Geaux Big or Geaux Home

The Bucket List.

Not just a movie I never saw.

But a lifestyle.

According to urbandictionary.com, a bucket list is:

A list of things to do before you die.  Comes from the term "kicked the bucket".

I’ve never spent the time to create such a list, but there are definitely a few things that I’ve always wanted to do.

Like go to New Orleans.

A place that features two of my favorite things.

Music and food.

Not necessarily in that order.

Well this weekend, I’m going to get that chance.

You see I got a call about a month ago from a friend.

A friend who has mastered the art of living his life.

In Los Angeles.

And New York.

France.

Prague and Iceland.

And this weekend in New Orleans.

Instead of saying “someday.”

He says today.

In full disclosure, he is single.

And without kids.

So if he wants to go somewhere, he goes.

Without hesitation.

To a married guy, like me, that grass sometimes looks greener.

And for a single guy, like him, I’m sure he’d give it all up in a second.

But for this weekend we will both be living on the same street.

Bourbon Street.

I got the free pass to go.

Not a “hall pass”.

Just a free pass.

And thanks to a bunch of leftover airline miles, I got a free plane ticket too.

As someone who is on the lip of turning the big 4-5, this was one opportunity I just couldn’t let pass.

Not to mention we are going to be in the bayou for the annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

Or I should say, THE New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

A festival that’s been running since 1970.

Now that first year it was more of a get together than a festival.

With an estimated 350 ticket-buyers.

Let’s just say it has grown from there.

In fact, in 2001, the total attendance for the two-week event was more than 650,000 people.

Including 160 grand in just one day.

The festival is held at the New Orleans Fairground Race Course.

With ten different stages.

All going at the same time.

Acts performing from 11 in the AM.

To seven in the PM.

Something like 70 bands a day.

For seven days.

That’s like 9,000 bands.

And sure, most of them you’ve never heard of.

Me neither.

But isn’t that half the fun?

The main stage is where they put all of the acts that don’t quite full under the category of “jazz”.

Let’s call them the ringers.

Like this Friday night, the headlining group will be The Beach Boys.

I’m not sure I’d call Help Me Rhonda a jazz song.

But work with me.

Saturday night is Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

And Sunday the weekend will close with The Boss.

Bruce Springsteen.

And the E Street Band.

This will be Bruce’s second appearance at this festival.

The first time was 2006.

A year after Katrina.

Keith Spera, a newspaper columnist who covers music for a city that breathes music, called that performance:

“The best, and certainly most emotional, musical experience of my life.”

That’s why they call him The Boss.

Every stage has a different name.

The Blues Tent.

The Jazz & Heritage Stage.

The Gospel Tent.

The Congo Square Stage.

The Sheraton New Orleans Fais Do-Do Stage.

Yes, corporate sponsorship.

Hey, momma’s gotta eat.

And eating is a big part of this shindig too.

Or so I am told.

We’ve all been to these giant food festivals where you wait in line... forever.

And you end up spending way too much on way too little.

Rumor has it this festival is different.

I’m sure it won’t be cheap.

But according to my sources, the food is amazing.

And really bad for you too.

Fried this.

And fried that.

Spicy here.

Spicy there.

Everything I love.

I’ve always said I would try anything once.

Well, this is my chance.

Apparently one of the Louisiana delicacies is a crawfish.

More crustacean than fish.

But this little baby lobster lookin’ fella is a must get on this trip.

I’ve been told you gotta suck the head out of the crawfish to enjoy the abdominal fat juices.

There’s gotta be a better way to say that.

But 650,000 people can’t be wrong.

Right?

Thanks to the good folks at Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, we’ve got plenty of food to try away from the festival too.

Like Katie’s.

A place that shutdown in 2005.

Literally.

Seven feet of hurricane water washed through this restaurant, closing it down for nearly five years.

But in March of 2010, Katie’s re-opened.

And today they’re doing better than ever.

Why not, have you seen “The Barge”?

An entire french loaf, stuffed with shrimp, catfish and oysters.

All fried.

Duh!

It’s like a Po Boy on deep fried steroids.

The menu says it serves 2-4.

We’ll see about that.

If that doesn’t work, there’s always  Katie's “Boudreaux”.

That’s a pizza.

Topped with Cochon de Lait (smoked cajun pork), roasted garlic, spinach, onions and garlic butter cream reduction.

Sounds healthy.

Sounds amazing.

I better leave my skinny jeans at home.


In my bucket.