New Orleans Bound

[strollingbones]

o my i would have never taken skull for the go to no type and have fun.....the things you learn

Thanks I think?

BTW it's a semi regular trip for us.

you do not like the unwashed masses...that is one reason i was surprised....and i know you are a great cook...so you liking the food....no surprise....you taking the good wife and exposing her to all that trash...surprise..but then toss in the fact that you think you can rip anyone bothering you apart with your bare hands....no surprise....i just dont see you relaxing in no.....nope dont see it....but then again everyone blends in in no....and the things you see....

 

[Sunni Man]

The place is a pit........

That being said, NOLA is about the food and music.

Try the blackened redfish, and my personal favorite 'crawfish etouffee'. ..

 

[Skull Pilot]

o my i would have never taken skull for the go to no type and have fun.....the things you learn

Thanks I think?

BTW it's a semi regular trip for us.

you do not like the unwashed masses...that is one reason i was surprised....and i know you are a great cook...so you liking the food....no surprise....you taking the good wife and exposing her to all that trash...surprise..but then toss in the fact that you think you can rip anyone bothering you apart with your bare hands....no surprise....i just dont see you relaxing in no.....nope dont see it....but then again everyone blends in in no....and the things you see....

Well I stay away from the wall to wall people scenes as much as possible.

The Blues festival is really cool though. it's not super crowded and the Abita trucks are everywhere so it's easy to mellow out enough to put up with the crowds.

I forgot to mention the great hangover breakfasts.

There's a place on Canal St called The Other Place. great biscuits and sausage gravy. Wash that Down with John Daley and the hangover is gone.

 

[Political Junky]

o my i would have never taken skull for the go to no type and have fun.....the things you learn

the river walk is fun with lots of shopping...canal street is like a carnvial....with barkers etc...and its nasty.....

we are in no and for reasons let unsaid...i couldnt smoke in our condo....so i go out early in the am and lean up against the wall and proceed to fire up a blunt....i notice this dude in a white car reading a newspaper...i nod...he smiles and nods back...we iz cool....then i notice he shifts in his seat and smiles at me again.....now i can see the nopd patch on his shoulder..i put out my blunt as i slowly backed away...he laughed

Sad about Canal Street. It used to be a thriving street with quality stores. That had changed last time I was there about 12-13 years ago, as had most of New Orleans.
Is Pat O'Brien's, home of the Hurricane, still going?

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Sad about Canal Street. It used to be a thriving street with quality stores. That had changed last time I was there about 12-13 years ago, as had most of New Orleans.
Is Pat O'Brien's, home of the Hurricane, still going?

It was in 2010 when I was there.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

My better half and I are going the 1st week in November. Any must sees and do's? Also, whats the weather like there normally that time of year?

Don't listen to these people; it's not as bad as they're claiming. Yes, there are parts of New Orleans that are absolute shit holes and haven't been rebuilt since the hurricane, but if you stick to the French Quarter, Canal Street, and the Garden District there is plenty to see and do. This may sound odd, but visit one of the cemeteries. Because the water table is so high in NOLA they have to bury everyone above ground so there are some pretty elaborate graves and mausoleums. They are really cool to see and there are places that give tours of them.

My ex and I also drove down to Venice, about 70 miles south of the city, pretty much until you can't drive anymore, and took a boat tour of the bayous where we got to feed alligators. That was fun. They came right up to the boat.

The best part, of course, is the food and there are no shortage of restaurants. Getting a king crab boil is a must!

 

[syrenn]

My better half and I are going the 1st week in November. Any must sees and do's? Also, whats the weather like there normally that time of year?

Don't listen to these people; it's not as bad as they're claiming. Yes, there are parts of New Orleans that are absolute shit holes and haven't been rebuilt since the hurricane, but if you stick to the French Quarter, Canal Street, and the Garden District there is plenty to see and do. This may sound odd, but visit one of the cemeteries. Because the water table is so high in NOLA they have to bury everyone above ground so there are some pretty elaborate graves and mausoleums. They are really cool to see and there are places that give tours of them.

My ex and I also drove down to Venice, about 70 miles south of the city, pretty much until you can't drive anymore, and took a boat tour of the bayous where we got to feed alligators. That was fun. They came right up to the boat.

The best part, of course, is the food and there are no shortage of restaurants. Getting a king crab boil is a must!

lol... we said the same thing you did.... dont stray from the tourist areas.... see a cemetery and eat some great food. We just aren't sugar coating the real of NO.


a king crab boil??? are you crazy??

if you are looking for a boil you need a low country boil..... crawfish, gulf white shirmp and catfish.... that is NO.

 

[B. Kidd]

We are staying in the Garden District. I have a Wyndham timeshare and we got cheap airline tickets $250.00 each roundtrip from Las Vegas. The pain about flying is that I have to leave all of my self-defense implements of destruction at home, as it sounds like I'll need a few.

I usually stay away from cemetaries (who is this Marie chick buried there?) as I've been told through the years by a couple of psychic friends that I have a large, bright positive aura (believe it or not!) that attracts negative spirits. Fortunately, one of those friends taught me a technique to create a kind of force shield to rebuff them.

Thanks kindly to all who responded to my post!!!

 

[DGS49]

I ain't no expert, I was only there for a short week last year, but my wife and I enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. We walked all over the place, consumed a bit of alcohol, tried a lot of local food, sampled a lot of local music, and were never hassled by anyone. The architecture is interesting, as is the general local culture. It is a visual amusement park, to be sure.

We enjoyed taking a ride down the Charles St trolley line, and did a lot of walking around the nearby residential areas, which are quite picturesque. I believe we had a walking-tour guide, and followed their suggestions. Several movie people have homes in the Garden District.

An afternoon bus tour was well worth the money, as it showed us some of the destruction from Katrina, one of the cemeteries (which are cool), and gave us a good overall layout.

I rented a Harley and toured some of the outer areas. We were going to take a boat ride in the swamps. but got there a few minutes too late.

There is a WWII museum just a few blocks out from the main drag, and it is well worth the couple hours to walk through.

Casino anyone?

 

[Pogo]

What a shit hole, no offense. The usual shit, Cafe Du Monde, Jackson square, Bourbon street, the Super dome, Canal street, voodoo tourist traps and so on.

The good news is it will still be relatively warm in November.

I saw my very first dead body there.

With the exception of Jackson Square, that there's a decent list of places to ignore. Somebody gave RC a string of bad tips and he wants to infect you too.

But do venture into the Square of a Saturday morn and find one Doreen Ketchens playing clarinet with a pickup band. Linger long enough and you'll understand why I think she's the most awesome clarinetist I've ever heard in my life. Playing on the street for tips. That, and several other artists, jugglers, musicians etc. During the week walk Royal Street for some good street music too.

Speaking of tips, Tip's (Tipitina's) usually has a decent bill of musical fare, but definitely hit the clubs on Frenchmen Street (Blue Nile, DBA etc) at night. Most definitely. That's where the action is, trust me.

Take a daytime ride on the St. Charles streetcar, the longest running such vehicle in the United States -- just to take the long ride and see the place.

Houses and gardens in the Garden District. Another promenade on Magazine Street for funky shops and eats. Near the terminus of the streetcar is Lebanon's Café, superb ME food. Like Indian? Taj Mahal in Old Metairie. Thai: Singha downtown (but check weird hours). They tell me Acme Oyster House is the place to go for that kind of fried stuff. Not my thing but passing it on.

I don't know anyone who goes to Bourbon Street unless they absolutely have to, for money. Complete waste of time there. Walk Decatur Street instead. NOMA (NO Museum of Art) is nice, up in mid-city near nice park areas on Esplanade Ave (pronounced "es-pleh-nayde").

Weather: New Orleans has two seasons: Hot and Not As Hot. Right about now the latter is beginning, the period when four solid months of 95 degree heat and 112% humidity on a daily basis, having driven the residents to the verge of emigration, finally relents. It can be quite pleasant. Good time of year to go.

Just one warning: don't say "New or-LEENS". Say "N'AW-lins".

Oh and if you're up to a cultural/historical challenge go pay your respects to Marie Laveau in St. Louis cemetery No. 1. This link will tell you why you need to do that.

 

[Pogo]

I hope you like the smell of stale vomit and urine.

That pretty much describes Bourbon Street at sunrise. The whole scrubbing of the sidewalk thing really isn't a result of that -- it's a New Orleans thing, meticulous cleaning of the sidewalk. It's everywhere, regardless of bar proximity. I have no idea why.

Odds and ends from other posts: Canal Street isn't a "carnival"-- it's commercial. Hotels and stores and lots o' traffic. Not that there's any particular reason to go there unless you're getting to point B or want to see the widest street in America (so they tell me), it's just not a "carnival". That would be the FQ.

And save time for a breakfast at Slim Goodies on Magazine Street. Seriously.

Quick pronunciation guide:

Burgundy Street: "bur-GUN-dy" (but the drink is still BUR-gun-dy. Go figure)
Milan Street: "MY-lin". No I'm not kidding.
Ptolemy Street: "Pee-tole-e-mee"
Socrates: "SO-craytz"
Clio Street: "C. L. Ten"
Calliope Street: "CAL-ee-yope"

Use these and I guarantee, you're in.

Oh that's another thing- you'll be serenaded by the sounds of the calliope wafting from the river. It's nice. Take a ferry ride to the other side- it's free (for pedestrians). And a nice view especially in the evening.

 

[Vandalshandle]

New Orleans, my home for 10 years.

Do NOT walk North out of the Quarter and cross Rampart Street. Many have tried. Many have died.

The blues clubs on Bourbon Street are very good. The House of Blues is especially good for Sunday Brunch, but you need a reservation. DO go to the high rated restaurants. They are incredibly expensive, but worth it. Take the trolley down and back up Charleston in daylight. Personally, I like the plantation tours on River Road. Remember this. New Orleans is all about the food and the music.

 

[Pogo]

New Orleans, my home for 10 years.

Do NOT walk North out of the Quarter and cross Rampart Street. Many have tried. Many have died.

The blues clubs on Bourbon Street are very good. The House of Blues is especially good for Sunday Brunch, but you need a reservation. DO go to the high rated restaurants. They are incredibly expensive, but worth it. Take the trolley down and back up Charleston in daylight. Personally, I like the plantation tours on River Road. Remember this. New Orleans is all about the food and the music.

Dr. John - Goin' Back To New Orleans (Video) - YouTube

Oh come on. You have to go north of Rampart to get to Marie Laveau. Armstrong Park and Tremé are up there too, I think there's a TV show in that setting. I worked in that area for years with never an incident, other than that building collapsing.

Don't be put off by the doom and gloomsayers -- I will say this, you're probably going to see a disparity between rich and poor like you've never seen before. That doesn't necessarily make it dangerous. Use common sense. I lived there 12 years and never had an incident, and that's going everywhere.

That is a nice video though. Runs through a good lineup of all-stars. I think it was a fresh release when I moved there back in '93-'94.

 

[Vandalshandle]

New Orleans, my home for 10 years.

Do NOT walk North out of the Quarter and cross Rampart Street. Many have tried. Many have died.

The blues clubs on Bourbon Street are very good. The House of Blues is especially good for Sunday Brunch, but you need a reservation. DO go to the high rated restaurants. They are incredibly expensive, but worth it. Take the trolley down and back up Charleston in daylight. Personally, I like the plantation tours on River Road. Remember this. New Orleans is all about the food and the music.

Dr. John - Goin' Back To New Orleans (Video) - YouTube

Oh come on. You have to go north of Rampart to get to Marie Laveau. Armstrong Park and Tremé are up there too, I think there's a TV show in that setting. I worked in that area for years with never an incident, other than that building collapsing.

Don't be put off by the doom and gloomsayers -- I will say this, you're probably going to see a disparity between rich and poor like you've never seen before. That doesn't necessarily make it dangerous. Use common sense. I lived there 12 years and never had an incident, and that's going everywhere.

That is a nice video though. Runs through a good lineup of all-stars. I think it was a fresh release when I moved there back in '93-'94.

You have been gone a while, so you probably don't know. Armstrong Park has been padlocked since Katrina. It turned into a gangland and drug paradise, and it has been permenantly closed for years.

 

[Pogo]

New Orleans, my home for 10 years.

Do NOT walk North out of the Quarter and cross Rampart Street. Many have tried. Many have died.

The blues clubs on Bourbon Street are very good. The House of Blues is especially good for Sunday Brunch, but you need a reservation. DO go to the high rated restaurants. They are incredibly expensive, but worth it. Take the trolley down and back up Charleston in daylight. Personally, I like the plantation tours on River Road. Remember this. New Orleans is all about the food and the music.

Dr. John - Goin' Back To New Orleans (Video) - YouTube

Oh come on. You have to go north of Rampart to get to Marie Laveau. Armstrong Park and Tremé are up there too, I think there's a TV show in that setting. I worked in that area for years with never an incident, other than that building collapsing.

Don't be put off by the doom and gloomsayers -- I will say this, you're probably going to see a disparity between rich and poor like you've never seen before. That doesn't necessarily make it dangerous. Use common sense. I lived there 12 years and never had an incident, and that's going everywhere.

That is a nice video though. Runs through a good lineup of all-stars. I think it was a fresh release when I moved there back in '93-'94.

You have been gone a while, so you probably don't know. Armstrong Park has been padlocked since Katrina. It turned into a gangland and drug paradise, and it has been permenantly closed for years.

In the daytime too? I know about the night lockdown (though there were always ways around it). What about that Mahalia Jackson theater?

 

[DGS49]

Don't forget to rent and watch a couple seasons of TREME (HBO).

 

[Harry Dresden]

pay them no mind..and have fun....there are no real sex shows so forget that....have a muffelllta at community cafe just off the french market.....

go to marie leveau grave....i always have fun there but it is a dangerous place....people warn you that you can be in a crowd one minute and then totally alone....the next....i didnt believe them till it happened to me...

tons of scammers...tons

Marie Laveau is one of the witches this season on American Horror story : Coven....

 

[B. Kidd]

Thanks everyone for all the tips. Leave in a week.

 

[B. Kidd]

Well, been here since we got in Fri. nite, midnite. Sat., went to Bourbon St., mid to late afternoon, and before sundown, IT WAS/IS a white-trash (BTW, I'm white) southern drunken hell (a 3 day music festival, geared towards young-uns was in progress). But, in defense of young-uns, the only vomit spewin' guy I saw was being tended to by his wife in the mens' room of an upscale restauraunt on Bourbon St. that I had the mis-fortune to walk into (da' drunk was around my age, 50's to 60's). Sunday, took a swamp/plantation tour from a local outfitter (not, Grayline!) that was informative and a worth every penny. Today, we went to the WWII Nat'l Musuem and it was very, very good. Just got back from dinner at Commander's Palace, and hands down, it beat 90% of the upscale restauraunts in Vegas (where we live) for service and food!!! Obviously, R.C. Christian didn't see his first dead bodies anywheres near there!
Later.........Kidd

 

[Mr. H.]

Don't tour the Pooper Dome. It's kinda cool, but you'll just waste your money on a trivia lesson.