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May 1996
Volume 60 |
Number 5
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| Welcome to New
Orleans! ASA Annual Meeting Social Activities Program |
Richard G. Zepernick, M.D., Chair
Committee on Local Arrangements
New Orleans, the exciting, graceful jewel of Louisiana, awaits
your arrival this fall for the 1996 ASA Annual Meeting. Get ready
to enjoy the fabulous cuisine and unique charm that only the "Big
Easy" can provide.
Bayou Country
Several tours offer intimate glimpses of the special, quiet beauty
of southern Louisiana's bayou country. Gliding past exotic plants
and wildlife, you will view the flora and fauna of the area in
their natural habitat among the grandeur of tall cypress trees
draped with Spanish moss. Keep an eye out for alligators taking
a nap in the sun!
The Cajuns of southern Louisiana often celebrated the end of the
work week by holding a huge party for the whole family, complete
with enticing food, music and dancing, called a "fais do-do."
ASA will present a "Swamp Fest on the Bayou," beginning
with a journey by boat through the heart of a meandering bayou.
Opportunities for capturing egrets, deer, mink and alligators
with your cameras will abound while the boats take you through
the majestic swamp. Guides will entertain you with colorful anecdotes
about the swamp and the eccentric people who live and work there.
A Cajun zydeco band and authentic Cajun folk dancers await your
landing at a pavilion on the banks of the bayou for an offering
of food and fun you will not soon forget.
For a complete outdoor experience, join us on a safari adventure
at the new Louisiana Global Wildlife Center. Traveling by covered
wagon over the park's vast, expansive grounds, you will get an
"up close and personal" look at curious giraffes, gentle
camels, zebras, llamas and a host of other rare and exotic animals
roaming free in their natural environment. After photographing
or feeding the animals, our guests will enjoy lunch on the grounds
followed by a visit to a turtle and alligator farm.
Remarkable Architecture
Louisiana is well-known for the lyrical beauty of its many plantations
lining the banks of the Mississippi as it snakes its way through
this intriguing, magnolia-scented countryside. ASA will offer
several opportunities to glimpse the "Old South" by
viewing these brilliantly restored plantations, including Destrehan,
San Francisco, Nottoway and Houmas House.
You will have many opportunities to tour the diverse neighborhoods
that together make up this beautiful city. A walking tour of the
Garden District, a former sugar plantation and the second early
subdivision in the city reveals a residential haven of pre-Civil
War architecture. Massive live oaks, world-renowned restaurants
and an amazing array of architectural styles are hallmarks of
the neighborhood where you will visit historic homes.
New Orleans, a city filled with architectural masterpieces, will
offer its Vieux Carré for your enjoyment. While strolling
past intricately crafted wrought-iron gates and balconies, beautifully
designed historical buildings and lovely courtyards, your guides
will relate the stories of the fascinating French Quarter. Special
trips to the Ursuline Convent, the Herman Grima House and Gallier
Hall offer outstanding examples of historic restoration, period
antiques and artwork.
All but the faint-of-heart will thrill to the special fantasy
walking tour that explores the grim and ghastly deeds of the Old
French Quarter, including sinister accounts of ghost stories and
folklore. In a city where voodoo abounds, you will visit sites
of reported hauntings and see French Quarter residences where
unbelievable events have taken place.
Art lovers will appreciate the tour through many of New Orleans'
magnificent, historic churches boasting breathtaking stained glass
art, original ceiling frescoes, splendid altars and exceptional
architecture.
Longue Vue House and Gardens is a famous 8-acre estate, adorned
with musical fountains and a plethora of flowering plants and
numerous patios. A tour of this exquisite city-estate will be
followed by a visit to the New Orleans Museum of Art, located
in City Park on the bank of a big lagoon. Generous donations over
the years include Chinese Jade, Fabergé's famous eggs and
objets d'art, Latin colonial sculpture and a wonderful selection
of pre-Columbian art.
Food, Glorious Food
So many of the experiences you will have during your visit to
the "Big Easy" will involve the enjoyment of our culinary
delights. ASA presents a cooking demonstration by the celebrated
Chef John Folse, who is respected around the world as an authority
of Cajun and Creole cuisine. Folse hosts his own national television
show sharing the secrets of New Orleans cuisine.
Following in the footsteps of colonial nuns, restaurateur Horst
Pfeiffer cultivates traditional herbs in the ancient Gardens of
the Ursuline Convent. This world-renowned chef will treat guests
to his inside tips of growing an herb garden and, after a short
walk to his restaurant, Bella Luna, will serve a lunch prepared
with these "historic herbs."
Special Excursions
No visit to New Orleans is complete without a taste of the jazz
music that defines the rhythm and blues pulse of the city. Visits
to Congo Square (where 19th-century slaves gathered to entertain
with drums and dance), the Jazz Museum and Maxwell's Cabaret offer
a musical experience filled with insights and anecdotes that will
bring this popular music to life for you.
Shop-aholics will find plenty to whet their appetites also. A
special excursion to Magazine Street, an area booming with charming
boutiques, eclectic artist studios and colorful antique shops
will offer a delightful afternoon of discovery. "Antiquing"
will be raised to an art form with the walking tour of Royal Street
offering a diverse group of purveyors of fine furniture, art,
carpets and estate jewelry. You may even choose a shopping excursion
that will take you across Lake Pontchartrain to the "Northshore"
where the colorful shops and renovated cottages of Mandeville
and Covington await your exploration.
Don't be alarmed by those extra calories consumed during your
stay. A low-impact aerobics exercise class with a professional
exercise instructor will be offered as well as the ASA Annual
5K Fun Run scheduled for Sunday morning. You will be able to stay
in shape and see many of the sights along the city's streets at
the same time.
Educational Opportunities
As usual, the ASA Social Activities Program will include some
educational seminars that should be of interest to members and
their spouses.
Special offerings by popular speakers such as Jean Gatz and Diane
Epstein will offer information on lively, diverse topics such
as "Effective Retirement Plans and Estate Strategies,"
"Effective Investment Strategies," "Suggestions
and Strategies for Admission to College" and a special program
titled "Creative Memories Photo Album," where you will
master the basics of photo preservation and learn how to organize
and produce beautiful, creative family photo albums that will
become a family treasure to be passed on for generations.
Two seminars titled "Living and Working With Imperfect People"
and "Clean Out the Junk Drawer of Your Life" promise
to blend humor and motivation with solid content to impart strategies
that will improve your life and relationships.
For further details on how to take advantage of these exciting
opportunities, look for the Social Activities Program booklet
that will be included with the ASA Annual Meeting registration
materials. Please share the information with your spouse and make
plans to take advantage of this year's exciting programs before
they are sold out.
A fabulous time is waiting for you in the "Big Easy!"
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