STL DPB ON THE ROAD AGAIN - AW SHUCKS

It seems like I've hardly slept in my own bed lately. Back from Paris a few days ago, work as fast as I can, than down to New Orleans for a conference in my legal specialty. It's a big deal for me. The organization was founded and had its first meeting in this city 40 years ago. There are four of us at this meeting who were at the first one. I'm one of them. I thought they were going to give us something like the Legion of Honor, but no.

So Mrs. C and I went out for a walk today in the famous, historic and, in spots, quite tawdry French Quarter, or Vieux Carre. We stopped into an old place called Felix's for lunch. It's an oyster house. Somebody has to shuck all those oysters for the famous po' boy sandwiches. These guys were amazing for the speed at which they worked and the retention of all their fingers.           

Passing Through Portland: J's Oyster

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I spent last night in Portland, Maine, on my way up to camera camp. It felt so strange here - cool, cloudy and with some rain. I haven't driven in rain, even turned on the windshield wipers, in maybe three months at home.

Birdman and the desk clerk at the hotel recommended I have dinner at J's Oyster on the waterfront. It's something between a shack and a small modular building on a pier. run down and a bit seedy. The place was packed so I ate at the bar. The young man above was shucking oysters at an amazing speed - two or three twirls of the knife, throw out the empty half shell and put the business end on a bed of ice. 

Breakfast with Birdman at 9 today, then slowly work my way up the coast to Rockport.