The name translates into English as " lily flower", and the symbol is in fact a stylized Iris
Pseudacorus I . . It was adopted by King Philip I of France in the 11th century. His grandson Louis VII was the first to adopt the Azure semé-de-lys Or (a blue shield with a tight pattern of small golden fleur-de-lis) as his badge, and this came to be so closely associated with his country that it is now known as "France Ancient". Three gold flowers on a blue background ("France Modern") dates to 1376 and Charles V of France.

The fleur-de-lis' origins with French monarchs stems from the baptismal lily used in the crowning of King Clovis I. To further enhance its mystique, a legend eventually sprang up that a vial of oil descended from heaven to anoint and sanctify Clovis as King. The thus "anointed" Kings of France later maintained that their authority was directly from God, without the mediation of either the Emperor or the Pope. Other legends claim that even the lily itself appeared at the baptismal ceremony as a gift of blessing in an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Catholic Church later endorsed the legend by associating Mary with the symbol.

Southern Living Magazine
features Sterling Silvia in their March, 2008 issue!

Sterling Silvia was also featured in the online magazine's editor's blog, The French Quarter Open For Business, click here to view.

WATER METER

Ever since the devastating disaster that blew New Orleans apart (Katrina), the Fleur de Lis has strongly represented the New Orleans community. Of course, locals and tourists wore this meaningful symbol with pride, but just as new fashions come in, they all find their way out. Another way locals have found to represent their recovering city is by wearing the very uniquely designed water meter cover, which can be easily found among the French Quarter sidewalks. The water meter cover found in New Orleans is the only one with a unique design on it. If you look at the details, you can find the crescent moon symbolizing the “Crescent City” and several  stars around them.

Usually in other states and cities you find the typical and plain “Water Meter” cover spelled out across the cover; however, due to its growing popularity in the Crescent City, people have been found stealing these covers off the streets, which are very valuable. As a result, artists, jewelers, craftsman and more have created a new fashion in town from carpets to T-shirts, from jewelry to tattoos. Either way, New Orleanians always find a way to proudly and uniquely represent their diversely cultured city.

Lastly, Sterling Silvia has created a unique line of Water Meter designs to resemble a coin type jewelry.

Another Leading Woman...

Magic 101.9 congratulates Silvia Asturias!

Silvia Austrias moved to the United States in 1982 and married her husband, Juan at Fort Hood Texas a year later. Her husband was sent to Korea by his Army superiors and Silvia went with him. Following her husband while in the military, Silvia and Juan were sent back to the United States to Fort Polk in Western Louisiana. Silvia worked three jobs to make ends meet to save money for their future move to New Orleans. In 1985 they moved to New Orleans. Silvia decided to spend $1200 she had saved and set out a table in the French Market to sell her jewelry. Her business grew with her custom New Orleans silver jewelry designs and by 1988 she moved her jewelry sales to an inside store across from the French Market. She called it Sterling Silvia.

Silvia re-opened her French quarter store just a few days after Katrina. She and her store survived and they have now expanded to have two store fronts: one on French Market Place and one on Decatur. Today Silvia is busy daily running Sterling Silvia in the store at shows and online with her website and spends her extra time with her daughter Christy. Silvia is also involved with the local leukemia Society and serves as a volunteer for the American Red Cross.

New Orleans Streetcars
A Brief History

New Orleans has the honor of holding the oldest continuously running streetcar system in the world. They’ve been operating up and down the neutral grounds of St. Charles and Carrolton avenues for over 150 years. For only $1.25 you can enjoy a ride through beautiful the beautiful uptown and downtown part of the city.

In New Orleans, we call our vintage electric rail vehicles streetcars - never trolleys. No one knows exactly why or when New Orleanians made the distinction; in most places the terms are used interchangeably. The most likely reason for the distinction is the pride that New Orleanians take in being the first city west of the Allegheny Mountains to implement passenger rail service. ''Streetcars'' rolled through New Orleans for more than 60 years before the ''trolley'', a device that transmits electric current to the motors, was used to power them.

Six vintage streetcars operate along the popular Riverfront line. Three were built by the Perley A. Thomas Company in 1923-24. Once part of the New Orleans Public Service, Inc. (NOPSI) rolling stock, they were donated or sold to museums when the Canal Streetcar line was abandoned in 1964. Perley Thomas cars still run along the city's historic St. Charles line. Two of the Perley Thomas cars on the Riverfront line were purchased by the Bring Our Streetcars Home (BOSH) committee in 1985. The third was found and purchased by the Regional Transit Authority in 1989.

Information taken from neworleansonline.com

The New Orleans Streetcar pendant was designed by Cristy Asturias available only at Sterling Silvia.