Needless to say New Orleans was a great place to visit when you're a heavy drinker, my first trip was cross country drive with an exboyfriends sister in the early 1990s, we stopped in New Orleans to visit my friend Angela who had moved from LA, she showed us one terrific night on the town, just a taste, but enough to make me want more of The Big Easy.
Over the years I've worked a lot down in New Orleans on various music projects, always creating a party for myself and the people I brought down with me for the trip, attending Jazz Voodoo, French Quarter Fest or helping reopen Preservation Hall after Katrina. I spent a lot of time soaking up the culture and many hurricanes.
Visiting sober brought up a few things, luckily I knew immediately how to handle them, go to an AA meeting. Towns with heavy drinking usually have tons of AA meetings and are terrific places to be sober, New Orleans is no exception to that rule.
I've been to a meeting a day since my arrival, falling in love with one called On The Dot which takes place above a fantastic coffee house called Mojo's in the lower Garden District. If you are ever in NOLA and need a meeting check this one out, it happens daily and I'm guessing maybe a few meetings a day.
There is a lot of sobriety here in New Orleans, the drunks and the recovering share the same small city in a harmonious dance. I've even managed to collect my six year chip on my visit.
Last night I took friends to Preservation Hall to see old school NOLA jazz and then I insisted my friend who had never had a hurricane at Pat O Briens or seen a dialing piano bar take part in these traditions.
I spent many many hours in Pat O Briens next to the flaming fountain, my four hurricane minimum before I could go out and start partying.
Last night I drank something called Eye of The Hurricane, a non alcoholic version of the famous drink. The waiter said its called that because nothing happens in the eye of the hurricane, ha, little do these guys know that's where they greatest stuff takes place.
The overly sweet drink was basically a koolaid but it felt good to socialize with friends in this familiar setting. I didn't miss the booze.
Tomorrow I head home to Detroit, which after two weekends away I actually am starting to miss my apartment.
My take away from this trip, catching up with friends is the best medicine for everything, and being sober in New Orleans is a different yet wonderful experience.
