A Teen Eye on New Orleans

Jenny Velasquez, Ed.Denise Atlobello, Ed.

Dedication

Once more, to New Orleans, Americas Most Interesting City, whoprovides us year after year with a palette of never-ending sights,sounds and stories.

And to the memory of Garrett Velasquez whose work reminds us thatart comes in many forms at every age.

INTRODUCTION

Try to repeat the magic of June 2009?Spend another six months planning, guiding, editing and designing?Add the element of movie-making too?

Im in! Jenny tipped her glass in my direction.Im in too!Clink! Lets do it!

And so we did.A quick email later, Jenny Velasquez and I secured our cozy accommodations

once again in our favorite French Quarter nest and sent out the call for eight11-16 year old girls eager to write, shoot and video their way through NewOrleans. And what a response we had!

A TEEN EYE ON NEW ORLEANS is a collection of photo essays growing outof Nola Travel Writers second travel-writing and photography workshop forteens. For eight adventurous days (and eight sleep-deprived nights!), our travelwriters-in-training fanned out from the French Quarter to the AmericanSector, from the Bywater to Bayou St. John, from Treme to the GardenDistrict and all the way to the Manchac swamp determined to discover all thatNew Orleans has to offer to teens and tweens lucky enough to travel itsbyways.

From the moment they made their way down to breakfast in the BienvilleHouses lobby to the hour that Jenny and I locked them down for the night,these girls covered their beats with grace, humor and openness. They gavethemselves over to La Nouvelle Orleans, and their wonderful host city rewardedthem richly.

When a rainstorm cut short their dancing at Zydeco Fest, these girls simplytook off their shoes and splashed their way back to the hotel serenadingbystanders with a joyful rendition of Singing in the Rain. When their schedulednight of singing in front of Jackson Square was pre-empted by the appearanceof a large brass band, they gave in to the serendipity and bounced along to thenew and unexpected rhythms. And before the night came to its end, they joinedhands and sang Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans accompaniedby a violinist and a saxophonist on the corner of Royal and Toulouse Streets.

Yes, the 2011 NOLA Traveling Teens were made of hearty stuff. Whetherthey were feeding marshmallows to hungry alligators, handcrafting voodoo dollsfrom Spanish moss or photographing the romantic old oak tress in the earlymorning hours in City Park, they seized the moments. And as they interviewedand worked among restaurateurs, glass artists, mask makers and Mardi GrasIndian queens, these ladies fell in love with the city all the while crafting storieswith words and photos that only their eyes could see and only their voices couldtell.

By the workshops end, Jenny and I bid sad farewells to our charges whoselaughter, adventurousness and creativity had kept us on our toes throughoutthe week.

A TEEN EYE ON NEW ORLEANS is the story of their adventures.

Denise Altobello

Acknowledgments

We would like once again to offer our appreciation to Trinity Episcopal Schoolin New Orleans for the unfailing support given to our teen and tween travelenterprise. The enthusiasm and generosity of spirit so freely given by ourheadmaster, the Reverend Dr. Michael Kuhn, and by our division head, RebeccaTaylor, both inspire and challenge us. We thank them both.

Once again, Miss Sandy Courvoisier offered her professional photographerseye and gentle guidance to our girls as they sought to document the images,textures, shapes and motifs of New Orleans.

A travelogue of the birthplace of jazz demands a soundtrack that honors itsmusic. And again, we were blessed to have Anas St. John as both our History ofJazz lecturer and our resident diva and songstress. Her voice and determinationled our girls in their not-to-be-forgotten performance of Louis Armstrongstandards.

We would also like to thank Lisa Holland at the New Orleans Convention andVisitors Bureau for her assistance in securing the Bienville House Hotel as thehome away from home for our travel-writing cadre.

And what a home it was! We would like to express our gratitude to Miss Anhand Mr. Robert, who greeted us each morning with coffee, tea and kindness, andto the ladies and gentlemen at the front desk who never lost their smiles evenwhen one of our writers sheepishly asked for a replacement room key for thethird time in as many days.

Our New Orleans adventure depends heavily on the hospitality of our ownlocal artists and business people. What generous hosts and hostesses we hadduring our highly anticipated Inside a New Orleans Legend Day! How do weexpress our appreciation to Fifi Laughlin from Studio Inferno and Atelier FineArts Gallery as well as Anas St. John from the Polo Lounge at Windsor CourtHotel?

Huge thanks also go to managers William Mealer and John Melnyk, Chef AlonShaya and the entire staff of John Besh's Domenica restaurant. Our girls fellin love with each of them as much as they did with the pizzas, gnocchi andcookies we all devoured. We must also acknowledge Miss Littdell Bannister of theCreole Wild West Mardi Gras Indians, Sue Mobley of Sweet Home New Orleans,Wiley Vertappen with Positive Vibrations Foundation and Ann and Laura Guccioneof New Orleans Masks. Each of these New Orleans legends gave our writersand photographers an inside peek into their lives and work, which inspired manyof the stories in this collection.

A book is born from tremendous labor, and our coaches and supporters did farmore than wait in a hallway for the news of its birth. Thanks to Leona Cladefor adding some home cooking to our late nights spent writing in the BienvilleHouses lobby and to Bitsy and Papi, who definitely put the grand ingrandparents.

And our most heartfelt gratitude goes to our husbands. Once again, BobbyVelasquez not only pulled double duty at home for young Reilly and Eamon but alsospent untold hours assisting in the photo layout of both books. And finally, wethank Brian Altobello who lent his relentless editing eye as well as his expertiseand passion for New Orleans, World War II and a properly thorough index. Weowe you both a lavish New Orleans feast!

Denise Altobello and Jenny Velasquez

The Lions of the Swamp by Briella Meglio

Captain Tom, how do you know if a swamp snake ispoisonous or not? Dontcha tell by their eyes?

You got a broomstick or a shotgun? We can check itlater, chere.

Deep within the Bayou Manchac swamp just 30 mileswest of the New Orleans city limits, Captain Tomweaves tales of Louisiana wildlife that inform, amaze,and yes, occasionally creep out passengers.

From snapping turtles, to alligators, to nutria and watermoccasins, the swamp absolutely teems with lessons andlife.

Prepare for the surprises that are sure to turn upduring your tour.

As Captain Tom warns, the swamp, shes got noschedule here you never know whatll show up!

Eatin' New Orleans StylePhotos by Reagan Johnson and Maddie Ybarzabal

Come on, girls, walk faster! Cant you hear the drums calling you?

Just across Rampart Street from the old Vieux Carre, is CongoSquare, the Sunday meeting place for slaves and free people ofcolor who lived in the Faubourg Treme, the oldest African Americanneighborhood in the United States.

The rhythmic beats and tribal sounds of the drums grew louder aswe drew closer. We zoomed in on the back corner the source ofthose steady beats and rhythmic chants. Stepping onto tiptoes topeer over the rows of heads in front of us, we looked around thecircle of drummers and reached in unison for our cameras.

Click! Click! Clcik......

Photo Essays by Reagan Johnson and Briella Meglio

The World in the Quarter by Briella Meglio

Pirates Alley by Briella Meglio

Sculpture in the Garden by Maddie Ybarzabal

Leandro Erlich's window and ladder tell the tale of Katrina victims who waited behindwindows for heroic rescuers who arrived Too Late to Help.

Our group of ten strolled along observing magnificentone-of-a-kind sculptures that ranged anywhere from bluedogs by Louisianas own George Rodrigue to a colossalsafety pin by the Swedish artist, Claes Oldenburg.

Wow, how beautiful!How in the world?Thats just crazy!

Our light-hearted group was all smiles and giggles until.

Our giggles and quips died off.

The simple sculpture before us consisted of a ladderseeming to defy gravity leading up to a single brick-framed window hanging eerily in thin air with no buildingto anchor it. The few broken bricks surrounding thiswindow told its story from two sides: from the facelessperson who had waited behind that window for therescue that did not come and from the heroic rescuer whofinally arrived Too Late to Help.

Flickers of Hope By Amelia Craver and Briella Meglio

Within a dark niche beside the main altar in the old Mortuary Chapel,rows of votives pay tribute to St. Jude, the city's patron of lost causes.

Leaving New Orleans is never easy. Not even for thedead. The cities of the dead are everywhere and reallyshould not be missed on a trip to New Orleans.

Visit the historic Mortuary Chapel, known today as OurLady Of Guadalupe Church, the site of speedy funeralsfor those who fell to the yellow fever epidemic in the1800s. Behind the church, enter St. Louis Cemetery #1.Wander among the crumbling vaults to the tomb ofMarie Laveau. Be sure to ask the spirits permissionbefore snapping a picture of her resting place. Many acamera and its photos have mysteriously gone missingafter a photographer has forgotten her manners.

From haunted tours to vampire myths to voodoo doll-making workshops, New Orleans reminds her visitors ofthe peaceful co-existence of the living and the dead.

Yes, the spirits of New Orleans throb with the sameenergy and southern hospitality of its living residents.So, come and visit. You, too, may never want to leave.

Offerings To New Orleans' Voodoo Queenby Briella Meglio and Shelbe Overby

Water Flower by Shelbe Overby

Iron and Lace by Virginia Bryan

Welcome to Muriels, a beautiful and haunted restaurantjust outside of the historic Jackson Square.

Beneath the curve of a gnarled staircase in an alcovejust off the main dining rooms, a table is set with a signthat reads, "Reserved for Muriels resident ghost, Mr.Antoine Lepardi Jourdan and his guest!

Jourdan designed this building as a home for his ownfamily. In 1814, according to legend, Jourdan, an avidgambler, wagered and lost his dream home in a pokergame. Tragically, he went home, retreated to the oldslave quarters and committed suicide.

So, wind your way through the red, candle-lined hall thatleads to The Sance Room... the very room where AntoineLepardi Jourdan took his life.

Photos by Reagan Johnson and Briella Meglio

Zydeco! by Reagan Johnson

Music in the Making by Reagan Johnson

The Basilica of Saint Louis, King of Franceby Reagan Johnson

The WPA... FDR's Legacy to New Orleans by Meg Hancock

Wander across town into the Faubourg St. John and the1,300 acres of its own City Park.

Acres of Spanish moss draping from oak trees datingback to the 18th century provide the perfect backdropto a day of art, recreation, and good old family fun!

For the tiniest children and the little kid in all of us,Storyland offers re-creations of nursery rhymes andfairy tales. Home to the 3 Little Pigs, the Big Bad Wolf,Snow White, Peter Pan, Alice and.. well, you get thepicture. Storyland welcomes the entire family.

History and art buffs will adore the bridges, fountains,pavilions and gardens created by 20,000 previouslyunemployed workers during the Great Depression.President Franklin Roosevelts Works ProgressAdministration is responsible not only for these landmarksbut even for the miles and miles of meandering lagoonsdug by hand throughout the park during the 1930s.

Ahh... A Stroll Through City Park by Reagan Johnson

City Park's Storyland....A Magical Place!By Maddie Ybarzabal

"There are things known and things unknown and in between are the doors..."Jim Morrison Photos by Regina LoBiondo

Fired Up at Domenicaby Virginia Bryan and Meg Hancock

The Quarter Speaks by Amelia Craver

Luscious water lilies luxuriate in the tropical pondin City Park's Botanical Gardens by Maddie Ybarzabal

Fleur De Lis By Maddie Ybarzabal

Meet the NOLA Travel Writers....

Reagan Johnson is a senior at MilfordHigh School, near Cincinnati, Ohio. Nevermuch of a homebody, she has enjoyed theopportunity to travel everywhere in theU.S. from South Carolina, to New YorkCity, to Oklahoma, and straight on downto the Big Easy itself, New Orleans.Always exploring, Reagan has dabbled inmany creative arts including writing,theatre and painting; but she has foundher truest passion in photography. In2009 she won the coveted cover photo inNew Orleans: A T(w)een Travelogue,which features two of her travel essaysas well as many of her travelphotographs. Since then, she earned thecover shot of 2011's Teens Take on NewOrleans and 2012'sA Teen Eye on New Orleans. She hopesfor a career as both a photographer andcomputer engineer.

Briella Meglio, a Jersey girl at heart, hadnever ventured to New Orleans until 2011when she set out in search of hercreative muse. Enticed by the zesty food,soulful jazz and Southern hospitality,Briella lost herself in the magic of thecobblestone streets of New Orleans.Back home in Montvile, New Jersey,Briella lends her artistic talents to OakKnoll Schools newspaper, literarymagazine, photography club, and speechand debate team. She also enjoys fencingfor her schools varsity team andvolunteering her time as an emergencymedical technician. Although she stillcontinues to pine for her beloved CrescentCity, the stories, photos and nostalgicmemories of her summmer idyll will haveto do until she returns for her nextadventure.

Virginia Bryan is a student at Louise S.McGehee High School in New Orleans. Adiehard athlete, Virginia plays socceralong with a variety of other competitivesports. While she enjoys relaxing on thenearby Florida beaches, she adores goingto camp in the mountains of NorthCarolina for six weeks each summerwhere her time is spent mountain biking,rock climbing, canoeing and swimming.Along with her twin and younger sisters,Virginia loves spending weeks with herfamily in their favorite traveldestination, Canada, where they embracethe cool temperatures even in the heightof the summer.

Shelbe Overby is a student at Lone OakMiddle School in Paducah, Kentucky. Anactress since age 5, Shelbe recentlyappeared at Paducahs Market HouseTheatre in EAT (Its not about food).She has recently expanded her theatreskills by serving not only as the assistantmusical director for a production of Anniebut also as a teaching assistant for thelocal Footlights acting classes. Notunexpectedly, Shelbes favorite travelexperience was a summer trip to NewYork City where she was able to enjoyseveral live Broadway shows betweenvisits to the citys many museums.Shelbes love of creative writing madeher jump at the opportunity to competefor a spot with NOLA Travel Writers'summer workshop. Nicknamed the LittleDiva, Shelbe is seldom spotted withouther silver sparkly bag dangling from hershoulder.

In 2009 Regina LoBiondo, a nave younggirl from New Jersey, traveled to the cityof New Orleans for the first time.Smitten with the sights, scents andmagic of the city, Regina returned in 2011for another travel writing adventure. Asinger and writer, she recently traveledto Rome as a member of an ensemble fromthe Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child toperform in a young musicians' choralfestival. Regina loves to travel and oneday hopes to see the world, or at least agood portion of it. Reginas publishedworks include essays in New Orleans: AT(w)een Travelogue, poems in herschools literary magazine, Freestyle, andseveral articles in her high schoolsnewspaper. Always mulling over new ideasfor poems, short stories and novels,Regina often finds herself lost indaydreams, much to her teachers dismay.

Amelia Craver is a born and bred NewOrleanian who lives in a haunted house inthe city's romantic Garden District. Fromher first beignet to her first Mardi Grasparade, New Orleans has had a hold onher heart. A graduate of TrinityEpiscopal School in New Orleans, shecurrently attends Benjamin Franklin HighSchool. When she is not writing andtraveling inside and outside the UnitedStates, she enjoys playing basketball,swimming and exploring her hometown.Hoping to pursue a career in marinebiology, Amelia expected the swamp tourto be the highlight of her travel-writingadventure. Although relieved that theinfamous lugaroo failed to make anappearance, she was delighted to meetMr. Chopper and Miss Honey Bun, theManchacs swamps most romantic couple.

Maddie Ybarzabal attends PaducahMiddle School in Paducah, Kentucky.Versatile and energetic, she enjoystraveling and writing along with art,theater and competitive team sports.Most recently, Maddie starred as SnowWhite in Snow White and the SevenDwarfs at the Four Rivers Carson Centerin Paducah. As talented on the athleticfield as she is on the stage, Maddiecompeted for and won a spot on her highschools varsity volleyball team while stillin middle school. Her father, a native ofNew Orleans and a darned good cook,carries on many of the city's best culinarytraditions in Paducah. New Orleans holdsa special place in Maddies heart and ather table.

Meg Hancock is a student at PaducahMiddle School in Kentucky. A member ofthe varsity academic team, Megspecializes in arts, humanities andhistory. She is often spotted hoveringover one of many journals holding herpoems, short stories and sketches. Megplays the French horn in her school'sconcert band and is the Soprano 1 sectionleader in the choir. Active in communitytheatre, Meg relishes her time both onstage and behind the scenes. She pridesherself on being able to sing a song fromjust about any Broadway musical. Notsurprisingly, breaking out into animpromptu rendition of "Singing in theRain" while walking through ankle-deepwater in the French Quarter was ahighlight of her NOLA Travel Writersexperience.

Also by NOLA Travel Writers:

New Orleans: A T(w)een Travelogue

Teens Take On New Orleans!

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