Back in La.

We took our first trip back to Louisiana and New Orleans since arriving in SoCal seven months ago.

Lakeview hasn't changed much, except for some demolition (shown below to the left of the road) along the 17th St. Canal levee near where the break occurred.

Click on pictures to make them bigger.

These crepe myrtles along a flooded street in the Gentily neighborhood show no signs of life.
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St. Charles Avenue has largely returned to normal, though streetcars still aren't rolling along its tracks (they were all flooded). And the Superdome's new roof looks great.


Clusters of FEMA trailers, such as this one on Claiborne Avenue, are no longer an unusual sight.

Closest thing to Tiger Stadium in SoCal

Faithful Tiger fans gathered Saturday at Kristy's MVP to watch the wretched Florida Gators humiliate the boys in purple and gold. Kristy's, located off an occassionally seedy strip that leads to San Diego's Cabrillo National Monument, is home to the LSU Alumni San Diego Chapter. (Click on the pictures to make them bigger.)

About 30 to 40 fans gather at the bar/restaurant each weekend for LSU games that are shown on big-screen, high-definition TVs in a loungey side room reserved for the group.

The room is full of Tiger memorabilia, as well as stuff from a number of other teams whose fans frequent the spot.

Owners Kristy and Dean are both Tiger fans and have attended numerous football and basketball games in Baton Rouge while working in TV sports production for ESPN, CBS and other networks. Dean, who still does TV work, was in Alabama Saturday working the Arkansas - Auburn game. Three Emmy trophies sit behind the main bar of Kristy's.

It's not Section 17, Row P, Seats 11 and 12, but the beer list is huge, the pizza is yummy and there's rarely a line for the bathroom.