Comments on: Westward, Ho. Sort of.

By: Meathead

Meathead — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:56:43 +0000

As a born & raised resident of Gretna (live in Atlanta, GA now), I find your post humorous, but sadly, so true to the stereotype many have of the Bestbank. While I was a student at Brother Martin, I had classmates ask me where I lived. When I told them the Westbank, they asked if it was true that I had to park at the foot of the bridge and take a mud boat to my house. Apparently their perception of the Westbank was that it was pretty much all like Lafitte, but without the single paved road.

The Westbank is hardly a mystery, and Harvey is not even close to being “deep” in the Westbank. Any city or town that is adjacent to the Expressway, is not deep. You want deep, try Grand Isle, Buras, or Venice. Hell, I woudl even go so far as to say that Jesuit Bend (just past Belle Chase) is “deep”.

Like SoMo said, people claim to know & love New Orleans, but they have never even been to the Westbank to take in some of the best parts of the city.

By: mybayouvieux

mybayouvieux — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 05:07:31 +0000

One time when I was in band camp . . .

I mean, one time when I lived in WV someone gave me directions like this: “Go up the first mountain. When you are mid-mountain, look for this wood fence on the left with a large gate. If you get to the second mountain you went too far.”

Damn if I could tell one mountain from another. Once you are up you just go up and down.

I got so damn lost the first time I went to the westbank and I had Google Map directions. I am usually pretty good with maps, but not over there!

By: peg

peg — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:30:03 +0000

I don’t know anything about the area, but my dad did own a restaurant with a neon sign, “Hotdogs.” At that time they were 5 for $1.00. How I wish I would have hung onto that sign–it kind of sums up my life.

By: Isabella

Isabella — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 22:50:17 +0000

Ha! I come from the north east and also moved to CA for a brief stint. Never heard compass driving directions given here but often did in CA. I was always so confused. Needed to keep telling myself that “go west and you head towards the ocean-you’re on the left coast now”..Love the neon sign and…what in the name of all things holy are ‘wabbit balls’??? Maybe i dion’t wanna know…Sure glad you made it there and back.:)

By: BusyDad

BusyDad — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:39:44 +0000

Haha - when I moved to CA, I heard directions given with compass directions for the first time in my life (go west on Ventura blvd, then north on…). It is futile to give compass driving instructions in Boston as well, so the first time someone said “north on…” I really thought they were joking.

By: Tara R.

Tara R. — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:28:25 +0000

All I know about directions is ‘turn that way’ is left, or ‘turn there’ is right. I think I would get seriously lost in NOLA>

By: Moondance

Moondance — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 04:20:12 +0000

Don’t get me started on the Huey P. I think the CIA uses it on detainees in Guantanamo Bay to scare information out of them!

By: JaniceNW

JaniceNW — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 03:43:22 +0000

Where can I buy a neon sign of Bugs Bunny, my all time favorite smart ass cartoon character?

Bunny balls? Not appetizing.

Interesting post.

By: petes

petes — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 03:41:49 +0000

All ribbing aside, I had some relatives who would not drive across the bridge to come visit when we lived in Algiers (which, although on the Westbank, is still part of the City of New Orleans). They were just elderly and scared.

But the one that struck me most was a young African-American I worked with. He asked me where I lived, I said Algiers, and that was a gap of Biblical proportions for him. He told me “I won’t ever cross the waters.”

By: Greta

Greta — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:51:52 +0000

You just made me feel a lot better for all my “getting lost” excursions. It is confuscing - scratching head. As for rabbit balls - pass!