In honor of Mardi Gras next week, I’ve decided to segue from my Spain trip, to talk about my recent trip to New Orleans’ Garden District!
Southwest of the French Quarter, I spent a Saturday morning walking around the Garden District. Cute, little boutique shops mixed with trendy coffee shops and dive bars dot the boundary streets along St Charles Ave and Magazine St.
Originally the Livaudais Plantation, the land was sold off and eventually broken out into blocks of generous lots for homes; the Garden District was born. Today, you can still see some of the grand sized lots, complete with lavish gardens and cast iron fences, as well as smaller lots with equally charming homes.
While strolling down the sidewalks, keep an eye out for uneven surfaces. Some of the walkways are missing bricks or chunks of cement; or have sections sticking up at 45 degree angles, pushed up from expanding tree roots determined to retake the block.
Some of the celebrities who have owned or currently own homes in the Garden District include Sandra Bullock, John Goodman, and Anne Rice.
Architectural styles within the Garden District range from Greek Revival to Victorian. Greek Revival is primarily characterized by square or rounded columns of Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian styles, attached porches, and trim around doors. A number of the styles you will see in the Garden District will fall under the larger category of Victorian, with the subset styles consisting of Italianate, Queen Anne, and Gothic Revival.
The Italianate style can be seen in homes with a flat roof, overhanging eaves, cornices, and ornate brackets underneath.
Queen Anne, unlike Italianate, has unusual roof shapes, bay windows, and partial or full porches on the first level.
Gothic Revival, on the other hand, is characterized by steep roofs, windows with pointed arches, and decorative trim under the roof edges.
If you look closely, some of the homes have sky-blue painted ceilings on their attached porches. The color is often referred to as “haint blue” and can be traced to Gullah legends of “haints,” or evil spirits. The Gullah believe that these spirits could not cross water; so, the sky blue color was painted on the frames of windows and doors to mimic water and deter haints from entering the home. However, in the Garden District, instead of blue framing, you will find the ceilings of the exterior porches are blue. During the time of the Yellow Fever outbreaks, the haint blue was believed to keep death away. People had no idea what was causing the illness, and some attributed it to evil spirits. We now know that mosquitoes were the cause of the outbreaks, and oddly enough, the paint would have helped deter the mosquitoes. However, it was what was in the paint, more so than the blue color itself, that kept away the yellow fever carrying mosquitoes. The lye in the paint was acting as a repellent.
Also within the Garden District is Lafayette Cemetery #1, on Washington Avenue, which is the oldest of the seven New Orleans operated cemeteries. Here, you will find a mixture of wall vaults along the entrance side of the cemetery, and eye-catching, above ground family tombs. The oldest of the tombs are believed to be two stone and brick tombs, side by side, along the main path. These two tombs are thought to be from the days when the Livaudais Plantation still existed.
Not just for the dead, the Lafayette Cemetery #1 has also been used as a filming location for movies, like Double Jeopardy and Dracula 2000, as well as music videos. However, the cemetery closes at 3 pm, so don’t plan on wandering through the graves at night!
On the other side of Washington Avenue, Commander’s Palace sits with its brightly decorated teal awnings. You can’t miss it! While strolling through the Garden District, a local told me about the restaurant’s 25 cent margaritas, and now being across the street from it, I decided to stop by. I saunter in, jeans and t-shirt, and immediately notice everyone at the host station is dressed in smart, business attire. Looking around at the seated patrons confirmed my suspicion.. I was severely under-dressed. But the host staff was super nice, all smiles, even after I told them that I did not have a reservation. I mentioned the drink special I heard about, hoping there was a bar in the corner, where I would be less conspicuous. But, alas, the special was only for Monday through Friday (with purchase of an entree). And admittedly, I was filled with a sense of relief as I thanked the host for the information and made a hasty retreat. I probably could have gotten away with my dark wash jeans, but I would much rather enjoy my dining experience without obsessively wondering if anyone is staring at my pants. Next time I will have to remember to pack something more appropriate.
On the other side of the Garden District, and a handful of streets outside of its official boundaries, is a lunch cafe called Reconcile Cafe. Only open for lunch, they offer an array of quintessential New Orleans food (Yum!). But what I really like about this place is that it is a training cafe for local youth in the culinary arts, and the proceeds go back into the training program and support the community. No business attire required!
For venturing beyond the Garden District, a trolley line, running down St Charles avenue, connects the Garden District to the French Quarter, Central Business District, and Audubon Zoo. A fun and affordable way to get around the city, the trolley cars add to the historic appeal.