I had this figured out, I think

It's Second Line season again. Starting in mid-August, the New Orleans calendar fills up on each Sunday with a scheduled Second Line for the local Social and Pleasure Clubs.

Today was the parade for the Good Fellas. I had this figured out. I knew where to park my car, catch the parade, and then get back to my car to go home. They were to start off at 1:00 pm, at the corner of St. Charles Avenue and Josephine Street, from the Eiffel Society Club just in front of the Pontchartrain Hotel in the Garden District.

So I drove Uptown around 11:00, and parked my car on Washington between Dryades and Daneel. This was on the route published at the WWOZ website promoting the second line, and about as far as I thought I wanted to follow the parade. Then I walked down to St. Charles Avenue and took the streetcar down to Josephine Street, about five blocks away.

I had a nice breakfast at the Trolley Stop Cafe, which was super busy. But I ate at the bar, and a young lady named Mo took care of me.

A horseman buys two beers from a street vendor. Is one for the horse?

After breakfast, around 12:50, I headed down toward the corner, where, it was clear from the flashing blue lights of the NOPD, that the Second Line was about to begin. There were vendors everywhere, selling everything from daiquiris to hamburgers, leather goods to umbrellas (yes, it had started to drizzle).

The band started playing around 1:10. First off, the queens of the group came down the long elevated walkway, dancing. They proceeded to the float that headed up the parade. Then came the kids of the club, also dancing. They were followed up by a brass band whose name I didn't get (sorry!). Then the senior Fellas came, cool in their white suits, their black and gold raiment, displaying. They were followed up by The Hot Eight Brass Band - some serious musicians.

Here are photos:

As the parade got to Second and Daneel Street, the rain started to come down, first small patters and then harder. Family members of the marchers gathered up the fragile ostrich feather fans and put them away for safekeeping in a van.My timing was right, it seemed. I followed the line down Daneel Street to Washington, and then peeled off, heading to my car, which was parked just up from Dryades Street. I wasn't too wet, though I was dripping with sweat from the humidity.

Dancer

In the neighborhood

I headed downtown, back to the Bywater. I ended up at Vaughan's Lounge, to catch the final quarter of the game. Like last week, the Saints lost.