Thursday, May 13, 2010

Oak Alley Plantation



20100506_0742 Oak Alley Plantation

About an hour west of New Orleans, hugging the Mississippi River, is Oak Alley Plantation.

An early settler had the foresight to plant two rows of live oaks leading up to the river a few years before the city of New Orleans was founded in 1718.

20100506_0748 Oak Alley live oaks

With ultimate optimism and prescience, he planted them far enough apart to allow the branches to knit together and create the graceful, entwined canopy.

20100506_0749 Oak Alley Plantation

In 1836 the land was acquired by a young heir of a sugar-cane fortune, Jacques Telesphore Roman, and his bride Celina Pilie. Together with Celina's father and master builder George Swainy, the young couple designed their luxurious new home.

20100506_0732 Oak Alley Plantation

It is no surprise that the river boat captains began calling the plantation "Oak Alley" as they glided by the mansion.

20100506_0746 Oak Alley Plantation

It was inspiring to be in the ponderous, quiet presence of these magnificent trees that settled their roots three-hundred years ago.

20100506_0747 Oak Alley roots

Behind the house, my daughter and I found machinery that didn't come in time to spare the plantation slaves of their back-breaking labor.

20100506_0759 sugar plantation machinery

We roamed more of the expansive 1,360-acre plantation...

20100506_0758 Oak Alley back yard

... and came upon this wrought-iron bench, a perfect place to drink a mint julep under the shade of the oaks.

20100506_0737 Oak Alley plantation bench

This Green Goddess amaryllis, so perfectly back-lit by the afternoon sun, bid us "adieu" on our way out.

20100506_0755 Amaryllis under live oak

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Surrey's Cafe & Juice Bar - New Orleans, LA


20100507_0700 Mardi Gras sunbathing

Where would you be able to have a delicious, meaty crabmelt sandwich with a fresh green salad and a side of grits with cheddar cheese...

20100507_0701 Crabmelt and cheese grits

...and a thirst-quenching strawberry-watermelon limeade that is as delicious as it looks...

20100507_0699 Strawberry Watermelon Limeade

...under a bisected bathing beauty wearing a bikini fashioned out of mardi gras beads?

20100507_0698 Surrey's Juice Bar

At Surrey's Cafe & Juice Bar on 1418 Magazine Street in New Orleans, that's where.

20100507_0702 Surrey's Cafe & Juice Bar

My daughter and I highly recommend it.
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