Water Lilies add beauty, color and health to a pond. Another New Orleans Favorite!

        Another beautiful aquatic plant that likes New Orleans.  I am not good at growing these water lilies as they need to be fed and cared for.  It is sure worth it to see them bloom throughout the New Orleans Summer.  These are found at City Park at the Botanical Gardens.  For only $6.00 you too could have the tour.  There is much, much more to see and photograph.  Take the walk !

        Going to a place like this is almost cheaper than going to a fast food place. You can give a couple of passes to your clients. Many locals have not been here or have not visited recently. I can almost do a series on doing New Orleans on the cheap.

What's in your backyard? My backyard has plenty of plants and they love this weather!

 

       One of my hobbies is growing bromeliads.  They are very easy to grow in the New Orleans area as they love humidity and our mild temperatures.  The leaves are colorful.  The exotic blooms are even more colorful and long lasting.  Many will stay for several months.  They reproduce by off shoots called pups.  Break them off and you have another couple of plants.

Audubon Trace, Townhomes or Condos? Its a great place to live!

 Jefferson Parish

      The Audubon Trace Condos are located in Old Jefferson between Jefferson Highway and the Mississippi River Levee.  They are townhouse condos.  Town homes are the particular style of home and condos mean common areas and maintenance are shared.  This is not your typical apartment conversion to condos but rather a designed community of attached townhouses with plenty of common grounds.  Its a little different lifestyle over your typical condo in Jefferson.

       The townhouses are spread out over 15 acres with townhouses spread out in units of 8-10 condos.  Almost all are two bedroom townhouse  style unit.  The townhouse style is where the bedrooms are up or down.type of condos.  The larger units do have garages but parking is very easy and plentiful.

       What you do not get at Audubon Trace is the normal apartment feel of being on top of your neighborhoods like so many condo complexes in Metairie.  You have plenty of room for walking the pets as well as yourself.  If you like being out doors Jefferson Playground and tennis courts are right out the back gate.  There is a large playground, full size track,  and the Mississippi River long a favorite of bicyclers and Rollerblades.  There two large pools on the grounds of Audubon Trace Condos for residents.

      Prices will be from 175k-200k for the most common floor plans.  These will be units from 1250-1400 sq. ft. of living.  These will have open parking.  The prices will vary depending on the style of the unit, square footage and the amount of updates that have been done.  They are almost 25 years old so almost all the units will have varying degrees of updates. 

     The Audubon Trace Townhouse Condos will have some some sort of private outdoor area for your own plants and outdoor furniture.  The condo association is very strong.  Its staff of workers do a very nice job of maintaining the  exterior of the units and the common areas.  The two swimming pools, large amount of trees, shrubs and grass make it its own special neighborhood.  That why you have many long time residents!

The Double Shotgun Home, A New Orleans Origional!

        The Shotgun Style of home originated in New Orleans beginning in the 1830's and extending to 1920's.  This was the predominate style of home in New Orleans during that time.  It was a narrow rectangle raised house on a small lot generally no wider than 25′.   There were no hallways but you walked through one room to the next.  Its was not until 1903 that people began to call them Shotguns, it was boasted that shooting a shotgun through the front door the buckshot would leave through the back door.  A double shotgun is where the middle wall is shared, often times occupied by another family member.  Thousands are still here !

New Orleans has plenty of statues, This is another very interesting one!

     New Orleans is a historic town and been around for about 300 years.  This fact alone means there is a lot of history.  One of the  interesting things is that you commemorate a lot of things through statues.  Found this one in City Park enjoying a fall afternoon under the spreading oak trees.

Garden District New Orleans, Developed in 1832-1900 from larger plantations.

       The Garden District in New Orleans was developed in the prior before the Civil War and 1900.  The area was formerly plantations that were divided into several homes per block with large gardens  thus giving it the name of the Garden District.  Wealthy English speaking residents moved to the area and loved to show off their new wealth.  Over time many of the homes with large gardens were subdivided into small plots, thus increasing the variety of homes you see today.

Warehouse District Favorite, Lucy's Bar and Grill!

       Lucy's , the Retired Surfers Bar continues to be popular in the New Orleans Warehouse District.  Its been open since 1992.  Its actually a small chain of 3 that opened in 1985 by retired surfers.  Located on the corner of Tchoupitoulas and Girod at 701 Tchoupitoulas.  Its made it in New Orleans so it must have something to offer.  Moderate drink prices and food that is good.  Dressing up is not needed or required. 

     Its very normal to have bars and grills in the older neighborhoods of New Orleans. People just walk over to meet other people, have something to eat along with a couple of beers. 

Attention to detail! Uptown Victorian New Orleans Homes is full of details!

   After Hurricane Katrina the Saints were on their way to San Antonio, Texas.  But alas the commissioner said they should stay and helpthe city rebuild.  Football in the south is much much bigger than in other areas of the country.  Fans go all out to decorate, dress, eat, drink, socialize around the football games of the week. Thought this was a great cartoon about New Orleans. Geaux Saints, Lets win some more.

Ferns and French Quarter Balconies, Semi-Tropical Weather makes it all possible.

        The balconies in the New Orleans French Quarter that adorn the historic buildings are also a showcase for those with a green thumb.  A balcony is a porch to the world to show their skills.  This is made possible by plenty of moisture through our humidity and frequent showers.  Freezes are rare occurrences and the sunshine is plentiful.  The growing season is long with the best weather being October to May.  The Mississippi Delta soil is rich in organic materials.  The only rocks that we have are imported from other states and countries.