Cleaning up some stuff in the office, I came across this postcard I meant to share with y’all. This is my favorite New Orleans postcard, ever.

So let me set the scene for you. You’re in one of the tourist shops off Jackson Square, flipping through the spinning-rack of postcards, with all the usual aerial views of the city at night and photos of horse-drawn carriages and the famous cemeteries and bright red crawfish atop étouffée. You’re picking out some to send to your nieces and nephews (you might not be the best uncle ever, with like remembering their birthdays all the time, but at least you can send them a postcard from your travels like your aunts and uncle used to do for you). And oh look, here’s a nice one of one of New Orleans’ iconic marching bands. That really is New Orleans—they really do pop up at all sorts of events in New Orleans and there’s the new guard but also plenty of bands that keep alive the traditional look and sound. So, yes, you grab a handful of the cards. This’ll be a great one to send to the kids.

And maybe you’re even back at the hotel room, writing out a few postcards to kids when you glance at the front of the card again and take a closer look. The gentlemen in the photo, their hats tell you that most of them are from the Olympia Brass Band, they’re not actually playing those instruments. They’re… standing around drinking beer. Budweiser, to be precise. A sense of pride in history, in keeping traditions alive, in making a joyful sound. And sometimes, just having a cold one. New Orleans.