Monday, November 2, 2026

Just a few of the incredible art pieces at the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden (February 6, 2026)

The "stacked man" sculpture "Karma," created by renowned South Korean artist Do Ho Suh in 2011, stands 23 feet (7 meters) tall and is crafted from brushed stainless steel. It features 98 human figures sitting on each other's shoulders, with each consecutive person reaching down to cover the eyes of the figure directly beneath them. The figures diminish in size as they ascend, creating a dramatic optical illusion of infinite height reaching toward the sky.
 

Otis and P. Tom are looking for alligators. The sculpture garden on the grounds of the New Orleans Museum of Art contains almost 12 acres of landscaped grounds, lagoons, live oaks, and walking paths to nearly 100 modern and contemporary sculptures by international and local artists. The sculpture garden is free and open to the public.

 "Travelin' Light," created by artist Alison Saar, is the bronze figure of a man hanging upside down from a chain. The sculpture also functions as a bell--pulling a cord releases a deep, resonant gong sound. Otis is in the background, still searching for an alligator.
The famous Blue Dog sculptures in and around New Orleans were created by the late Louisiana artist George Rodrigue, inspired by the Cajun loup-garou (werewolf) legend.
"Mother and Child" by the renowned Colombian artist Fernando Botero, is a large, voluminous bronze sculpture depicting a full-figured woman holding a baby/child. In Botero's signature style, the figures feature exaggerated proportions and monumental volume. The large female figure standing or positioned over/on top of a smaller-scale male figure leads to diverse and conversational interpretations about power dynamics, domestic roles, or family hierarchy.
"The Seated III" by contemporary Kenyan-American artist Wangechi Mutu was created out of bronze in 2019. The sculpture depicts an empowered, celestial-humanoid female figure adorned with coils. It reinterprets the classical carytid (a sculpted female figure traditionally used as an architectural load-bearer), liberating the figure from supportive servitude to assert her own autonomy.


Sunday, November 1, 2026

Preservation Hall (February 5, 2026)

View of Bourbon Street from Cornet, a restaurant at the corner of St. Peter Street.
I think these are fried green tomatoes. Delicious, whatever they are!
 
View of Preservation Hall at 726 St. Peter from the upstairs balcony of Cornet.

LaWanda outside Preservation Hall.
LaWanda inside Preservation Hall. Dixieland jazz to come!

Thursday, October 29, 2026

Voodoo Museum (Thursday, February 5, 2026)

An altar in the New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum in the French Quarter. Rituals, zombies, gris-gris, Voodoo queens--it's all here. LaWanda met with Frank, a white-haired man with a cane, for a psychic reading. 
 

The Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club is one of New Orleans' most historic and famous African American Mardi Gras krewes, with roots dating back to 1901.Their parade is one of my favorites.

Otis didn't get to see a real live gator. But he got to see this voodoo gator with a mohawk (?) and cigarette.


Tuesday, September 22, 2026

Moseying around the French Quarter (Thursday, February 5, 2026)

LaWanda at the famous cornstalk fence
 
Sidewalk entrepreneurship. Dirty jokes for $1. 

Mardi Gras masks at Royal Street tourist shop
Seriously, you don't have to flash for beads. But the T-shirt could be a backup plan for the modest. 
LaWanda under a Gone Gay sign. 
This guy crossed the street to sweet talk LaWanda into all of us eating at Le Spectecle. We did, before the Preservation Hall performance. The food was great!

Monday, September 21, 2026

Jackson Square (February 5, 2026)

I wish I could remember the name of this mule that pulls carriages around the French Quarter. There are dozens of them that rotate through short, four-hour shifts to meet strict local animal welfare codes.
 
Fancy hooves!

Art and music all around the Square.

Somber memorial to the 14 people who died on New Year's Day 2025 in a deadly vehicle-ramming and shooting attack ahead of the Sugar Bowl. Tragically, another 57 people were injured, including two police officers.

Sunday, September 20, 2026

French Quarter with LaWanda and Otis (Thursday, February 5, 2026)



Otis and LaWanda on the Mississippi. Not the Proud Mary behind them, but close enough. Either the steamboat Natchez or the Creole Queen, offering jazz cruises.
Papa and me at a closed riverboat dock, now heavy with padlocks memorializing forever love. Yes, we're in the right place.
Beignets buried in powdered sugar at Cafe du Monde. The extra hand is Papa's.
There he is!

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

City of the Dead (February 4, 2026)

Our first stop after meeting at the airport was at one of New Orleans' cemeteries. The famous Metarie cemetery had closed right before we got there. I can't remember the name of this one, but it's off I-10. Note that some of the graves are not in crypts but are slightly above ground. If you dig the standard six feet, you hit water in New Orleans!
 

The Virgin Mary with her Son decorates a crypt.
Peaceful shady dirt road among the crypts.
Death need not be somber or sad. I believe this woman led a fun life and is probably having fun in the hereafter too. Someone she left behind still takes her fresh flowers. 
Papa, Otis, and LaWanda at the whimsical graveside.


But all isn't old. A family installed this crypt protected by the Archangel Michael and blessed by the Virgin Mary, complete with benches for contemplation.

The Virgin Mary at the recently installed crypt that's full of drawers for family and loved ones to be together in the afterlife.

Another interpretation of the Virgin Mary, Christ, and God, maybe?

Monday, May 18, 2026

Almost Mardi Gras with LaWanda, Otis, and Donna (February 4, 2026)


LaWanda's ready! See the family portraits over her left shoulder? Otis thought Mom was me. I know. It's hard to believe I was once a kid.

I brought a hat and beads from our Mardi Gras room. Donna sent the hat to us for Ryder's 30th birthday party in Cedar Park. Seventeen years later, it almost fits Otis. Ultimately, it was too tight for him.
Donna, Colton, and Keely kindly welcomed us for our visit.
 

Saturday, May 16, 2026

Shopping after the winter storm (January 31, 2026)

Time to check out at Costco. I'm always pleasantly surprised at how quickly the line moves. Are Costco shoppers and employees the most efficient ever?
 

Friday, May 15, 2026

Freezing rain and sleet--almost snow (January 25-26, 2026)


 Sunning above the 0.6" of sleet
 

Fall leaves and winter ice

Tom is taking the leaf blower to Greg's to melt the ice on his sidewalk for him. Tom's a good guy!

Thursday, May 14, 2026

Mew-sical cat (January 2026)


Sweet dreams! 
Big Boy and Colette are happy we're home from Maui.


Whenever Tom turns on the keyboard, Colette comes running for her "mews-ic" lesson. Usually she is on top of the keyboard batting at Tom's hands to prevent him from playing. 
 

Thursday, April 2, 2026

Aloha, Maui! (January 2, 2026)


We and the Moraga Lewises flew home on January 2. At the Maui airport, our bags were inspected by the US Department of Agriculture. No pineapples allowed?

According to Polynesian myth, the demigod Maui captured the sun at the summit of Haleakala. After the sun promised to traverse the sky more slowly for the benefit of humanity, Maui released his captive. The sun represents life and knowledge.

Ah yes! We arrived on Christmas Day and flew home on January 2. The tree was still up.

We flew from Maui to Seattle, where we changed planes. Then to Austin early on January 3, where the moon greeted us.