Volume 2   Issue 3               Fall 2001

Fenestration Focus

iGm/FW Storms New Orleans This Fall
by David Jenkins

New Orleans will be home to more than just Mardi Gras this year when the city hosts interGLASSmetal/FENESTRATION world ’01 (iGm/FW®) at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on November 7-9. More than 250 companies will exhibit services and products in the industry. Approximately 1,400 booths will cover more than 300,000 feet of exhibit space on the show floor. Leading manufacturers of fabrication systems for architectural, metal, vinyl, raw glass trade products and related lines will display equipment, machinery and other products for the fenestration and flat glass industries. 

Since its Boston debut in 1977, attendance and exhibiting companies for iGm/FW has progressively increased, making the biennial world conference one of the most successful trade events in the industry. For two decades, chief executive officers, senior executives, engineers and others have flocked to iGm/FW. Organizers say the show is about business, for business, and produced by business people—and that no other industry venue showcases such a broad spectrum of manufacturing and fabricating systems for the fenestration and glass industries. 

As usual, iGm/FW will feature a variety of seminars pertaining to the latest industry trends.

Navigating New Orleans

There’s more to New Orleans than its tourist image might suggest. The explosion of jazz at the dawn of the 20th century, along with the evolution of Mardi Gras as a wild and crazy tourist attraction, ensured New Orleans’ place as one of the most swinging of all major U.S. cities.

The historic St. Charles Avenue Street Car is a popular way to travel through the city. The streetcar runs about six miles along St. Charles Ave., between downtown and the Garden District.

With its elaborate ironwork, colorful old buildings, eateries, music clubs and intriguing shops, the French Quarter is New Orleans’ main focus. Jackson Square, the heart of the quarter, is a landscaped park surrounding a statue of Andrew Jackson, the Battle of New Orleans’ hero during the War of 1812. Perhaps the area’s highlight is St. Louis Cathedral, the oldest active cathedral in the United States, dating from 1794.

Just west of the French Quarter, the warehouse district is a center for contemporary arts, and features some of the city’s premier art galleries. Also located in the district is the Confed-erate Museum, which houses Civil War memorabilia.

With its ornate antebellum homes, the uptown-based garden district offers a glimpse at sophisticated New Orleans. Known for its 19th century mansions and landscaped gardens, the garden district also features: Toby House, a Greek Revival raised cottage thought to be the oldest home in the area; the Italian-ate/Greek Revival Colonel Short’s Villa, noteworthy for its elaborate cast-iron fence; and the Payne House, the mansion where Con-federate president Jefferson Davis passed away.

Eating Out 

New Orleans’ world-renowned food is a spicy blend of French, Spanish, African and Cajun. Highlights are gumbo (a thick soup of seafood, chicken and vegetables) and jambalaya (a paella jumbled together from the same ingredients). Many dishes are served, as the French say, etouffé, or drenched in a spicy tomato sauce. 

Another famous New Orleans specialty is Creole food, such as red beans and rice. Cajun dishes are rustic, based upon a tasty brown sauce called roux, and utilize shallots, parsley, peppers, pork and garlic. Another specialty is the po-boy, a giant French-bread sandwich crammed with oysters, shrimp and lots of sauces. Crawfish are also very popular, and are served in everything from omelettes to bisques. 

While at iGm you’ll want to take advantage of everything iGm and New Orleans have to offer. Check out pages 72-73 for more information on the show.

David Jenkins is an editorial intern for Door & Window Maker magazine.

DWM
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