cover image from Southern Decadence 2010, daily.gay.com

A city known for the French, Spanish, Creole, African influence, coupled with the Catholic and Pagan dogmas, makes the options boundless for epicurean delights beyond imagining. And let’s face it: New Orleans knows how to throw one heck of a party, including Southern Decadence. From its founding in 1871, fast-forward 100 years to August of 1972, which saw a group of friends hanging out in a rundown “shotgun” of a house just on the perimeter of the infamous and historic French Quarter. The home, historic and ancient, was apparently in a state of decline and disrepair.

The house boasted a particularly large bathroom in which was a clawfoot tub and a sofa. Yes, a sofa! You read that right. A familiar place, 10 housemates at any given time, and precarious living situations led to intimacy in friendship, and the story goes that the shower taker and sofa recliner were often found reading Tennessee Williams to one another and had a particular love of “A Streetcar Named Desire.” It was this writing that led to the house being dubbed “Belle Reve,” to honor the famous Mississippi plantation of Blanche Dubois.

By Jessica Arent, Feature Author

Raised in San Francisco, California, Jessica Arent views everything and everyone as “normal.” For her, there have never been boundaries nor obstacles. Travelling the world is Jessica’s passion, as she believes that the experiences of cultural immersion and adventure broaden our perspective of ourselves and the community around us, and further educate us in tolerance and an understanding that we are not all the same -- rather, we are an extraordinary, intertwined tapestry of differences and vibrant colors to be explored and experienced. Jessica has sought out opportunities throughout her career which have continued this journey in understanding, broadened her horizons, and strengthened her resolve and her character.

The mother of an OUT gay teen, Jessica advocates for equality with a force to be reckoned with, believing that we are all created equal, all entitled to live our lives fully and completely without bias or restraint, and every human being has the primal right to love and be loved in matrimony and union, if we so choose. A die-hard romantic herself, she is passionate about opening doors to a brave new world of romantic adventure and exploration. Writing about the places she has been, and the places you will go, allows her to leave her own indelible mark on the world, and make a difference in every extraordinary life she touches through her articles.

Jessica is CEO of PROMESA, LLC with GAY WEDDING MEXICO <http://www.gayweddingmexico.com> and a welcomed contributor to 10,000 Couples' section called Romantic Getaways for Same Gender Couples.

More Featured Articles