There are 41 comments on this blog. |
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Where do I start ?
French Quarter is cool the first couple of visits, but it gets old after 2 or 3 visits...
Gianna's
700 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA 70130 - Financial District
I always go to Gianna's at least 2 nights when in NOLA...
Herbsaint
701 St Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70130 - Financial District
Streetcar Cafe - Breakfast & Lunch
312 St Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70130 - Financial District
Emeril's restaurant
800 Tchoupitoulas Street
New Orleans, LA 70130 - Financial District
Commander's Palace
1403 Washington Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70130 - Garden District
Gambino's Bakery
4821 Veterans Memorial Blvd
Metairie, LA 70006
You have to have a King Cake while in NOLA
Quartermaster Store - Open 24 hours
1100 Bourbon Street
New Orleans, LA 70116 - French Quarter
Mufuletta Sandwiches were sent to Earth by God himself
Of Course Cafe Du Monde by Jackson Square for Beignets and chicory coffee...
You gotta have Gumbo, Jambalaya, Red beans & rice, Alligator
Go to the Garden District on St Charles Avenue and see the Mansions, ride the trolly, go see Tulane University, go to Tipitina's Night Club , go to Audubon Park ... Three season's of the Real World on MTV was filmed there...
2618 St Charles Avenue
1635 Dufossat Street
438 Henry Clay Avenue
Creole Creamery
4924 Prytania Street
New Orleans LA 70115 - Garden District
Louis Armstrong Park, The Superdome, just so much to do and see in New Orleans...
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New Orleans can get a little rough at night so be careful...
I favor the Garden District wholeheartedly, Magazine Street is the bomb for shops and restaurants too...
Here's some pictures to enjoy that I have taken on my many trips to the Big Easy aka the biggest little city in America
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I was wondering why I took this picture
So New Orleans is actually below sea level and the water table is only like 8 to 10 feet below the ground surface, so the asphalt on the roads has a hard time staying together, plus when it rains hard there the streets flood, so the asphalt just gets brutalized there...
Another nickname for New Orleans should be : Pothole City USA
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Down at the south end of Poydras Street - down by the Mississippi River - there's the Manning's Sports Bar which is totally cool, The Riverwalk Outlets Mall is cool, Harrah's Casino - I've never been inside myself but it's busy there inside the Casino, you can catch all kinds of paddleboats and take tours of the Mississippi River - they have dinner cruises, brunch cruises, etc...
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This is for any NCIS New Orleans Fans - possibly just me
This is location that they showed on TV as their headquarters office,
it all was actually shot in a studio west of the Garden District, but this
is at 719 St Ann Street - in between Bourbon Street and Royal Street in the French Quarter.
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Pete you’d make a good tour guide
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lol ! I’m like writing everything down I don’t think I have enough time to do everything haha I’m going to have to come back next month to finish his list thanks so much I appreciate it ! The Beignets and coffee is a must for me !
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eat, drink and listen to some of the greatest music. Enjoy
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Maybe go back in May and catch Jazz Fest. Just book early….have fun.
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If you're in the French Quarter anytime of year, they will have impromptu parades at anytime of the day for weddings and funerals - yes, funerals are celebrated in New Orleans...
The parades are lead by New Orleans Jazz Bands, and often the bride and groom are in a horse lead carriage, and there are usually large pictures of the deceased person carried by their family & friends...
All of the Cemeteries in New Orleans are above the ground mausoleum's that store caskets or urns, and that is because of the very low water table in New Orleans.
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And if you find yourself in New Orleans during Mardi Gras - which is the celebration of Lent - March 5th thru April 17th in 2025 - there are over 500 Mardi Gras parades through out New Orleans.
Each Mardi Gras parade is sponsored by a " Krewe " which is a social organization that sponsors and runs a specific parade and usually has a big Ball at a hotel ball room celebrating the parade afterwards...
Top four Krewes in New Orleans :
Bacchus
Orpheus
Endymion
Tucks
A lot of people refer to New Orleans as a foreign country within the USA, because there is nothing else like it anywhere in the USA.
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@ Jaydensosweet
I'd love to take you on a tour of New Orleans
It would take a week to give the tour any justice, cause there's so much to see and do in New Orleans...
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My job for the last 30 years requires me to travel all over in the restaurant business. (the US, Asia, middle east and some Europe). NO is one of the best food cities anywhere. Even after Katrina. In fact, the best meal experience I've ever had was probably at Commanders Palace in NO. Got a table nearly in the kitchen and then finished out in the garden, What a night.
There are dozens of interesting restaurants and other things to do. Tour a plantation and/or some of the many historical buildings, riverboat cruise, amazing music or just go get lost on the bayous and see where you end up.
Enjoy!
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I'm sure that some of you are wondering what a King Cake is ?
The colors of Purple, Green and Gold symbolize Mardi Gras, but King Cakes are an all year thing in New Orleans. Typical fillings are Creme Cheese, Strawberries, Pralines, mixtures of all of them, you can create your own too. Fourth of July King Cakes are Red, White and Blue , Halloween are Black, White and Orange, colors for any holiday or event.
The New Orleans Saints King Cakes are amazing, and the Black, White and Gold is amazing.
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Oh yeah, I would be remiss not to mention that each King Cake is stuffed with one plastic baby figurine that symbolizes the baby Jesus. It's good luck to be the one to receive that piece of cake, but be careful when biting into a piece cause you might be the lucky one to get the baby Jesus.
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It looks like so much fun in New Orleans!
Take me with you next time Pete
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My Mom's side of the family was from New Orleans, and they were all great cooks.
Everything was made with chopped onions, chopped celery and chopped green bell peppers.
You gotta try a Crawfish Boil :
All of the chopped stuff above
Chicken broth
Water with cut lemons
Cayenne Pepper to your liking
Cajun spices - Zatarain's has a crab boil spice kit
Crawfish
Shrimp
Andouille Sausage
Corn on the cob (cut)
Red potatoes
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Try Sheboygan. I'm Very big in Sheboygan.
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New Orleans is magical. Feels like you stepped into a Pirates of the Caribbean movie...which is why I love the French Quarter.
@PeteMalloy
Where else would you go other than the French Quarter? I did end up walking around the neighborhoods in the area which was fun. But why else would you go to NO if not for the French Quarter?
The food is amazing there. I do remember Commander's Palace and the turtle soup was a highlight and Cafe Du Monde for Beignets.
Pete knows NO way better than I do, but my favorite places:
Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar
941 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 7011
The oldest bar in the United States. The entire place is lit by candlelight and it's fucking magical. I recommend hanging out in the back next to the piano, but it depends on who is there and the vibe of course.
While Bourbon Street is the famous street, Frenchmen Street is much better. At the end of Bourbon Street is Lafitte's, turn right and walk up until you reach Frenchmen and then turn left. That's where all of the jazz bars are located. Incredibly cool area with a fun vibe. Lots of music in the streets. Really cool experience if you like to hear music.
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Mildlyamusing 1 bro ...
I went to your bar there in the French Quarter in January. It was a rustic and novel place for sure, definitely nothing you would ever see in anywhere else but maybe in Key West Florida...
The Garden District is my hangout, though I do go down to the Financial District to some awesome restaurants. To me, the French Quarter is very touristy and kind of dirty too, and definitely not the safest area past 9 or 10 pm at night... I don't really like all of the public drunkeness with all of the Hurricanes and Hand Grenades being sold everywhere, it's a recipe for disaster, and I don't want to be in that scenario if I don't have to be... I like taking my walks in the morning up and down St Charles Avenue amongst the many beautiful mansion homes, and I always walk past the MTV houses and The Manning Family mansion on First Street... I love the non-commercial / local coffee shops, I love to go to Audubon Park and the Zoo there, I love to walk over to Tulane University and catch a game of Football or Basketball or watch a Track & Field meet going on... I could talk all day about Magazine Street and all of the local shops and eateries... Just know that there is so much more to New Orleans than the French Quarter, and like I said, after 2 or 3 visits to the French Quarter the vibe wears off...
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Pete,
I'm saving everything you wrote for the next time I go to NO. Thanks for the info!
Lafitte's is a cool place and I must have caught it when there were a lot of cool people there. I could have stayed there all night. There were many more places that I visited that I don't know the names of at the moment. Yes, Bourbon Street is not fun with its rowdy, which is why I prefer Frenchmen Street and the jazz clubs.
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It was really cold for New Orleans in January when I went by Lafitte's , like 40 degrees tops and with that wet wind blowing it felt like 25 degrees... The decor in Lafitte's is really cool too, I love it...
I only mention that because that picture of Lafitte's looks like it was hopping that day, and nice weather... Nobody was out front of Lafitte's in January, and just a few folks inside. I was with some friends from work, so we went to the Quarter Master for Mufuletta's - which last a few days - no way anyone could ever eat a Mufuletta sandwich at one sitting.
I love the architecture of everything in New Orleans, it's just nothing you'd ever see anywhere else...
And note to anyone visiting New Orleans, it runs New Orleans time, the Airport - Louis Armstrong Int'l especially - no one is in a hurry in New Orleans... Order a chicory coffee and chill cause you will wait in New Orleans...
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@ Gus.Polinski
I've been to the Kohler plant in Sheboygan
Beer, Brawt's and Kraut with lots of mustard in Sheboygan Wisconnnnnnnnnnsin
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Back at you Mildlyamusing1 bro ...
I recently had a Rite Aid / Thrifty's ice cream cone - it was a single $ 2.79
I remember when I was a little dude, and Thrifty's was 5 cents single, 10 cents double , 15 cents triple ... Now it's $ 2.79 single , $ 3.79 double and $ 4.79 triple ???
I don't eat ice cream very often, but when I'm in New Orleans, everyday I'm at The Creole Creamery on Prytania in the Garden District and usually go to CVS across the street for something, and once in a while I'll walk around the corner the Kingpin Bar to check it out...
But The Creole Creamery is just a cool spot, and has all of the old school stuff like sundaes, shakes, banana splits, etc... they have a thing like Farrell's where you can challenge them with how much ice cream that you can eat - that's not for me, I'll probably get sick eating that much ice cream at once - but it's just a cool area and a cool spot...
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I just realized that the neighborhood I walked through was the Garden District, which was really cool. I understand why you like it so much.
Any place that has a cool crowd will be much nicer. The first time I went to Lafitte's was magical because the people were cool and the women were hot. The second time was fun, but not as fun as the first time, so the people really do affect a location's vibe.
Anyhow, I look forward to visiting NO again soon...such a cool place.
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And there is so much that I haven't done, and probably never will do...
A lot people love the Voo-Doo stores (Not Me) and taking Haunted House tours (Not Me) , and going to the above ground cemeteries - that was cool but once was enough for me - People love swamp and Bayou tours - I love to eat Alligator not them possibly eat me
I did one Hurricane Katrina Tour that took us through the 9th Ward to see the damage that still exists, and sadly I'll never go back there as it was too depressing to see how people's lives were just destroyed and our government failed them...
There's so many bakeries in New Orleans too, as it still is highly influenced from the French days of being a part of the Louisiana Purchase. The bakeries are just awesome, so many good eats, it's truly overwhelming...
And probably some good advice - Lose about 10 to 20 pounds before going to New Orleans, cause you will eat and eat a lot in New Orleans.
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And the beauty of the Magnolia Trees in New Orleans is really awesome too, just amazing how many there are in New Orleans, I couldn't even give a realistic guess, but it is a very big number for sure...
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I also forgot to mention...
Try not to wear black when you go to Cafe Du Monde for beignets and chicory coffee
I don't know of anything messier than eating beignet's, that powdered sugar gets everywhere and onto everything But damn they are good and get them hot, they sell them in bags of three and I think it's $ 2.50 a bag as I remember... I usually split a bag with someone, beignets are rich and filling...
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We should organize an Hx Trip to New Orleans ?
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And the correct pronunciation for New Orleans is :
New Orlinnns
do not say New Orleeens --- They will know that you're a rookie
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Note to self,
Next time going to NOLA invite ArcanaMajor to join me !!
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I like the Blue Bayou Restaurant and Pirates of the Caribbean is always fun. Those drops.
If you like, "Sweatin to the Oldies"? Richard Simmons first job was at a candy shop leahspralines.com 714 St. Louis Street New Orleans, LA 70130. 2 block from his house
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I've walked by it several times and had no idea, so thank you JR2e3
Not too far from Cafe Du Monde, just a few blocks away, right there on St Louis between Royal & Bourbon...
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Okay, so I forgot to mention that New Orleans is known for its Oysters ...
Fried Oysters, Big Humongous Oysters, Chargrilled Oysters, Raw Oysters, Oysters on their Po-Boy
Sandwiches, Oyster this and Oyster that ...
Yeah, not my thing but more power to you Oyster Lovers...
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My gf Ashley from there now she in Cali. Said it rains a lot 😿
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Oh yeah Cindy, New Orleans does get a lot of rain, especially being so close to the Gulf of Mexico, which is just about a huge Jacuzzi it's so damn hot for an ocean body, and the gulf just produces the thickest humidity and it collides with other weather fronts and just creates the perfect recipe for massive amounts of rain, wind, tornadoes, hurricanes, and all that great weather channel stuff
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Best time to visit New Orleans is November 1st through March 31st.
April through October it can get as if a hot tea kettle is constantly steaming up your face.
You always have to be weather conscious too, as the weather can shift big time without much warning, stay weather alert in New Orleans!
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Update on the trip, it rained the last two days I was there but I still had a blast I didn’t get to do everything I wanted shame on me for listening to people who convinced me to stay only a few days instead of my original 7 day plan haha. With that being said I will be returning very shortly maybe even next month ! Hopefully someone here can join guy or gal would be so fun!
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If you want to learn a lot about the city, take a bicycle tour with Bob of Big Easy Bicycle Tours.
I like Mr. B's and Acme Oyster House for a good meal...
Great music at night on Frenchmen Street......
I like Le Pavion for a hotel...
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I love this blog
I want to go to Mardi gras REAL BAD. and because I have some family roots from Louisiana I have always been eager to visit. Definitely planning a trip for next year and could use the info
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NO is great, it is heavily influenced by French cuisine but if you really want to experience LA head up to Lake Charles and get you some cajun /creole food witch is different than what's in Nalins lol get you some "geeche" food! If you're a foodie and love flavor you won't want to
Catdaddy
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There are 41 comments on this blog. |