Sunrise 7:18: Alive in the city of New Orleans

It was clear from their first walk through the French Quarter last night on their way to dinner that they'd left the Bay Area far behind. There were voodoo and ghost tours taking place on every street corner, and a cathedral square was rimmed with fortune tellers. Things are done differently in New Orleans as the good book the city, Nine Lives, points out. Reading it all day yesterday primed the female DJ for what she was to see (even though she'd been here before).

Their courtyard room at the Soniat House danced with light this morning, following a brief rain shower. Off they headed to church - Trinity Episcopal in the Garden District - were they were promptly welcomed by its charismatic rector, the Rev. Henry Holt. The church is in the part of New Orleans where change comes gradually (according to Nine Lives) and clearly the DJs were not part of the regulars (the men still wear coats and ties - the users list included one of the names from the book). They walked the Garden District before and after a fun jazz brunch at Commander Palace, and past the house at 2525 St. Charles inhabited (still?) by Nine Lives character Billy Grace. It's an immense, imposing home and no photo can quite show off its grandeur.

They took the streetcar back to Canal Street and walked the 12 or so blocks back to the Soniat House, which is in a quiet part of the French Quarter next to an Ursuline convent. They head out soon for some Cajun music before dinner. Such a busy, on the go schedule wouldn't have been possible a year ago - all credit to the male DJ's hard work...