I haven’t figured out why the club across the street from my office–currently called “La Maison de la Musique,” formerly “Ray’s Room,” hasn’t been able to make it on Frenchmen Street. With all the foot traffic and the people who come down this way, opening a music club should be a shoo-in, if it’s done properly. But this place has never been able to cut it. I’ve seen so many operators go into the place, repair the hell out of it, and then see it not perform. One reason is that I’m pretty sure that it’s zoned as a restaurant, not a bar, so in order for the place to be legal, it has to serve a lot of food. If it doesn’t, the Faubourg Marigny “neighborhood police” will close you down, you betcha.

About an hour ago, I saw a couple of guys taking down the relatively-newly-minted sign of “La Maison de la Musique,” and I thought, “Uh oh. Another iteration goes down.” I understand that partners from Ampersand and Handsome Willy’s are taking it over. Let’s hope there’s success in their future. And that it offers live music, not just a DJ.

Another bar is also opening right next door to the Blue Nile. Now that’s a building that’s been vacant and being “worked on” for a long time. So while Frenchmen Street changes, it still remains the same. Such as it is in New Orleans.