The Crescent City New Year Party

Last night we had an awesome New Year’s party.  Our theme was New Orleans.  We had such a great time when we visited during last summer’s NABC’s.  New Orleans to my mind is the best tourist place in North America.  I would have preferred going to the Big Easy in a different season but even in the summer it was a lot of fun although we had to duck into the shade when we took a long walk through the French Quarter.  I remember somebody handing out some free ices mixed with some fruit juice and some kind of alcohol.  It was heaven – not really the liquor but the ice.

In our party we had an array of New Orleans food.  The appetizers which were all home-made included pralines.  I forgot how good they were. Among the many courses were: shrimp remoulade, jambalaya and a salad which included among other things shredded yams, cranberries and nuts.  The store-bought pecan pie, the best in Toronto, went along with a Doberge cake that Colin made from scratch.  This is a complex and wondrous creation that was professionally done.  Colin was awarded two set of Mardi Gras beads for his artistry.  Ray the chef of the meal also won a bead award.

Being games players the event had to include a quiz or two.

Here are a few questions from our New Orleans quiz for you to try:

1. When did Katrina approach New Orleans: month and year?
2. What song by the New Orleans group Dixie Cups knock the Beatles out of Billboard’s top songs in the 1960’s?
3. What does Mardi Gras mean?
4. Which three colours are used during Mardi Gras in New Orleans
5. Who composed the song City of New Orleans a) Woody Guthrie b) Arlo Guthrie c) Willie Nelson d) Steve Goodman
6. Which of the following bodies of water does not border New Orleans? a)      Gulf of Mexico b) Lake Pontchartrain c) Mississippi River
7. 11.  Who are the Creoles
8. 12.  Why were the Acadians expelled from Acadia leading to many of them moving to Orleans and becoming Cajuns?
9. 14.  What famous cathedral is in Jackson Square?

Can you name these famous people from New Orleans

• a)      Wrote novels about vampires
• b)      American left-wing playwright romantically involved for 30 years with crime writer Dashiell Hammett?
• c)      Writer of Breakfast at Tiffany’s?
• d)     Pulitizer Prize winning author of streetcar named Desire
• e)      BAM!
• f)       Famous pirate of the early 19^th century who worked in New Orleans with his brother Pierre?
• i)        One more… you can do it.. we are sweatin’ to the oldies?
• j)        American trumpeter and bandleader.^[1] He is best remembered for his million selling recordings of Java?

And the evening wouldn’t have been complete without one bridge deal.  I was originally given a hand with mistakes so I never actually had a chance to come up with the right solution.  I know what worked but is it the right way to play the hand.  You can try it.

North ♠ xxx ♥ AKxxx ♦ AJ9x ♣ x

South ♠ AKJ9 ♥ Jx ♦ Kxx ♣ AKQJ

By some strange chance you have wandered into 6♠ with no opposition bidding.  The opening lead is the smallest club which could be fourth highest (or not).  East follows low.  How do you proceed?  How would you play 6NT while we are at it.  I will tell you that Bill Milgram did to make the contract in my next post.  But I don’t promise it is the best line.

Ray was sick and I was recovering from the same sickness.  So we wandered off to bed at midnight leaving our guests with Colin and Luise to hold the fort.

I wish all of you a wonderful 2011.  I hope you had a great evening as well.  And to any of you from New Orleans, you have a remarkable city.  You have come back a long way from adversity.  Your music, your food, your history and culture are special to all of us.  All the best.