpa to their homes in St. Bernard. We really are lucky with just a few feet of water in our house. There house was like the contents and walls were thrown in a blender and thrown back in. The lower area by Six Flags stunk. As we drove toward the checkpoint, the mud was knee deep, boats tossed like bread, and cars moved to the road sides for safe passage. It really looked like a bomb went off. It was spooky. We were able to take out only a few personal items from both homes.

Rob lives in Mereaxu. He has oil in his house. He may not be able to recover anything. His wife is newly pregnant.

Keep your spirits up. You are doing us a great service.

Again, thanks for the postings.

Roblynn (Gass) Sliwinski -

Mid-City

Palmayra and Gayoso Check In

2005-09-19T21:12:00.000-05:00

I see that my neighbors Adam and Megan from Palmyra and Gayoso posted. We're going back this weekend to try and salvage. Wedding dress and family art, stuff we should have brought with us. We got an email from Dr Paul and Helen Gailliunas who lived on Cleveland around Cortez. They sent photos. Looked like water got up to three feet above the floor, and they were about four feet from street level as I recall. Most worrisome was the mold that looked like it was thriving. Hope y'all are well. Mitchell and Liberty msampp@yahoo.com

Dr. Leon Fletterich question

2005-09-19T21:11:00.000-05:00

Louie and I continue across the country, though we're planning to return that 1st week of October. I'll go nuts soon otherwise. Have you heard anything about Dr. Leon Flettrich and his staff? We'd love contact info if you have it.

Bell Street Question

2005-09-19T21:10:00.000-05:00

Can any one tell me the condition of the houses on the 3000 block of Bell Street. More to the point at the intersection of Bell St. and N. Gayoso St.

Thank you.
D. Ashley

Tips from Brandy Sheely

2005-09-19T21:07:00.001-05:00

I went back into Mid-City on Friday with a pass and a police escort. I saw two men walking down the street who were promptly arrested by the NOPD. If you don't look "official," be prepared for jail.

Compared to Uptown and the CBD, it was deserted, dirty, and depressing. My house (4420 Iberville) was dry in the front and wet in the back. Probably no more than 1-3 inches came in at the back of the double, but it was a raised house. Unfortunately, I could not find a mask, so I have no idea what awful things I have in my lungs now. My advice is not to go back until you have a couple and about 20 pair of gloves.

That brings me to my question -- are there any recommended vaccinations I should get? I got tetnus the night I got back. I've heard Hep-A is good, too. Any others???

A heartbreaking post

2005-09-19T21:07:00.000-05:00

(it killed me to read this and post this - jon)

Hello Mid City!
I was able to go to my house this past Saturday. We left a little late, arriving in the city at 6 pm. We were never stopped. I live in the 400 block of South Solomon, off of Carrollton and Banks. The entire neighborhood was grey....sediment and mud filled the streets. Fallen trees and branches were in abundance. When we pulled into our drive way, we found our window pane of our door broken (it is large enough for a child to enter). I Peeked in and saw that my belongings were scattered. In my naivety, I thought we had been broken into. But upon entry I realized that the standing water had shifted our furniture. Our block had up to 7 feet of water. My boyfriend had a record collection of 10,000 plus LP's and EP's (can we say obsessive?). Most of those shelves had collapsed and 20 something years of record collecting just disappeared literally under our feet. We were able to take very little, but grateful for our measly leftovers. Thick black mold was growing furiously on the bottom half of our walls. The stain and varnish on our floors had been stripped, and our floorboards were bowing. The smell of the neighborhood had to have been the worst part of this experience. It was the most pungent, nauseating seaweed-like odor that seems to envelope itself into everything that is left of your home.
We returned to New Orleans the following day, Sunday. We were stopped by the National Guard, did not have a business pass (I had a letter from my father's business). We were allowed in. My neighbor's were at their house when we arrived. They had been to their home about 5 times post-storm, and it had been secure up until Saturday. Someone had broken in. I noticed that there were virtually no National Guard in my Neighborhood. Perhaps it has to do with how worthless our homes are now, or the income level of my little area of Mid City.
Once we had taken everything that we could out of our house, we locked it up, knowing we will never return. I loved the little house and life that I once had. I will miss my hometown, my family, and friends. I wish those that are staying good luck and good health.

Elizabeth Broussard

Leda and Verna Court

2005-09-19T20:40:00.000-05:00

From Kim Clayton: I went in today... The whole area is SO depressing!! I can see how spending any amount of time in the city right now could make someone be REALLY down in the dumps (I guess because, technically, you'd be in a dump. What a mess!!).

Anyway, I've got some pics of Verna and Leda Courts, across from Cabrini. I will be happy to send invites to my Yahoo album. Anyone interested can email me at itskimnotkimberly@yahoo.com

I will also be uploading many Mid City pics as well... and will be glad to share them when I am done. I have a horrible internet connection where I am and it's a slow, tedious process!

Hope this finds you doing as well as can be expected...

3000 Block of DeSoto

2005-09-19T20:39:00.001-05:00

do you have any information on this area?? we live on the first floor of 3001 desoto st. diagonally across the street from the krishna temple. rachael - bebemonk@yahoo.com

Really Good N.O. Water Info

2005-09-19T20:39:00.000-05:00

(From Naomi Duffey) John, I tried to email Elizabeth Milhouse, but every one has come back. If you hear from her, please tell her I'll try to call her. I remember her 5 years old, in costume at Halloween, with her mom dressed as a sexy black cat.
Also, I told another neighbor, James Hicks, to get in touch with you, who has shots of our street, Hagan. I don't have the computer power to forward them. We're in Minnesota tonight, in a motel. Last night we camped out on Elk Hill in South Dakota. Did you know elks never shut up at night, and sound like cows pretending to be coyotes pretending to be ghosts? We've heard our zip opens first week of October.

Here's some advice for people going in before water is really available. I sent it to my neighbors list, but thought you might want it for the site. Our friend Neal here suggested that the water in the hot water tank will be good. To access that water, close the inlet valve before running ANY water in the house. That will give you 30-40 gallons of good water from the drain plug. Don't run water IN the house because you'll bring in contaminated water, requiring complete flushing of the system later, a big pain. There's a drain valve on the bottom of water tank, and a 2nd valve - an air valve - at the top. First, TURN OFF THE GAS/ELECTRICITY TO THE TANK. Then, open the top valve to allow air in the tank, which will allow water to come out of the bottom valve. Don't turn back on until all is clear.

The other suggestion Neal has, who is a licensed electrician, is to turn off the main breaker on the panel box to your house. You don't know what problems may have developed.

Greetings from St. Louis

2005-09-19T20:38:00.000-05:00

my name is allison smith. we moved from new orleans (to st. louis) 2 years ago. i just wanted to thank you so much for your blog, all the wonderful info, and pics. i've been checking daily. we miss new orleans every day and had always thought we'd move back someday. i'm so glad to get the updates on our neighborhood. we lived on st. john court. have you (or anyone) heard from helen (eams) ball and her kids, avery and joseph? they lived on The Court too. i haven't been able to reach them, but i'm assuming it's because they evacuated. god bless new orleans and all you wonderful people. thank you again for maintaining your site. the next time i'm in new orleans, i'll make sure to visit your store. (although i never need an excuse to buy good wine!!). warmest regards, allison

My buddy Marc throws his hat in the ring.

2005-09-19T20:36:00.000-05:00

I've finally gotten attacked by the blog bug and have posted my thoughts and many photos relating to my experiences away from home as a result of Katrina.

the address is:

www.paganiphoto.blogspot.com

3200 block of St. Philip

2005-09-19T20:21:00.000-05:00

Please let anyone asking for information on the neighborhood know: Water was only in houses that sit on the ground or especially low, and it DOES NOT stink -Nicole Martin

Pet Recovery Question

2005-09-19T20:19:00.000-05:00

Like too many of us, I have a cat stranded in my apartment (at 41 Allard Blvd) while I commute from Baton Rouge to Ochsner for work (I am an RN in the Transplant Stepdown unit). I am ready to go get him anytime, but I am alone and have no pass to the area. Could I enlist your help in some way? Since we are currently reduced to a barter economy, I would gladly trade a few days of hard labor helping you clean up in exchange for a chance to rescue Sam (angry, lonely cat). I have contacted many working rescue groups already, but I have no idea if they have been able to get to my pet. If there is another way I can help you, please let me know. You have no doubt received many other requests for aid, so I do understand if there is nothing you do for me in this matter. My email is masorum@cox.net (obviously) and I can be reached in BR at 225-767-9417 (home of Catherine and Chris DeJohn-Plauche)

Ville St. John

2005-09-19T20:17:00.000-05:00

I am/was a resident of Ville St. John condominiums, located at 818 Moss St. (in between St. Ann and Dumaine). I am trying to find out the condition of the building and establish contact with the other residents. Anyone with information may email me at rosejmort05@yahoo.com. Thank you, Rose

More....Good pictures

2005-09-18T08:27:00.000-05:00

Jedd Haas an artist from New Orleans sent me this link to more aftermath pictures. Ironically, the online photo albumn also has pictures from somone's trip to Napa so I was doubly excited to see the photos.

HERE THEY ARE

More Great Mid-City Pictures

2005-09-18T07:53:00.000-05:00

I pulled this post off of Nola.Com's forum on Mid-City (which, by the way, is getting shamed by the Bywater/Marigny. They have 3K posts and we only have about 300). Anyway someone posted a great site for pictures of the aftermath of Mid-City flooding. The pictures are focused on the Carrollton area.

CLICK HERE FOR THE PICUTRES

Also, the post that went along with it, albeit somewhat free form, was dead on. Again, credit for this goes to Nola.Com:

one word about going in....go in, look, leave, come back the next day...the shock of seeing this city like it is left me shell shocked, and all i saw when i closed my eyes was the LINE....the level of hell this city got, it started from only 6 inches downtown, to the full 6+ feet in places.it took me some time, and then some phonecalls to get an idea of how much water my home should have....i will be going back soon, i have to save my home before the mold takes everything that survived the wind, flood, and whatever else...i will not let time hurt more, are you &^$&%# hearing me mr(s). big bad gov, some homes might have a chance...let us stop the decay of 100+ year old homes for #^$& sake....let ppl come back everywhere thats dry to clean .....some of us will be doing it anyway FEMA says dont go in or lose their help, insurance says get in, stop damage...whos right???

Reopening the city

2005-09-18T07:13:00.000-05:00

No One wants the city to reopen faster than I do. No one is a bigger proponent of bringing back New Orleans more than me. Its kind of hard selling wine without a wine shop or customers. I've been back to Mid City five times now (going back Tuesday) and I've been deep into Lakeview and Old Metairie twice. Its nothing pretty and its not yet suitable for human living. I badly want to do this thing (getting back) but I also want to do it right. Like many people, I have a young child's health to consider and I hesitate bringing him back until things are significantly improved from what they are now. The picture above was from the Picayune's website and it shows my street Dumaine (several blocks back from my house) looking towards the Bayou, although it could be any street in Mid-City that flooded. IF we are going to rebuild our city we need a reasonable, accurate time frame for rehabilitation of the city instead of these hurry up and wait announcements like we've had in the French Quarter that do nothing but deject us. Its like telling a kid on December 23rd that Christmas is postponed until further notice. Also, AB was very clear on what Jefferson's return plan was -get in, look around and get out. You'll be back in a month. I'm the biggest Nagin fan there is, but is Hizzoner's (now rescinded) re-entry plan a call to come back and stay or a call to come back and pick up. There is too much political ambiguity at a time when an entire city needs hard, concrete calls to action.

I actually thank FEMA for being a voice of reason. In yesterday's on-line Picauyne "Maj. John Thomas, a spokesman for the federal government’s Hurricane Katrina recovery effort, said federal officials are concerned with the timeline proposed by Mayor Ray Nagin to repopulate the city, which would begin Monday with a return to Algiers and then continue Wednesday with a return to parts of Uptown. Nagin's administration has already backed off on the timetable, saying it would take a wait-and-see approach for the schedule after Monday.
“What’s important to understand is that conditions are, in many cases, inhospitable,” he said. “It’s not like it used to be. People need to be aware of the safety and health hazards.”

Email

2005-09-17T20:15:00.000-05:00

Since I've moved over to this new blog site the email traffic I was getting has slowed down tremendously. Don't forget you can email me at info@corknola.com for questions and updates.

The Meters

2005-09-17T00:05:00.000-05:00

Did anyone else just see the ORIGINAL METERS AND THE NEVILLE BROTHERS play together on the same stage with Trombone Shorty on David Letterman.

YEAH YOU RIGHT!!!!!

I know you had something to do with this Shannon, thank you very, very, very, very much!!!!!

Getting in the city

2005-09-16T17:34:00.000-05:00

My advice for getting into the city remains the same: Don't try it lightly. Its getting tougher and tougher to get into the city. Not only must you have an official pass, but the pass must say EXACTLY who you are and WHERE YOU ARE GOING. This does not allow ANY joy riding or sight seeing. I have been fortunate thus far to get in and see what I have seen, but today was tougher getting through checkpoints than yesterday and yesterday was very tough. I still highly reccomend an armed police escort, not because of crime, but because the city is still under heavy military presence and a police escort erases all doubts in the minds of the military that you are up to no good. Once Uptown and the CDB open up this will no doubt get tougher. The streets are eerily silent, save for some work crews and military checkpoints.

One word of advice, though. If you do get an official pass AND you get into the city AND you do something foolish like venture away from the instructions on your pass then bring a carton of cigarettes with you. A few packs of cigarettes to a Private in the Army manning the corner of Carrollton and Claiborne, for example, goes a long way to letting you take the long way in. Or so I've been told. However, don't try anything funny in the city. Not now, its not worth trying to fake your way in, or worse, sneak your way in. If you get stopped without a proper pass (particularly with a carload full of stuff) then you will be arrested.

3300 block of Dumaine update

2005-09-16T17:29:00.000-05:00

Here is the water story for the 3300 block of Dumaine. The Bayou half of the block, although wet, did not get into the houses. This includes the homes of McInnis, Defillo, Soloeiv, Mancuso (and In-laws) and the folks with the yellow house and the Keystone lot (can't remember last name, sorry.) I regret to say the water lines past the stoop starts around the Sergents newly renovated home and all homes back to Hagan took on at least a little water.

32-3300 Block of GRSJ

2005-09-16T17:25:00.000-05:00

After doing more work at C&B today I helped Weiss move some stuff out of his house on the 3200 block of Grand Route and I walked around and looked every house from the Bayou to Mystery. If your house is at least 2 feet high then you are dry. If you are at sidewalk level you likely took a little water, but not much. For an example, the Sullivans (who's house is a foot or so lower than the average on GRSJ) did not have water.

Crescent City Farmer's Market Update

2005-09-16T17:06:00.000-05:00

Darlene Wolnik from the CCFM wrote to tell me that people can go to http://ccfm.standardemail.com to her about CCFM vendors,the markets and find out how they fared..

God Bless You Babs

2005-09-16T14:51:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I asked my wife if it was Tuesday. She told me it was Thursday. Jeez um, I'm already losing it. Anyway, being reminded that it was Thursday reminded me of the Crescent City Farmer's Market and just in time - almost on cue - Barbara Traves, part time Seattle-ian and part time Mid Citzen sent me these pictures and wrote to tell me:

...Today I read your "I miss" post and it made me very sad. I am sending you these pictures to remind you that better days are ahead. I don't mean to made you any more sad, I hope these make you feel BETTER.

I miss side-stepping the dog poop along the bayou.
I miss the smell of the night jasmine and gardenias.
I miss Tony :) (from our wine tasting group)

Take care,

Barbara

P.S. Seattle homes and wine cellars are open for visitors.

Dr. David Myers from Mid City

2005-09-15T22:43:00.000-05:00

Today 9/15 i went to my house in the 4200 block of iberville. the water heights in nearly all of the homes in this block is the same 2-8" inside the houses... unless the house is significantly raised, there's water inside... i also went to my office at the corner of bienville and N. jeff davis and found total devastation... my medical practice will not be able to be rebuilt at its current location... any patients of mine that may read this can try to contact me @ 877-822-8161, but the phones are a mess... i will be temporarily seeing patients at 2017 Metairie Road in the coming weeks... final new office location is yet to be determined... i'll keep you updated... Thanks, David Myers.

Exhausted

2005-09-15T21:50:00.000-05:00

I went to the shop today and worked all day. I am thoroughly exhausted and this will be it for the evening. The American Can Company didn't do so well in this whole thing. I only saw one window blown out, but the parking area was an utter disaster and there was about 6 inches of water on the first floor and about 3 inches inside Cork & Bottle. I might as well have gotten 3 feet. The store was fine out in the main area, but in the dark, air-less back room mold was starting to attack everything. Its a freaking mess. In the residental corridors the wooden floors have buckled and I heard word that every AC compressor has blown off the roof. The Can is a real mess right now. But then so again is the neighborhood around it.

On a positive note, the temperature in the store was actually less than it was outside and the wine has held up suprisingly well. The rest of the stuff will be just fine...and will be on a HUGE sale WHEN we reopen when we can. (Come and get it Carl, come and get it.)

It just sucks, though, these days when I spend the whole day in the city. It really beats you down. Most of the city south of Lakeview and West of the 9th ward is dry enough to drive. I drove down Tulane Ave today and looked at water marks taller than my head. I saw the same thing in parts of Mid-City and along Broad. How in the hell are we going to clean all this stuff up. Where in the hell is everyone going to live while we do it? I think Sugar Ray and AB (that's the Jeff parish prez, not our grinning QB) are insane by telling people to come on back. I think the only reason they are doing so is to keep everyone from staying where they are at. I know its going to be 2-3 months before Mid-City is close to liveable again and yet they are telling people to come back Uptown and to the CBD, but don't drink or bathe in the water. Oh yeah, and don't go out after 8pm. That, and bring gas and groceries because there's none to buy. WHAT THE HELL IS THE HURRY?

Good Picture

2005-09-15T21:17:00.000-05:00

Downloading some pictures from my camera and I came across this one taken the morning before Katrina. My wife and I were staying with friends in the Big Red Stick and the 7 of us had a hell of an inpromptu Hurricane Party. Feeling the effects of lots of Dark Rum and approaching the age when a hangover really kicks my ass, the next morning my wife and I hit the LSU institution Louie's for a couple of Mitchell Omelttes. We brought THE BOY in tow (no omlette for him , but then again he wasn't hung over). I started fooling around with the camera. Turns out this might be one of the great pictures of his life.

From Lezly Petrovich

2005-09-15T21:00:00.000-05:00

Went to Banks Street today to our house one block away from Finn McCool's. Still is water around for several blocks in all directions, 1 foot deep, but you can walk through. (this is side streets right off Banks). Trees are also at bottom of Banks and Jeff Davis. National Guard had not searched the area, constractors were just starting to clean Jeff Davis. Area got about 7 to 8 feet of water overall. A USA Today photographer was in the area taking photos. Hopefully the area will be cleared soon. We also rescued our tenant's dog Sammy from her house, we have her now. If anyone knows or has seen Theresa Crushshon, please have her call Chris and Lezly and we can get him back to her. He's doing well. Hope to see everyone at the triumphant BBQ return to the hood soon!!!

From Naomi Duffey

2005-09-15T20:46:00.000-05:00

Thought you'd want to know, Connie Reynolds, who was staying at her house at the corner of Moss and St. Ann was escorted out at gunpoint by Nat'l Guard, forced to leave her animals
behind about 2 days ago. This was according to her nephew. She's at a friend's house in Algiers. Talked with Blaine today, who was standing by La SPCA, so hopefully the animals are rescued.

AMERICAN CAN COMPANY NEWS

2005-09-15T20:23:00.000-05:00

Justin Sterett writes: I live in the American Can. I am in the military and was able to get all around the city today. I stopped by to pick up some of my stuff and checked out the condition of the building. The water has completely receded from around the building. You can see the waterline where the water once stood on the roofs of cars parked in the front lot. The entire front lot and lobby are covered in this sewage sludge like mess. PJ's coffee shop was broken into, as well as the Sunray Grill. Cork and Bottle was untouched, everything was intact and I tried to really see inside. I think there might have been minimal flooding about 6in high. I was able to judge this by a water line I saw on a cardboard box on the floor. The parking garage looked ok, I couldn’t see any visible water line and the cars looked fine. The swimming pool was tar black with water that god knows what is in. Water is receding at a fast rate. Most of the mid city flooding is concentrated around City Park and Carrollton by the freeway. They are picking up stuff and cleaning up at a really good pace. It gave me a lot of hope to see how fast they are moving all over the city with clean up. There were no signs of looting inside the building (the apartments).

AMERICAN CAN COMPANY NEWS

2005-09-15T06:46:00.000-05:00

Another good Mid-City Blog

2005-09-15T06:38:00.000-05:00

Marguerite of 200 block of N. Murat St. writes: Today I talked to a friend who has stayed in NO the whole time and started a blog: www.gulfsails.blogspot.com He says our neighborhood is now totally dry. There are pictures here that he took, but he cannot report on specific flooding levels because he only passed through quickly. He repeatedly said that it is NOT as bad as everyone says. Since I know him and know he has been there, I have faith that we will be home sooner than predicted! Please read his comments. Much love to Mid-City. -M

Mark Janes checks in

2005-09-15T06:36:00.000-05:00

Wanted to send a quick note to let you know that Liz and I did evacuate early (3am) Sunday morning before the storm hit on Monday. We have since been with my family in Decatur IL and have been trying to keep up on the storm aftermath via media.

We got out with our lives and health, and now it seems that our property may have been spared the flooding. I heard today that inhabitants of areas that did not flood may be allowed back in (at least to investigate) as early as Sunday or Monday. Like most people, we left thinking we’d be gone maybe a week…and didn’t take nearly what we needed for a lengthier residency outside New Orleans. So, we are preparing to leave IL on Sunday and head back toward the area.

The silver lining: While here in Decatur, I welcomed another granddaughter into this world. Both baby EllaDonna and mom are fine. We have Liz’s family to check in on before we bunk temporarily with friends in Mandeville while assessing our home situation…unless we are miraculously able to return to live in our own home just off Magazine/Sophie Wright (St Mary at Camp) by then. I hear Nagin may have some specific news and a plan for re-entry tomorrow.

We all miss New Orleans. OUR New Orleans. We look forward to being home again.

God bless you and all Cork and Bottle friends….

S. Christina Seafood

2005-09-15T06:33:00.000-05:00

By any chance can you please tell me the status of S. Christina Seafood. I know the water got around 5 feet but not sure how the building held up or damage that was caused.

Thanks
Mary Christina

Robert Barr sends greetings

2005-09-15T06:31:00.000-05:00

My name is Bob Barr I own a home in the 2800 block of Grand Route St John. I have been in Hawaii on special assignment with the US Coast Guard for the past 16 months. I left my home intact with all of my “stuff” in July 2003. I have not been back since, but had expected to return this month. Katrina has altered many of our plans. I am happy to report that all of the tenants from my home have made it through the ordeal safely. There were two cats left behind, but I am hoping they have been rescued by now. I just wanted to let you know how comforting it has been to read your blog from 5000 miles away, see some old friends names, and read that they are safe and doing as well as can be expected. I love our neighborhood and I have expereinced WHAT IT IS LIKE TO MISS NEW ORLEANS! I loved your line items of “missed” stuff. We agree on all of them! Aloha, keep the faith! NEW ORLEANS, PROUD TO SWIM HOME!

St Philip and Bayou St John

2005-09-15T06:25:00.000-05:00

Jeffrey Knowles writes: I would like to let the residents of this area know that on the most part this area did well, some downed trees but mostly no water in the houses. There were some concerned rescue workers trying to find and feed any left behind pets, but otherwise the area was completely empty. I saw no signs of looting in this area. I've attached a couple pictures of the area. The last one is of Canal Blvd at the Railroad crossing. These were taken on Wed. Sept 14th. (Jon Adds: The pics are coming)

John Wells - Bienville Street Pictures

2005-09-15T06:24:00.000-05:00

I saw the photos contributed by John Wells on your website. My fiance and I live two houses down from the laundraumat at 4521 Bienville (the pink shot-gun double) and were hoping to get some info on whether or not we took water during Katrina. My parents live in Lakeview and were flooded to the roof, so knowing the status of our home on Bienville could do wonders to boost my family's morale. Any info or photos from you or John would be so greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much, Sarah

900 block of Wilson

2005-09-15T06:23:00.000-05:00

Any news on the 900 block and spcifically 949 Wilson would be great, we are both heading in this weekend for work and want to know what to expect.

Thanks
Erin and Ben Sarrat

(Jon adds: That side of the Bayou got pretty wet but based on the level of you house you might have a chance to be dry.)

To Dana and Chris from Christian's Mom and Dad

2005-09-15T06:22:00.000-05:00

We're doing okay in Tenn. with baby and parents. Glad to know you're okay. Does your neighbor know anything about our house? My mom left her dogs inside and we've asked Aspca to go rescue but we haven't heard anything yet. If anyone knows or is in the area maybe they can open the door and give them some water/food or tell us if they survived or got out? I have a feeling we don't have windows.. I think your house is higher than ours but I'm sure we got the same if not more water. We miss you guys and the neighborhood, hopefully we'll be able to go back sooner than we think and make it better than ever.

Deborah Reyes

4100 block of Iberville

2005-09-15T06:19:00.000-05:00

Does anyone have any info on the 4100 block of Iberville. I own a home there and am desperatly searching for info regarding water levels and looting. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Can't wait to get back. Stay safe
Michael (swampfoxer@aol.com)

Susan Daneilson from Olga check in

2005-09-15T06:18:00.000-05:00

Al and I went into the city Sunday (we had a legit pass) to check out our house on Picheloup Place and to get some clothes for Al and me. He started work here in BR Monday of this week and his shorts and T-shirts just weren't going to make it in the Attorney General's office. Our house was in good shape - no flood water or wind damage-hopefully it will survive other onslaughts. Refrigerator was a bit smelly and the shade trees that made our deck so nice were all down. But I felt encouraged. Things looked better than I thought they would, and it gave me hope that we will get back in earlier so that we can begin the process of cleaning up and putting our lives back together.

Having been born and reared in New Orleans and lived my whole life there (57 years), I think that New Orleans is a state of mind. That state of mind is the gumbo made up of all the kinds of things that you describe and things like them which we all miss - for me it's a night at Snug Harbor, Thursday evening wine tastings and the market, crawfish boils in my back yard with all of my niece'ss friends from around the country, the symphony, my crazy friends, Mardi Gras Indians on Bayou St. John., and the list goes on and on.

In the midst of so much that is so discouraging, it is difficult to be optimsitic. But if we work together - we can build a better city. We have had our problems over the years. Now we'll get a fresh start. Those of us who faired out OK will have to help those who had more difficulties. Maybe we can look forward to the time when we are back and we can continue the great communication that you have started here. Our neighborhood can be the model for neighbors helping each other. I can picture a request board somewhere with needs posted that any of us who can will respond to. Let's start thinking this way now because we will be back sooner than we think.

Landlords on N. White

2005-09-15T06:17:00.000-05:00

I'm wondering if anyone knows how to reach my landlords from 1206 N White St (corner with Bell street ) Kel Boudreaux and Jay Calamia. I am now staying in Lafayette.
Thanks, Mathilde Canet. Please contact me at mathcanet@cox.net

Demo'ing houses

2005-09-15T06:16:00.000-05:00

anyone heard estimates about how long a house can sit submerged (even partially) before
it must be completely torn down? i can't find any information on the web.
thanks. - Nick Ferina

We'll take any positive news we can get

2005-09-15T06:15:00.000-05:00

The last couple of days have been so encouraging. Someone in today's posts--you Jon?--asked if New Orleans existed without us. I think it does not. I think all the longing you hear in these posts is what makes New Orleans what it is: the sum of its people. This blog has been incredibly uplifting for me. Not just the news, but the sense that others out there long for what I long for. It makes me certain that we will bring it home with us, and I look forward to that.

When I learned that Parkview Tavern--homebase for the creative writing program at UNO--was okay, I knew things were looking up. When a friend gave me the heads up that WWOZ was back on the air, I took that as an even bigger sign that we were all going to be okay. And this morning, my landlord called to report that her brother had been to see our house (corner Roosevelt and Dumaine) and gave her the news that the giant pecan tree outside my bedroom window did not actually fall on the house, that large limbs did fill our courtyard, but didn't seem to bust the house open, and that water did not go inside the bottom floor of the house, well, I found myself itching to go buy a chain saw and go to.

I wish all of us the best. I hope some of us will be at the Festival this weekend in Lafayette--home of Camp Katrina, Outpost 70119--and I can't wait to get back to the place we love and to the people who make it the place we love. Best to all.

See y'all roun' the block,
Barb Johnson

Crescent City Steakhouse Employees

2005-09-15T06:12:00.000-05:00

I am assuming that since you miss the Crescent City Steak House that you were a regular. My son worked there with Serj (spelling ?) and Adrain. Serj was his best friend. He and his wife were in NO 'til the Sunday following the hurricane. My son had worked the Saturday before Katrina and was suppose to work on Sunday, but he left for home (here in Birmingham, AL). While I cannot relate to everything all of you lost, I did agonize with him over what had happened to most all of friends that stayed and the ones he did not know anything about. I don't know if he has heard anymore from Serj since that Sunday he "got out" I do know that when they left his skin was a mess from the water and Adrain was not feeling well so they were going to seek medical attention. If you know what happened to Anthony and how the restaurant faired, could you let me know so I can pass the info on to my son, John Anderson, in New York? I know he would like to know.

My heart goes out to all of you who lost so much. I know recovery will be a slow process and some things will never be the same, but I hope that in time you and yours will be feeling better and back on your feet.

Barbara Anderson

Another good Mid-City Blog

2005-09-15T06:11:00.000-05:00

http://www.scottharney.com.

On my site I have some information and lots of recent post-Katrina photos primarily covering our street, S Pierce and the nearby area: Canal, Carrollton, and Banks.

Good News on Bienville

2005-09-15T06:10:00.000-05:00

I just heard from a friend who went to check on our house on Bienville and N.Murat and have a few positive things to report. He said there was no sign of doors being kicked in and rather asked us if we whould like him to do so to further investigate the house. He also said the flood water had receded to only a few inches in the street and he was able to walk all around the house, etc. There with a lot of debris and he felt as though he was one of the first to even go through the area and no signs of looting either. If it helps anyone gauge their damage, our house is raised (between 3-4 feet) and he said the water looked as though at the highest it was about 4-5 inces in the house and was probably during the surge, and left fairly quickly. It did leave behing buckled wood floors and things will need to replaced and repaired, etc. but salvageable. Oddly enough, in light of the situation, I am finding this to be somewhat good news. -Sarah & Lou Grossman

Trapped Cats

2005-09-15T06:09:00.000-05:00

I need someone’s help asap. 9 cats left in my house close to Mandina’s. After storm, my brother emailed noahswish.org, then I called the Humane Society a few days later to report & advise how to get into house. I have not heard from either organization as of today. I am getting more upset as time goes on. There is dry & wet cat food in the house, and 6 gallons of water. I can tell or email someone how to get in. I just need to get them some help until I can get down there & get them out. They’re feral – rescued from Gulf Marine down in warehouse district some years ago, so they are afraid of people. I am at my father’s office in Jackson, MS right now, sending this from my brother’s computer. If someone can help me, please call 601-362-8271 (here at office) & ask for Rikki or Mike, or reply to this email & my brother will let me know. God bless!

3100 blk of Dumaine

2005-09-15T06:08:00.000-05:00

Susie Weigert writes: I read that one of my neighbors (3100 block of Dumaine--near corner of N Lopez) was able to get to their home. My house is raised so it seems possible that i didn't loose everything???? if anyone has heard from Courtney Sutherby or "joe" I'd love to get in touch with them.
Thanks Susie

Thanks to Bob Holloway

2005-09-15T06:07:00.000-05:00

Mdgw1@aol.com writes: Thank you, Bob Holloway, for letting me know Mary Lou is okay. I appreciate your thoughtfulness and I will forward any more information I receive about Harding Drive. All reports I've heard are good, so far.

Jon’s Comments

2005-09-14T06:42:00.000-05:00

I don’t have a lick of psychological training, never even took a basic level college course. So far as I’m concerned the base tier of Maslow’s Hierarchy is a good cup of coffee. I can’t even begin to tell you the steps of grievance - loss, denial, sorrow, something else, I don’t know. All I know is that by now I’ve felt everything I think I’m going to feel. I’ve felt the despair, the sorrow, the fear and the uncertainty. I’m tired of it and now all I feel is mad and homesick. I’m starting to miss stuff. For the first two weeks of this web log all I received were questions, people wanting to know about their homes, their businesses, their neighborhoods. It felt good to get the questions, and it felt good to answer them. It gave me hope. Now that crazy people like me are getting back in, questions are getting answered and although the news is slightly better for some, it is not really good for any of us. Although some of our individual homes might have been spared, our neighbor was not and this affects all of us equally. Although we were generally spared the horror of having our entire parish wiped out like St. Bernard we did have our share of loss. Lakeview. Gentilly. The 9th Ward. A good chunk of Mid-City. Pockets of Faubourg St. John. Gone. Our culture took a body blow and I already miss it. The one comment I keep hearing from you all is “I miss my New Orleans” and all I can say is I miss mine too and I wonder how it will look when it comes back. Does New Orleans exist despite us? I keep running into good friends at the strangest places in Baton Rouge, coffee shops, malls, gas stations. Everyone has a different story to tell, everyone has a different timeframe for when they want to get back. Yesterday I told my friend, and fellow evacuee, George Brown that the deck has been reshuffled and who knows how the cards are going to be dealt out. Who knows?

All I know is that I miss my stuff.

I miss my “Biggest Latte Ever” at Fair Grinds.

I miss my Thursday afternoon scene at the wine shop.

I miss my wine tasting group

I miss running past the Pitot House along the Bayou.

I miss Rebirth at The Maple Leaf and doing shots of Bushmills next door at Jacques-Imo’s

I miss my old house and drinking my morning coffee looking out over the Bayou.

I miss Bud Rips and I still can’t believe my wife went out on a second date with me even after I took her there for a few drinks on our first date.

I miss the Turtle Soup at Mandina’s

I miss getting my fresh La Spiga bread delivery.

I miss seeing my son’s eyes light up when I bring him to “Mrs. Bar Bar’s” house for daycare.

I miss The Chart Room and The Napoleon House.

I miss the accents and the attitudes.

I miss the pot holes.

I miss the fact that if you need to make a left turn on Airline Highway you’re screwed

I miss the Bud’s Broiler #4 with sauce

I miss Ronnie Virget’s column in The Gambit

I miss reading the Friday Lagniappe and lamenting at all the great live music I’m missing.

I miss the Radiators live at Tip’s

I miss the view of Place St. Charles looking down Royal Street, perhaps the best view of the Old and the New in our entire country

I miss the long ass red light at the corner of Esplanade and Wisner and the fact that if you need to make a left turn onto either street you’re doubly screwed.

I miss the nasty Mardi Gras beads still hanging on the trees Uptown in November.

I miss The Joint on Poland Avenue: The finest Bar-B-Que in the city of New Orleans.

I miss Crescent City Steakhouse and listening to Anthony bitch about the Saints.

I miss the tranquility of the mossy oaks along City Park Avenue.

I miss my home.

I miss my New Orleans.