Postcards from Jazzfest

Greetings from the 2012 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival!

There are a few things Hubby and I learned at last year's Jazzfest, so this year we look like pros. Here are the highlights:

• The crowds are insane, but despite the volume of people (and volume of alcohol consumed) everyone is unbelievably NICE. The best way to honor this pleasantry is to pay it forward. Hold doors for people. Share your crawfish. Share stories. You will be richly rewarded in experience.
• Bring a flag. (Or sit next to people who have one.) It's the only to ensure that no one in your group gets lost among the crawfish crowds.



Flags at the Gentilly stage at Jazzfest 2012

• Don't waste money on bottled water. Bring a bottle (empty or factory-sealed) and fill it at one of the many refill stations. (Maybe they put mood enhancers in the water? That would explain point #1, above...)
• Wear comfortable shoes because you'll be walking for hours through dust or mud (depending on the weather). Almost everyone wears athletic shoes or sandals. If you wear heels, the only second glances you get from people will be looks of pity.
• Wear a hat and pack sunscreen.



Big smiles + my Jazzfest hat.

• Take advantage of the less hyped offerings, including cooking demos. The indoor events are fascinating and are a great way to get out of the sun for an hour or two. Plus, most cooking demos include samples for those who stay for the whole show. Last year I tried turtle soup. I think my parents (turtle-lovers) would be sad that I ate a terrapin, but it was tasty, and it's another unusual food I can check off my life list.
• In the food areas, get in the longest line and order what everyone else is ordering. This goes against everything I hold dear in life. I loath lines! But at Jazzfest, the best food is well worth the wait. (My personal favorite: cochon de lait po-boy.)



Cochon de Lait po-boy, boudin, and Blue Moon.

• In general, lines at Jazzfest take on a whole new meaning. Get in on at least one second line while you're there. And dance like no one is watching. Because the only way people will watch is if you're not dancing.
• Accept that dancing is your workout for the weekend.



Dancing to the Dirty Dozen Brass Band

• Putting down a tarp to "hold" 48 square feet of space for 3 people at a crowded stage is a total d-bag move. Don't be that person.
• Making room for people, sharing your blanket, and offering to take photos for a group are kind things to do. Be that person.

And... for days you can't make it to the Festival, there's always streaming video!

Potluck

Welcome, friends, to another Friday potluck.

First, the food and beverage:
I thought there was no food more perfect than a spoonful of peanut butter straight out of the jar. But I stand corrected. Ruth Reichl, author of some of my favorite non-fiction books, teaches us how to build a better PB&J.

And to wash that sandwich down, this week Slate asks (and answers) "Do different types of booze get you drunk in different ways?" (Seriously, does this count as research? Anyone who has ever had tequila knows the answer...)

From this week's "clearly they've been drinking" files:
Apparently "loub jobs" are the latest craze.
Sounds dirty, no?
It does involve a foot fetish.
In all honesty, I'd be happier if this was a naughty story. Unfortunately this is not a sex fad. It is more of a sad commentary on the bizarre lengths people will go to for "beauty." There is a trend afoot to inject collagen into the heels, toe pads, and balls of women's feet.

Why would anyone do this?
To wear 6- or 7-inch heels, of course!

Source: google.com via Beth on Pinterest

More people need to read Bad Shoes & The Women Who Love Them...

In the meantime, I'll be at Jazzfest, craming my maw with crawfish and filling my ears with tunes. Feel free to track my jazzy New Orleans travel adventure:
Follow @RunTraveler

Parting thoughts (aka quote of the week):

Listen to your body. Do not be a blind and deaf tenant.
Dr. George Sheehan

Would you ever have your body surgically altered, and if so, for what?