Having had to postpone our 35th anniversary celebration due to work related issues (two projects on that weekend with multiple 24/7 field crews, including subway work being done with third rail power on), we are now about to embark on a nice mini-vacation (the wife INSISTED)....three days in New Orleans.
So, we are going down next Tuesday morning and leaving Thursday night.
(The trip was planned to happen before the Jazz festival gets going.)
Any of our NOLA area posters have any thoughts on events going on next week?
Likewise, the baseball trip is St. Louis in mid-May (13-17).
I appreciate any input.....posters here know some of the best places to go and things to see.
Best Turtle Soup in town is at Mandina's on Canal Street (out of the business district). Po-Boy sandwiches (oyster and shrimp) are excellent, too.
Best Ham Po-Boy sandwiches are at Mother's on Poydras Ave (in the business district).
A uniquely New Orleans sandwich is a Mufaletta, but only get one at Central Grocery in the French Quarter on Decatur Street. (Closed on weekends)
Another uniquely New Orleans sandwich is one originated by the boys of Jesuit High School that had lunch money for the school cafeteria but wanted to eat off campus, but they could not afford a regular Po-Boy (with meat or seafood), so they invented the "French Fry Po-Boy" which consists of a half of a loaf of French Bread with lettuce, tomatoes, mayonaise, french fries, and roast beef gravy. Really! It is reported to generally contain less than 10,000 calories and is cholesterol-free.
Street Car ride on St. Charles Avenue is highly recommended and not expensive.
If you go to Harrah's Casino at the foot of Canal Street, you will not win anything, and it's an expensive pasttime.
The Riverboat cruise from the foot of Canal Street to Audubon Park/Zoo is a nice ride.
Be careful of pickpockets and panhandlers around Jackson Square in the French Quarter.
Some of the artists (charcoal & pastels) in Jackson Square are very good and not that expensive. Think how you are going to (safely) transport it back home, though.
Coffee & Beignets (donuts) are excellent at the Morning Call in the French Quarter, and expect the powdered sugar to get on everything, including some amazing places you didn't think were exposed at the time.
This is the last month to get Louisiana Oysters while they are exceptionally good raw. Drago's is good for grilled oysters (on the half shell) either in the Hilton Downtown or at the main restaurant in "Fat City" in Metairie. For lunch or dinner, see Casamento's - closed Sun & Mon, cash ONLY - no plastic. Best in the State of Louisiana for oysters for over 100 years. Located on Magazine Street near Napoleon Avenue.
Pascal's Manale Restaurant on Napoleon Avenue is where "BBQ Shrimp" originated.
For fine French Dining, you can't beat Galatoire's, Arnaud's, or Antoine's.
For the absolute best in bistro style dining, consider Commander's Palace, oftentimes considered the best restaurant in North America - (that's before Katrina - since then they have rebuilt the building & changed the menu and I don't know the current rating).
If you gain less than 5 pounds while in Naw'lins, shame on you.
You will notice, Angelo, that there isn't anything to do except eat in New Orleans.
Professor Cliff knows his audience. Great list.
If someone asked me to list the ten best meals I've ever had, at least five or six were in NOLA. We were there for our 10th anniversary back in 1988, and again, for an ACSM conference (in 1993, I think).
I took a Central Grocery mufaletta back with me for the plane ride home, and we did the St Charles streetcar, the zoo, the steamboat ride back to Jackson Square (amazing how those guys can tell you where you got your shoes....).
We will be revisiting some places, but are looking for stuff that wasn't there on our last visits. As with the last two times, we will do it without a car, so out of town stuff is probably a no-go.
> Likewise, the baseball trip is St. Louis in mid-May (13-17).
?----- Jealous. :'(
> > Likewise, the baseball trip is St. Louis in mid-May (13-17).
>
>
> ?----- Jealous. :'(
Yeah, I thought I had missed a beerlegger event...
> > > Likewise, the baseball trip is St. Louis in mid-May (13-17).
> >
> >
> > ?----- Jealous. :'(
>
> Yeah, I thought I had missed a beerlegger event...
Oh no...I'd be broadcasting it to everyone I knew if I was headed to St. Louis!!! Especially you fellows. But...man it sure gets me thinking...I wish I could pull it off and go when Angelo is going! Would be a blast!! :-$ 😀 B-)
well for he next 2 weeks, dance and party also. 🙂
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It has been a few years since Cliff has left in New Orleans and moved to Red Stick, 😉
.
Morning Call moved out to Fat City in the 70's. He means the Café Du Monde by the Square.
Mothers is mostly all tourists or conventioneers. It was great under the Landry family but the new owners who took over in the 90's went for the $$$.
for the fine N'awlins dining, Definitely Arnauds but you have to have a jacket/tie. Galatoires has been sold to some foreigners and Antoine's is so old line , it is like going into a time machine in an eerie way.
Tujaques across from Café DuMonde is the oldest restaurant in the city. The owner passed away last week so it's future is unknown. Rumors are that local Chef John Besh may bid on it. It is old line price fixed dinners like in France.
Best po'boys in the Quarter are at Johnny's on St. Louis. one of Best po'boys now in the city is the Parkway Bakery in Mid City.
I always take out-of-towners to the Napoleon House on Chartres and St. Louis. They serve a warm muffaletta.
There are many popular new restaurants that I can't comment on
but I will name a few slightly older places.
Brightsen's uptown in the Riverbend area and the Upperline which is Uptown. Both can reached by St. Charles streetcar with a short walk.
Things to do..
well you are here at a strange time. midweek before Jazz fest opening.
Music: checkout Snug Harbor for Jazz on Wednesday night. Delfaeyo Marsalis trombonist who is Wynton and Branford's younger brother) has a big band playing. You could get a meal there also.
Historic New Orleans Collection archives on Chartres Street across from the LA Supreme Court.
Great map collection. Ask to see some elevation surveys of the 19th Century surveyors. Most of these surveys are in the Notarial Archives near the Dome but they may have a few. If you are hungry, you could go next door to K-Pauls Kitchen:-D
D-Day/ WW2 Museum in the CBD. You can research any relatives from WW2 and they have some nice media presentations. If you are hungry, John Besh runs the food operation there.
Ogden Museum of Southern Art is a short walk. All these are near Emeril's flag ship joint FWIW
I could go on and on..
IF you want to hook up for lunch on Wed. It may be doable. swmbo is off work and she can come along so there can be conversation that is not surveying.
email me. We would have to be leaving the city about 2:30pm to get back or maybe not if our neighbor can pick up our kid at school.
On Thursday night, The Iguanas are doing a free concert 2 blocks from us and it is marked on the Calendar for weeks now.
I owe you from that meal in Paramus a few years ago when you gave me a lift from Scott's tour at the WTC site.
I do agree about Casamentos for oysters. my favorite for oysters.
It is like a place that you would find in Italy.
It is still family owned and
35th anniversary!!!..you may want to do an oyster extravaganza. 😉
eat oysters..love longer..
as they say here.
Robert;
I'll shoot you an e-mail. Thanks for the great advice.
