Headin' to N'awlins

[toothace]

My wife and I are off for a little respite from the real world/late honeymoon to New Orleans...

What's on the must see/eat list?

Any music shops to hit up?

Thanks guys!!

 

[Egads]

It's been a so many years. I don't have any music shop recommendations, but cocktails (or dinner, if it'still in the cards at August, John Besh's restaurant is amazing.

Music, gumbo, and beignets in the Quarter.

Have fun!

 

[veinbuster]

beignets in the Quarter.

Café du Monde

There's lots to see just wandering the French Quarter. The horse and buggy ride there is more interesting than most. The graveyards are pretty interesting - we went on our own rather than taking a formal tour.

 

[brazilian99]

commander's palace is best for great romantic dinner for honeymoon.

music stores, cant recommend any.

war world II museam is awesome, but your bride may not enjoy.

personally I spend too much time in the French quarter and at the Harrah casino

 

[veinbuster]

Oh...Peaches was a pretty cool store, even if you don't have a thing about vinyl.

 

[You-S4-It]

Nawlin's is one of typical trade show towns so been there quite a few time but not in the last 3 years.

Mother's for Po' boy sandwiches (get me some of that "debris"!) Deanie's for crawfish boil and the Palace Cafe for white chocolate bread pudding. They do a decent Banana's Foster - but that's more show than whoa!). Willie May's Scotch house for fried chicken. Suck and shuck a couple dozen raw oysters at Acme. Most of the places are unpretentious and casual, considering your eating most of your food with your hands. Salad fork to the far left of your plate need not apply!
Touristy things include getting a Hurricane at Pat O'Briens and coffee and beignets at Du Monde as mentioned previously. [Wear black and have a confectioner's sugar battle to the death!]. All the siggy restuarants... Emril's, K Paul Prudhomme, Besh, all the Brennan joints. Tons to eat there. That's never a problem, deciding is.
(FYI the Krystal Burger stays open 24/7 where you typically get a belly bomber AND a free show starting usually after 2-3AM. Never know what to expect from Bourbon street revelers!)

I couldn't find many/any decent guitar shops. There used to be a great little music store across the street from what is now the Hard Rock but I think that's gone. A lot of small mom/pops, with mostly acoustic and F&G stuff but there's a lot more pawn shops so go explore, have fun and enjoy!

 

[garrett]

Cafe Du Monde was the most overrated thing about the trip for me. Everyone and their grandma insisted it was the greatest experience, but the beignets were just "meh" to me. The chicory root coffee was pretty good, though. I was far more impressed with the red beans and rice in that town. I could've eaten that practically every meal.

Take a walk down Bourbon St. It's a truly horrible place, but it'll be an experience you'll never forget. I enjoyed Decatur St much more.

Head over to Frenchmen Street and check out the clubs over there. Killer jazz and funk. Stanton Moore has a standing gig at one of the places.

 

[veinbuster]

Cafe Du Monde was the most overrated thing about the trip for me. Everyone and their grandma insisted it was the greatest experience, but the beignets were just "meh" to me.

It's just part of the cultural experience. My beignets are better to eat, but theirs are better for sugar fights.

 

[Shawn@PRS]

Get a Muffuletta sandwich at Central Grocery. If you like architecture, the Garden District is a nice place to get away from Bourbon Street for a while. Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop is a cool place to have a drink at night, but they re-did the exterior a few years ago and it looks like something out of Disneyland now. Visit Marie Leveau's grave site. Or better yet, visit Metairie Cemetery to see Louie Prima's grave.

 

[Clashcityrocker]

Watch out for the Hurricanes at Pat O' Brian's. They are made with Everclear. I had a couple beers and 2 Hurricanes and luckily my date helped me find my way back to the hotel!

 

[C&M Music - Lafayette]

Get a Muffuletta sandwich at Central Grocery. If you like architecture, the Garden District is a nice place to get away from Bourbon Street for a while. Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop is a cool place to have a drink at night, but they re-did the exterior a few years ago and it looks like something out of Disneyland now. Visit Marie Leveau's grave site. Or better yet, visit Metairie Cemetery to see Louie Prima's grave.

I am born and raised there. Live down the road a little bit now in cajun land. If I did not know any better I would have thought Shawn was also from there, because he is right on. If you can check out a plantation home such as San Francisco or Oak Alley you and the misses would enjoy them as well. Both have rooms with period correct ( or original furniture pieces) made of Brazilian Rosewood furniture that is insanely large and gorgeous in every way. DO NOT stay on the streets in the French Quarter after dark. It is a violent city. I don't say that lightly either. The dinner locations mentioned above are great. I reccommend Antoines. It has be there since the 1840's. as well as some of the dining room furniture. The real deal, and no it aint cheap! I would love to tell you to catch some righteous jazz or blues in the Bourbon Street clubs, I know some of them cats. They can lay it down with the best of them, but your safety is more important to me. Sooner or later I will get to take the forum guitar on a drunken, immoral hell bent night on the town and hopefully in the hands of one of those bluesmen who will take it where it has never been and have a hangover that will put a smile on its fretboard and make any man jealous for where it was, what it got, and what it did.

 

[Bill SAS 513]

Shawn nailed it...Muffuletta at The Central Grocery...best 19.95 you'll ever spend. We had them a couple weeks back and they were awesome.
Sit upstairs at Johnny White's and watch over Bourbon Street. Great food!!! Incredible sites. You will also have a view of "Touchdown Jesus" from up on the balcony, just around the corner.
Have a blast...we did...but be mindful of the homeless/vagrants, though...some were incredibly rude, even after we offered them bags of chips , or bottled waters. (hmmm)