Satchmo's in the French Quarter?

Photos by Stan Rolfsrud

This is not Louis Armstrong. He's dead. But his spirit lives whenever an audience shows up in New Orleans.

He's not from Minnesota. His ex-girlfriend gave him the
sweatshirt. The girlfriend he was with on the Riverwalk
today was not impressed when she found out today. Oh well,
sorry for bringing it up, Michael.  Let's just change the
subject.  That's the Natchez Paddleboat in the background.
Now smile, while your new girlfriend takes our picture.

The National Basketball Association All-Star Game is in New Orleans for the weekend and the town has pulled out all the stops for the flood of hoops fans visiting the Crescent City -- even the organ stops on the noisy steam calliope of the legendary Natchez paddleboat.
Today the French Quarter had a full court press on for NBA fans with tickets… and those without, like us. Naturally we had to head downtown (on our 40-cent Magazine Street bus) to join the excitement and watch the city put on a party. It was fun, especially given the sunny day with a Valentine feel, making everyone extra friendly in this Big Easy Good Times place.

Magicians, grifters, fortune tellers and day dream believers welcome visitors to Jackson Square.

(That's the iconic Andrew Jackson statue in the background. A bit of a con man himself, Andrew would approve all the
foregoing. Our great grandfather was a Jackson. No relation.)