Travel

Garden District/Uptown

Strolling among the grand houses near Commander’s Palace at dusk, right when the gas lamps start to flicker; 25 cent martinis for lunch at Commander’s Palace; wild Lotus yoga; morning coffee on the porch at the French Truck coffee on Dryades; riding the streetcar on St Charles - just to ride it; HiVolt for breakfast in the Lower Garden (Shelley likes the Souper Bowl); Camellia Grill for an old school diner breakfast (near the top of John’s list); Bouree’s for their ‘natural’ Daquiri of the day and smoked meats; the Maple Leaf for really great music almost every night.

Mid City/Bayou St. John

The fried oyster Po’ Boy at Parkway Tavern; riding our bikes up Esplanade to the Cafe Du Monde in City Park; the Sculpture Garden at the New Orleans Museum of Art; the Gyros at the Greek & Jewish restaurant we can’t remember the name of; sitting near the fountain at Cafe Degas in the late afternoon to watch the sun dapple - maybe grab a pastis; Domino Sound Record shop for old vinyl. The Rock N’ Bowl for bowling & dancing & red beans on Zydeco night (Thursdays).

The French Quarter/Frenchmen St.

Sitting at the feet of the masters at Preservation Hall (the front row = cushions on the floor); watching the lights go on at Louis Armstrong Park from St Ann St.; watching the bubbles float down from the wrought iron, fern laden galleries above on Royal St; stopping to listen to buskers in front of Rouse’s; the used book store across across from the St Louis Cathedral (Dauphine Books, on Chartres St lol); a Mufaletta & a Pimm’s Cup at the Napoleon House; NOT waiting in line at Port of Call; Manolitos for a cuban cocktail right when they open; Jewel of the South for something civilized; Fresh oysters at Fives; Chargrilled oysters at Felix’s; the delicious but entirely gross but delicious Shrimp Philly Po’ Boy at Verti Marte (take it to the river); duck & shrimp gumbo at Mr B’s (we’ve been told the bread pudding is a holy moment, too); frozen Irish coffees in the afternoon at Molly’s at the Market; and yeah, if you’ve never ordered the absinthe at the tiny bar in Pirates Alley, why not? …they use their antique crystal contraptions to pour liquor over your sugar cubes and it’s very pretty…

The Marigny & Bywater

Morning coffee at The Hotel Peter & Paul near the fireplace; Coworking at Baldwin & Co or Honey’s; 12 hour days at The Country Club (a very Gen Z pool scene & Shelley’s second home); the vegan reuben at the Sneaky Pickle (so says a devoted carnivore); sitting at the bar listening to records at N7; Monday night at the Saturn Bar (pianoman BC Coogan plays classic Nola stuff at 8); getting caught up in the chatter at the Who Dat; a Bloody and a Slap burger at Marie’s; 6pm Jeopardy at Anna’s; weird grocery shopping at Mardi Gras Zone; brown sugar bacon & fried green tomatoes at Elizabeth’s; anything going on at the Healing Center (John just saw John Boutte for FREE at Cafe Istanbul…); random street dancing at the Tigerman’s Den.

Treme

Grabbing a tea and snuggling the resident kitty on one of the sofas at Fatma’s Cozy Corner; the Backstreet Cultural Museum; Q Lee’s dry cleaners; riding our bikes over to Cafe Calas on Gov Nichols; stopping by by Ms Gloria’s garden (she might put you to work), Old Road coffee to listen to neighbors talk (sometimes people show up just to play the piano).

If you’re staying awhile…

Check out WWOZ’s daily music calendar & their ‘Takin it to the Streets’ page for other goings on about town…there is so much celebration & pageantry going on all over the city, all the time…