Laissez les bons temps rouler

I returned home yesterday afternoon from the hospital after giving birth to my new granddaughter (it was exhausting!) in time to take K out for our traditional Friday Date Night dinner out.  It was cool (40's) and so we thought some gumbo and a brew from the Big Easy* might hit the spot.  We nailed it.

This place is a simple, New Awlins style dive.  If you're ever in New Orleans and you want some good food, forget about Antoin's and Commander's Place and such.  This is the kind of place you want to look for.  Beer signs on the wall, sagging ceiling, a variety of different hot sauces on every table, well worn chairs that wobble a little....

K had the shrimp and fried green tomato poboy and I had a delicious bowl of seafood gumbo.

On the drive back home I started thinking about the New Orleanian (?) lifestyle.  I've been there many, many times and have a love/hate relationship with the place.  It's one of the dirtiest, nastiest places in America.  Official corruption is rampant and open, the roads are horrible, and the French Quarter is a tourist trap.  It's a very poor city.

That said, the people are among the nicest anywhere.  And here's what struck me when I thought about it:  Despite all the negatives I mentioned above, they're a happy lot.  If you ever visit there and leave hungry, it's your own fault!  There's no better cuisine anywhere.

They've learned how to take ingredients that are plentiful and cheap....local seafood, mud bugs (crawfish), potatoes, onions, corn....and make a feast of it. 

Bring out a zydeco and they have a party.  

Enough music and a street to dance in and they call it a Fais Do Do.

My point is, these people know how to enjoy life.  They seem to be able to make the most of what they have, regardless of their circumstances.  Treat them with respect and they'll welcome you with open arms.  It's just a fun place.

Most of us here in Yuppieville seem to need to get out and be seen, spending money we don't have in order to look good, buying things we don't need, thinking this will somehow make us happy.  I think we're trying too hard.  We should look at our friends in Louisiana and learn how to have fun.

I know where to find the gumbo.  Now, who has a zydeco?  

S

*Big Easy is the nickname for New Orleans.