New Orleans is a city full of abundance and mysticism. Depending where you wait. My purpose for this trip, aside from enjoying the New Year festivities, was to learn a bit more about the occult and its history in the city. One of my side projects is a period fantasy with a basis in the occult.
Magic can be a tricky addition to a novel, especially in a period piece. It’s important to have some form of structure of magic to follow and be consistent. Within the realm of fantasy, the boundaries of such structure are infinitely more far-reaching. When writing this particular piece, however, I believe that it was important for the occult to be structured much the same as the historical aspects are. In this way, the occult is more of an extension of the historical application in the work, despite the prevalent necessity for suspended disbelief from the reader.
If the occult is of interest to you, I highly recommend exploring the shops in the northeast section of the French Quarter and speaking with the sales associates, as they are avid practitioners themselves. Just make sure to know the difference between voodoo and Wiccan culture. It’s never wise to offend a source.
That being said, I was there to celebrate the New Year as well. I can honestly say that should I ever do an urban fantasy novel , New Orleans will definitely play a role. If you enjoy karaoke, you absolutely need to stop by the Cat’s Meow. Your first steps down Bourbon can be a bit overwhelming, but the Cat’s Meow is a good time regardless of if you’re on the stage or not.
As far as food, you can’t go wrong with Le Bayou and (insert other name here) on Bourbon street. If you’re looking for something more upscale, The Court of Two Sisters is always a win. Fun fact, their gates, donated from Queen Isabella of Spain, are renowned to bequeath good luck to those who rub them. As always, don’t forget your beignets from Café du Monde and the donkey tour around the Quarter.
A more detailed post about the New Orleans occult culture in the 1800’s will be posted at a later date one I have a chance to properly dive into their archives. Ciao for now!