 |
05/02/12
Let’s talk for a moment about Jazz Fest etiquette.
There are as many ways to enjoy “The Fest” as there are attendees, but being polite is something we all can do. Look, I know that it’s hot (very hot), and humid, and can be exceedingly crowded, and often dirty and grimy … but, in my opinion, that’s no excuse.
From my experience, the worst aggression takes place on the lawn in front of the Acura and Gentilly stages, often on the most-crowded days at the hottest times. For example, last year my friends and I were camping in the middle of the Acura lawn when one of them came back from a bathroom run at about 3 p.m. with this horrible story: She was walking as carefully as she could though camp sites when she stepped on a man’s blanket;...
|
 |
04/24/12
Dressing in style (and comfort) for Jazz Fest
|
 |
04/10/12
One of my favorite days of the year in New Orleans, and one that may be the hardest to explain to non-locals, is Super Sunday.
I’ve been lucky to have made acquaintances with a couple of Mardi Gras Indians and I’ve researched their history and jargon so as not to embarrass myself or the Indians (or set a bad example for those around me).
If an Indian makes eye contact with me and poses, that means that he or she is allowing me to take a photo and I thank them for it; contrarily, if he or she breaks eye contact, makes a bad face or turns his or her back, I put away my camera and thank them as well. I don’t get in the way when they need to walk more quickly. I try to stay aware of where the Spy Boy, Flag Boy and Witch Doctor are all at times. (I mean, you...
|
 |
03/13/12
I must interrupt this blog on “Uptown Life” for a brief story on how amazing life can be when customer service is done well.
In the past two weeks I have flown on Southwest Airlines three times. (Did I mention that I’m getting married here in 12 days and my parents live in Dallas, Texas?) Thanks to one of these trips, I had the most amazing customer service interaction of my life thanks to – drumroll, please – Southwest Airlines.
I know, I know, Southwest has the reputation of “flying summer camp air,” the cattle call-like boarding procedures leave something to be desired (though you do learn that many people who are smart enough to book a flight aren’t smart enough to line up by number) and sometimes, yes, they sing, rap...
|
 |
02/28/12
We’re just past Ash Wednesday, but since the krewes are already planning for next year’s rides, it’s time the riders do, too.
I’m a very lucky girl: I get to ride in two very different Mardi Gras krewes, Muses and King Arthur.
One rides during the day and the other at night, one is coed and the other is all-female, one has been parading for 35 years and the other for 12; riding in such varied parades has taught me a few key things.
1. Wear comfortable shoes. I don’t mean heels or heeled boots that you can stand in all night at a party (though I know of a couple Muses that pull this off). I also don’t mean shoes that you would wear to stand at a Mardi Gras parade. Wear the most comfortable shoes you’ve ever thought about...
|
 |
02/13/12
Where does Cupid’s arrow fit among floats and beads?
|
 |
01/30/12
Comic Con New Orleans 2012
|
 |
01/18/12
When I first moved to New Orleans (to attend Newcomb College in 1999), Bywater was a place that only those “in the know” talked about; and when it was mentioned, we were warned to only go “with a group.”
Since then, much has changed in that neighborhood and in New Orleans (understatement of the century, right?). I’ve had a blast in Bywater and in other sections of town from which I was once warned away.
When I went to Bywater last weekend, I found it to be everything I was promised in college and more – except that going “with a group” still holds true, but only because it can be more fun that way.
My fiancé, a very dear friend and I had made the trek (because when you live in “the sliver on the...
|
 |
01/04/12
By this point we’ve all read, heard and seen that, whether we like it or not, 2012 is here with a vengeance. Along with the start of a new year comes the pressure to make a resolution. My confession: I’ve never made a New Year’s resolution. I don’t believe in them and, honestly, I feel like it’s just another way for others to substantiate our internal fears. We should all try to be our healthiest, fittest, most honest and most charitable selves, without pressure from strangers.
However, for me, this year is different. During 2011 I had my first hugs with new babies and my last with loved ones; I attended weddings and funerals; and (I think) I grew up a bit. Since this year feels different, I decided to start it differently and finally made a...
|
 |
12/21/11
At no other time of the year (except maybe for Carnival) do so many people have Traditions (yes, with a capital “T”). Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a stickler for traditions myself – I served as ritualist for my sorority for two years and was once known to cry when, instead of having our traditional Thanksgiving afternoon at the house, my Dad brought home box seats to the Cowboys game. But there’s something about traditions affiliated with the holidays that engenders extremes of emotions.
When my fiancé and I bought our home, we started new holiday traditions. Anyone who has gone through the merging of family holiday rituals will understand the worries of that first year: Will my parents get upset? Will his? Will we get time just to...
|
Morgan Packard may not be a native New Orleanian, but with every passing day New Orleans becomes more her home. Attending Newcomb College and gaining her masters from Tulane University, Packard immersed herself in the culture and peculiarities of the Big Easy, the culmination of which was reached when she joined the staff of Renaissance Publishing in May 2006. You can reach Morgan at (504) 830-7227 or morgan@myneworleans.com.
