I've never really been fair in my criticism of New Orleans. I still will not at all say that the city is one I especially like. The heat is oppressive. I like to walk to and from the converntion center, but I feel a slight burn from a bit of walking today. Moreover, I like not having to sweat excessively. Ah well. There's a lot of derelict storefronts to be seen, of course. I still think that people come here to try to hard to have fun or something like that.
But I also know this: the great financial corner-cutting I had to undertake on my last conference visit in 2002 meant I experiences only a cheap hotel and lame food. The weather was not great then - drab and grey. I didn't know other people at the conference other than my colleagues. This time, despite some flight and luggage issues, things are different. Nice hotel room. I am running into people from elsewhere whom I know. I need not count my pennies so.
And I had a good meal tonight. I only wish the photos had all turned out!
My meal of Louisiana cochon (pork) with turnips, cabbage, and cracklins. Not sure where the cabbage really was, but it also had some peach chunks on it. Very very very good!
David and I met for dinner at Cochon. In fact, I was early (having come from Madeleine Albright's keynote lecture - I only wish she'd mentioned her appearance on Gilmore Girls!), so I sat down with CG, Melissa, and Terry as they finished up. It's a handsome place in the Warehouse District - clean lines, blond wood, that lofty/sort of finished feel. David and I each had three courses, split a half bottle of an Argentine Cabernet Sauvignon, and had coffee to finish. Total bill with tip: $53 each. If we'd had as much food the night before at the touristy place, it would have been a similar price and nowhere near as good.
Our meal:
"link" sausage with stone ground grits and peppers (David)
smoked ham hocks with braised greens (me)
fish special - lemonfish? I wasn't paying attention. It looked good. That was David's.
My cochon.
David's dessert was some orange creamsicle/chocolate cookie thing that looked lovely. Mine was the homelier but tasty peach buckle with creme fraiche (shown below):
I actually kind of want to change a future reservation and go back and try some of the other things like the wood-fired oyster roast or the head cheese with house -made mustard or the rabbit and dumplings.
Anyway, a decent day. One program done, lunch - unexpectedly - with a GLBTRT colleague, a meeting that was kind of weird (no quorum, a little steam blown off by others), the excellent Albright speech during which I sat next to an architect from Edmonton whom I chatted with at length before it all got underway.
Shall I actually get up at 8 tomorrow for a program?
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