Nix Bits

Monday I decided I knew better than to try and head to the office. On Saturday we got notices informing us that a movie stunt scene was going to be filmed on our block and the neighborhood was going to be heavily restrict all day long both driving and parking. And I noticed too that there were a whole separate set of parking restrictions on Prytania and St Charles and I figured that had something to do with this North American Leader’s Summit and a probable dinner at Commander’s Palace for the mucky mucks.

Besides, I kinda like working from home every once in a while.

It’s a little hard to work with all the screeching tires and ruckus. The stunt shot is for “Final Destination IV:3D“. Sounds like that’ll be a classic. Apparently it’s not time for this particular character to do so the actress walks casually across an intersection as cars go careening and skidding around her. They filmed it about 30 times, presumably to get all those 3D angles. The stunt double had nerves of steel and eventually the actress was able to overcome her fear and do the shot as well. My little Saturn may have made the cut in the background

They managed to wrap up around the time the Coast Guard copter started buzzing the neighborhood and probably ruining their sound. I’m trying to get a handle on how this was supposed to be an “undisclosed location” for the Summit dinner. There were cops and guards and guys in government badges all over the place. There were temporary No Parking signs on two major thoroughfares for 4 hours leading straight from downtown to Commander’s Palace stapled on every pole and tree two days ahead of the event.

We decided to talk our daily workout through the neighborhood. We were thwarted about a block and half from Washington Avenue. We were both amused by one of the neighbors complaining as he tried to walk his little dogs. “Apparently this isn’t America anymore when HE comes to town. Might as well move to Puerto Rico. Can’t even take a walk in my own neighborhood.” He ranted at anyone who was nearby.

We rounded a corner and I noticed former Gulf Coast Recovery Czar Donald Powell getting out of a car. J sorta recognized him, but sorta didn’t. Eyes met and they started chatting about the craziness in the neighborhood with the movie shoot and the presidential visit. Powell asked if we had been in the movie. Jennifer tells him know but we thought our dogs should have been in it. Powell agreed. It was all really kinda strange. When I told J who it was, she said she wished she could have asked for where to send the bill for all the appointments she lost out on today because her clients couldn’t get to her office.

We saw the motorcades blow by a short while later. We also chatted with a neighbor. She’s apparently taken a new job as an assistant to an actor working another movie filming in town. We actually received a UPS delivery from Amazon for him that was misaddressed to our house and had both thought, “I wonder if….nah.”

It’s pretty entertaining being in the center of the universe on an off Monday afternoon. But I’m ready for the more “normal” excitement of the next week and a half of Jazz Fest activity.