Spirit of Bacchus reigns at 2010 NOWFE Royal Street Stroll

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by Dwight Casimere

Bacchus led the Mardi Gras-styled parade along with the Krewe of Cork and singer/dancer Ms. Jennifer Jones at the annual Royal Street Stroll, one of the centerpieces of the 2010 New Orleans Wine & Food Experience.

One of the world’s largest block parties “the stroll,” as locals affectionately call it, is the definitive evening event of NOWFE with street musicians, mimes and novelty acts interspersed among the revelers, and some clad in Mardi Gras costumes.

Local chefs constructed field kitchens to dispense shrimp ettouffee, mussels mariniere and Cajun spiced ribs. Inside the rare antique shops, jewelry makers and fine arts galleries, fine wines were being dispensed, such as Cain vineyards 2006 Concept ($54.99), a small production Bordeaux-styled blend from the Spring Mountain District overlooking Napa Valley, poured from crystal decanters and Chateau St. Michelle’s 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon ($13.99), an award-winning wine from Washington state’s oldest and most acclaimed winery near Seattle.

Royal Street was closed end-to-end along the length of the French Quarter, giving revelers free reign to wine and dine to the sounds of local musicians, such as singer/songwriter and Polymer Clay Artist Margie Perez and her New Orleans Funk band and the Doo-Wop vocal stylings of Jay-Ray & Gee.

It was a celebration orchestrated by Bacchus himself!