It's been a couple of months since I joined the ranks of job holders. I work six days a week. I love it. Everyday I walk to work. Cholo is having great quality time with Mr. Mom aka Tangoman, but he clearly hates to see me go. Alberto will bring him by to visit me later.
The street we live on is gorgeous! Lined with ancient Live Oak trees, and filled with interesting and beautiful old houses inhabited by friendly people.
This is our house, a double shotgun converted to a single, built around the late 1890's. The attic window is gone, a Katrina casualty, and Alberto promises it will get fixed this year. It's hard to replace antique windows, and this one was a stained glass beauty.
It's about a five minute walk to Perch, about four blocks.
This is the next door neighbors house (Julie and Larry), one of the cutest houses on the block. When I first came to see our house for sale I was hoping this was the one!
Next to them is Mr. Stanley. He's Polish (like me), and nearly 90 years old. He stills drives, does his own yard work, and speaks Polish to me. He hasn't painted his house in a zillion years, and it kind of looks beautiful in a faded way. It's a big ol' Creole style house.
Then we have this house, a victim of a house flipper. It's rented now, by a couple of nice guys who have an adorable cat named Achilles. We also looked at this house because it was for sale at the same time, but all the New Orleans charm had been renovated out of it.
This is our friend Michael's house. He's a working musician here, a drummer. He also teaches music at Country Day School. His house had a "for sale" sign on it when we looked at ours, and I thought it was so cute. But it had already been sold. It's still a double house, so Michael makes rent money from one side of the house he doesn't live in.
All of three of these houses were once owned by The Methodist Home, an orphanage across the street. They were each used as a residence for children. My house had eight wayward girls living in it before we bought it. The Methodist Home moved away after Katrina, and it was sold to a woman who intends in turning it into a rehab facility for dogs.
Across the street is this teeny pink house with a glorious pink angel trumpet tree. These folks only use the house during Mardi Gras. Next to it on the right is Miss Wanda's house. She had a stroke during Katrina, and has sadly abandoned her house. I think these houses look so much like the Caribbean.
Next to Michael's house are these two brand new condos that broke ground after Katrina, and are still not finished. The architect did a pretty good job of getting the vernacular of the neighborhood right.
You can see this, by looking at the two houses directly across the street, which were also once group homes for orphanage. We looked at the blue house. We ultimately chose our house, because it was the largest, and also has a off street parking, with a garage on a a double lot.
I've gotten to the end of our street.
And here's a little neighborhood church! The pastor is darling, and he just loves Cholo. There's a service and choir practice on Wednesday night, and the gospel music on Sunday is wonderful.
We have some cool cars always parked on the street like this vintage Porsche...
...and this yellow Corvette.
Across the street from the church is an old corner store that has been converted into a home. The yellow roses are called Henry Fonda and I swear they bloom all year around!
Next to them is a house with this French Quarter style courtyard. It's so pretty!
Back on my side of the street next to the church is the home of Brian and Emily (and their dog Hank) a young hip couple. Emily loves to garden, and her back patio is fantastic!
Soon we come to this terrific two story apartment building. It's been apartments since it was built in the mid 1800's.
Across the street is a cute yellow house with French blue trim. Two great Basset hounds live here, Daisy and Sally.
This blue Victorian looks like a doll house.
Then there's this antebellum house that has been owned by the same family since it was built before the Civil War. It is huge!
The family doesn't live in the main house, but in the servant's quarters in the back, which have been renovated and modernized. I would just kill to look inside the main house!
Across the street is an old one family townhouse turned into luxury condos, both of which are for sale now.
There are also cute cottages in every style. This type of house reminds me of false front house in the wild west. This facade looks like an old bank.
Here's a really cute classic Creole cottage. The deep dormers are spectacular.
Okay we're at the corner of Washington Avenue and Magazine Street.
There's a gas station with a convenience store...
...Starbucks, and the best little French bistro called Coquette...
...and a fancy little dress store too.
I'm rounding the corner now onto Magazine Street.
There are a ton of great cafes and restaurants and coffee places and shops. I spy the Sake Cafe, a really good place for sushi. I work at "perch." which is next door to the Sake Cafe.
Here's the front gate to the shop. It's in a huge old house built in 1860.
Here's the front door!
I hope you can see why I just love walking to and from work everyday! The tree lined street I live on is always cool and shady, the majestic oaks always inspiring. All the different architecture and colors of the houses and gardens are daily eye candy. My neighbors are sweet, and you never pass a person on the street without being greeted, whether you know them or not.
I hope one day you can visit New Orleans, and come walking with me!
Cholo visits his mom at work
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