Who Dat

Since the first night we arrived, everything has been an authentic NOLA experience. Even the quick street food has it's own flare. Everyone talks about the quality/quantity of food in New Orleans, and it's true. Wednesday night we had a 4 course meal at Jacques-Imo's: alligator and shrimp cheesecake (more like a quiche, not as strange sounding) and calamari to start, fried oysters on the house salad, roast duck with shittake mushrooms, and creme brulee. Other meals included duck quesadillas, sausage jambalaya, crap and brie dip, po boys at the site of the "World's Best Ham," and steaming hot beignets. The gym is definitely a necessity after returning from any trip to NOLA.

The work environment has been just as varied and representative of New Orleans style. The different issues dealt with by the NOLAC attorneys include homelessness, domestic violence or family law, housing, and contractor fraud. Though my assigned attorney deals primarily with consumer protection and contractor fraud, the most interesting experience of the week was getting to sit in on a family law hearing on Wednesday. Honorable Judge Tiffany Chase allowed us to sit in the gallery while she determined a temporary custody issue brought about because the family separated after Katrina. Five years later, and Katrina is still mentioned in every timeline and fact pattern (many restaurants even have "Our Katrina Story" on the back of their menus.)

On a personal level, I most enjoyed our day trip on Sunday, the day after we arrived. We woke up (relatively) early and went to the French Quarter for beignets at Cafe Du Monde. Afterwards we split up and walked around the French Quarter (the architecture is absolutely stunning - EVERY house has wrought iron balconies and columns, and yet the bright colors and foliage make each building seem individual) for about two hours. It was great to just have the freedom to explore. We saw tourists, locals, and a street band with a homeless fan base having far too much fun singing along. Afterwards, we got back into the vans and went to the Lower 9th Ward to meet Wayne, a man who sat on the roof of his house for over two days in the storm waiting to be rescued by the Marines. His story was truly incredible and really put the event into perspective - watching the news and seeing pictures from across the country cannot even begin to describe how utterly and completely Hurricane Katrina devastated these peoples lives. However, they are slowly beginning to rebuild and return, as evidenced by the motorcycle street races we witnessed during Wayne's story.

Overall, New Orleans is a city with incredible spirit and strength. Whether in the upper class Garden District (where it would not be surprising if nearly every gorgeous mansion was haunted), the Lower 9th Ward, or the French Quarter, the city's residents are pushing on and trying to bring the area back to its former glory. As another judge I met this week said, especially after the epic Superbowl win, the city has shorn it's "victim status." Everything we have seen this week proves that to be true!