I’ve been posting a lot of dream houses lately, homes that are so out of my financial reach they make me ache. Rather than torturing myself with what I can’t have, I thought I’d peruse some more realistic options. That’s when I happened upon this most delightful arts and crafts home located in the St. Roch neighborhood.
I adore the bright, sunny yellow exterior, cute porch, original hardwood floors and architectural details like the built-in bookcases, and transoms. The kitchen and bathroom need a little work (am I the only one who wants to move the sink under the window?), but what sold me was the description.
It’s a 2 bedroom, 1 bath, 1200 sq. ft. shotgun originally built in 1901 being sold for $195,000, which was once owned by a Voodoo priest skilled in healing and divination. As if this was not enough, the house lies right across the street from the St. Roch Cemetery (another of the city’s above ground beauties) which is believed to be inhabited by Baron Samedi, who is an lwa (or loa), whom Voodoo (or Vodou) adherents pray to, often for healing those near death. Most are probably familiar with this entity from Disney’s somewhat distorted interpretation, Dr. Facilier from Princess & the Frog. Local followers of Voodoo also leave tobacco and rum, Baron Samedi’s preferred offerings, on the sidewalk in front of the cemetery. To top it all off “the sum of the house number is 13, the number of the Death Card in Tarot, which (when reversed) means escape from death.”
Does it get any more New Orleans than this? Maybe. Maybe if the home was also previously owned by a famous, local jazz musician or two, throw a chef in there . . . I’m simply in awe. What do you think? Would you live here? The house is pending, so you likely need to make a deal with death* to get in on it now.
*I couldn’t help myself.
