Showers. Love. Paris. Flowers. Fools. Songbirds. Warm.
To all of the ideas associated with April in New Orleans we add festivals and holidays – lots of them: French Quarter, Jazz Fest, and this year, Easter. It is a packed calendar, but with our usual aplomb we’ll do it all and will do it well.
In April, the daytime natural light of the city is nearly Mediterranean in hue and crystal in clarity. The evenings are still comfortable in short sleeves as we vacillate between the catch-up pace of spring and the go-slower pace of the upcoming summer.
April is just about the ideal month for photography. Greenery and colors have returned to the garden. The lawns are growing again and the views of the skyline at any time of day will never be as vibrant.
For full effect, take a ride on the river and soak in what a beautiful city we have; from certain locations looking quite American, move and she will show-off her jaunty European heritage and then from another angle a proud and brawny look of a major world port.
The Riverboat Natchez can get it all in for you, and along the way you may want to take full advantage of the ship’s hospitality, sipping on a Natchez Jazz Punch, which is a two-step cocktail preparation.
Natchez Jazz Punch
Natchez Jazz Punch Fruit Juice Mix (step 1)
16 ounces orange juice
18 ounces pineapple juice
18 ounces cranberry juice
5 ounces grenadine
4 ounces Island Oasis Passion Fruit Puree
Pour all ingredients into an empty 64-ounce container, shake well and refrigerate. Will keep for about 3-5 days.
Natchez Jazz Punch Cocktail (step 2)
Fill a 16-ounce tall glass with ice and add:
3/4 ounce Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum
3/4 ounce Castillo Gold Rum
Then fill glass up with fruit juice mix, leaving enough room for a “float.” Float 3/4 ounce Ron Pontalba 151 Rum on top. Garnish with a fresh fruit slice.
Courtesy of Steamboat Natchez, Port of New Orleans
