3 PM: I-s-cream @ Jazz Fest...

After getting all this writing done and caught-up with blog and some food-shopping I'm completely exhausted and ready for a good old nap, I could not even read a word in my cook-book, once I hit the pillow I was in dreamland.
I must have slept past 6 o'clock when Karen woke me up, "Lets get ready..." she says as she is shaking me out of my dreams. New adventures are waiting, a shower, put on some nice cloth and off we go to meet our friends for dinner at the Ye Olde College Inn. Usually I go here right before Rock n' Bowl on Thursday, exactly like today, except the "New" Rock n' Bowl is right on the other side of the parking-lot. John Blancher who owns the restaurant had to close the old and famous bowling-alley because his lease went up and so he decides to find a new location. How can it be more convenient than sharing the same parking-area of the restaurant and the new Rock n' Bowl. Karen and I are thinking that we're way late, but then laugh at ourself because when we get seated at our table for 11 there is Sarah & Lee, Sarah's sister form Destin, FL and another friend from Dallas, Jo. A big halli-hallo, hungs and all that jazz and soon Joann arrives with Al, her sister and her mom, and last but not least Moto arrives, a.k.a. Sharon. Our table is complete, drink and food gets ordered and lots of stories making the rounds... we're all excited to find out about the new place.

Dinner with the gang... Joann, with mom and sister, Lee with Sarah and her sister...

Jo from Dallas, TX and Karen, Moto w. Al and me...

Outside of Ye Olde College Inn...

After all is consumed and cleared out we split that hefty bill. I had Fried Green Tomatoes as appetizer, Red-fish with the works and some Abita Beer, as always on the search for the most local beer. I paid about 45 bucks for this and this time no free entry into RnB like we usually get, because it's Jazz-Fest weekend and a double bill tonight.
So we're crossing the parking-lot, I change from my Keen's to my shit-kickers and in we go.
What a great place, just getting through the door we're already impressed, and the smell of the fresh paint and floor-finish is still in the air. We pay each 20, admire all the work that has been done and then come around the corner and see this huge place, tons of people and Geno Dealfoe play... no it does not get any better...

A true statement on the shirts, and a full size bar...

Geno Delaofse playing the first half...

To fill the place, for dancing, drinking and bowling...

Friends and more friends, I loose the color of it all...

The night goes on and Gino comes to an end... then it's time for Terrance Simien to get on the stage... a different style of Zydeco, more like entertainment, a real good guy, and ideal for a non Zydeco crowd. I talk to him earlier, he beams of energy, and talks like he is from down the bayou, a expression used for people that live in rural Louisiana and speak french-creole that is hard to understand.

Here is Terrance Simien at work...

The statement for the good old Rock n' Bowl is "Rock n' Bowl will never die...

Another big day is ahead of us and so we don't close down this place tonight... it's time to get some sleep.

In the morning I finally can make some Chai Tea again, with that another bowl of muessly and breakfast is ready. Plans are made and Karen's friend Jean picks us up. She drives us near the Sauvage Pedestrian Entrance of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival area, we go out, while she drive to a parking-area where a buss brings her into the arena later. For that we take her chair with us and set-up camp near the Fais-Do-Do Stage. Ahh it is great to be back here, last year I came here with Christoph and Ina from Cologne, Germany and it was a blast, have a look at last years memories. I not even know where to start, the program (click on April 24th) is overwhelming and best is to start with a cup of coffee with some beignets from Cafe du Monde stand.

Sitting down at the Accura on site dealer to enjoy a hot coffee with something to eat, while a few clouds sprinkle the sky...

Now it's time to dig through the schedule, figure out between 6 stages and 4 tents to see what I'd like to hear or see. I always like the Mardi Gras Indians, and the 2nd Line Brass Bands, both of these appear at the Jazz and Heritage Stage.

There is the Zydeco I like and the Cajun I don't like, this I find at the Fais Do Do Stage, while between the Acura Stage and the Gentilly Stage the big guys play and at the Congo Square the African scene goes down.
The Gospel happens at the Gospel Tent, Jazz at the WWOZ (calling letters of the local radio-station) Jazz Tent and Blues at the Blues Tent, there is a Kids Tent a Lagniappe Stage and the Economy Hall Tent. Thousands of people are already everywhere and more to come, music is coming from everywhere, yet if your standing at one stage listening to that band there you don't hear the others play, and amazing place.

Well lets go the Fais Do Do stage, the Lost Bayou Ramblers doing their Cajun music, and are almost finished by the time I get there, alright lets move on.

Sarah & Lee set-up camp in front of the Acura Stage,