Links To Other Websites About St. Vincent's Guesthouse

Margaret Haughery with Orphans, portrait by Jacques Amans (1801-1888)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Margaret_Haughery_with_Orphans_J_Amans_Portrait.jpg

Margaret Gaffney Haughery

http://www.old-new-orleans.com/NO_Margaret.html

http://old-new-orleans.com/NO_Orphans.html

And a nice old picture of St. Vincent's from the 1920's - 1930's from the above link...

http://www.knowla.org/entry.php?rec=790

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Haughery

Orphanages built (SNIP from Wikipedia article)
Some of the New Orleans orphanages Margaret the “Mother of Orphans” built were St. Elizabeth Orphan Asylum on Napoleon Ave., the Louise Home on Clio Street for girls, St. Vincent Infant Orphan Asylum (at Race and Magazine Streets), and an asylum and church on Erato Street that became St. Teresa of Avila Church. She donated to the Protestant Episcopal Home as well and gave to Jewish charities in New Orleans. In her will she gave to the Seventh Street Protestant Orphan Asylum, the German Protestant Orphan Asylum, the German Orphan Catholic Asylum, the Widows and Orphans of Jews Asylum, and to the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, and many others.

http://www.monumentaltask.org/margaret.html

http://oldnolajournal.blogspot.com/2009/04/margaret-haughery-bread-woman-of-new.html

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10500536

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beloved-Margaret-Haughery-of-New-Orleans/208149613587

Book - More Than Petticoats - Remarkable Louisiana Women - Chapter On Margaret Haughery Starts On Page 37

Margaret's Birthplace And Life - A website devotion...

Carrigallen - Ireland Birthplace Of Margaret's Parents - Devotion To Margaret Haughery

Margaret Gaffney was born in 1813, the fifth child of William and Margaret Gaffney. Her siblings, starting with th eldest, were Annie (probable), Mary (Mamie), Thomas, Kevin (probable) and Kathleen, who was reputedly named after her father's grandmother. William and Margaret were from Tully South, in the parish of Carrigallen. William was a small farmer and possibly a tailor; however, Nellie Smith, Clooncorick, Carrigallen (originally O'Rourke from Tully), stated in 1937, that the Gaffneys owned a shop, but there is no other evidence to corroborate this. His wife's maiden name was O'Rourke and she was a direct descendant of the O'Rourkes of Breiffne.

Civil War Women Blog - Margaret Haughery page

Catholic Encyclopedia: Margaret Haughery

More General History About St. Vincent's

Saving Wednesday's Child - Historic New Orleans Collection

Orphanage And Adoption Stories

ArtistNotes.doc - The Foundling

St. Vincent's - Catholic Charities Information Page

St. Vincent's - ProtestantHomeForBabies.com

Archives Of Orphans Found And Where They Were Placed

1861 is the first year that I see any mention of orphans being placed at St. Vincent's Orphan Asylum OR St. Vincent's Infant Orphan Asylum, depending on how the paperwork was filled out by the placing agency.  http://nutrias.org/inv/orphans%201861.htm

1860's Census Records Of Resident Nuns And Staff At St. Vincent's

1870's Census Records of Resident Nuns And Staff At St. Vincent's

1878 - Children In St. Vincent's Attended By Nuns - Picture

Same Picture On Page With Bio Info

Movies, Arts & Entertainment Involving St. Vincent's

Coming in 2013 - The Butler, starring Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey

An all-star cast about...

Storyline - A White House butler served eight American Presidents over the course of three decades.

St. Vincent's starts at 9:30 in "Candyman: Farewell To The Flesh" - FULL MOVIE - DO NOT CLICK OTHER LINKS OR DOWNLOAD LINKS ON THIS PAGE

Wikipedia - Candyman: Farewell To The Flesh

Book - Stories From The Haunted South by Alan Brown - Page 133 for St. Vincent's

Times-Picayune - NOLA.com - Sculptor Randy Morrison carves out a niche in attic of old St. Vincent's Orphanage

Also see my blog post about Thomas Randolph "Randy" Morrison and this HoumaToday.com take on the above article with an even better picture of the "Clock Tower Gargoyle" that resides at St. Vincent's.

http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20100126/ARTICLES/100129711

YouTube's of Sugarcane Collins, An Australian Blues Guitarist And Regular Guest At St. Vincent's

Youtube - Shooting the movie "RED" At St. Vincent's Guesthouse

http://www.nola.com/movies/index.ssf/2011/01/bruce_willis_locally_shot.html   

St. Vincent's Guest House: The first New Orleans-set scene in the film was shot at this Magazine Street hotel, which serves as a nursing home where Willis' character catches up with his old friend Joe, played by Morgan Freeman.

Youtube - St. Vincent's Asylum movie promo trailer - Part 1

Youtube - St. Vincent's Asylum movie promo trailer - Part 2

Ghosts, Hauntings & Scary Stories Involving St. Vincent's Guesthouse

http://www.nola.com/haunted/index.ssf/2009/10/new_orleans_watering_holes_hav.html

Library Of Congress - Haunted Inns Of America

Louisiana  
The 1891 Castle Inn of New Orleans, New Orleans  (3 GHOSTS) 
The Dauphine House, New Orleans   (2 GHOSTS) 
Hotel Maison De Ville, New Orleans   (3 GHOSTS) 
Le Pavillon Hotel, New Orleans   (1 GHOST)
Olde Victorian Inn, New Orleans   (3 GHOSTS) 
St. Vincent's Guest House, New Orleans   (4 GHOSTS) 
Myrtles Plantation, St. Francisville   (5 GHOSTS) 
Oak Alley Plantation, Restaurant & Inn, Vacherie   (3 GHOSTS)

Book - Stories From The Haunted South 

HauntedBnB.com - St. Vincent's Guesthouse 

Ghosts In New Orleans - a Guest's Blog 

Southern Gothic Festival @ St. Vincent's Guesthouse 

HistoricallyHaunted Blog - New Orleans 

Blogs From Guests Who Have Stayed At St. Vincent's

http://billchance.org/2012/11/10/st-vincents-guest-house/
And more from this same author/blogger...
http://billchance.org/2012/11/11/sunday-snippet-new-orleans-writing-marathon/
http://billchance.org/category/new-orleans/

http://shinymetaltiger.wordpress.com/2010/12/15/road-trip-days-12-15-nawlins/


http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jenandviv/1/1300759414/tpod.html

Ghosts In New Orleans - A Guest's Blog

Youtube by a Guest - St. Vincent's Guesthouse - Part 1

Youtube by a Guest - St. Vincent's Guesthouse - Part 2

Photos, Ghosts & Beignets, Oh My! - by PhotoJenny

Perry L.'s Yelp.com Review of St. Vincent's Guesthouse

Southern Gothic Festival's Facebook Page On St. Vincent's

Kathy Vaughn's Travel Blog About St. Vincent's Guesthouse

Maddie Meets Mississippi - Halloween In New Orleans @ St. Vincent's

Oh... and how could I forget this review!  ;-)

Lenny deserves a raise...

First off, the front desk staffer, Lenny, deserves a raise. Despite constant complaints from guests, he remains super accomodating and cheerful. He bent over backwards to right the countless wrongs after we checked in... inadequate linens/towels, no wastebasket, missing fridge/microwave/TV that was promised...

Goodbye Delta Angel... Hello Desperado's!!!

Updated January 03, 2013 -

DESPERADO'S IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED FOR A MAINTENANCE ISSUE.  CHECK BACK HERE FOR UPDATED INFO AS SOON AS SOMETHING CHANGES.

Well, the much heralded (at least on Yelp) Delta Angel has moved on... not sure if they actually moved on to Heaven but they've moved on from St. Vincent's Guesthouse.

In it's place, fledgling New Orleans restauranteur, Bobby Shriner, has opened his new restaurant, Desperado's, overlooking the scenic courtyard at St. Vincent's Guesthouse, 1507 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130.  I'm not sure of his new phone number yet, but you can always call the front desk at St. Vincent's @ 504-302-9606 for the latest update about Desperado's!  (Say hi to me if I happen to answer)  I was working late the first Friday night and sent a few late night (but hungry) guests and they all said the hamburger and fries were GREAT!!!  And the price can't be beat for opening week... only $5.00 for a nice hamburger & fries!!!

Here's their Yelp.com page...  http://www.yelp.com/biz/desperados-new-orleans-2

More to come later as I talk to Bobby for more info, menu, hours, etc.

Update Added December 01 thru 20, 2012 - 

Desperado's has been open 24/7 for the past several weeks and I've heard nothing but good reviews for the food and GREAT reviews for the prices.  Bobby S. has a $5.00 breakfast (2 Eggs & Sausage or Ham and Toast) and a $5.00 lunch or dinner or late night meal (of Hamburger & Fries) plus several other side items including Biscuits and Sausage Gravy, Creole Beans & Cornbread (which I've had and they were yummy!) and a large plate sized pancake with butter and syrup/powdered sugar or both for only $1.00 per pancake (which I've also had and it was yummy as well!).  Bobby has also been doing Prime Rib dinners for $15.00 once a week or so and other specials.  I've also seen breakfast sandwiches, omelets, various lunch and dinner sandwiches, etc.

 I gave Bobby a pound of my own Rouse's Brand Coffee & Chicory for him to try out.  I have to have coffee & chicory since my momma always referred to pure coffee as "roach piss" in our home... and I use to get Coffee & Chicory in my baby bottle so I know I'm addicted to it!  LOL  Coffee & chicory is just so much stronger (AND BETTER!!!) than pure coffee.  I told him that coffee & chicory is "Naturally N'Awlins!"   Here's a little history on coffee & chicory from the famous Cafe Du Monde - http://www.cafedumonde.com/coffee  I didn't know that Chicory was the Endive Lettuce plant root, roasted and ground up.  It's always a good day when I learn something new!  I should also add that Cafe Du Monde's website shows them as being opened since 1862 so they started up just a year or so after St. Vincent's!  Bobby has been getting the Rouse's Coffee & Chicory on a regular basis now so I hope that means all his guests are enjoying it as much as I do.

I hear they are working hard on getting the bar open so it's BYOL for now if you want an adult beverage with your food.

As many folks already know, I'm a prankster and joker and writing funny songs and parodies are just one of my many ways of being a prankster... so I'm working on a remake of the old song, Desperado, and it's starting off something like the following.  Of course, in my 8+ months working part-time at St. Vincent's, this is the third restaurant to occupy this really GREAT location in the lower Garden District... thus the parody song name, "Desperation" instead of "Desperado".

"Desperation"

Desperation... another restaurant at St. Vincent's.
Inside asylum fences, for such a short time.
Oh Bobby Shriner, I know that you have your dream!
But like so many others, one day you'll feel reamed!

LOL

More to come on Desperado's and "Desperation", the song parody!

Lenny Vasbinder

Original Lyrics below this Youtube of The Eagles...

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/eagles/desperado.html

"Desperado"

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
You been out ridin' fences for so long now
Oh, you're a hard one
I know that you got your reasons
These things that are pleasin' you
Can hurt you somehow

Don't you draw the queen of diamonds, boy
She'll beat you if she's able
You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet

Now it seems to me, some fine things
Have been laid upon your table
But you only want the ones that you can't get

Desperado, oh, you ain't gettin' no younger
Your pain and your hunger, they're drivin' you home
And freedom, oh freedom well, that's just some people talkin'
Your prison is walking through this world all alone

Don't your feet get cold in the winter time?
The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine
It's hard to tell the night time from the day
You're losin' all your highs and lows
Ain't it funny how the feeling goes away?

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
Come down from your fences, open the gate
It may be rainin', but there's a rainbow above you
You better let somebody love you, before it's too late

Thomas Randolph "Randy" Morrison, Sculptor & Artist

Slideshow of some of Randy's works around St. Vincent's Guesthouse...
This will be a little surprise for Randy since I never mentioned that I would be doing this little blog about him but I was looking for something else on the internet a little while ago and came across the "Festival Of Fins" fan website, which chronicles all of the "fish" statues that are located all over the metropolitan New Orleans area.  While browsing through the listing, http://www.amberle.com/FestivalOfFins/WebFishList.htm, Randy's name caught my eye and then, after doing a quick page search, I found his name associated with three different "fish" statues around town:

1)  Ignatius J. Reillyfish -  http://www.amberle.com/FestivalOfFins/pages/sm20000627_19-15a.htm

2)  The Kingfish, Huey P. Long - http://www.amberle.com/FestivalOfFins/pages/sm20000619_15-13a.htm

3 ) Treasure On The Lake - http://www.amberle.com/FestivalOfFins/pages/sm20000702_22-07a.htm

As his own website mentions, he has a permanent collection of his bronze scuptures located in the main hallway of St. Vincent's Guesthouse.  http://www.morrisonsculpture.com/artist.html  The link to Press articles about Randy also leads to this NOLA.com article, http://www.nola.com/homegarden/index.ssf/2010/01/post_99.html which also has some really good photos of his attic apartment and studio at St. Vincent's Guesthouse as well as a close-up of the Gargoyle that currently resides climbing the clock tower on the back building of St. Vincent's.  This HoumaToday.com article has a really good close-up of the Gargoyle still unfinished. 

One day, I'm going to get permission to explore the attic of that building and the clock tower.  It's a shame the clock doesn't work so it's always 8:40 at St. Vincent's... but even a broken clock is right twice a day! ;-)

Thanks to Dana's Blog of New Orleans for that clock tower picture and the cityscape in the background!  http://danasneworleans.blogspot.com/2012/06/lagniappe-my-blog-comes-to-close.html

Other notable links...

http://artsneworleans.org/events_framed/detail/8499

https://www.facebook.com/MorrisonSculpture

https://www.facebook.com/thomas.r.morrison.39

Ignore his FB pages personal photo... he's not really that scary looking.  I think that might be him after a few too many cups of Mojo's coffee.  lol

Lenny Vasbinder

UPDATE - December 01-05, 2012 -

I took several photos of Randy's sculptures on display in the first floor hallway at St. Vincent's and a couple of the Gargoyle on the Clock Tower at sunset and have them as a slideshow near the top of this post.

St. Vincent's Asylum Song

Well, there was supposed to be a Halloween Party and we were going to decorate the front and lobby for Halloween, in an Animal House theme but things got cancelled.  When we first talked about it back in September, I decided to work up a mash up CD of songs related to St. Vincent's Guesthouse, Animal House and Halloween and the "St. Vincent's Asylum" song is a remake that I wrote based on the music to "House Of The Rising Sun" by The Animals, Bob Dylan and others.

I should add that a long time resident of St. Vincent's (and a friend for the past few months), Arthur B., came up with the idea of using "House Of The Rising Sun" as one of the mash-up songs for the CD.  He also came up with using "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover", "Hit The Road Jack" and "Heartbreak Hotel".  I already wrote a couple of stanzas for "50 Ways To Leave St. Vincent's" so look for it and many other parody songs on a future blog post.  I forgot to include this attribution in the original post.  If I ever make millions off of the song, I'll have to buy Arthur a cup of coffee or something. LOL

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_House_of_the_Rising_Sun

Now, the reason I named my song, "St. Vincent's Asylum", is that the St. Vincent's Guesthouse is located in the original 1861 St. Vincent's Orphan Infant Asylum, also referred to as St. Vincent's Infant Asylum in this Wikipedia page about the "Angel Of The Delta", Margaret Haughery, who donated the funds to build St. Vincent's.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Haughery  I figured the "Asylum" part would go well with the Halloween theme and party where I was going to debut this new song.  Besides, the full name was too long.  LOL

I hope you like it and keep on reading this blog for some of the other remakes and original songs about St. Vincent's!

Lenny Vasbinder

"St. Vincent's Asylum" Song

There is a guesthouse in New Orleans
The St. Vincent's Asylum
It's been the home of many a poor boys & girls
And God I know I'm one____

The manager, she's a Princess.. ha ha!
Her boss... holds all the green___
Now me... I am a singing man__ at
Fifteen-0-7 Magazine___

Now the only thing this singer needs
Never unpacked my boxes or trunk
Head__ing on up... to Down The Hatch
For a one dollar PBR drunk!

[Organ Solo]

Moms & Dads.... tell your children
Not to do what we've all done
Spending our lives in sin and misery
At St. Vincent's Asylum___

I'm trying to get to the Amtrak
Catch the next train or bus out of here
Get out of St. Vincent's Asylum___
To have a Happy New Year!!!

There is a guest house in New Orleans
The St. Vincent's Asylum
It's been the home of many poor boys & girls
And God, I know I'm one_____

Lenny Vasbinder 10/23/2012 1:25am


The lyrics to the original song:

"House Of The Rising Sun"

There is a house in New Orleans                  
They call the Rising Sun                                 
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy       
And God I know I'm one               

My mother was a tailor                   
She sewed my new bluejeans           
My father was a gamblin' man           
Down in New Orleans          

Now the only thing a gambler needs         
Is a suitcase and trunk               
And the only time he's satisfied                  
Is when he's on a drunk               

[Organ Solo]

Oh mother tell your children               
Not to do what I have done              
Spend your lives in sin and misery          
In the House of the Rising Sun           

Well, I got one foot on the platform
The other foot on the train
I'm goin' back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chain

Well, there is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God I know I'm one

Welcome To My Adventures At St. Vincent's Guest House

Just a quick welcome page that I can update later.

Home Page for St. Vincent's Guesthouse - http://www.STVGuesthouse.com

Update on November 28, 2012 - Links Page with dozens of links about St. Vincent's Guesthouse

http://stvincentsguesthouseneworleans.blogspot.com/2012/11/links-to-other-websites-about-st.html

Don't forget to leave a comment on the bottom of any post and thanks for visiting New Orleans and St. Vincent's Guesthouse!

Lenny Vasbinder