Anyone been to New Orleans lately?

[AreBee1969]

The Warden has a conference there during the first week in December. I have at least one day where I will be on my own and have a few things lined up to do that she wouldn't like. Tour of the Sazerac House Distillery, WWII Museum and the Museum of Death, followed by an afternoon at a cigar/pipe bar in Metaire. We are staying at the Marriott just two blocks from Bourbon Street. Yeah we will do the tourist crap there one night, and I also hope to do a Cemetery/Haunted places tour as well. I cannot wait to dig into a true Muffaletta. Any recommendations on where to get a good one and where else to eat in the area? Other attractions?

 

[Vowelguy]

The Warden has a conference there during the first week in December. I have at least one day where I will be on my own and have a few things lined up to do that she wouldn't like. Tour of the Sazerac House Distillery, WWII Museum and the Museum of Death, followed by an afternoon at a cigar/pipe bar in Metaire. We are staying at the Marriott just two blocks from Bourbon Street. Yeah we will do the tourist crap there one night, and I also hope to do a Cemetery/Haunted places tour as well. I cannot wait to dig into a true Muffaletta. Any recommendations on where to get a good one and where else to eat in the area? Other attractions?

Central Grocery is the place often recommended. I dont know enough to know if the one I had was the best or not.
When I was there last year, Central Grocery was closed for construction, but the liquor store next door was selling the Central muffalettas.

The voodoo museum isnt worth the price.

Watch our for the hustlers. Before I knew it, one was trying to clean my sneakers and saying I owed him $20.

Can't recall anything else. I just enjoyed walking up and down the streets. Tons and tons of character.

 

[dvegas]

Take the ferry to Algiers. Have a cocktail at the Dry dock or Old Point. Take the ferry back.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The Warden has a conference there during the first week in December. I have at least one day where I will be on my own and have a few things lined up to do that she wouldn't like. Tour of the Sazerac House Distillery, WWII Museum and the Museum of Death, followed by an afternoon at a cigar/pipe bar in Metaire. We are staying at the Marriott just two blocks from Bourbon Street. Yeah we will do the tourist crap there one night, and I also hope to do a Cemetery/Haunted places tour as well. I cannot wait to dig into a true Muffaletta. Any recommendations on where to get a good one and where else to eat in the area? Other attractions?

Good call on the WWII Museum, it is impressive.

Bourbon street is too much, especially at night. Watching old ladies vomiting and frat boys jogging naked, not ideal. I prefer it during the day. The cool spot for live music and the locals scene that used to be in the French Quarter is Frenchman Street. Loads of live music, can hop from place to place with your go cup. Easy uber from your location.

Best beer bar is the Avenue Pub on St. Charles. A restaurant I like is Jacque Imo's. It's uptown, a little past Tulane and Loyola (my wife went to Loyola). There is good food everywhere, but the touristy areas in the quarter are not your best bet. There are some great spots on Magazine Street. Hungry Eyes is an amazing lunch/breakfast spot. Where to Eat and Drink on Magazine Street Uptown Can walk through the Garden District back to your hotel. Bring your walking shoes.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Concur that Bourbon St at night requires a special mindset. I'd avoid it too. Go to Pat O'Brien's, get your hurricane and souvenir glass and move on.
WWII museum is great.
There are so many great restaurants for different style cuisines; it's worth finding your style and pick one. I would say trying a good, local muffaletta or a po boy should be on your list. Get a bowl of red beans and rice, crawfish etouffee or jambalaya. A good shrimp and grits is never a bad option either. Eat local. Plenty of options.

 

[uconn1999]

We go several times a year, inc earlier this month and again in Dec.
For muffulettas, I tend to hit Napoleon House.
Here’s a list to review.

Best muffs in NOLA and much more
Seafood? Best in the city is GW Fins also Peche
Commanders Palace is usually on our list

Strongly recommend reservations
Oysters, I like the bar at Superior Seafood on St Charles

Dive bar, Chart Room, Erin Rose (Irish coffee)

Early Dec, you’ll want to check out the Christmas decorations via an evening streetcar ride along St Charles.
Also several of the hotels are very nice too inc the Roosevelt

How long will you be there?
Need music recommendations?

 

[AreBee1969]

We go several times a year, inc earlier this month and again in Dec.
For muffulettas, I tend to hit Napoleon House.
Here’s a list to review.

Best muffs in NOLA and much more
Seafood? Best in the city is GW Fins also Peche
Commanders Palace is usually on our list

Strongly recommend reservations
Oysters, I like the bar at Superior Seafood on St Charles

Dive bar, Chart Room, Erin Rose (Irish coffee)

Early Dec, you’ll want to check out the Christmas decorations via an evening streetcar ride along St Charles.
Also several of the hotels are very nice too inc the Roosevelt

How long will you be there?
Need music recommendations?

Appreciate this! We will be there from Saturday, 12/7 (late afternoon) to Thursday, 12/12. Would love music recommendations. A buddy told me about Frenchman St. being a music strip. I know jazz is king down there, but the Warden and I are more Blues/Rock oriented.

 

[Waquoit]

I've been to New Orleans a few times. I like that even the "tourist traps" are pretty great like Cafe du Monde and Mother's. A great joint is Coop's Place for fried chicken. My sweetie thought it was a dump, it is. But the food is great and cheap (relatively). I think decades old grit is character.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Appreciate this! We will be there from Saturday, 12/7 (late afternoon) to Thursday, 12/12. Would love music recommendations. A buddy told me about Frenchman St. being a music strip. I know jazz is king down there, but the Warden and I are more Blues/Rock oriented.

I'm a blues/rock guy too. You'll still find fun stuff on Frenchman. Remember, you're popping into a place if you don't like the band, you pour your beer in a cup and walk across the street. Have seen excellent blues bands, rock cover bands, weird African/Zydeco bands covering old rock songs (some of that was freaking amazing), plus jazz, but every type of jazz. Just amazingly talented musicians flocking there.

The Apple Barrel Bar is tiny, but definitely can find interesting bands. Must stop venue.
Spotted Cat - Jazz bar
d.b.a. - Big joint, lots of acts of different kinds.
The Music of Frenchmen Street New Orleans

 

[AreBee1969]

I'm a blues/rock guy too. You'll still find fun stuff on Frenchman. Remember, you're popping into a place if you don't like the band, you pour your beer in a cup and walk across the street. Have seen excellent blues bands, rock cover bands, weird African/Zydeco bands covering old rock songs (some of that was freaking amazing), plus jazz, but every type of jazz. Just amazingly talented musicians flocking there.

The Apple Barrel Bar is tiny, but definitely can find interesting bands. Must stop venue.
Spotted Cat - Jazz bar
d.b.a. - Big joint, lots of acts of different kinds.
The Music of Frenchmen Street New Orleans

Awesome, thanks.

 

[AreBee1969]

What a trip!

The city is dirty, gritty, grimy and smelly and I freaking loved it! I got included in several events as the +1 to my wife's obligations and that cut into my "me" time, but I still did pretty well.

Food...Everything I ate was incredible.

• Central Grocery was still not serving muffaletta on site, so we went to NOLA Po Boys which was recommended by a friend. It was fantastic as were the red beans and rice. Washed it all down with Barq's in a glass bottle. Never saw that before!
• I had a crawfish and grilled onion omelet covered in etouffee and a side of grits at Fleur De Lis Cafe that was off the charts amazing.
• Annunciation in the Warehouse district should go on everyone's dinner list if they visit. I had shrimp etouffee and the Warden had their fresh fish special which she loved. Very affordably priced $160 with tip including a couple drinks.
• Crawfish etouffee at Crescent City Brew House for a UConn sponsored event. Pretty good
• Gumbo at the Palace Cafe was amazing.
• "Taste of New Orleans" at Mr. Ed's included Jambalaya, red beans and rice and etouffee also great.
• Fried Chicken at Willie's Chicken Shack soaked up some booze one night

Sights...we walked everywhere in the French Quarter and only walked Bourbon St. one night just to see it in it's "glory".

Sazerac House self guided tour was free and very cool and included some sample cocktails and two complimentary Glencairn tasting glasses. A bottle there was $27 as opposed to $39 everywhere around the hotel. Lesson learned.

We checked out the Christmas decorations at the Roosevelt. Thanks @uconn1999, beautiful!

Museum of Death was very cool. Funerary stuff, Jack Kevorkian's death machine, lots of formaldehyde and some really crazy serial killer stuff. Well worth the $20. I felt a little anxious about how much I was enjoying it!

Thrillers and Killers tour of the city at night was OK but a cool safe way to see what the place looks like at night, We had a cool guide though, an Iraq War Veteran with an eye patch who proved why he needed it by flipping it up!

Bars...

• The Palace Cafe (right next to our hotel) (meh)
• Famous Door on Burbon St. had a good blues/rock band
• Old Absinthe House, open at 9:00 AM, (which I took advantage of)
• Lafitte's Black Smith Shop Bar (beautiful dive bar)
• Cuban Creations Cigar Bar which was beautiful but had a small, overpriced cigar selection and overpriced drinks. Well worth it!

Lastly, the World War II Museum was epic. No words to describe the roller coaster of emotions I went through. I spent nearly four hours in there and don't even know if I saw it all.

Appreciate all the recommendations.

 

[AreBee1969]

Not sure how I forgot that we watched the men play Texas at Ernst Cafe on their outdoor patio where beers were $3.50, $2.50 or $1.50. Not happy hour either!

 

[storrsroars]

Not sure how I forgot that we watched the men play Texas at Ernst Cafe on their outdoor patio where beers were $3.50, $2.50 or $1.50. Not happy hour either!

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They actually get people to pay $1.00 more for Ultra Light than Coors Light? They're my new heroes!