As most will probably know from FB or others we drove over to New Orleans for a quick 1 1/2 day 1 night stay at Harrah's down town New Orleans. A couple of reasons, number on to try and reminisce of days gone by when we honeymooned there back in 1972. After some calculation we found out it was exactly 44 years, 4 months and 4 days since we were there on our honeymoon! I made the reservations about 3 or 4 days in advance and since found out how lucky we were to even get a room let alone a room comp'd (all free, with meals and everything) after finding out what was happening there this weekend. The 2016 Essence Festival took place this weekend....not sure what it is this will explain: "The Essence Music Festival, known as "the party with a purpose", is an annual music festival which started in 1994 as a one-time event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Essence, a magazine aimed primarily towards African-American women. It is the largest event celebrating African-American culture and music in the United States.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Locally referred to as the Essence Fest, it has been held in New Orleans, Louisiana every year since 1994 except for 2006, when it was held in Houston, Texas due to Hurricane Katrina. It features artists simultaneously performing on a main stage as well as four standing-room only super-lounge stages."
As one might imagine the entire down town and all it's high rise hotels were packed and jammed with African American celebrities and folks wanting to see these numerous events, we were definitely in the minority everywhere we went. It was hot and humid and we walked quite a bit and it took it's toll on us both, there is so much to see here and we just didn't alot enough time to do it justice. Beverly says we will be back in maybe February for the actual anniversary of our marriage when it will be much cooler. We tried to get an extra night at the hotel but to no avail, all rooms were taken for the entire weekend,
Upon return to our camp we decided to get a couple of things taken care of before the remainder of the weekend when all things will be closing for the 4th. I needed a haircut and Bev wanted a mani/petti so we went about looking for places to take care of these things. Bev had her toes done at this one place but decided to get out and find another for the manicure..........the place was the pits I guess, and she ends up finding a suitable place. I look up barber shops on GPS and find 3 within a mile or so of Bev's manicure so head off to check them out. Each web site showed a Black man's haircut so I just assumed that's what I'd be finding. First place was closed, second place seen me pull up and get out and ran to the back room and turned out the lights....door was locked! Third place was KC's barber shop of Gulfport, hard to find, a little house like setting back from a road mixed with warehouses and small homes. Sign says open so I pull in the yard and see a couple of other cars so I walk in and find two chairs resembling barber chairs but on a small scale. A young gentlemen cutting a lads hair in one of those tall afro type styles but very close down to the ears all around. The other barber was a older gentlemen about my age cutting on a guy pretty much with no hair left on his head when he finished. The barber was wearing a old fishing or "uncle Remus" type hat, white mustache and slow movements. I walked in and said "I'm from out of town and have been looking for a barber shop, can I get a haircut here?" The old boy said "is your money green" to which I said sure is, how long a wait (there was two gals, another kid and a teenager sitting in there already) he said 10 to 15 minutes to which I said I'll wait. Three minutes later I was in the chair and we were talking as if we new each other for years...................From storms of the past to living in the area, to visiting New Orleans, to grits...waffle houses and BBQ joints! NO comb, NO scissors, just an electric clipper and one handed moves, in the end a pretty good haircut and learned of a place called "Murky Waters BBQ" which he recommended as one of if not the best BBQ in the area! After my haircut I picked Bev up from the manicure and we gave Murky Waters BBQ a try, Some of the best we've ever had, they guys there had been on the Food Network we found out and won a BBQ competition..............very good! The barber shop was a dump, the guys were very nice though and I'd go back if ever in the area needing a haircut, we had some laughs and picked up some good information on things coming up too. Like they say, you can't judge a book by it's cover or a man by his differences from yours!
We did see Emeril's place but was too early to dine, revisited Pat O'Brien's for the famous drinks served there and some good dueling piano playing. New Orleans needs a few days not a day and a night, we shall return.
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