Postcards from New Orleans

We will be here in NY waiting for the next iteration.

by the way "Low Life" is excellent!! I am devouring it right now. Thanks for the suggestion!

Just goes to show you everyting is cyclical!

T

Mommy & I having a ball. Temp today in the 70's! So many freaky people here. What is it? Hattie?

discovered yesterday way uptown-
a dance/yoga studio with total black and purple goth decor. If vampyres do yoga, they must do it here.

sighted today at Dauphine Street-

a new hybrid -
goth with mullet!

only in NOLA, kids...

PLUS

Drag report:

Best drag queen names so far-
Blanche Debris
Hattie OneTooMany (look out hatches!!!)

Best bartender names-
Pitty Pat
Negligee
(both work at Big Daddy's -the bar on our corner)

[This message was edited by Chi Chi on 01-12-02 at 12:46 AM.]

hope your enjoying the gay mecca as much as I have. When do you come back and what's going on in NY?

Well, don't really know what's going on in NY as we've been here. Are you still out West? We'll be coming back in a few days and then returning here for the last week of Mardi Gras (Feb. 5) through mid-late February.

The next Factory event is Betty Page on March 9 at CBGB gallery space. See mothernyc website for details.

And yes, it really is a gay mecca - they even still have a proper bathhouse which is also the only gym in the Quarter.

Back in NYC from PPTown..Nice to be home. The only thing missing is you and Daddy.Hurry back soon..

Before I forget, we went to the most divine bar last night and it is about four doors from our house. It's called The Queen's Pub and its a good thing we just discovered it because I might have become a fixture there and an alky during our stay. Old school does not begin to define it - the bartender is absolutely the sweetest queen of a certain age (55+) even in this city of sweet older queens who all call you darlin'. Natch there is a piano bar scene there, and interestingly, a very mixed crowd.

Over our three dollar drinks that were about the same size and twice as strong as NY equivalent, Billy the bartender (or Chardonnay Chartres his drag name) gave us a total rundown of must-attend drag events during Mardi Gras - including MISS LYDIA THOMPSON'S HOOKER'S BALL on Lundi Gras at legendary drag club The Mint. Meanwhile, a song came on the jukebox and the queen next to me said - "I came out in 1958 and this song was playing everywhere!"

Like most of NO, the Christmas decor has been left up and the Mardi Gras decor (in this case white plumes) just added to it. Divine!

++++++++++++++++
And of course-
Hi Bobby, welcome home! See you soon..

If you see a drucken Englishman staggering in the st in New Orleans-take a second look-it may be my brother!!!!!He left today for a shoot down there-hope your both having a great time-Whitney sends a kiss!
love boots

See today's NYT article: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/15/national/15FLOW.html?homepageinsidebox

I'm so jealous! I hope you make time to check out her act.

xo
MM

How funny! I was just reading about the Gennifer Flowers act earlier this morning! Mother and Daddy, you really MUST go and see her perform and give us highlights. I wonder if at any time during her act she parts her legs to give her audience a viewing of her historically significant vagina, that pink Southern Rose that Bill Clinton plucked again and again.

And her club used to be a Lucky Chengs?
'nuf said.

We walked by but didn't go in. Sorry boys.

Mommy and Daddy, I sure do mis y'all. Between the (temporary, I hope) demise of my iMac and frequent trips to CT, I have been a bit out of the loop. I do so love NO, even when it's cold and grey. I guess I will try to go down sometime during Lent. Save me something Cajun!

Hurry back safely. And be back in time to see me at Cheez Whiz . I miss you both.LOVE BMXXX

I'll be there Bobby as long as you promise to do another interpretive dance in your undies to "I Am What I Am". I'm also bringing Sweetie a little "sumthin' Cajin". Maybe there will be a little left over for you Hatch.

moving outta lisa's room...

i would GLADLY come over for a visit. i had talked to my friend nick -who i stayed with last time - when i saw him in n.y.c. about coming over for a good carnival party. if sammy and glammy came too, well... look out, mon chere.

think about a good weekend and let's do it.

And certainly not in my underwear. That space is too small to accomadate both my dick and my ego.

But I hope you'll enjoy the alternative.

Let 'er rip!

Would that be a gullet?

what's next Ache breaky goth?

only in NOLA!

Hurry back!

T&D

My dear empress, how could you be absent for the Superbowl?

I love that line about b-girls! No one speaks of b-girls anymore. We should open a trannie b-girl bar. I could pull out my bumble bee outfit (yes, I have one) and walk around all night saying "Well they told me I was supposed to be a bee-girl!"

Maya Angelou was once a b-girl.

Happy Fat Tuesday everyone. We always feel great on carnival day, and though we'll be spending our Fat Tuesday at Sotheby's and Bergdorf Goodman (I'm covering a corset lecture and Johnny is DJing) instead of at the Bourbon Street Awards as originally planned, our hearts are there with King Zulu, the spy boys and Big Chiefs, and of course, the ghost of the great Lee Brewster, who NEVER missed a year.

As a bit of penance I'll be bringing in a few stray New Orleans posts from around the boards, like this one from Drama Queen, originally in Jackie Legends topic-

Tips on truly american fabulous nightlife spots in new orleans: the audobon (sp?) on saint charles...they used to have a squeezebox knockoff called sleazebox that was pretty fun and joey arias has played there. and half moon cafe...best damn jukebox ever (only will retain that reputation if I find fischerspooner on it this year, which I don't doubt).

This also is from Jackie Legends Forum:

As far as FURTHER NOLA events, as soon as we have a date and a venue we'll be announcing it here and to the nola elist. We're trying to do something bigger than our last Jackie NOLA back in 1996 which was at Zeitgeist, and trying to do it on a weekend when some of our crowd might be in town anyway..

And FURTHER update:

Due to a rather surprising amount of work in NY this February and March, we will NOT be scheduling this event for the Spring season, through Jazzfest in late April. After that comes our NY crush - Library, Stevie, etc. So that makes a NOLA FURTHER before Fall an extremely remote possibility. We will of course keep you posted here.

..IS a postcard from New Orleans. The setting in St. Louis #1, which is one of our perennial stopping grounds. Here, a perfectly normal roll of film, except for the two pictures on the roll, towards the middle, of the Madame Laveau grave, which is just below eyelevel on the banner. THOSE two pics featured this crazy fushcia/purple cast, even though it was a bright summer day, and sky.

The banner photo is even more interesting because on the far right you see the actual blue sky. The rest is spectral photography. Knew we had to have it for the first "Elsewhere" banner.

The amount of homage paid to Marie Laveau is staggering - I would have to relate it to Oscar Wilde's grave in Pere Lachaise, or other cultural icons - like Elvis, for example. Whatever that power is, it obviously to this day can change the light in a photo, and that is why St. Louis (like Pere Lachaise) is at least an annual stop.

wow!
a beautiful image... made all the more with the story.
when i was in n'awlins, daddy and mommy took me to st. louis cemetary right after we touched the feet of st. jude.
strangely perfect, the four of us - mommy, daddy, glammy, and me - in that church.
and the XXX's on marie's grave...

i tried to get back there the next day - halloween - to see the real outpouring of love and magick on her grave. but missed the closing time (3 o'clock) by minutes. a woman dressed in white carrying rum, candles, and other offerings walked up to the locked gate at the same time and asked in frustration - "it's CLOSED??!!??" "yeah.," i said.
she looked at the top of the wall and said, "i'll get in later." and walked away.

If you come to New Orleans, you better say it right. It's pronounced "New Orlenz". No one from here says "New Orleens" unless they are writing a song or they want their ass kicked.

It's hot. It's humid. It rains. Those are the only 3 weather patterns we have here.

No one eats healthy. Fried Batter is actually a menu item in some restaurants.

Giving directions to a non-local in New Orleans is a waste of time. Every street intersects with each other. No two streets run parallel to each other.

The West Bank is actually East of the city. It would take too long to explain.

1 out of 3 street names are impossible to pronounce unless you were born in New Orleans, or you are a Cajun.

If the levee breaks, everyone here will die. No one seems worried about this problem either.

BUT...
There are 365 days in the year. There are 414 parties/festivals in New Orleans. (That's just on a slow month).

I'd like to know more about the gay/drag scene there. Are there lots of live shows and opportunites for drag work in New Orleans? If so, what are the shows like? Would a misfit androgyne genderfucker like me fit in to the picture somewhere?

Not sure of the working girl's scene in NO, right now, lex, just feel like drag was invented there! was the first place merlin ever saw a man dressed as a woman that looked exactly like steve mcqueen's girlfriend. hot hot hot. (that's the late '60's when you count backwards)

we had monthly elaborate local 'talent' contests for our girls during college (a la flawless sebrina's movie on the topic -- if you haven't seen it rent it), at the local gay bar in shreveport in nothern louisiana. so the history is there.

besides its the friendliest town in america.

chi chi,
i started to comment on the new banner and then stopped. i can't hold it in any longer.
after reading your post and looking at it again and again.

it's very moving. you have captured it darlings.

First of all Chi Chi: The banner is sooo beautiful. It reminds me of everywhere I love to be all at once.

Now/ Ptown : The streets have that extra special winter season/local folks look to it but I did see the ONLY speed freek at the A&P..grinding that lower jaw and looking at everyone as though they were the
devil. Scary, I got my goods and fled back to the house. So quiet here. A fire destroyed an entire building on Commercial a block up Commercial from Town Hall. Not a hair harmed on either side of it. Amazing because you know the buildings here are so close together. Two doors down from Daddy's new store.( My daddy)

Will go see Gens tommorrow.

Sunny and cool.

Im definately planning a trip back to the High priestess grave when we drive to the Big Sleazy for Gothcon next weekend. If any other Motherlovers are coming to town, let me know, maybe we could hook up.

Our friends at Gothcon report-

At the last minute, Marriot Marquis tried to add all these charges to the Gothcon folks which would have resulted in no profit for the charity - Louisiana AIDS. Bad karma for the MM, but the show is returning to the Crescent. Full details at http://www.gothcon.com

In other news, JD and I will be arriving back in Marigny around the 3rd of April and staying about a week, if anyone is lingering after.

We'll be in New Orleans next week. I'm not sure where you are but we'll be in The Marigny. Let's meet @ Flora's for a cup of Joe.

Going to see the Kings tomorrow night.
"It's Raining Kings" Drag King Show & Dance Party. Sounds like fun. It's at San Mone. 1500 Esplanade $3.
If you're there Drag King Betty, come and say hi. I'll be the one that looks like Tony Danza. Oh, I guess that dosen't narrow it down does it? well just shout out "Daddy!" Oh, that won't work either will it? Well, you'll figure it out I'm sure.

hi darlings,
i hope you are relaxing and enjoying the time together.
miss you.
kisses

ohhhhhh daddy,

sorry to have missed you! if i wasn't out of town on business i would have hollered up and down the Bourbon screaming "Daddy!". how long will u be stayin' in NOLA? i should be back sometime next week!

Had too much fun this trip - we still have about 36 hours left but wanted to file the report now while it is fresh. Have to say I love, love, love this town - when one is here, one is truly Elsewhere!

Highlights this time:
- We went out last weekend with Dale DeVere and Champain, who were coincidentally here on R&R for our first five days. Dale got a car and driver so we decided to go clubhopping, especially to check out some nooks and crannies in rather borderline nabes that we might not have done on foot or trying to call cabs in drag. THE BEST was the Drag King night at San Mone on 1500 Esplanade - at $3 cover and about 20 acts this was an entertainment bargain of the decade. The acts ranged from a Flloyd-like King doing very performancy drag with mucho props to a baby-faced realness king lipping Marvin Gaye. the crowd was hot, about half and half butches and femmes, with some burleQ girls in feather headresses and Daddy as the lone genetic male, as far as Champers and I could make out. Frpm what we understood talking to the Dee Finley-like host Miss Sherry (or was it Mr.?) butch drag is still pretty rare there as far as a whole night being dedicated to it. I would say if you are in town and this posse is doing something, check it out - I believe they go by Fe-Male Trouble.

NOTE: Our driver that night was rather dull-witted and kept making wrong turns and driving around Treme - which is historically one of the most crime-infested nabes here (and that is saying alot)not exactly where you might want to be with several trannies in a limo. So, if you do go to the club, just stay on Esplanade, which is fine - it is rather dicey on the side streets up there.

-On Sunday Daddy and I finally made it on a plantation tour, and found ourselves on a bus with about 40 people driving to Vachere, La. to the Oak Alley Plantation (the one that burns in "Interview With A vampire.") It was incredibly beautiful with this vast double row of 300 year old oak trees flanking the main house. I was longing for a dress code tho - the guides were all dressed antebellum but alas baseball caps and khakis abounded on 90% of our fellow visitors. A few hours at the plantation and the ride there on the River Road, (past dozens of other plantations and their slave quarters) gives you this sense of slavery and the extraordinary wealth that the slave system made possible. Fascinating and sad.

Oak Alley also felt really haunted, and when we came back we did a bit more research and found out that it is indeed one of the most haunted plantations. I would actually like to go back to this area by car and sleep over on one of the plantations(several are now guesthouses as well) to see what they are like when all the tour groups leave at 5.

One of the most interesting things they tell you on the tour is what the makeup of the mid nineteenth-century was like - part beeswax,part crushed eggshells and worn for about 8 days! ugh.

-Rolling Thunder: Had a HUGE storm yesterday with tornados outside of town and torrential rains. the thunder went on for about 12 hours and it really did roll. Never heard this before and it was amazing. And there were still people in every bar!

Other bits:

The "Digital Louisiana" show at the Contemporary Arts center is worth a trip - thought of glammie the whole time..Everyone still wants to talk to us about 9/11 so we've taken to calling ourselves New Orleanians instead of New Yorkers..Woke up early on Saturday morning and went to the store about 10 A.M. BOTH bars on the corner were already full, including two electric wheelchairs parked outside..Night-blooming jasmine is divine...Big story in town this week - the mother/daughter madams busted for running a fancyhouse on Canal Street. Things change, but they remain the same..

Next time I guess Betty.
Back in NY now but I still can't get over how hot the Dykes are in NOLA. "Fe-male Trouble" rocks! When we first walked in I was amazed at how mixed the club was. Half men and half women. About 20 mins. later I realized that I was the only genetic male not in drag! They're good!

note:
Every "guy" in the place was stunned into submission by Dale Devere's long legs.



http://www.queenmother.tv/nycgirl/dale/dale.html
http://www.queenmother.tv/nycgirl/champain/cham.html

[This message was edited by daddy on 04-12-02 at 11:43 AM.]

Dear Chi Chi and Johnny,

Hope that you had a wonderful time and that you got back to NYC In one piece and safe.

D through ted's typing.


ps. is this "feeling the good"?

T

Empress and daddy, I stayed a few days after Gothcon and � swear I saw you walking on Frenchman St two weeks ago. I forgot you were coming so it didn't dawn that it was you two until you were a block away. I went after you but you had gone inside somewhere.

You looked so at home there it was really nice . I may be spending a lot more time there soon - I was offered a really good job for next year and am thinking of moving there. I love New York but it is too expensive for now, and Houston is dead except for the big fetish parties.

Besides the beauty and the low rents (my friends are paying $450 for a 2 BR in Mariny Triangle) I also love the way Goth culture is stamped into everything - there is gay goth, country-western goth, vampire goth, voodoo goth, gutterpunk goth, and lots more. Goth is not so segrgated like NY, and it is more fun to dress and go out there because of it.