Things to read and subscribe to for Epicness in NOLA

So here I am this time last year working on putting together my internship for Fleurty Girl in my favorite PJ's, writing my first article about touristy things when I pick up a Gambit Weekly. I had read the publication numerous times when working for Community Coffee back in high school, and I will always remember when I spotted my graduation present to myself : a concert at the House of Blues featuring Hellogoodbye and a few other teeny bopper bands popular at the time.

When remembering this, I thought to myself " Maybe I can find something else awesome to do to celebrate the semester ending and embarking on a new journey with this internship." Then I remembered I was leaving at the end of the month to visit a friend in Berkley, CA.

Anyway, long story short, Gambit Weekly is jammed packed with awesomeness: Food, Shows, Shops, Local Impact Articles, and the occasional hilarious personal ad.

Other publications you can pick up are as follows: The Times Picayune (local newspaper. also online at www.nola.com), Off Beat Magazine (best for the music scene), Where Y'at? (next best thing to Gambit), The Avenue ( for culture and arts... and maybe snooty uptown-ness), The Levee ( for comedic humor on serious local stories) and anything else at the coffee shop you're stopping at in the morning. Most of these publications are free, but the Times is a 'buy only' thing (don't you dare steal one!) All these fine publications are full of info. to last you day to day or even the week/month.

Now for the money savers! We all know I'm just a college student, and I love cheap/free thrills! I'm pretty sure with this economy, you're a penny pincher too! If you have a problem signing up your email for anything, stop reading now because this is not for you! If anything, make a separate email account to get these great deals for the cheap thrills. Have you seen the commercials and ads for LivingSocial? Go on the website and sign your email up for NOLA. Same with Groupon. They send you an email at least 5 days a week about local places to shop, eat, and entertainment. Another place is My New Orleans Perks. Also a great idea is all the local radio stations. They all have a 'half price mall' or a weekly email letting you know about some great deal going on.

I can't begin to even put into words about how all these places have helped me discover more and more about my favorite place on Earth. So start reading and sign your email up for the greatness offered here in New Orleans!

Street Music by Courtney Kathleen Ralston

I always have a song in my head and nearly everything reminds me of some lyric to a song so, needless to say, walking around the French Quarter is heaven for me. The street musicians really make the Quarter my favorite part of town. I love strolling in and out of galleries boutiques and always having some music playing.

    Tuesday however, I took a different approach: less shopping, more listening. With that approach, I fell in love with the Quarter all over again.

   

    NoLa is known for jazz, and it can literally be found EVERYWHERE. I parked my car, walked one block, and there it was: the robust sound of a jazz band. 6 men sat on a pair of park benches and let it flow. With four horns and two drums, they seemed to serve as a welcome wagon to the city. It’s a great reminder of how American music was born, because jazz was the first music style born in America, and it happened right here in New Orleans.

    Then I moved to behind the St. Louis Cathedral and found an older gentleman with a young lady, with a really nice set-up. She had a head set and an amp, while he played the acoustic guitar. She had a beautiful voice. It was soft and high, but full of soul. The man was really skilled on the guitar and they complemented each other really well. I loved the juxtaposition of their ages; it was just proof that music is the tie that binds people.

    Two blocks down from that pair was what I can only describe as the musical equivalent to “American Gothic” by Grant Wood. They were simply dressed and kept straight faces, yet the music lacked no passion. Her voice was huskier, but still sounded very feminine. She played the guitar and he played the string. No really, a string attached to a pole stuck in an upside down wash bucket, and it sounded amazing.

    My next musical encounter was a cello player, seated on an egg crate. There was conviction in her face. I loved the simplicity of her set-up. I feel that simplicity tells you something about true talent. It’s why actors recite monologues; if you can find the emotion alone it can only be multiplied when you are in a group. If this girl were playing in a quartet, it would be worthy of any concert hall.

   

    Down from the cellist, was a one-man-band. These always remind me of Bert from Mary Poppins, and by association, make me very happy. He spent more time telling jokes than playing, not that it mattered to me. He was having a blast and if music isn’t fun, then is it really worth it? I agree, no, it’s not.

    Then, at the end of the musical leg of my adventure I stumbled upon my favorite musician of the day, and possibly ever. A young girl, playing the accordion, with a PHENOMENAL husky voice was just letting it rip across Jackson Square. I was instantly taken by her voice. It was captivating. Her spirit was just glowing from her skin. She just sang and played, so open and unashamed. I wish I had videoed her to capture her voice, because it’s nearly impossible to describe, yet it deserves all the recognition.

   

    I feel sometimes, just as we forget to stop and smell the roses, we forget to stop and listen to the sound of the city. Maybe we are in a hurry, maybe we just don’t know what we’re missing, but if you open your ears you will never want to miss it again.