The view from work

 Pontalba building

I spent the past week or so working on an apartment in this very historic building. From the balcony I was literally a stone's throw from the Cabildo building where they signed the Louisiana purchase. During my smoke breaks I could walk out on the balcony and listen to the musicians as tourists milled about below me.

Beats driving a cab in Jersey.

 The Pontalba Buildings form two sides of Jackson Square in the French Quarter.

These are matching red-brick block long 4‑story buildings built in the 1840s by the Baroness Micaela Almonester Pontalba. The ground floors house shops and restaurants; the upper floors are apartments that are the oldest continuously rented such apartments in the United States.

In the short story Hidden Gardens, Truman Capote describes the Pontalba Buildings as "...the oldest, in some ways most somberly elegant, apartment houses in America, the Pontalba Buildings."

They were declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974

The Upper and Lower Pontalba Buildings, which line the St. Ann and St. Peter Street sides of Jackson Square, were built in 1850 by the Baroness Micaela Almonester de Pontalba, the daughter of Don Andres Almonester y Roxas, the Spanish colonial landowner associated with the neighboring Cabildo, Cathedral and Presbytere. Inspired by the imposing Parisian architecture the Baroness favored, the distinctive rowhouses were intended to serve as both elegant residences and fine retail establishments. In 1921 the Pontalba family sold the Lower Pontalba Building to philanthropist William Ratcliff Irby who subsequently, in 1927, bequeathed it to the State Museum.

We finished up the apartment. Yesterday early start, long lunch then worked until 4 am. I slept for a couple of hours on a pile of drop cloths on the balcony over looking Jackson square. 

A lone saxophonist down by the river sung me to sleep in the moon light. Homeless guys fighting over the last swig woke me up.

Wm C. Cayle House 1862

It's been a while since I've blogged. I've been too busy with a paying job, painting houses.  A few 14 hour days amongst the past sixty plus days of no days off. I've been surprised with the size and status of some of the work Pride Improvements has been getting. I thinks it's that Jersey work ethic we brought down with us. No offense to the locals, they just have a different approach to work. "Good enough when we get around to it." Back in Jersey contractors had a lot of competition, others always willing to do it for less money, so you have to always do it better. 

Here are some photos from  the Wm C. Cayle house that we have been   working on for the fast few weeks.

Back in Jersey we were use to the burden of restrictive building codes, permits, inspections, bribes,    pay-offs and the occasional union workers slashing tires of non union workers. I won't say what work my boss managed to step in, but was surprised that it didn't go to a local good ol boy. Again, I think it has to do with standards. Most of the new work comes from referrals.

About six months ago I was doing some work for a man. One morning I asked what was on that day's agenda. "This morning you're putting  a new roof on the garage." 
"New roof on the garage? This morning? By myself? That's kind of a big job for one person, besides, I really don't have any roofing experiance..."
" NO you goddamn moron! I bought a new blue tarp at Walmart for the roof."

Oh yea, the blue tarp, the Louisiana state flag. Covering the remains of a garage were about five layers of blue tarps, each one in a worse case of decomposition than the one on top of it. Seeing this I came to the conclusion that it was one more example of the Gulf Coast residents being neglected and pushed aside.

I inquired "What  happened, didn't the insurance company pay for a new roof after the storm?"
"Sure they did. I spent the money on a new lap top so I could watch porn in the privacy of my room.  I just have to buy a new tarp every year.  Now don't be doing something stupid like falling through the remains of the roof while you're stringin it up, I don't want my insurance to go up if you get hurt." 
"Aren't you going to give me a hand? It's getting kind of windy."
 "Hell no, I'm going inside to look at a new web site I found,  justturned18titties.com. When you're  done installing the new roof, I want you to rewire the living room electric. The new extension cord  is  in the Walmart bag."

As the screen door slammed behind him,  I said to myself "Welcome  to Louisiana."

Chamber of Commerce meeting in the Quarter

I gots overhead, I gots balloons to buy.

What a day

On Sunday I had to meet with the publisher in the Quarter.  I've noticed since I moved down here almost everybody runs late. It's a given.  A tenish AM meeting evolved into eleven-something, ok quarter past twelve... One o'clock. I kicked around Royal Street checking out performers and galleries. Figuring I'd meet up with him at Jackson Square I took a nap in the grass soaking up 60 plus degree sunshine. A dozen or so joined me, homeless dudes, young lovers, and a hippy. In Jersey being late for a business meeting is a sin, down here it's a perk.

Walking back though the Square I found myself walking pace next to some long haired Jesus looking dude with a guitar. In NOLA this common. We acknowledge each other and a few steps later "Hey man, I hate to ask, but do you have an extra cigarette?" His lucky day. The day before I was walking down Decatur and spotted a just opened pack of Parliaments on top of a newspaper box. I'm from Jersey, I can't just leave them there. I pull the pack out of my briefcase and handed him 19 smokes. "DUDE! You are the Jesus Christ of cancer! Thank you." I'll add the title to my resume.

We got to bullshitting and stood on a corner talking about New Orleans. Turned out that he was a teacher by day who hung out street performing on the weekends for extra cash and for the experience. "Some nights I play out and only get paid in drinks." I met a very cool dude.  I now no longer describe myself as an out of work cab driver. I am now self described "Freelance artist." Turns out that Chris had not only heard of the Quarter Rat, but is a big fan of it. I am constantly meeting fans of the publication.

I really feel the energy of the Quarter, something supernatural here. Had this same scenario played out in Jersey...."Hey man, I hate to ask, but do you have an extra cigarette?" "GET A FUCKING JOB HIPPY!"

Shameless Plug

For those of you following this blog, more specifically those of you in the New Orleans area I have been working for a friend doing house painting and remodeling. The employment came at a good time. To show my appreciation I am soliciting my readers in our area for business.

PRIDE IMPROVEMENTS

 If anyone needs some handyman work done around the house or might know someone who does, here is a web site you may want to visit. Don't just take my word for it, local references of satisfied customers are available upon request. (Come on, I can use the work!)

Flying in my taxi...

Back when I was diving cab in Belmar NJ at night I would get some drunk in the car pissing and moaning about his $12 cab ride. "I bet you guys make $300 - $400 a night." Uh, yea. I worked for a company that had about a dozen or so drivers, each working 12 hour shifts 5 days or nights a week. It was a company owned vehicle that my boss paid for the maintenance and insurance and we split the cost of fuel 50/50.  When fuel prices went through the roof, I had to spend $40 out of my pocket for half of the gas.


My paycheck was based on a 40/60% split of the night's book, 40%  for me, 60% for the company. A good "average" night would be $200 book, $80 for me, $120 for the boss. It was her car, dispatchers and overhead. $200 book might come with $50 - $80 in tips, so $150 a shift in pocket was decent. Of course along with it came abusive alcoholics, college girls puking on you and the constant threat of a crackhead stabbing you in the neck with a rusty knife. In the summer with the "Jersey Shore" crowd the driving was non stop along with the aggravation. A Saturday night in July you might take home $225 with your migraine and hatred for humanity.

When the economy started to take a dive bartenders in my cab were crying the blues too "Everyone is buying a six pack and staying home." I thought "Good, they're all assholes anyway." Of course this didn't pay the bills. The calls for cabs got fewer and the tips dropped off, on a Monday night in the winter I might book $80 with $20 in tips. After dumping $20 to $30 in the gas tank of my Crown Vic I walked away with less than fifty bucks in my pocket for 12 hours of sitting in the cold.

The last few months I drove, by payday I might have $100 in tips, and maybe a $200 paycheck. From the $200 paycheck $110 was taken out for child support. Now for the record I have no problem with paying for my kid. However the state of New Jersey seemed to be under the impression that cab drivers must not report thousands in gratuities. I was liked as a driver, but not that much.




I'd open up my pay check envelope to find a check for $90 for 60+ hours of work. I shared a house with two other guys in a winter rental off of 18th ave where we each paid $700 a month in rent. Yep, $2,100 for a winter rental where the landlord would let himself in unannounced and turn down the thermostat because WE were costing him a fortune. But that's another rambling tirade....


Why did I quit my job and move down here? Do I need to explain further?

If it's called "Tourist Season" why can't you hunt them?

The book I am illustrating is written by those who work in the service industries down here in the French Quarter. I know the book will appeal to any bartender, waitress, bouncer or cab driver who works in a tourism area.  The Jersey Shore, Miami or Vegas, when folks leave their native environment and travel they forget to pack their manners.

Tourists will behave in ways on vacation they would never dream of acting in their own neighborhood bar or restaurant. When I was driving cab at night in the summer I would encounter individuals from North Jersey or New York who seemed to be void of any courtesy or respect for anyone outside of their drunken circle. Alcoholism does that to humans.

I would politely ask them to please stop screaming at the top of their lungs, not to play with the radio or point out the fact they can't throw pizza out the windows of my cab at pedestrians the general response was "You need to lighten up! We're just trying to have fun." Yea, well so is the total stranger in the white shirt walking down the street who you just hit with a slice of Sicilian.

The Quarter Rat highlights the difference between tourists and travelers. Travelers are welcomed and embraced by New Orleans. A traveler will stop in front of a 300 year old home and soak in the rich architecture and beauty. A traveler will marvel at the fact that people still live in and nurture these historic homes that have survived wars, fires, floods and countless hurricanes. A tourist will piss on the front steps of the same home at 3 am while singing "House of the rising sun" at the top of their lungs.

A traveler will seek out the hidden history and wonders of the city, a tourist will seek out blow jobs. One approaches the locals to find the heart of the land they visit, the other dehumanizes the local population for amusement.

Travelers behave like house guests respecting their hosts, tourists treat their hosts like servants. One summer I had several Guidoes in my cab and one juicehead loudly stated while staring at me in the mirror "Jersey SUCKS! You don't sell beer in 7-11's, the pizza stinks, and everything is overpriced"
"Then why do you come down?" I queried.
"Ta fuck yo bitches."

He was a tourist.

Bourbon Street Tease

"Welcome to the Big Show. Grab your artillery and let’s whoop today’s ass! File rank and gear up. Shotgirls and Strippers, Barkeeps and Barkers please report to the front lines. This is the battlefield known as Bourbon Street, where heroes are made and brain cells are lost. You take your post amongst the madness." 


Excerpt from the Quarter Rat book that I am illustrating.  I'll keep all of you posted on it's due date.

Position Sought

Please do not call or fax, email us at the above address and tell us why we should hire you. 

This was the last sentence in a Craigslist ad for a position for a graphic artist not to far from here. So here is my cover letter to the marketing and advertising company on why they should hire me as a graphic artist.

1) I need the work. I have been unemployed since March '10. I have been surviving on a few temporary positions and luck. I will take any and all hours offered, overtime will be welcomed.

2) Experiance with print, web and signage graphics. I have been trained on Mac based Adobe programs Photoshop and Illustrator and Quark. I have worked with Indesign.  I am confidant that I can learn any needed skills in a short period of time.

3) Creativity is one of the few things I can boast about. Given an idea of what is needed and I will excel to give you a quality product .

4) I have worked in management, I consider myself to be a good employee. I do not waste time at the water cooler bitching about the boss or company that I work for. As long as my paycheck clears at the end of the week, I have no complaints.

5) Examples of my work can be found on this blog and my web site artbystyles.com.

RESUME

Objective

A graphics design position that allows me to utilize and improve my skills with challenging projects and is open to my creative solutions with minimal direction.

Qualifications

Cartoonist / writer – 2005 to Present
Creator of the comic "BiNGE", storyline and characters of the web based comic as well as all promotional and merchandise. Currently involved with the marketing of the comic as a television animation project.

Freelance Artist – painting / sculpture 2000 to Present
Artistic works previously displayed at: A Mano Gallery, New Hope, PA and Lambertville, NJ, Lavender Moon, Belmar, NJ, Divine Madness Gallery Asbury Park, NJ, 500 Main Street Gallery, Belmar NJ, Artistic works currently on display at:Greetingz from Asbury Park NJ.

Internet Graphics Artist
Designed and constructed artbystyles.com and Bedsoar.com. Logo design work completed for: Player-care.com, LearningChoices.com, WPDQ Radio; Howell, NJ, Automated Concepts Vending Services. Freelance graphic work for numerous internet web sites.

Newspaper Freelance
Weekly: The Reporter and The Observer 300+ works for Rockfleet Media

Employment

Background Actor New Orleans La
March 2010 to Present
Background extra work in numerous film and television productions

Street Performer New Orleans La
Juggler March 2010 to Present
Juggling and humor, French Quarter

Belmar Car Service Belmar NJ
Cab Driver August 2005 to 2010
Nightshift cab driver, twelve hour shifts, 5 to 6 nights a week.

Offshore International Point Pleasant NJ
Graphic Artist April 2005
Responsible for the design advertisements, and graphics for a sport fishing catalog.

Cat Fanciers Association Manasquan NJ
Graphic Artist August 2004 to February 2005
Responsible for the layout and design of over 300 advertisements and show cat yearbook pages. With creative license and minimal supervision completed assignment on time and on budget.

Garden State Sign Co. Howell, NJ
Sign Service Technician April 2001 to August 2004
Project managed the manufacture and installation of new signs. Factory trained for service of installed computer based signs such as time and temp and L.E.D. gas price signs. Assisted with the completion of computer designed corporate signs. Medium used: Neon, Vinyl lettering, gold leaf, router carved wood, and hand painted signs. Factory trained and certified technician for Milwaukee signs and Ever-Brite signs systems.

A&M Signs Farmingdale, NJ
Sign Service Technician October 2000 to March 2001
Assisted with the manufacture, installation, and service of signs.

TCT Transit Services Neptune NJ
Shift Supervisor June 1996 to October 2000
Started as shift bus driver, within eight months promoted to shift supervisor. Responsible for training, supplying, and scheduling 30 drivers.

The Leader Point Pleasant, NJ
Editorial Cartoonist 1990 to 1995
Weekly pen and ink editorial cartoon. Responsible for humorous word and picture interpretation of editor supplied topic. Also work done for The Observer, The Reporter, Toms River NJ

Education

DDP Training Center Freehold, NJ
Software Training
Macintosh OS 9.2, OS 10
Quark Xpress 5.1
Adobe Illustrator 10
Photoshop 7.0
Image Ready 7.0
Macromedia Fireworks 4
Dreamweaver 4
Microsoft PowerPoint


References are available upon request.

Graphic Action

Since I have been an artist supplementing my income through working in the Louisiana film industry it seems only natural that I should try to combine the two talents. Storyboard art is really just a comic to set up the shots for the director and camera crew. Every angle, pan, zoom and movement is drawn out extensively before shooting begins. A film needs hundreds of these drawings done by someone, it might as well be me.

To all of my NOLA film contacts, please forward this graphic to anyone in the industry you know who might be interested in my services.  Thanks.

CCR

Don't you want to be in that number.....

A little background work is starting to come in. The film industry slows down every year from August to about late October. Hurricane season. No producer wants to get half way through filming a project and then have to evacuate. His set might be gone when he returns. Tonight I did a "REVEL" down at the Roosevelt Hotel.

A convention was being held and to make it in true New Orleans style, a brass jazz band marches into the room and a parade starts. The band played loud and sharp as we reveled in behind them in our costumes. We met the guests at the end of cocktail hour and paraded them through the grand lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel to dinner.

THE ROOSEVELT

Great fun for everyone. Colorful costumes flinging beads at drunk optometrists. We paraded the party downstairs and thru a magnificent grand lobby and back upstairs to the dinning room. In the lobby were two of my friends wearing big heads. Sweating their asses off to pose for hundreds of cell phone pictures.

Yep, it's considered a job down here. It was the first Revel for my friend Bobby from Philadelphia. He did great, he has a Mummer background.

 I just can't get "When the Saints go marching in" out of my head now.

Local girl

Coming from New Jersey I realize that my home state has a certain arrogance about natives who make it good. I've made the observation that the rest of the country isn't nearly as impressed by Bruce Springsteen as a Jerseyite is. Nj can boast of a few important names.  Bruce Willis, Danny DeVito, Susan Sarandon, Frank Sinatra,  Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, Kirsten Dunst, Bruce Springsteen, James Gandolfini, Ed Harris, Queen Latifah, Abbot and Costello, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, John Travolta,  Jon Bon Jovi, Christina Ricci, Brooke Shields and Tom Cruise, (ok, no one in Jersey ever boasts about Tom Cruise.) 


Down here in Louisiana the locals are proud of the great contributions to the music industry that their state has made over the centuries.  Anytime my friend Russell mentions a favorite actor I'll point out "Yo, he's from Jersey, Exit 117."  He will be quick to point out Britney Spears. Ok, I'll give you that one.  


Ms Spears hails from the small town of  Kentwood Louisiana.  Sure she's had her highs and lows. (Lows resulting from highs.) I never really listened to her music, not my kind of tunes. I think now that I'm a Louisianian I should take more of an interest in her career. 

Does anybody know if her mom is single? Once I get my teeth fixed I might start dating again. Yo, you guys back in Jersey, check out my step daughter....

Double Take

A friend shot me an e-mail from a casting company looking for a double for an actor. A double is someone of same height, build and appearance of the principal actor. Setting up a camera shot can take a long time to get lighting and blocking right. A stand in takes the place of a principal during the set up so the actor can remain in his or her comfortable dressing room until the director is ready to shoot.


When I worked Memphis beat, both stand in actors looked or were shaped nothing like the principals they were filling in for. The stand in for Jason lee is about 5 inches shorter and 40 pounds heavier than Jason, and with less hair than my ass. He must be some one's brother in law.  The e mail that I was sent had a photo of the actor Miguel Ferrer. Photo double needed, 6'1" medium build. I saw the e mail and thought "Yea, so? Why did you send it to me?"

A couple hours later my friend asked if they called me yet? "Who? About what?" Oh that. If you think so. I sent a photo in and with in 10 minutes received a call back. They asked for a most recent photo to forward to the director. I didn't get the photo double work but did get a call back for background work. Just as well. Even though stand in work is a step up from background with a little better pay and better food, I was happy with just background.


I ran into a number of background extras that I knew, all said it's been really slow for the past couple of months.  I ended up coming in late because of being contacted last minute. That was fine, I spoke with a buddy there who said they had sat in holding for the past 3 hours and hadn't been to the set. About 3 or 4 backgrounds came up to me and commented that I was a good stand in for Miguel. "But I didn't get the part." "Really? Ya kiddin? You kinda look like him"  Yea, well it's a cold heartless business.


We sat from 9pm until about 2:30 am until we were brought out to the casino. This scene was being shot at Harrah's. The second second assistant director (very sweet young lady) sat me and a couple of other backgrounds at a roulette wheel. The real casino dealer gave us each about $100 in practice chips and we started to play. He was cool and explained the game to us since none of us had ever played roulette. About 20 minutes passed as I waited to hear "BACKGROUND ACTION."


To my surprise the 2nd 2nd A.D. yelled "It's a wrap, thank you everybody." They had shot 3 takes with the actors and a steady cam and we never even knew they were filming. All of us were paid $100 cash and sent home. I had taken the ferry over to Harrah's and it wasn't running again until 6:00 am back to the West Bank where I live. What can I do in New Orleans at 3:00 in the morning with a $100 in my pocket? Ok, one beer.


I am proud of myself. On the walk down Canal Street I had three prostitutes asked if I was looking for fun. "No thanks honey" and I kept walking. I see this as a sign of personal growth. One beer later I looked at my watch and it was only 3:30 am.  I had trouble finishing my beer and just wanted to be home. I splurged on a $20 cab ride just to go to bed. 


Oh yea, the film is called THE COURIER

Moon Ring

Keep an eye open for this one.

My friend Russell worked on this film doing visual special effect. The difference between visual special effects and special effect is visual effects are added in post production. Anything that is later done on computer or with the film. I sat behind him for a few hours while he worked on this. It is amazing how much effect is now being added with post production computer work. The one explosion I was an extra next to involved only compressed air and cork debris. The fireball was added later.

New Orleans Commission Of Tourism Presents....

manic self-publicist

Here is my ad for the Quarter Rat Publication, to be hitting hotel lobbies, strip clubs, massage parlors and beer soaked bars across the French Quarter this month. Check out their web site with back issues. Very funny stuff. It's a publication directed toward the locals. Lot's of humor from those in the service industry. Almost a venue for everyone to share the aggravation of living and working in a tourist hot spot.

THE QUARTER RAT

I share the feelings. I drove taxi for five years at night on the Jersey Shore. Yea, like the TV show. When drunken assholes who pay your bills it's like being stuck in an abusive relationship. I am convinced that most serial killers at one time worked in the service industry. Bartenders, servers, cab drivers and hookers, we all know what it's like.

Zaphod Beeblebrox, adventurer, ex-hippy, good timer, manic self-publicist, terribly bad at personal relationships, often thought to be completely out to lunch.

Meet an artist

A few months ago I hung out in the French Quarter on warm evening nursing a beer and checking out some art. Two types of art down here, stuff for the tourists and really good art. Most of the galleries on Royal Street were closed by the time that I got over there. I prefer to just look in the windows anyway. Ironically the only time I'm ever comfortable in an art gallery is if it's my work on the wall. Other than that I don't belong in one.

One gallery's art stopped me dead in my tracks. The interior looked more like an English pub than an art gallery. Moody lights highlighted some inspiring artwork. Great cityscapes with taxis and buses. Beautiful scantily clad female figures done with taste and grace. Really cool work. I stood in front of the gallery somewhat melancholy as my buzz was fading. About four doors down, a scruffy street performer strummed on an equally weathered guitar. He picked away at "Margaretaville" as I took my last looks before I cruised on back home.

Out of all of the artist's work I saw that night, this was the only work I googled upon returning home. Turned out that he was a fellow New Jersian.  Peter O'Niell.

Visit him on FaceBook: Peter O'Niell

The Cutting Room Floor....

The work as a background actor has been a little slow lately. 
Today I worked a gig as a male model. 
(When you finish laughing continue to the next paragraph.)

Today I was a model through a friend from the set of Green Lantern who works as a hair stylist in the film industry. Kent needed male models for a hair and makeup advance training program class. I replied "I ain't no male model, but I need a haircut."  When I left New Jersey seven months ago I needed one. I liked Pat's Barber shop in Belmar NJ. Great haircuts but long lines. I hate waiting. Bruno on the other hand, never any lines. With good reason. I would usually end up getting a quick Bruno and then fixing it with a lot of gel.

So I thought about getting a Bruno before I left for New Orleans, but money was tight. Besides, I'm Big Easy bound, we don't need no stinkin hair cuts.  After finding a niche for myself in background acting as the "Burned out old hippie dude" the long hair was working. This offer was way too good to pass up.

I love this city. I ride into town unable to afford a haircut, six months later I'm getting it cut for free by one of the top hair stylists in the film industry. The stylist who demonstrated his technique on me was a very cool teacher. I didn't understand what he was teaching, but his teaching ability was fun to listen to. He was the type to say "This is a mistake I made years ago, here's how to fix it, and to avoid it." He spoke of working with directors to get an idea of what they want exactly. He mention short cuts for when you have a couple hundred extras on the set needing to all look like they're in the 1930's.      

My head brought up the question "What about the hair growing from the ears, is that hair or make up department's responsibility?" Ear hair, when you get old it stops growing where you want it to, and grows where you don't want it to. Kent's response: Sure! Ear hair is makeup dept. Unless they are nice, then hair dept would handle it. It ain't easy this modeling stuff. 

Night of the Zombie Tourists

Here is an illustration I finished for the Quarter Rat Publication.