Barred

Barred: All of New Orleans

short pants

When: Any time, any day of the week.

Based on a handful of previous visits and extremely informal observation at bars and bars of restaurants, ranging from suburban to touristy to upscale to, yes, hipster (Warehouse Grille, Lucy’s, Cafe Adelaide, Columns, Booty’s, Coop’s, Frankie & Johnny’s, 12 Mile Limit, Carousel Bar, Erin Rose, Dat Dog, Peche) over a recent three-day period, New Orleans just might be the most age-diverse drinking city in the US. (I would also speculate that Key West ranks highly.)

What the Girls Gone Wild videos don’t show are the white beards of Bourbon Street in denim shorts on motorized scooters, and the little old ladies clutching each other’s arms with one hand, Styrofoam daiquiri cup in the other. 80% of women over 45 wear their pants cropped as well as their hair, an American phenomenon I’m still trying to understand and avoid for myself. It’s also possible that this is such extreme normcore that my brain can’t process it. The remainder look like twenty-somethings from behind: tan, long hair don’t care with highlights, short shorts or short skirts. This species will always dance if there’s music and groove at the counter waiting for Fireball Whisky shots.

Age appropriate? Obviously. Even at the bars that if transplanted to Brooklyn would only attract under-32s, there will always be at least one woman or couple, well past 40.

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