Christmas In New Orleans: A Scrapbook

We arrived in New Orleans on the Saturday evening before Christmas, in time for the annual festive and boisterous "Holiday Sing-Along" produced by our friends Judith Owen and Harry Shearer and performed at the Ogden Museum by them and their merry band of NoLa-based musicians. The irresistible cast included Leah Chase, Evan Christopher, Phil DeGruy, Matt Lemmler, Phillip Manuel, Tom McDermott, Matt Perrine, The Pfister Sisters and David Torkanowsky. Google every one of them. It's a privilege and delight to be able to go backstage with them, get to know them, to hear their stories. Spencer could have talked about life with Leah Chase all through the night. But the show had to begin. If I had to be stranded on a tropical island with someone, please make it Phil DeGruy. Not sure whether he can hunt or fish, but a rescue team would hear me roaring with laughter at the genius, loopy and politically heat-seeking humor that comes from his mind. I'm confident he'd fashion some sticks and vines into a guitarp. (For now, we need him to croon from the Speaker's chair in the House chamber).THE CAST OF HARRY AND JUDITH'S "HOLIDARY SING-ALONG"

AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION IS ESSENTIAL, ESPECIALLY WITH "THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS." HERE, THE GOLDEN RINGS.THE SING ALONG, UNDERWAY

The "Holiday Sing-Along" is performed each year in London, LA, Chicago, New York and New Orleans. So, if you live in any of those cities, be there next year.

Saturday rolled into Sunday and then Monday and on into Christmas Eve and Christmas. We were part of a holiday house party that included friends of Harry and Judith's from New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Tim and Steve and Helen from New York. Dan from Chicago. Lee, Maureen, CJ and Toni from L.A. All of them talented and successful in different fields. We took most of our meals together, though Spencer and I slipped away for a ritual Mother-Son lunch at Galatoire's - one of the world's great restaurants, particularly at Christmas.

GALATOIRE'S AT LUNCH, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22

THIS IS GALATOIRE'S NEXT DOOR BAR, #33, AND SAINTS FANS WATCHING A LAST SECONDS LOSS
A GALATOIRE'S TABLE AFTER A FESTIVE CHRISTMAS LUNCH. IT'S ALWAYS A PARTY IN NOLA.
SPENCER, PIZZA AND BEER AT DOMENICA

COMPOSER AND ARRANGER CJ VANSTON DOING WHAT HE DOES SO WELL

ALL OF US AT CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER AT AUGUST

LEE AND MAUREEN SKLAR AT CHRISTMAS DINNER

JUDITH, TIM, STEVE AND HELEN AT CHRISTMAS DINNER AT THE WINDSOR COURT HOTEL
TONI AND CJ VANSTON AT CAFE AMELIE ON BOXING DAY
LEE, JUDITH AND ME (CHANNELING A NEW ORLEANS FRIEND)

When not gathering together, listening to (and the others playing) music, eating, shopping, touring or opening presents I wandered the Mississippi waterfront or the streets of the French Quarter.

THE NATCHEZ
THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI
IN N.O., THEY LANDSCAPE THE CAR TRACKS
A VISIT TO THE NEW ORLEANS MUSEUM OF ART. HERE, THE SCULPTURE GARDEN
CROISSANT D'OR, ON URSULINES; A FAVORITE PLACE FOR CAFE AU LAIT
ONE VIEW OF THE INTIMATE CONDO COMPLEX WHERE WE BUNKED
BOURBON STREET ON CHRISTMAS MORNING. NO KIDDING.

ALSO CHRISTMAS MORNING