Ther is no place like New Orleans

As you can tell if you have been following us at all, we are pretty good at finding the craic ( say "crack", that's fun in Irish) where ever we go. But where in the world can you beat the craic in New Orleans?
 Before we are in Hammond Louisiana before we are even inside the city limits when we stop at for a sensational fried oyster and shrimp po'boy. Portions in this part of the world are HUGE and we eat every bite.

I know there are still a million things wrong with New Orleans, but today it had on its most cheerful face. Lovely houses in perfect light. You want to take them all home.

A great, well air condidtioned independent bookstore in the neighborhood. Octavia Books.

Full of enthusiastic fans. John chatted while I helped open the wine.

Here we are with the owner, Tom Lowenburg.

The reading is packed. Tom is pleased.

Again, friends and friends of friends appear. We are so happy to see  some our HONEYDRIPPER  team, gathered in New Orleans for a movie to be directed by Walter Hill. Alice Baker and Batou Chandler on either side of me, and since Toby has his arm around his beautiful daughter Zoe (Art Dep PA) he won't mind that his eyes are shut.

Plummy former editing assistant Jordan introduces himself. Mostly now he is a community activist, writing about all that still needs to be done in his city.

Tom has been warned that Mr. Sayles and his wife (that would be I) won't be going out for dinner every night on this tour. But it's New Orleans and we like Tom and his wife Judith Lafitte a lot, so out we go. To Dick and Jenny's where Tom and Judith know the staff who are now the owners. When Dick and Jenny owned the restaurant Jenny would buy Octavia Books gift certificates for holiday presents. Now Tom and Judith know just who to call to get a table. It's the kind of place we would never have known about on our own, but Alice knows.

Remember we ate that big po'boy not so long ago? I have crabcakes with fried green tomatoes-just an appetizer and a salad-and proceed to help myself to Judith's stunning scallops and shrimp in coconut sauce. Man oh man.

Very happy customers.