Eating My Way Through New Orleans: The Green Goddess and Boucherie

As my Blogger profile states, one of my life goals is to eat my way through the great restaurants of New Orleans. Here's hoping I live a reallllllyyyyy long time because this is turning out to be quite the project -- and one I relish completely.

Since starting the project, I've dined (in no particular order) at: Camellia Grill, Lola's, Cafe Degas, Elizabeth's, Emerils, Bayona, Praline Connection, the Upperline, Bacco, Ralph's on the Park, Luke, Britgsen's, Stanley's, La Petite Grocery, Lilette, Herbsaint, Mr. B's, and now The Green Goddess and Boucherie.

I have yet to eat at a bad restaurant. Yes, I like some places better than others (and sometimes it is just because I ordered the wrong dish or the restaurant was too crowded or someone obnoxious at the next table put a damper on the occasion).

Good food for me is good food. I'm not a snob about location, celebrity chefs or price point. However, I am discovering that my favorite places are a little off the beaten path (as in not necessarily in the Quarter), neighborhood gems that are somewhat upscale (but not intimidatingly so) with small, intimate dining rooms reminiscent of a bistro in Paris. Does this surprise anyone that knows me?

The Green Goddess, though in the Quarter, still earns points for being hard to find; it's located on Exchange Place, the charming alley way located between the Louisiana Supreme Court and the Monteleone Hotel. It's also extremely intimate; plan on sitting outside and waiting for a table no matter how early you get there. The list of speciality drinks is impressive as is the cheese list.

The food is inventive and pairs some unusual flavors -- a soup with a watermelon, ginger base topped with avocado and crab meat, for instance. Some pairings work more successfully than others. I was a little hampered because it was Good Friday, the one day a year when I am an observant Catholic (I know it makes no sense), so I limited my options to vegetarian/seafood, and as is always the case, the meaty dishes were what sounded, looked and smelled appealing. But still it was a fun, funky, yummy experience. The chef (and the menu) are totally different at lunch and dinner so I may have to go back at lunch sometime (and not during Lent).

It's a good thing I saved Boucherie for Saturday because the smell of their signature barbecue dishes would have driven me insane had I attempted to dine on Friday. Located in a tiny house in Riverbend, it scores for off the beaten path and intimate dining room. You HAVE to have reservations. There are only about 12 tables.

Their food, which is quite reasonably priced, is Southern with a twist. My dining companion and I decided to go with their better known dishes: boudin balls; collard greens with grit fries; ribs with fried shallots, brisket with Parmesan garlic fries and (drum roll, please) Krispy Kreme bread pudding. All were wonderful. The biggest surprise were the collards which had a tangy, yet smoky, flavor. We shared the bread pudding. Loved this place. Recommend it highly.

The issue with this project is that once I find a restaurant I really like, I want to return to it all the time, which makes it hard to make progress on my "list." And, yes, this is a self-imposed rule which I means I can un-impose it at any time. As I did this morning when I returned to Elizabeth's for brunch. This was my third visit. But I can't resist their crabby eggs. Or their praline bacon. Or their best-I've-ever-had Bloody Mary's.

So what are the other places on my list? Well, the list keeps growing. It seems as soon as I cross one place off, I hear about someplace else I just HAVE to try. Sadly, a few places (Cafe Sbisa, Christians, Cuvee, Petunia's) shut their doors before I had the opportunity to try them. But here is "the list" as it stands as of today. Tomorrow, who knows ...

Coquette's
Domenica
Cochon
Bistro at Maison de Ville
Patois
August
Le Foret
Bistro Daisy
Three Muses
Feelings Cafe
MiLa
Matt and Naddie's
Gautreau's
Dante's Kitchen
Iris
Ste. Marie
Delmonico
La Provence (technically not in New Orleans, but it's been on the list a long, long time).

Anyone else have a recommendation, a review, an observation. Pile it on. I'll get to it eventually.

"Cats Are Like Me": Cats and Autism, Part II

Today is Autism Awareness Day and the beginning of Autism Awareness Month.

Long-time readers of this blog will remember that autism awareness was the subject of the very first post on The House Where the Black Cat Lives two (!) years ago.

I remain passionate about this topic, because like cat rescue and spaying and neutering, I know something about it. My 10-year-old niece lives with autism.

Increasingly, cats (and dogs and horses) are being used as therapy animals for children with autism. Today, I stumbled across this lovely story about how cats helped the author's son learn to communicate.

The part that made my eyes well up was when he said, "Cats are like me." I feel that way myself which makes me wonder if I, too, was touched, if ever so slightly, by the brush of autism.

Now if you read the story of the House Where The Black Cat Lives over on the right side of this page, you'll figure out that cats are unlikely to be my niece "N"'s therapy animal of choice. (Actual cats that is. She still loves drawing pictures of them.)

That said "cat" was among her early words, at a time when she was almost completely non-verbal. But that was before the infamous "black cat" incident. She is, however, fascinated by all things canine. And I have witnessed her blossom in the presence of a horse, grooming, mounting and riding it with a near-religious reverence.

N is coming to visit later in the month. Perhaps she and the cats will have a breakthrough. Perhaps not.

At the very least, I'll probably get a new drawing of the cats for my refrigerator.

Felony Laws for Animal Cruelty Needed in Mississippi NOW

Did you know that Mississippi is one of only four states in the Union where cruelty toward a cat or a dog is not considered a felony? *

Appalling isn't it? That's right, in this state, people have starved and/or beaten pets to death, poured hot grease on feral cats and doused dogs with lighter fluid and burned them alive and gotten off with a fine of $1,000 (or less) and/or a six month jail term -- which was usually commuted to community service-- for a misdemeanor. That is, if they were punished at all.

Never mind that animal cruelty is a predictor and indicator of violent crime, domestic abuse and child abuse.

It's not that the citizens of Mississippi don't care about animal cruelty. Time and again, stories of horrific cat and dog abuse make the news, and there is always an outcry for a felony law. Petitions circulate. Legislation is introduced. And then it hits a wall.

Why? Mostly because of powerful Mississippi Farm Bureau lobbyists. Mississippi Farm Bureau opposes tougher laws against aggravated, intentional cruelty to dogs and cats. They claim that a felony cruelty law protecting dogs and cats could somehow impact farming, but livestock are already protected by a first offense felony cruelty law.

Just this week, a conference committee report was released that will weaken current laws in regards to acts of simple animal cruelty.

But never say die. Earlier this month in New Jersey, the case of a starved, left-for- dead pit bull made national headlines and spawned "Patrick's Law," a huge grassroots effort to provide stiffer penalties for animal abusers. Patrick's Law is also shedding additional light -- and putting pressure-- on states, including Mississippi, where no felony laws exist.

Seize the moment. Our cats and dogs have no choice but to be silent. We can speak for them. Learn more about Mississippi's laws for animal cruelty and what you can do to help here now.

* The others are Idaho, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Black Cat Rescue

Did you know that black cats are only about half as likely to be adopted as other cats?

I didn't know that, either, until I visited the Black Cat Rescue (BCR) blog. I've lived with several black cats over the years, and I've always found them to be the sweetest and funniest of kitties. For more about BCR and the wonderful work they do to rescue and adopt out black cats, visit their blog or their page on Facebook. Sammy and Koko are fans.

A New Toy ...

.... inspires exultation - and envy - at The House Where the Black Cat Lives. Nettie revels in having the new mint-flavored chew toy all to herself - at least for the moment. It looks like Sammy's turn is coming sooner than she thinks.

My Creature Comforts

I love my creature comforts. Almost as much as I love my little creatures.

Sometimes between the 9-hour work days, the 2 1/2 hours round trip commutes, the chores and stresses of living in a multi-cat household, I just want to scream , "Calgon, take me away."

When the cats at The House Where The Black Cat Lives get bent out of shape, brushings, cat nip, a few treats and a nap in their favorite sunny spot always works wonders. When the resident cat mama needs little pampering, I can always count on these decadent little luxuries to whisk me a to a calmer place.


Bath and Boudoir

Candles: Tyler Candles' richly scented products come with atmospheric monikers like French Quarter, Cathedral (which no kidding smells like incense), Diva and High Maintenance. My favorite? Do you even have to ask? Paris, mais bien sur! I also love Trapp's heavenly orange vanilla scent. It belongs in the Scented Candle Hall of Fame.

Anything by Bath Junkie: You pick the product, the color and the scent at their bath boutiques. They do the rest, then wrap it in color-coordinated tissue paper. I just feel better walking out of that uber-Zen oasis of calm. with my little bag. Their sea-salt scrub is the best (I get it in Calming Lavendar). I also keep a couple of bottles of bubble bath in mock-Chanel No. 5 and Rose for long Sunday evening soaks. They recently added a 6 oz. size to their 4 oz. and 8 oz. line up.

Savon de Marseilles: Gargantuan cubes of unwrapped French-made soap made with olive oil are great for your skin and look tres francais piled up in a big clear glass jar in your bathroom. One cube lasts forever. I always bring these back as souvenirs when I go to France.

L'Occitane en Provence's Pearlescent Rose Body Creme: I love anything from this high-end bath shop, but this soft pink, rose-scented cream carries a little lagniappe: a pearlescent shimmer that leaves your skin glowing.

Lady Primose Dusting Silk: Want to feel super-pampered? Spend a weekend at Monmouth Plantation in Natchez, Miss. Walk around the romantic grounds, dine in the 1818 restaurant, and enjoy being waited on hand and foot. After your shower, take their pretty cut glass bath shaker and idly drift some of this wonderful silky powder along your collarbones and decolletage wondering why you can't do this at home. You can. They just happen to sell the shakers and powder in their gift shop -- if they happen to have it in stock. "We seem to sell a lot of this," the clerk apologized after vainly searching the stock room . No problem. You can buy online. http://www.ladyprimrose.com/

The Kitchen

Oh, who are we kidding, it's not like you want to cook at moments like these, but never discount the mood-lifting power of a spoon dipped in a jar of something gooey. Or a yummy little bon bon popped right from the package into your mouth.

Nutella and Biscoff spreads: Nothing wrong with the tried and true spoon-in-the -ice cream tub or peanut butter jar, but now that I'm a big girl, I dip my spoon in something a little more decadent like Nutella or, my newest passion, Biscoff spread, which is made from those Biscoff cookies Delta serves in flight if you're lucky. Biscoff spread is the same thing as the Specaloos spread so beloved by American expats living in Europe. Over here, you have to order it online which gets pricey what with the shipping. So if you're going to France or Belgium any time soon, head to a local grocery and stock up. And bring back a jar or two for me

Chocolate: I will not turn my nose up at any chocolate, but Trader Joe's carries a dizzying variety of wonderful dark chocolate-- coated marshmallows (heaven in their sipping chocolate), pretzel bark, cocoa dusted almonds or my favorite: dark chocolate, pistachio toffee clusters.

Tea: Jolly Old England's best, P.G. tips is my everyday tea of choice, but lately I am also addicted to Trader Joe's vanilla cinnamon tea which my sister sent me in my Christmas package. We don't have a Trader Joe's here, so she periodically sends me Trader Joe's care packages. Is she a great sis or what?

And for the rest of my senses ...

Cashmere: Sweater, socks and a wonderful red shawl I bought in Venice cocoon me in softness (all best accompanied by a purring kitty or three or seven).

Movies: They have to be pretty, romantic and make me cry or laugh. Period pieces preferred. Gloomy Sunday, The Wings of the Dove, The Last Time I Saw Paris, even the Aristocats will do.

Music: Something kind of jazzy. Billie Holliday, Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, and my favorite New Orleans chanteuse Linnzi Zaorski.

So, what picks you up when you're down.? I'm always on the lookout for a new source of cheap endorphins! As long as it's legal that is...

Sex and the Single Cat Mama, Part II

Early on in this blog, I documented the trials and tribulations of dating as a single cat mama. The video below, "Single White Feline," encapsulates it perfectly.

I think my Recurring Gentleman Caller (RGC) would agree that this has been pretty much his experience -- times seven.

His stuff has been shed on, slept on, walked on, clawed on, peed on, and puked on.

He has had his dinner time, leisure time, work time, sports time, sleep time and romantic time interrupted by the calls of feline nature.

And still he stays put.

I keep hoping that he and the cats will grow on each other. As it is they manage to co-exist. And that is enough. I realize that I have found that rare, one-in-a-million guy.

I think the cats recognize it, too, or they wouldn't still be trying to get rid of him.

Now watch the video. Bat Sh** Crazy. I love it.




Video via BBC Comedy