You May Find Yourself Living in a Shotgun Shack

I've always loved the song "Once in a Lifetime" by the Talking Heads, and now I know what a shotgun shack is. A fair number of these exist at the edges of the French Quarter in New Orleans. It is worth a wander away from the hustle and bustle of Bourbon Street and Royal Street to enjoy these colorful houses. Some of them sustained damage during Hurricane Katrina and haven't been restored yet or are in the process of being restored.

Iron Lace

The famous balconies of the French Quarter aren't so much French as they are a "Victorian elaboration on a Spanish idea". Whatever the influence, they are a pure delight. 

Fog Advisory

While in New Orleans a couple of weeks ago, the weather was unseasonably warm and I felt as though I had stepped into summer for a few days. As someone who lives in Montreal, this was a great, though brief, relief from frigid temperatures and mounds of snow. So, I wasn't expecting fog. On this particular morning  I was planning on sleeping in to recover from a stupidly early morning flight the previous day. For some reason, I couldn't (internal photographer's fog detector?), so I grabbed my camera bag and was treated to this enchanting vision.