PIKACHU IN THE PARK

August 10, 2016 by Charlie London

pikachupark

The character Pikachu was seen in Fortier Park this morning.
A character of a different kind was seen sleeping nearby.

pokemon-parkPIKACHU IN THE PARK!

Pikachu (Japanese: ピカチュウ?) are a species of Pokémon, fictional creatures that appear in an assortment of video games, animated television shows and movies, trading card games, and comic books licensed by The Pokémon Company, a Japanese corporation. The Pikachu design was conceived by Atsuko Nishida and finalized by Ken Sugimori. Pikachu first appeared in Pokémon Red and Green in Japan, and later in the first internationally released Pokémon video games, Pokémon Red and Blue, for the original Game Boy.

Like other species of Pokémon, Pikachu are often captured and groomed by humans to fight other Pokémon for sport. Pikachu are one of the most well-known varieties of Pokémon, largely because a Pikachu is a central character in the Pokémon anime series. Pikachu is regarded as a major character of the Pokémon franchise as well as its mascot, and has become an icon of Japanese pop culture in recent years.

courtesy Wikipedia

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NATIONAL LAZY DAY

Today there will not be much information regarding this annually celebrated holiday as we do not feel like doing any research. Actually, we do not feel like doing anything at all.  So we are in our hammocks with a couple of good books and glasses of lemonade and iced tea.  Yes, it is National Lazy Day, and we choose to be lazy rather than tell you that this holiday is observed each year on August 10th.

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WHAT IS POKEMON GO?

by John Davison at rollingstone.com

This weekend, you might have noticed some people – more people that usual – wandering around staring at their phones. To the untrained eye, it might have just looked like more tourists than usual were descending on your town, trying to follow a digital map to their next location. But those playing Pokémon Go could tell what was going on. Since its initial rollout on July 6th, the app already has more Android installs than Tinder, and will soon have more daily mobile users than Twitter. It’s already caused some skateboard spills, led a girl to find a dead body, and some not-so-clever teens allegedly even used it to lure in victims to rob. But WTF is it?

Developer of hottest mobile game ever is scrambling to deal with its popularity

Technically, it’s a free-to-play, location-based, augmented reality, multiplayer online mobile game that also supports its own custom wearable tech. Huh?
It’s still a Pokémon game, and has roughly the same principles as every other Pokémon from the past 20 years. You look for the critters, catch them, train them and battle with them. What’s different here is that it uses the real world to inform your game experience. The game uses your phone’s GPS sensors to track where you are, and makes use of a stylized Google map as the primary game board. Your character moves in the game as you walk around in real life, and events and objects – known as PokéStops – are associated with specific locations in the physical world. In order to interact with them, you need to actually walk to a particular place, like, in the real world. You can look at the game world through your phone’s display, which serves as a viewfinder that mixes reality with game objects. Hence the term “augmented reality.”

How does that actually play out?
For starters, Pokémon Go comes with no instruction manual, so you’ll have to rely on your intuition (or Google) to figure out just how to catch ’em all. The Pokémon will show up at random, but you will not have to compete with any other players for them. You may also notice certain Pokémon cluster in certain spots – for example, fire Pokémon tend to be found near gas stations, grass Pokémon in parks, and ghost Pokémon after dark. (Though law enforcement recommends that you stick to daylight hours.) The more Pokémon you catch, the more points you score as a trainer. You also score points when you rack up free items at Pokéstops, or when you evolve your Pokémon. Once you’ve accumulated enough experience points to reach Level 5, you can train your Pokémon at the nearest Gym, marked by a wacky-looking laser tower in your map. The Gym will usually be found near a local landmark. Where most people see a pack of weirdos circling a statue and thumbing at their phones, you will see a path to glory.

You mentioned wearable tech?
Walking around all day staring down at your phone may be something you’re used to doing anyway, but it’s not necessarily the safest option if you’re walking around a busy city. Don’t worry, though, your phone will vibrate whenever there is a Pokémon near you, so you won’t miss anything important. If you want to wear something that looks like a kid’s Pokéball watch, there will be an official Pokémon Go Plus wearable released any day now, which is a $35 wrist device that pairs with your phone via Bluetooth, buzzes when you’re near a Pokémon and lets you catch them with the push of a button.

How did all this get started?
The idea for the game was conceived in 2013 by the late Satoru Iwata, president and CEO of Nintendo, and Tsunekazu Ishihara of the Pokémon Company as an April Fools’ Day collaboration with Google called the Pokémon Challenge. Revealed with a slick trailer on YouTube (which has since been viewed over 17 million times), the “joke” launched a fake competition to find 150 Pokémon hidden in real world locations. The trailer showed participants holding up their phones to reveal the creatures through the device’s camera. Little did we know at the time that this would be the premise for the real game launched three years later.

How did it get so huge, so fast?
The game was originally supposed to be rolled out around the world starting in Australia on July 6th, and then it would launch in North America, before moving west to Europe and finally Asia. Things didn’t quite go according to plan though. By the time the game was turned on in North America, demand was so high that it made the game’s servers grind to a halt causing all kinds of problems. The game debuted at Number One on both iPhone and Android, and there were so many people trying to play it that the system struggled. Lots of players found that they couldn’t log in, or if they did, the game would freeze and crash. As a result, the global rollout was paused while things were fixed, which is on set for this week.

Filed Under: Featured, HISTORY, More Great Posts! Tagged With: bayou st john, character, faubourg st john, fortier park, fun, game boy, New Orleans, park, parks and recreation, pikachu, pokemon go

Residential Parking Permit

February 20, 2016 by Charlie London

A Residential Parking Permit is required to park on certain streets during specific or very busy times in the City of New Orleans.

http://www.nola.gov/onestop/residential/residential-parking-permit/

parking1

To establish a Residential Parking Permit zone:

A letter from the Neighborhood Association must be sent to:
PARKING DIVISION | RPP OFFICE | 1300 Perdido Street Rm 2W89 | New Orleans, LA 70112

This correspondence should verify the need of area residents for RPP in conjunction with the current Code of the City of New Orleans relative to Residential Parking.

A meeting must be held with the Executive Board of the organization and representatives from the RPP office. At this meeting a review of the ordinance, the process and policies will be provided by RPP office.

A public forum must be scheduled by the Neighborhood Association. Information on the place and date should be coordinated with the RPP office.

The RPP office will publish a notice in the newspaper. Flyers will be provided to the Neighborhood Association for distribution to area residents.

A full report must be prepared by members of the Neighborhood Association for presentation to the City Council. (The RPP office will advise the association which data must be included in this report.)

The forum will be conducted by RPP staff and officers of the Neighborhood Association.
A report of recommendations will be submitted to the City Council. This report will include parking survey data and other activities related to RPP in the specific neighborhood.
The City Council will review the report and take appropriate action to approve or disapprove.
If approved by the City Council, petitions from residents must be submitted to the RPP office. A majority of households on the block must sign the petition for that block to have RPP signs installed. Each side of the block is petitioned separately. If the block is 51% or more commercial, signs will not be installed on that block.

Signs (with 2 hr. restrictions) will be installed block by block if the majority of residents on a block have signed the petition.

Courtesy tickets will be issued for several days prior to enforcement.

parking2

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message below from Cheryn Robles, Community Outreach Manager of the Department of Public Works

“We would expect about 85 percent of the property owners/residents to agree that they no longer wish to participate in the program to eliminate it from the block. If you were establishing a zone we would expect about 95 percent to agree.

Sample text is below and you should also provide the name, address, phone number and email address for the signer when you submit the petition.

The undersigned residents of the ___ hundred block of ____ St. petition the Department of Public Works, the Mayor and City Council to (designate or eliminate) this block from Zone __ of the City f New Orleans, Residential Permit Parking program.”

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Parking enforcement personnel will be monitoring illegal parking, including blocking hydrants, driveways and sidewalks, or parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk, intersection or stop signs. Motorists are also reminded to park in the direction of travel on one-way streets, and with the right wheel to the curb on two-way streets.

JAZZ FEST PARKING SECRET IN THE LINK BELOW:
https://fsjna.org/2013/04/park-at-the-haus-for-jazz-fest/

The Jazz Fest Neighborhood Action Telephone Line is set up each year to allow communication between residents and the Jazz Fest.The line is used to report NON EMERGENCY matters only such as blocked driveways and streets, reports of illegal vending, trash, neighborhood access issues, traffic, and taxi problems, etc. The number is 504 942 7799.

The NAT Line (Neighborhood Action Telephone Line) that is activated the day before Jazz Fest is: 942-7799. You use this number for Jazz Fest nuisance related issues. Put this # in your cell phone! You call 911 for police emergencies and crime related events. For non-emergency police events call 821-2222.

photos by Charlie London

When parking around the Fair Grounds during Jazz Fest, please note that the City of New Orleans has a fleet of tow trucks in various sizes for your inconvenience should you decide to ignore basic parking rules.

The city towing hotline is (504) 658-8002.

Information below is from the CITY OF NEW ORLEANS website: http://nola.gov/

PARKING ENFORCEMENT REMINDERS:

The Fair Grounds Race Course is located in a residential part of the city offering restricted parking in surrounding neighborhoods. Festival-goers that are driving to the Fairgrounds are encouraged to park in downtown long term lots and use public transportation.

Parking enforcement personnel will be monitoring for illegal parking, including blocking hydrants, driveways and sidewalks, or parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk, intersection or stop signs, in the residential neighborhoods adjacent to the Fairgrounds. Motorists are also reminded to park in the direction of travel on one-way streets, and with the right wheel to the curb on two-way streets.

In addition, existing businesses will be allowed to sell their products on their property, both inside and outside of their business contingent upon not blocking public right of way. However, the City will aggressively enforce the rules against transient vendors (carts, trucks, etc.) from improperly selling their products within the festival’s “clean zone.”

The Department of Public Works is issuing citations for the following safety violations:

•Parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant: $20
•Parking in a fire lane: $20
•Parking on the median: $75
•Parking on the sidewalk: $20
•Parking in the travel portion of the roadway: $20
•Parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk or intersection: $20
Vehicles may be towed for all of the above violations; the tow fee is $156.

Citations can be paid and vehicles retrieved at 400 N. Claiborne Ave. from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday. Payments can also be mailed to:
Violations Bureau | P.O. Box 52828 | New Orleans, LA | 70152

Citations can be contested by mail. Instructions are listed on the back of the ticket.

For more information, please call the Department of Public Works at (504) 658-8000. The city towing hotline is (504) 658-8002.

Filed Under: Featured, HISTORY Tagged With: events, faubourg st john, jazz fest, New Orleans, park, parking, parking permit, parking ticket, residential parking permit, ticket

Jazz Fest Parking

April 24, 2015 by Charlie London

CITY ISSUES PARKING REMINDERS FOR JAZZ FEST

With the 2017 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival set to open at the Fair Grounds Race Course today, the City is reminding the public about the procedures and requirements for selling goods and public parking in the festival’s vicinity. This year’s festival dates are Friday, April 28 to Sunday, April 30 and Thursday, May 4 to Sunday, May 7.

All residents and visitors are encouraged to make a plan before heading out to Fair Grounds to enjoy a day of music, food and culture. As in previous years, City enforcement officials will be on site to ensure that local businesses are in compliance with City ordinances. Our goal is to make commercial business owners and non-profit managers aware of the rules and regulations, and to eliminate confusion in advance.”

COMMERCIAL BUSINESS ENFORCEMENT
City code requires that commercial businesses get the appropriate permits if they wish to operate on their commercially-zoned property during the festival. In the event that a non-profit organization plans to manage a parking service on commercial property, they must also apply for a permit through the One Stop Shop.

In addition, existing businesses will be allowed to sell their products on their property, both inside and outside of their business contingent upon not blocking the public right-of-way. However, the City will aggressively enforce the rules that prohibit transient vendors (carts, trucks, etc.) from improperly selling their products within the festival’s “Clean Zone.”

The Clean Zone is a temporary designation that seeks to protect the quality of life for residents and assists businesses in thriving during the 2017 Jazz and Heritage Festival. Simultaneously, the designation will facilitate a tremendous positive economic impact on the City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana through the regulation and control of certain areas in order to provide for the public health, safety, and welfare of thousands of residents, visitors, dignitaries, and media personnel who will attend events.

The Clean Zone is bounded by Florida Avenue on the north, North Broad Avenue on the east, Esplanade Avenue on the south, and Bayou St. John on the west (excluding the portion of that area contained within the exterior boundaries of the New Orleans Fair Grounds Racetrack). The Clean Zone is in effect beginning at 7 a.m. on Friday, April 28, 2017, and ending at 12 a.m. on Monday, May 1, 2017. The Clean Zone will go into effect again at 7 a.m. on Thursday, May 4, 2017, and ending at 12 a.m. on Monday, May 8, 2017.

The City of New Orleans’ One Stop Shop for permits and licenses is open during regular business hours, Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For more information call (504) 658-7100.

GETTING TO JAZZ FEST
The Fair Grounds Race Course is located at 1751 Gentilly Blvd. in a residential part of the city offering restricted parking in surrounding neighborhoods. Festival-goers that are driving to the Fair Grounds are encouraged to bicycle or carpool whenever possible, park in downtown long-term lots and use the shuttle system festival organizers have arranged or to take public transportation.

Additionally, because the Wisner Boulevard Bridge Overpass is closed to the public for construction, festival goers should seek alternate routes when traveling to and from the festival.

Bicycling
Festival attendees planning on riding bicycles to the Fair Grounds are encouraged to utilize the City’s designated bikeways.

Bicycle parking is available by the Gentilly Pedestrian Entrance at the corner of Gentilly Boulevard and Sauvage Street.

Jazz Fest Express Shuttle Service
Each day of Jazz Fest, Gray Line Tours will operate continuous, round-trip transportation – the Jazz Fest Express – from the Sheraton Hotel, the Gray Line Lighthouse at the Steamboat Natchez Dock (Toulouse Street at the River – next to Jax Brewery) and Wisner Boulevard Lot (5700 Wisner Blvd.) near the intersection of Wisner Boulevard and Filmore Boulevard from 10:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. A special entrance will be used only by Jazz Fest Express vehicles to avoid traffic and bring festival-goers inside the gates of the festival. Call (504) 569-1401 / 1-800-535-7786 for more information.

Taxi and Pedicab Stands
Taxi cab stands are located at the Stallings Playground at the corner of Gentilly Boulevard and Lapeyrouse Street, and Fortier Park at the corner of Esplanade Avenue and Mystery Street.

A pedicab stand is located at Esplanade Avenue and Mystery Street across from the taxi cab stand.

Transportation Network Companies
The City anticipates a high volume of ride requests for Transportation Network Companies (TNC) and TNC for-hire vehicles, such as uberX and Lyft, during the festival. In an effort to minimize interruption to Uber and Lyft service and reduce passenger inconvenience, TNC’s will direct passengers and drivers to meet at a location outside of the restricted traffic zones.

RTA
RTA offers bus and streetcar service to stops within walking distance of the Fair Grounds.

JAZZ FEST PARKING ENFORCEMENT
Parking enforcement personnel will be monitoring for illegal parking, including blocking hydrants, driveways and sidewalks, or parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk, intersection or stop signs. Motorists are reminded to park in the direction of travel on one-way streets, and with the right wheel to the curb on two-way streets. Motorists are highly encouraged to pay close attention to all posted signage to avoid being ticketed or towed.

The City’s Parking Control Officers will be actively enforcing the following safety violations:
Blocking a fire hydrant ($40 fine)
Parking in a fire lane ($40 fine)
Parking within 15 ft. of a fire hydrant on either side ($40 fine)
Parking within 20 ft. of a crosswalk, intersection or stop sign ($40 fine)
Parking on a sidewalk ($40 fine)
Parking on a traveled portion of the roadway ($40 fine)
Parking within 3 ft. of a driveway on either side ($40 fine)
Parking on the neutral ground ($75 fine)
Parking adjacent to the neutral ground ($40 fine)
Parking in freight/loading zone ($40 fine)
Parking in a handicapped zone without proper permit displayed ($500 fine)
Parking at an expired meter ($40 fine)
Parking in a Residential Permit Parking zone without a permit displayed ($75 fine)
Parking in the wrong direction (vehicles must park in the direction of travel on one-way streets, and with the right wheel to the curb on two-way streets) ($40 fine)
Vehicles with unpaid parking tickets will be booted and/or towed.

For more information on parking call:
Department of Public Works (Parking enforcement and information), (504) 658-8100 (answered 24 hours)
Information related to Residential Parking Permits, (504) 658-8200
Pay and release of boot, (504) 599-5652
Information on Ticket/Tow Appeals Hearings: (504) 658-8250

Towed vehicles may be retrieved at the N. Claiborne Avenue Auto Impound Lot (400 N. Claiborne Ave., New Orleans, LA 70112.)
The Auto Impound Lot is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Safe, secure, hassle-free parking for Jazz Fest at 1700 Moss Street in New Orleans.
Safe, secure, hassle-free parking for Jazz Fest at 1700 Moss Street in New Orleans.

It’s here and many folks are excited about the fun and frivolity we know as Jazz Fest.

Lots of neighbors love to have guests join them at their home for each day of Jazz Fest. It’s a fun way to get together and walk over to Jazz Fest as a group. The big negative? …where to put the cars the guests bring.

Why not stop the hassle and aggravation of figuring out where to put all those cars and help out a fellow 501c3 organization at the same time?

TELL YOUR GUESTS TO PARK AT 1700 MOSS

Deutsches Haus will offer Jazz Fest parking again this year…
1700 MOSS STREET
Both weekends…
Thursday & Fridays – $20
Saturday & Sunday – $30

The Jazz Fest Neighborhood Action Telephone Line is set up each year to allow communication between residents and the Jazz Fest.The line is used to report NON EMERGENCY matters only such as blocked driveways and streets, reports of illegal vending, trash, neighborhood access issues, traffic, and taxi problems, etc. The number is 504 942 7799.

The NAT Line (Neighborhood Action Telephone Line) that is activated the day before Jazz Fest is: 942-7799. You use this number for Jazz Fest nuisance related issues. Put this # in your cell phone! You call 911 for police emergencies and crime related events. For non-emergency police events call 821-2222.

photos by Charlie London

When parking around the Fair Grounds during Jazz Fest, please note that the City of New Orleans has a fleet of tow trucks in various sizes for your inconvenience should you decide to ignore basic parking rules.

The city towing hotline is (504) 658-8002.


Information below is from the CITY OF NEW ORLEANS website: http://nola.gov/

PARKING ENFORCEMENT REMINDERS:

The Fair Grounds Race Course is located in a residential part of the city offering restricted parking in surrounding neighborhoods. Festival-goers that are driving to the Fairgrounds are encouraged to park in downtown long term lots and use public transportation.

Parking enforcement personnel will be monitoring for illegal parking, including blocking hydrants, driveways and sidewalks, or parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk, intersection or stop signs, in the residential neighborhoods adjacent to the Fairgrounds. Motorists are also reminded to park in the direction of travel on one-way streets, and with the right wheel to the curb on two-way streets.

In addition, existing businesses will be allowed to sell their products on their property, both inside and outside of their business contingent upon not blocking public right of way. However, the City will aggressively enforce the rules against transient vendors (carts, trucks, etc.) from improperly selling their products within the festival’s “clean zone.”

The Department of Public Works is issuing citations for the following safety violations:

•Parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant: $20
•Parking in a fire lane: $20
•Parking on the median: $75
•Parking on the sidewalk: $20
•Parking in the travel portion of the roadway: $20
•Parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk or intersection: $20
Vehicles may be towed for all of the above violations; the tow fee is $156.

Citations can be paid and vehicles retrieved at 400 N. Claiborne Ave. from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday. Payments can also be mailed to:
Violations Bureau | P.O. Box 52828 | New Orleans, LA | 70152

Citations can be contested by mail. Instructions are listed on the back of the ticket.

For more information, please call the Department of Public Works at (504) 658-8000. The city towing hotline is (504) 658-8002.

parkatdahaus1

 

Park at 1700 Moss just off Esplanade.
Short walk to Jazz Fest.

Parking hours 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

30 dollars per car.

Sorry, no in and out.

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: bayou st john, faubourg st john, jazz and heritage festival, jazz fest parking, New Orleans, park, parking, parking at jazz fest, parking for jazz fest, where is tow place new orleans

Lafitte Greenway Update

March 2, 2015 by Charlie London

The Final Stretch: Greenway Construction News

Tree-planting began on the Lafitte Greenway this month. The City’s construction contractor has started work on the final stretch of the Greenway from N Alexander Street to Carrollton Avenue. Construction is approximately 80 percent complete and on track to open this spring. Read the full DPW update.

Carrollton.jpg

Lafitte Greenway at Carrollton Avenue


Great American Clean-Up: Lafitte Corridor

Friends of Lafitte Corridor and NOLA Trash Mob are hosting a Great American Cleanup of the neighborhoods surrounding the Lafitte Greenway. Join us for coffee and pastries, and a great cleanup of the Corridor.

Over the past two years, NOLA Trash Mob, an all-volunteer litter-fighting group, has picked up over 9 tons of trash from New Orleans streets on weekly mobs.

When: Sunday, March 8th
(Sunday date chosen to accommodate 30 University of Georgia students that are generously spending their spring break volunteering in New Orleans)

9:30 AM – 10:00 AM – Coffee & Pastries provided by Mid-City Market

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Trash Mob: Head out in groups to clean up the Corridor

Where: Jeff Davis Parkway & Lafitte Street (501 N Jefferson Davis Pkwy)

RSVP for the Facebook event, and invite your friends!

Greenway Art: Water Challenge Civic Design Pitch Competition
ArtsLocation.jpg

Help select the first public art installation on the Lafitte Greenway by attending the Water Challenge Art Pitch. In January, Arts Council New Orleans and Propeller: A Force for Social Innovation issued a call to artists to propose designs for a $25,000 art installation for the Lafitte Greenway at Jefferson Davis Parkway on the theme of living with water.

The three finalists–Jennifer Blanchard (Contraflow), Michel Varisco (Turning), and Amy Stelly & Darryl Reeves (Drop in the Bowl)—will pitch their pieces to the public during the 2015 Water Challenge. The winner will be selected by audience vote. Attend the live arts pitch on March 23rd to help select the Greenway’s first public art installation!

What: Public Art Pitch for Water-Themed Lafitte Greenway Art Installation

When: Monday, March 23, 10:15AM – 12:00PM

Where: The Chicory (610 S Peters St)

For more information, visit Arts Council New Orleans.

Jefferson Davis Bike Trail Sees Improvements

Biking the Jefferson Davis bike path just got better! This February, the City spent $110,000 on improvements and repairs to the Jefferson Davis Bike Path including replacing broken concrete panels, installing Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant curb ramps, and re-leveling uneven ground adjacent to the path.

JeffDav.jpg


Line58_2.pngLine 58 Gives Back

Every year, Line 58, a local branding and web design firm gives away a year’s supply of branding, strategy, and design to one lucky nonprofit in the New Orleans region. FOLC is grateful to have been selected as the 2015 recipient. Thank you Line58!


Spurring Development

As the Lafitte Greenway nears completion, it is spurring investment in the surrounding neighborhoods. Here are a sampling of development projects underway or proposed for the Lafitte Corridor.

Movie.jpg
Broad Street Movie Theater Building

Broad Street Movie Theatre to Open this Summer

Get ready movie lovers. A new four-screen movie theatre is opening in the Lafitte Corridor this summer. In January, City Council unanimously approved plans for a movie theater at 636 N Broad one short block from the Lafitte Greenway. This 12,400 square foot, 90-year old building was formerly a charitable bingo hall, a plumbing supply store, and an auto shop. The movie theatre will focus on art house and local films.

The Broad Street Theatre joins a list of theaters that call the Lafitte Corridor home, including the Carver, Mid-City, and Mahalia Jackson. It adds to the growing revitalization of the Broad St. and the Greenway intersection, spurred by the new ReFresh and Whole Foods.

Tulane Laundry Building

Green Coast Enterprises hopes to renovate the Tulane Laundry building, located at 2606 St. Louis Street into a local brewery, tap room, restaurant, and office space. This 32,000 square foot historic building has sat vacant across the street from the Lafitte Greenway at N. Dorgenois since 2005. Urban South Brewery would serve as the building’s anchor and the newest addition to Louisiana’s blossoming craft beer industry. For more information, see the NOLA.com article.

Faubourg Lafitte Senior Building

On February 25, the Housing Authority of New Orleans and partners Providence Community Housing and Enterprise Community Partners broke ground on a new 100-unit senior-only apartment building, the latest addition to the Faubourg Lafitte community. This 96,000 square foot building is located one block from the Lafitte Greenway at N Galvez Street and Orleans Avenue. It is a $22 million project that will provide affordable housing to New Orleans seniors.

Better + Boulder

Local company Better + Boulder, LLC, has a vision to transform 8 acres of former industrial property along the Lafitte Greenway between Jefferson Davis Parkway and N Scott Street into a $100 million mixed-use complex. They have created an ambitious development plan for the property, which they currently have under contract. The 374,000 square foot complex would feature a fitness center with squash courts and a climbing gym, a 120-room boutique hotel, 300 residential units, office space, a spa, restaurants and cafés, demonstration kitchens, active lifestyle boutiques, a theater, and a business and startup incubation center. For more on this proposal, see the Biz article.

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: lafitte greenway, linear park, New Orleans, park, recreation

Coffee Social January 31st

January 1, 2015 by Charlie London

1coffee-social1
FSJ Coffee-FEST,
Fortier Park, 9:00am, 1/31/15! It is time we gather our neighbors and friends and socialize — join us in the park and share a cup of great coffee, hot cocoa, etc.

Please feel free to bring a favorite sweetbread, cookies, etc!
coffee-social-2015jan31photo by Brenda London

We’ll have doughnuts available but we have some great bakers in our ‘hood…please feel free to ‘bake-it-up’ and share with the rest of us dough-challenged neighbors…Looking forward to seeing everyone there.

Bonnie Lee
[email protected]
(337) 540-0002
fsjna-walter-erich-2015jan31

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: coffee, donuts, park, social

Skateboarders are People too

November 6, 2014 by Charlie London

skateboarders

The Mississippi Grind Street Course is installed and open!

The construction fencing around the Mississippi Grind came down today, marking a giant step for skateboarding in New Orleans — much thanks to Red Bull, Spohn Ranch Skateparks, Action Park Alliance, skaters who pitched design ideas, and everyone at City Hall who helped make this happen! We are stoked to see so many new faces at the park.

Students, professors, and volunteers with Tulane City Center are almost finished with the entranceway and rain gardens! The street names “Paris” and “Pleasure” came out great, recessed into the concrete, while we will soon install native and edible plants such as cypress, magnolia, and satsuma trees to line the perimeter of the park! Funky skateable benches are already built and will be installed in the coming month!

Parisite Skatepark just received a $15,000 grant for skateable sculpture from the Arts Council of New Orleans! This is part of the Arts Council’s “Percent for Art Program”, which partners the Arts Council with community organizations across the city. We are running an open call for skateable sculpture ideas, so post your ideas to our Facebook page or send to [email protected]!

quarter-critters

Red Bull’s “Quarter Critters” skate trick and photo contest is this weekend! Come out to the sign-up party on Friday, November 7 at the Dragon’s Den – free pizza and drinks for the first 30 participants! Not skating? Don’t miss the judging party Sunday night, also at the Dragon’s Den!


LET’S ADVENTURE!

Starting Thursday, November 20, we will partner with NORDC’s new Outdoors Program to take trips into nature! In this immersive afterschool program for Parisite and St Bernard Center, the Outdoors Program’s 15-passenger van will arrive at 4:00 every first and third Thursday to pick up participants for fun-filled trips to the area’s many natural sites. These excursions allow participants to explore, ask questions, and learn on their own terms. Swamps, wetlands, forests, canoeing — if there’s somewhere you or a child you know wants to explore, the time and space is available. Keep an eye out for Emily (Outdoor Programs Manager) handing out parent permission forms on Thursdays at Parisite! For more info, email [email protected] or [email protected]

GET INVOLVED!
Come out on Saturdays from 9am-2pm to help with Tulane City Center, or meet at the chalkboard at noon for cleanup crew! Contact John Coyle ([email protected]) for more info on volunteer opportunities with Tulane.

Thanks so much to the volunteer groups that have helped over the past months. We really appreciate the efforts of Groundwork New Orleans, HandsOn, Sassy + Classy Social + Pleasure Club, Urban League College Track Students, GRoW, Health Nutz Nation, and all the individuals who pitch in!

Stay up to date via the Parisite Facebook page!

Did you know?  Parisite Skatepark is the only free public skatepark in New Orleans, built entirely by skaters and volunteers, named for its location along Paris Avenue beneath I-610.  Skaters and advocates formed the non-profit Transitional Spaces and partnered with the City of New Orleans to make Parisite a full-fledged skatepark, along with the great folks at NORDC and the St Bernard Recreation Center.  Transitional Spaces cleans, maintains, and connects you to development at Parisite, while pushing for a skate-friendly New Orleans!

Filed Under: Featured, HISTORY Tagged With: New Orleans, park, skate, skatepark

Ride Your Bike to Jazz Fest

April 25, 2014 by Charlie London

Description of Jazz Fest by Dan Rabin

The annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, or simply Jazz Fest, is a massive springtime music and cultural festival that takes place over two consecutive weekends in late April and early May. Many music lovers of all ilk consider it the country’s premier music festival and return year after year. Others have called it the best party in America.

The name Jazz Fest is somewhat misleading, as jazz is only one component of the festival’s musical offerings. Performers represent a wide range of genres including jazz, rock, blues, gospel, R & B, Cajun, zydeco, folk, bluegrass, African, Caribbean and Latin. Non-stop performances take place on a dozen stages scattered around the festival site. In addition to music, there’s a huge selection of regional cuisine, arts and crafts booths, second line parades and numerous other attractions.

Jazz Fest tips by Andreas Preuss | photos by Charlie London

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/04/23/jazzfest.traditions/504jazz1

Getting there

jazz-fest-bikes-2013may5Best to take a cab, ride a shuttle, bike or walk. Just like during Mardi Gras, streets around the New Orleans Fair Grounds will be clogged with traffic and city law enforcement. There are also some for-hire shuttle buses from downtown and French Quarter locations.  The event provides free and secure bike parking, and I’ve been biking to the Fest in recent years. That way I can maximize my Fest time instead of looking for a legal parking spot. If you do travel by bike, remember to wear a helmet; New Orleans streets have lots of potholes, and drivers are not always bike-friendly.

Navigating the music

Check out the “cubes” on the Jazz Fest website. The time-slot stage boxes help you schedule your movements during the Fest, optimizing your music listening experience for each stage. I print one out, circle my must-do’s and then hit the stages.

The New Orleans Fair Grounds becomes a city, with thousands of people navigating just about every pavement, sidewalk and grassy way. Having your plan in hand is a great way to take it all in. But also be flexible and let the happenstance music take you away. A small local act can be more inspiring than a big national touring group in many ways.

For the rest of the article, please visit the link:    http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/04/23/jazzfest.traditions/

bike-lights1

TIPS BELOW FROM FAUBOURG ST. JOHN NEIGHBOR MICHAEL LUKE

http://www.wwltv.com/eye-on-festivals/Jazz-Fest-on-a-relative-budget-148905585.html

Step 1: Tickets

Volunteering at Jazz Fest is a surefire way to get in for cheap, i.e. free, though it must be done early in the year and requires working part of the day.    If you do buy tickets, buying them as soon as they go on sale is essential to save the most money on tickets – or buy weekend packages.    The tickets for individual days traditionally go up as the Fest gets closer.   To save money, buy your tickets ahead of time at the Superdome box office.   If you are taking children, remember that tickets for children age 2 to 10 are $5, but they are available only at the gate.

Step 2: Packing the Essentials

Next to a hat, comfortable shoes and sunglasses, a backpack is indispensable for a day at the Fair Grounds, and there are several things that should always be inside said backpack:

  • A small, six-pack size soft-sided cooler.
  • Water and food. Jazz Fest allows a one-liter bottle of water, which must be sealed. Inside your cooler should be that bottle, a bag of ice in a sealed bag to prevent the ice from leaking and keeping your water cold, and a couple pieces of fruit. Oranges and bananas are perfect.
  • Sunscreen. A must.
  • Should it rain, or if rain seems remotely likely pack a re-sealable plastic bag — this is what your wallet, camera, cell phone, etc. goes inside to stay dry — and a small foldable raincoat or poncho.
  • A small, emergency supply of toilet paper. Crude, yes, but also a possible life-saver or a stand-in for a napkin if needed. A pack of wet wipes can also serve here as well.

Don’t bring a chair. Controversial, but a fact. They’re laborious to carry around unless you want to camp at one stage for an entire day. (If you have trouble standing, a portable, compact stool makes life a whole lot easier, but don’t forget the seats in the tents and inside the Grandstand. Those can be an oasis for your weary legs.)

Step 3: Don’t drive there

Don’t drive there. This goes for locals and tourists alike. There is next to nowhere to park, and it costs a pretty penny if you do find a spot.  If you must bring your car, park here.   (Lagniappe tip for out-of-towners: Don’t pay locals to park on the street near the Fair Grounds. This common practice is illegal, a scam; it is public parking on the street. Also, don’t park illegally. You will get a ticket or get towed.)  Also, forget trying to get a cab. Besides the expense, you’re competing against thousands all trying to get a cab at the same time and all trying to get to Jazz Fest.

If you can, ride a bicycle or take the bus.

Here’s the RTA info for public transportation to get to near Jazz Fest, requiring a walk for a couple of blocks:

  • Coming from the French Quarter: Canal Streetcar Line – Stops 4 blocks from Fair Grounds’ Gate
  • Coming from Uptown / River Bend: (Audubon Zoo, Xavier University, Canal Streetcar, Rouses Supermarket, Museum of Art) Bus Line 32-Leonidas – Stops 4 blocks from Fair Grounds’ Gate
  • Coming from Irish Channel / Garden District / CBD / Esplanade: (Cemeteries Transit Center, Delgado Community College, City Park, Museum of Art, Fairgrounds, Canal Street, Canal Streetcar, St.Charles Streetcar, Wal-Mart) Bus Line 91-Jackson/Esplanade – Stops 2 blocks from Fair Grounds’ Gate
  • Coming from New Orleans East: (Village De L’Est, Winn-Dixie Supermarket, Chef Menteur Highway, Fairgrounds, Dillard University, Canal Streetcar) Bus Line-94 Broad – Stops 2 blocks from Fair Grounds’ Gate
  • The RTA suggests pre-purchasing a boarding pass, arriving to the bus stop early, and being courteous to other riders and patient with the increase need for service. Fare is $1.25 per ride.
  • The RTA “Jazzy Pass” is valid for unlimited rides and transfers on the entire RTA fleet.
    For more information how to create your transit itinerary and where to purchase a Jazzy Pass, visit www.norta.com,  find NewOrleansRTA on Twitter and Facebook or contact the RTA Customer Care Ride Line at 504-248-3900.

A listing of some bicycle rentals places: http://www.neworleansonline.com/tools/transportation/gettingaround/bicycling.htmlbike-facebook

 

If you ride a bike, there are racks at both entrances — Sauvage and Gentilly — but they fill up fast, and you’ll need to bring your own lock.

Step 4: Pack some food and forget drinking alcohol

This isn’t the easiest rule to abide by – a cold beer is delightful at the Fest under the Louisiana sun and as is a tall Strawberry Lemonade. The problem is either isn’t cheap, same goes for sodas, $4, and bottled water, $3.

The food at the Fest likely the hardest to skip – in fact, it’s probably impossible – which is why the suggestion is to skimp on the food, not skip. Bringing in some snacks like fruit or a granola bars helps in that department. When you do decide to grab a bite, look for the food that delivers the biggest bang for your buck, like BBQ ribs or turkey leg plate near the Jazz Tent.

When you finish with the water bottle you brought in, don’t throw it away. There are several places to get free water inside the Fair Grounds: Water fountains inside the Grandstand and three water stations, which are marked on the Jazz Fest map.

Step 5: Bring cash

Even with these tips, you’ll likely need cash. The Fest does have several ATMs, but if these aren’t your bank, you’ll be hit with the service charges, and the lines for them can get long. Would you rather see music or stand in the ATM line? (If you do need to bite the bullet and use an ATM, go early in the day when crowds are smaller and the lines are still short.)

Step 6: Have fun

http://www.wwltv.com/eye-on-festivals/Jazz-Fest-on-a-relative-budget-148905585.html

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: bayou st john, bicycle, bike, faubourg st john, festival, fun, jazz fest, music, New Orleans, park, parking, ride

Don’t Be That Guy

April 25, 2014 by Charlie London

info and photos from Charlie London
wreck-1700moss1-2014apr25Sometime in the early morning hours of Friday, April 25th, the telephone pole at 1700 Moss was broken.

Should you alter your state of mind with whatever substance you choose, please do it safely. When you get in your personal “zone” please don’t operate machinery, especially any machinery that moves. Don’t be “that guy”.

0630-1700moss-wreck-2014apr25

This person was able to walk away and leave their mess. You may not be so lucky.

Please don’t drink and drive.

 


0630-1700moss6-2014apr25entergy-9am-2014apr25-1700moss

Entergy was on the scene and the New Orleans Police Department already had the car towed away by 9 a.m!

newpole-2014apr25-1125am

At 11:25 a.m., Entergy was already installing a new utility pole!

Be Safe | Park at 1700 Moss

 


parkatdahaus1

Park at 1700 Moss just off Esplanade.
Short walk to Jazz Fest.

Parking hours 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

30 dollars per car.

Sorry, no in and out.

 

_____________________________________________________

parking1

Jazz Fest Parking at 1700 Moss Street
(Next to The Esplanade at City Park apartments on Bayou St John)
Cost: $30 per car or pickup per day
Dates: Apr 25, 26, 27 and May 1, 2, 3, 4, 2014
Gate Hours: 10am-8:30pm
Gates locked at 8:30pm
No Overnight Parking
Fenced
Lighted
Attended
Self-Park
Port-O-Let
No blocking
Keep your keys
Wide parking slots
Served by Pedicabs
Credit cards accepted
No 3-hour shuttle wait
Non-profit 501c3 charity
5 blocks from ticket gate on Trafalger
90 percent all-weather concrete parking
All discarded shoes/socks cleaned and donated to local homeless shelter
Support rebuilding of the Deutsches Haus (preserving German culture in the southeast LA area)

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: 1700 moss, accident, altered state, bayou st john, entergy, faubourg st john, New Orleans, park, wreck

Postcard from Home

June 23, 2013 by Charlie London

Kennedy Park in beautiful Faubourg St. John.


Kennedy Park is on Ursulines Avenue between North Lopez and North Rendon.

Filed Under: Postcards from Home Tagged With: bayou, bayou st john, best neighborhood in New Orleans, Charlie London, faubourg st john, New Orleans, new orleans best neighborhood, park, photo, postcard

Go Ride the Streetcar

June 1, 2013 by Charlie London


Riding the St. Charles streetcar down its historic line is a great opportunity to see different areas of New Orleans, including the mansion lined Garden District and oak tree canopied university area of Uptown. A single ride is $1.25, or purchase a day pass for $3for unlimited rides.

GoNOLA TV is a regular video segment on New Orleans food, music, shopping and nightlife. Visit http://www.gonola.com for all the best places to eat, drink, shop and play in New Orleans or head on over to http://www.neworleansonline.com and plan your vacation today!
***
photos below by Charlie London (originally posted at FSJNAdotORG on May 24, 2012)

Upon returning from the May 10th BlightStat meeting, I had the opportunity to, once again, ride New Orleans’ fine public transportation.

Click on the map for a larger view

If you haven’t taken a ride on a New Orleans streetcar or bus lately you really are missing out.

The streetcar operator told me each one of these refurbished streetcars cost 1 million dollars!

Get a great view of New Orleans’ architecture. Take the bus or the streetcar!

Architectural Vignettes
New Orleans, with its richly mottled old buildings, its sly, sophisticated – sometimes almost disreputable – air, and its Hispanic-Gallic traditions, has more the flavor of an old European capital than an American city. Townhouses in the French Quarter, with their courtyards and carriageways, are thought by some scholars to be related on a small scale to certain Parisian “hotels” – princely urban residences of the 17th and 18th centuries. Visitors particularly remember the decorative cast-iron balconies that cover many of these townhouses like ornamental filigree cages.

European influence is also seen in the city’s famous above-ground cemeteries. The practice of interring people in large, richly adorned aboveground tombs dates from the period when New Orleans was under Spanish rule. These hugely popular “cities of the dead” have been and continue to be an item of great interest to visitors. Mark Twain, noting that New Orleanians did not have conventional below-ground burials, quipped that “few of the living complain and none of the other.”

One of the truly amazing aspects of New Orleans architecture is the sheer number of historic homes and buildings per square mile. Orleanians never seem to replace anything. Consider this: Uptown, the City’s largest historic district, has almost 11,000 buildings, 82 percent of which were built before 1935 – truly a “time warp.”

The spine of Uptown, and much of New Orleans, is the city’s grand residential showcase, St. Charles Avenue, which the novel A Confederacy of Dunces aptly describes: “The ancient oaks of St. Charles Avenue arched over the avenue like a canopy…St. Charles Avenue must be the loveliest place in the world. From time to time…passed the slowing rocking streetcars that seemed to be leisurely moving toward no special designations, following their route through the old mansions on either side…everything looked so calm, so prosperous.”

The streetcars in question, the St. Charles Avenue line, represent the nation’s only surviving historic streetcar system. All of its electric cars were manufactured by the Perley Thomas Company between 1922 and 1924 and are still in use. Hurricane Katrina flood waters caused severe damage to the steel tracks along the entire uptown and Carrollton route and had to be totally replaced and re-electrified. The cars themselves survived and are included in the National Register of Historic Places. New Orleanians revere them as a national treasure.

Creole cottages and shotgun houses dominate the scene in many New Orleans neighborhoods. Both have a murky ancestry. The Creole cottage, two rooms wide and two or more deep under a generous pitched roof with a front overhang or gallery, is thought to have evolved from various European and Caribbean forms.

The shotgun house is one room wide and two, three or four rooms deep, under a continuous gable roof. As legend has it, the name was suggested by the fact that because the rooms and doors line up, one can fire a shotgun through the house without hitting anything.

Some scholars have suggested that shotguns evolved from ancient African “long-houses,” built here by refugees from the Haitian Revolution, but no one really knows.

It is true that shotguns represent a distinctively Southern house type. They are also found in the form of plantation quarters houses. Unlike shotgun houses in much of the South, which are fairly plain, New Orleans shotguns fairly bristle with Victorian jigsaw ornament, especially prominent, florid brackets. Indeed, in many ways, New Orleans shotguns are as much a signature of the city as the French Quarter.

New Orleans’ architectural character is unlike that of any other American city. A delight to both natives and visitors, it presents such a variety that even after many years of study, one can still find things unique and undiscovered.

This material may be reproduced for editorial purposes of promoting New Orleans. Please attribute stories to New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau. 2020 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70130 504-566-5019. http://www.neworleanscvb.com/.

Filed Under: HISTORY, More Great Posts! Tagged With: bayou, bayou st john, best neighborhood in New Orleans, desoto, esplanade, faubourg st john, fleurty girl, fortier, fortin, grand route, historic, history, lopez, moss, New Orleans, new orleans best neighborhood, new orleans streetcar, park, parks, ponce de leon, preservation, recreation, rolling history, streetcars, trolley, Ursulines

Volunteer Opportunity

May 30, 2013 by Charlie London

david-cahn

I am happy to report David Cahn (son of Richard and Vivian) has chosen to do 30 volunteer service hours for his neighborhood (for school).

We’ve started at the eyesores on Esplanade at the Crete bus stop and at Capdeville Park removing rain trees, yaupon runners etc. Today we removed 24 wheelbarrow loads of leaf compost from the bus stop and spread around the Oaks at Capdeville. We’ll be working at the Esplanade bridge and Fortier Park. If anyone has a teen that needs community service hours, We’re working 11-1(perfect teen schedule).

I would also like to thank Robert Thompson and Dean Burridge for their matching hours. We found a sidewalk and a street drain today!
Bobby

Bobby Wozniak
1322 North Lopez Street
New Orleans, LA 70119
Cell: 504.452.0386

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: bayou, bayou st john, best neighborhood in New Orleans, esplanade, faubourg st john, New Orleans, new orleans best neighborhood, opportunity, park, volunteer

CITY PUTT OPENS

May 24, 2013 by Charlie London

photos by Charlie London

CITY PUTT IN NEW ORLEANS’ CITY PARK IS NOW OPEN


City Putt Opens Today in City Park!


City Putt open: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Grand Opening of City Park’s City Putt | Miniature Golf Returns to New Orleans

City Park proudly introduces its newest family friendly attraction – City Putt, a miniature golf complex with two 100% ADA accessible 18-hole courses.

Come early for opening day festivities, including a ceremonial ribbon cutting prior to the gates opening. The first 150 patrons through City Putt’s gates on opening day will have the chance to win a special prize if they draw a golden golf ball out of the City Putt golf ball bucket. Complimentary popcorn and Arnold Palmers will also be available, while supplies last, for patrons waiting in line.

Friday, May 24, 2013 | 10:30 AM – Ceremonial Ribbon Cutting

11 AM – Gates Open

9 PM – Last Rental

10 PM – Gates Close

City Putt | 8 Victory Drive | New Orleans, LA 70119

General admission for a single round of 18 holes is $8 for adults (ages 13 and over) and $6 for children (ages 4 – 12). Children 3 and under play for free.

City Putt’s regular hours of operation will be Tuesday – Wednesday from 11 AM to 9 PM, Thursday – Saturday from 11 AM to 10 PM and Sunday from 11 AM – 9 PM.

City Putt | 8 Victory Drive | New Orleans LA 70119

***
City Putt includes a pair of 18-hole miniature courses.

The course designers drew on local scenes and iconic Louisiana elements — swamps, alligators and music — in planning City Putt. One course highlights Louisiana cities; the other celebrates notable New Orleans street names. Both courses are wheelchair accessible and meet ADA standards.

The complex includes a concession area, restrooms and a birthday party room. Parking is available adjacent to the Great Lawn in City Park.

Opening day festivities include a ceremonial ribbon cutting at 10:30 a.m. The course will open at 11 a.m. The first 150 patrons through City Putt’s gates on opening day will have the chance to win a special prize if they draw a golden golf ball out of the City Putt golf ball bucket. Complimentary popcorn and Arnold Palmers (ice tea mixed with lemonade) will be served, while supplies last, to patrons waiting in line.

City Putt’s regular hours of operation will be Tuesday – Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday – Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Admission for a single round of 18 holes is $8 for adults (ages 13 and over) and $6 for children (ages 4 – 12). Children 3 and under play for free.

http://www.nola.com/family/index.ssf/2013/05/new_orleans_city_park_will_cut.html

Filed Under: More Great Posts! Tagged With: bayou, bayou st john, best neighborhood in New Orleans, city park, city putt, faubourg st john, miniature golf, New Orleans, new orleans best neighborhood, park, putt putt, urban park

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