Voodoo memories of hot days, Cajun cookin, and ceiling fans.


Our (mostly the lady drifters) recent search for the right ceiling fans brought back some fond memories. Around 15 years ago. In New Orleans on business trip. Never been there before. It was summer. Hot. Real hot. Humid. Real humid. On the way to a meeting (half mile walk or less) had to stop in a store to get a new shirt and after shave to avoid showing up sweat soaked and stinking. Modernized downtown area much like many other cities, but French Quarter, Garden District and outer neighborhoods distinctly different from anything you’ll see anywhere else in the country.

Like San Francisco, it’s a city with a strong identity that feels more human or more connected to traits associated with human character than most others. Spent most of my downtime in and around the French Quarter and the river.
Ate Oysters all day long. Went into thrift stores, record stores and junk shops and saw some wild stuff and met even wilder people. The whole Voodoo thing is mostly a touristy sideshow now, but when you meet older folks you can see that there’s something deeper goin on for them that is connected in some way to that strange amalgam of cult religion, superstition and sex. Don’t know anything about it but it’s in the air.


Had a Crawfish Etouffe that I remember as one of the tastiest dishes I’d ever had. Had it at least 3 more times before the end of my trip…and they were all great. Never had one outside N.O. that came close. Maybe it was the VOodOoo.

Had an amazing musical adventure too…but it’s a long story, so I’ll save for another time.

Oh, yes, ceiling fans
All through the town (and especially in the Quarter) are restaurants and bars with large windows and doors open to the street. Inside every joint you’ll usually find a high ceiling with as many ceiling fans as space allows lined up one after another all hanging low (about 12 ft. from the floor as I learned was ideal height and almost always 2 bladed) and turning lazily slow.

Coming in from the street, you can feel the difference instantly. It’s a gentle breeze running through the entire place and it’s somewhat surprising considering how slow those blades are turning and the number of people generally packed on the floor beneath them. And though I’m sure many establishments have considered and had the opportunity to install air conditioning (which considering the heat would seem like a no-brainer business decision) surprisingly few have--or so it appeared 15 years ago. The just barely sufficient efficiency of those ceiling fans is part of the charm and tradition and experience in these places. And so what if it’s still kinda hot? That’s part of what makes it New Orleans…and not Dallas, or Atlanta or God forbid, Houston. And of course, like everything else in New Orleans, the fans have style.