History and Enlightenment: Part 2
Another New Orleans treasure (that has some ACTUAL treasure in its history!) is Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar. (http://www.lafittesblacksmithshop.com/) It is located towards the end of all the excitement on Bourbon Street and is known as the oldest structure used as a bar in the United States! It was built between 1722 and 1732, and in keeping with the old-time feel, there is no electricity in the establishment. Fireplaces and candles light the entire place, and its history includes visits from not just the typical important people of America, but the famous outsiders, as well! Lafitte’s was a place where pirates would trade stories and brawl over those special finds from “where X marks the spot.” Jean Lafitte himself was a spy and the hero of the Battle of New Orleans, and it is rumored that the Lafitte brothers used the property as a base for their smuggling operation between 1772 and 1791. The building has survived two fires and, of course, the great Hurricane Katrina herself.
During the tour, the farthest distance we had to travel from our hotel to a location where we would be setting up was when we worked a day in Bogalusa, LA. The town, unfortunately, smelled like a mixture between an unwashed foot, a dirty sock and a rancid butthole due to a paper mill that was located close by. However, the light in the day that shined through for me was when I decided to find a small, local establishment to eat at during my lunch break. Using Urbanspoon to find either a diner or a café, a placed called Vicki’s Café and Gifts came up. (http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/187/1445152/restaurant/Louisiana/Vickis-Cafe-and-Gifts-Bogalusa) As I entered the house where the café was located, I noticed there were no customers. I turned to a woman working and asked, “Is the restaurant closed?”
“Actually,” she responded in a thick southern accent, “the place closed at 2pm and it’s 2:30 now, but honey, I’ll cook you anything you like! What’s your name?”
“Well, I’m Lindsay,” I stated while starting to put my hand out to shake hers.
“I’m Miss Vicki!” she said enthusiastically and ignored my hand, proceeding to give me a big hug instead.
I looked around, and noticing the simplicity of the place, asked if they took credit cards.
“No, actually we don’t,” Miss Vicki responded, “but you can go ahead and write me an IOU and come back and pay another day!”
I dumfounded, explained that wouldn’t be possible since I was staying an hour away in New Orleans, but luckily I had some checks on me.
After scanning the menu while drinking a sweet tea and licking my lips at absolutely every gravy-covered, butter-slathered thing I read about, I asked Miss Vicki her opinion on what I should order. She decided that I shouldn’t have to order just one thing, rather try a little bit of all the specials on the menu! (I shouldn’t admit it, but she served me a feast and I ate every bite.) As I was leaving, and after having much conversation about the reason I was in the middle of nowhere Louisiana all the way from California, Miss Vicki asked how many people I was working with and gave me cake to take back to all of them.
Now, if that isn’t the prime example of a southern belle, I don’t know what is.
FINAL PART COMING SOON!!!
