.... 'cause you ain't gettin' an Uber to nojazzfest...
April 30, 2017
For everything that the first weekend of Jazz Fest lacked in terms of draw, we were treated to a nearly perfect weather weekend by New Orleans standards. It made for great urban trekking.
For everything that the first weekend of Jazz Fest lacked in terms of draw, we were treated to a nearly perfect weather weekend by New Orleans standards. It made for great urban trekking.
We saw people wearing their knee high rubber boots. These were the pro's; they've been there, done that. But this weekend was dry, with a prevailing southwesterly breeze that made it, in the shade, downright cool. But that didn't make it any easier
It also added another item to our gotta have it checklist; band-aids. Karen, with feet that yearn to breathe free, wore flip flops and, by day two brandished two patches of raw skin at the strap marks.
www.nojazzfest.com - can that be an accidental?
One impression from this past fest surrounds the paucity of actual jazz. Relegated to smaller tents, old time and blues were the venues that seemed to focus most on what I recognize as jazz; improvisation on standards. The rest of the acts centered on pop, rock and rap. Weird, but in hindsight, I get it. Jazz was foundational to the way music evolved to where it is today. But what it is today shows what I miss most in today's music - the improvisation on a standard. Why do I need to go to a live show to hear the same music I hear on the radio or Spotify? I want interpretation, augmentation and amelioration. So the shortening (in the URL) of New Orleans Jazz Fest.to NO Jazz Fest, is telling, both in the styles showcased and in the performances of the pop which evolved from jazz.
Food
This might be the reason to go to Jazz Fest. You see the largest collection of eclectic, Cajun or New Orleans fusion assembled in one place. You could wander the French quarter endlessly and not find the diversity of vendors displayed here. What are cracklings? That's fried pork skin - think bacon popcorn. Shrimp etouffee - think hand held pot pies. If you want motivation for an epic urban trek, let the guilt of consuming 5000 calories of butter laden hand food propel your tired legs to take those extra steps.
The monitoring of steps brings up the primary benefit of long walks; we often call it the perfect exercise. One article recently showed how tech will not help you get fit or lose weight, but for me, having a visual record of the exertion lets me see that each step adds up, and provides motivation for more exercise.
I've tried the apple watch, the Android watches - both Sony and Samsung, and several fitness watches including Fitbit, Fitbit HR and Fitbit HR2.
What's the title about?
Strangely, every Uber driver I trailed to hail cancelled after accepting the ride. One even after I saw him drive by. Was it me? No one really hazarded a guess, except to say no Uber driver wanted to get caught in traffic. My suggestion is to change your destination to a nearby restaurant, such as the ones at the corner, so that the driver doesn't think you are Jazzfest bound.
