A spray of hair

Apparently, these young ladies took the opportunity of Mardi Gras carnival atmosphere to get back to their roots -- that is, their natural hair colors (which of course is not necessarily, the hair color of their youth). This is our friends Mary and Jeanette on the left. The other two are either in good disguise or I don't recognize them.

Mardi Gras in New Orleans is an opportunity to let your cares have a day off. (or alternatively, a week off -- your choice)

--steve buser

Mardi Gras, costume, New Orleans, Louisiana

Mardi Gras mania on Magazine

Floats come in all variety. Does anyone really notice all the work that goes into them? I know that when I see a float with a strong theme element in the front, it perks up my interest and seems to add the frivolity of Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

This is another shot of the Magazine Street mania on Sunday as three parades rolled down the street --one after the other.

--steve buser

Mardi Gras, New Orleans, Magazine Street, Louisiana, Thoth, Mid-City, parade

Parrot, from the hat-trick

Our great niece Kristen, snags a coveted parrot plush toy from off a Mardi Gras float this past weekend in New Orleans. Matt does the heavy lifting and pleading for her.

We have been going to the same corner on Magazine Street for more than 20 years. This year, the playbill there was more than just the normal Krewe of Thoth rolling down the street : the Krewe of Okeanos and the Krewe of Mid City rolled ahead of Toth. It was a parade hat trick.

Why not. We have known for years that Magazine was just right for parades -- the street scape with it's many balconies and porches allows for plenty of party perches. It's a family-friendly, festival ready "rue."

--steve buser

Mardi Gras, New Orleans, Louisiana, Magazine Street, Krewe of Toth, Krewe of Mid City, Krewe of Okeanos

Feather Up

We were in our normal Sunday before Mardi Gras place on Magazine Street, yesterday for the Toth Parade.  This year, though, they changed where the parades lined up,so three different parades rolled passed us including Toth and Mid City.

This guy, Wild Man, makes a short appearance at the corner by us every year and then disappears back into the crowd. From the looks of his costumes, he must belongto one of the Mardi Gras Indian Krewes.

--steve buser

Magazine street -- even a sprinkle of essentials

Today we finish our shopping on Magazine Street in Uptown New Orleans. It's time to go back home and admire our shopping prowess. I just wanted to finish with another favorite shop of mine that I have never been in. I just love the red accents and the white color. The real purpose though is to show you that there are useful shops, too, on Magazine Street. There is a drugstore, hardware store, several restaurants and more. But, hey, you're not going to travel from New York or Minnesota to go to a drugstore. So we concentrated on the fun shopping stuff.

One last link to the Magazine Street merchants website. Check it out.

Curtain exchange

This is one of my favorite stores on Magazine Street. I have never been in it. I just love the gracious porch (I have a thing for porches) and the name of the place. When I first saw it, I thought why would any store exchange new curtains for old? But I think that is just the clever sounding name that draws you in. In any case, this is an example of the many stores, boutiques and galleries that line Magazine Street as it winds through Uptown parallel to the Mississippi River n New Orleans.

--steve buser

Buxom beauty bumptiously buttresses beverages and booty

How about a little different way to show off your bounty?

Our piece de resistance today is a photo of this busty beauty we saw in the window at Miss Spratt's ( I believe) on Magazine Street. Imagine this to place your hors d'oevre tray on for a cocktail party -- it would set the tone for the evening. Nothing like showing your stuff. This photo is another treasure from our window shopping expedition down Magazine Street in New Orleans.

--steve buser

Getting a deal on a dealer's digs

Another photo from our Magazine Street window shopping tour. These dealer digs seem a perfect treasure for that party you are planning next week.

--steve buser

Dragons

More Magazine Street shopping today. How about a pair of dragons from the Private Collection. They are something that ought to convince your guests that you are someone to be reckoned with. (Excuse me -- sentence ending in a preposition. No No. Do over. "They are something that ougt to convince your guest that you are someone with whome to be reckoned.")

You are now getting the idea that the 3 or 4 miles of Magazine Street is a real treasure store of shops, boutiques, galleries and the like.

--steve buser

Eye popping shopping on Magazine Street

Pop your room with color. What about this Chinese dragon I found in the window at The Private Collection on Magazine Street in Uptown New Orleans. No one will ever talk about your house being boring again. I didn't ask about the price, I was pretty sure I couldn't afford it.

The Private Collection is one of a number of boutiques along Magazine Street -- a shopping corridor that was spared the flooding from Katrina. Art galleries, antique shops and more line the New Orleans Street.

See. I told you we would get back to shopping on Magazine Street. Just wait, there's more tomorrow.


--steve buser

Meandering Magazine Street -- shops, shops, shops

You restless like me? Maybe it's the cool weather blowing in.

Look. If you've got a couple hours, I got just the place to cure your Fall's a falling blues. Let's go run down Magazine Street in New Orleans. We can window shop and explore the stores to our hearts delight.

Magazine was holding on before Hurricane Katrina hit. After the storm, it was one of the few commercial corridors that was not flooded and that caused a boom in shops along the busy street. Lately, a few vacancies have been cropping up. Much of that seems, though, to be in newly renovated space.

Magazine is mostly little shops -- some store fronts from the 40's and 50' era and earlier, but also a lot of old homes converted into stores, and galleries. Did I say galleries? Plenty of them. Lots of antique shops and assorted boutiques, too. Some coffee shops, a hardware store or two. Good eating places. A menagerie, as it were, that is just waiting to be explored. One of those fund things to do if you just visiting for a few days and don't want to do the crowd magnets.

Let's start right here. Bella Nola Home Decor. Can it get much more N'Awlins than that.

Come on, this is going to be fun. Wait till tomorrow and you see what I found.

-- steve buser

All that we have seen

As we come to the close of another year, I thought this would be an appropriate shot. I was focused on shooting the globes when I took this shot and did not notice the words below. "all we have seen." Certainly a good wrap up for this past year.

The shot was from a shop on Magazine Street in New Orleans.

--steve buser


Some other "closing out the year" photos on other City Daily Photo Blogs today"

Lendemain -- Arradon Daily Photo

Chill Out Day ... #209 -- Wellington Daily Photo

Christmas Dawn at Jebel Hafeet -- Al Ain Random Interval Photo Blog

Sunset stroll

River view saunter
The Levee Walk -- the get home, get-the-dog, head-out-for-the-evening-stroll Levee Walk. Everyone's your friend. Everyone's winding down. It's letting out the frustrations of the day and catching the soothing view of the Mississippi River and the last rays of the sun.

This shot is where Magazine Street runs into the levee just past Audubon Park.

--steve buser           Technocrati Tags: sunset

Lagniappe ( a little something extra )

Galloping underwater steeds -- at the Houston Aquarium.
Today on Pixel-Eyed

Light strings strung

For those of you who enjoyed the lights of Magazine Street, I bring you another shot.

--steve buser

Magazine, the street

Magazine Street has become more popular than ever in New Orleans -- in great part because it was a commercial street that was spared the worst ravages of the hurricane. It runs parallel to the river -- an area that is one of the highest in town. In fact, the Magazine and the 10 or so streets that parallel it along the river have earned the monicker "the sliver on the river" because live goes mostly that same as before the hurricane (maybe a little busier).
It is mostly small shops -- antiques, boutiques, house furnishings etc. and small restaurants. A very popular place for a day of shopping and night of eating and visiting.
It cuts through several of the old towns that are now New Orleans: Carollton, Jefferson City.

Take a stroll. You'll find something to your fancy.

--steve buser

Stone cold dames

A late night walk, a day or so ago, and I came across these cold ladies in the yard of an auction house. Antiques are a big part of the New Orleans economy. In fact, Magazine Street, which mostly escaped the wrath of Katrina, has turned into a bustling thorough fare with dozens of antique shows and dozens more art galleries. I drove it just yesterday, I saw about 7 empty store fronts along the whole street -- 4 of those had just been renovated or were being renovated. One of the others was a recent fire. I'll have to explore that on this blog one of these days.

--steve buser