yoga on the road: all that jazz

After our last event in Tampa (which I failed to even mention in my last blog), we drove to New Orleans for the week. I was pretty excited to go to New Orleans, again. I had been there a couple of times before, once in college for an impromptu Mardi Gras road trip and again for a work trip when I worked in the advertising industry. This was totally different, because I had almost an entire week to explore the city, before our event.

When we first arrived, Sunie and I spent time walking the streets of the French Quarter and getting to know the city. We popped in and out of shops - trying on hats, stopped for coffee at the corner coffee house, enjoyed dinner and drinks... it was Sunie's birthday on Tuesday, so we made sure to celebrate accordingly :) The city is so much different in the daylight... that place has character! The architecture, the music, the streets of n'awlens sure are alive! Our main goal this week was to find good jazz and eat yummy Cajun food - so we did just that! We spent some time on Frenchmen Street listening to live jazz. I didn't realize how much fun live jazz can be! At one point, we were enjoying the music of a 6 piece band - stand up bass, horns, washboard and spoons, the list of instruments went on and on. And, they didn't use microphones in this place, they just sung their hearts out, loud enough for the whole bar to hear. It was really cool. There weren't too many lyrics anyway, but when they sung, you definitely heard it. The best part about listening to good jazz is watching the enjoyment of the musicians. It's not like they are out to get famous or try to be well known. I think they just really love playing jazz music. We had a blast watching them play the nights away...

Another evening, a few of us went to Jacques Imos for Cajun food. This place was recommended to us by several people, so we had to go check it out. As soon as we walked in the door, something seemed familiar... I had been to this very same restaurant years before! The food was as authentic as can be and the decor hadn't changed a bit. There were colored lights, crazy objects hanging from the walls and ceiling, and they led us right through the kitchen to reach the dinning room area in the back of the restaurant. You feel a bit like you are eating in someones living room, there. Our meals were great, just as I remembered.

Surprisingly enough, there are some great Anusara instructors in New Orleans... Thursday afternoon, I went to Cat McCarthy's class at Swan River Yoga. Cat is the local Anusara-certified teacher and has been a student of John Friend since 2002. She has also studied extensively with some of my favorite teachers, including Amy Ippoliti. I was excited to experience her class. We worked up to one of my all time favorite poses, full vasisthasana. There is something about the strength and openness required to get into this pose that makes it feel so good. Cat's approach is pretty fluid, with lots of clear alignment instruction and precise demonstrations. I had a lot of fun, getting to know her, throughout the class. It was nice to experience the yoga community, in New Orleans. Pretty different than my past experiences in that city!

Friday night, Sunie and I ventured off to a Burlesque show on Bourbon Street. Once we found out that Burlesque was originated in New Orleans, we had to check it out straight from the source. I had only been to one Burlesque show previously, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Plus, you have to remember, we were in New Orleans for heavens sake! The show was at the Royale Sonesta Hotel right in the heart of all the Bourbon St. action. The venue was up close and personal, so there wasn't a bad seat in the house. True to Burlesque tradition, the show was full of sparkly costumes, comic skits, and lots of singing and dancing... oh yeah, and a bit of strip tease. I have to admit, there were moments where I felt like I was at a classy strip club (if that even exists), but, it was a fun experience. While traveling, I try and find things to do that are true to the culture of the city I am in... this show was definitely New Orleans at its best! We had a really good time. After the show, Sunie and I took off to walk down Bourbon St. We ended up in an empty piano bar, with less than 10 patrons and a young guy on the keys. Before we knew it, we were singing and dancing up a storm and the bar was packed. It was definitely a night to remember...or not :)

Our event in New Orleans was quite different than most... we were the event. Usually, we are part of a larger scale event, like an art fair or sporting event. Not this time. We were set up by the Riverwalk in the Spanish Plaza. Foot traffic was ok, but people were more interested in the daiquiri bar across the square, than a yoga class. To pick up the action, I taught a few classes to our staff, so people could at least watch a yoga class and maybe pick up a thing or two. Needless to say, time crept by at this particular event. It was a good effort, just not our most well-attended event.

After a week in New Orleans, all I wanted to do was sleep, sleep, sleep. Saturday night, I think I slept 15 hours, or something crazy like that. That city is exhausting! Don't get me wrong, I did it to myself, but how can you miss all the action in a place like this! We had a lot of fun - we saw the sights, danced to the jazz, and soaked up every bit of the action on the wild streets of this Cajun city. It was a good time, to say the least.

As usual, I was more than ready for the next stop... Florida beaches here we come! Hanging out in a place where the biggest party animals are 70+ years old, sounded A-OK to me! I needed some rest...

night night!