HOF
Posted 19 July 2014 - 03:05 PM
We're at the airport now. Fantastic trip! Loved the jazz, food, and architecture. Also had a great time visiting breweries, doing the swamp tour, and of course visiting the zoological facilities.
Glad to hear you had a good trip. It's a wild place. Which breweries did you go to? I'd like to tie something like that into my bachelor party when I'm down there.
HOF
Posted 19 July 2014 - 03:12 PM
HOF
Posted 17 November 2014 - 09:22 AM
I leave Saturday morning. Can't wait.
Tickets really came down in price. I overspent by about $30 which sucks.
My StubHub strategy will be to buy tickets the day of the event. No sense in buying them any sooner.
HOF
Posted 01 January 2016 - 09:54 PM
la cerveza está muy fría
Posted 01 January 2016 - 10:09 PM
You don't have to stay in the quarter. Its where the majority of hotels are though.
IG knows more about this place than I do, but I've got a bunch of suggestions for food.
You do not need a car. You can take the street car, cabs or uber anywhere you need to go.
As I told Ricker a little while back, download the hotel tonight app. It'll find you cheap deals.
@fuzydunlop
HOF
Posted 01 January 2016 - 10:20 PM
HOF
Posted 01 January 2016 - 10:45 PM
la cerveza está muy fría
Posted 01 January 2016 - 10:50 PM
For 2 people, I'd say less. Even the expensive plates at a place like GW Finns are around 40.
@fuzydunlop
^^ That's my name. Don't wear it out.
Posted 02 January 2016 - 12:00 AM
If we want to eat at the good restaurants for dinner, is it fair to say dinner will cost 200ish a night? Or is it not that expensive down there?
I've been a grand total of twice, for a week each, but I can say that 2 people, with drinks...much less than $200.
A few other things:
While we didn't do a TON of traveling, we had a car because we did a roundabout road trip through northern LA, NO, Houston, then Dallas. If we had just gone to NO, I don't think we would have needed a car at all.
We stayed at a hotel literally right across the street from Mother's, on Tchoupitoulas, but I can't remember the name of the place for the life of me. It was clean, cheap, and close to a lot of stuff without being right on top of it.
Fair-weather ex-diehard
Posted 02 January 2016 - 01:33 AM
Somebody please quote this so Rob will see it... he can still ignore it then, but at least he will have seen it...
*****
No need for a car unless you stay far away from the French Quarter. Take a car into the Quarter and you will regret it.
Depending on which restaurants you go to, you may need a cab once.
For some restaurants, you take the St. Charles street car... but you oughta do that anyway.
You don't need to stay in the French Quarter, but staying nearby would be a good idea.
The French Quarter itself is small... but, even so, there are mini-neighborhoods within it... when you look at a map of it, the places to the far right are likely to be less noisy, without a bunch of loud drunks outside your window... but other spots are OK too... just say away from Bourbon Street, it's the craziest area... just a couple blocks away from it would be good.
We used to stay in a very cool B&B in the Marigny... just a short walk to the Quarter... got to be friends with the guys who owned it, but they sold it and moved to Puerto Vallarta... it's pretty much the same place, dunno anything firsthand about the hospitality aspect of the new owners though...http://www.bandwcour...s.com/home.html If you decide to stay there, I can tell you which rooms are best...
Serious Eats:
For years, we went hunting for the best restaurant in New Orleans... there are *lots* of good choices...
Almost nobody knows about this place because it never makes the tourist hype list, but it became our champ and has never been dethroned... Brigtsen's (pronounced "Brightsens) http://brigtsens.com/awards.html Back when Paul Prudhomme was being a famous on TV, Frank Brigtsen ran his restaurant... when Frank left to start his own place, Prudhomme's place, K-Paul's, had to close for 6 months for "remodeling" 
Frank's restaurant is very much family run... after Katrina nuked the city, they went to a lot of trouble to keep their entire staff together... including taking extreme steps to ensure that they didn't lose even the busboy... the best waitress there is Sandy, the sister of Mrs Frank... if you ask for her when making reservations, they will do it... you can just ask her what to get, including the best wine for a given meal, and she will do you right while being considerate about your wallet... if you go there, you can get within a block or so by taking the streetcar out to where it turns off of St Charles onto Carrollton...
Upperline is absolutely wonderful... the streetcar will get you close... you'll notice a lady sitting on a stool where she can survey everything that goes on... woe is the employee who doesn't do everything the right way
Commander's Palace is a legend but is also over-hyped in general... the worthwhile thing to do there is their famous Brunch, it too is hyped but is also quite wonderful... even if you don't like Bread Pudding, you will love theirs... the street car will get you quite near it... it's in the Garden District, so if you like walking around looking at cool old houses, a ton of them are nearby... you can also walk around in one of the famous NOLA cemeteries across the street either before or after, you will have seen it in movies...
K-Paul's remains great... just be aware that it's secretly 2 places in one... there is upstairs and then there is downstairs... be sure to get a reservation for upstairs... downstairs is for tourists who don't know any better....
Irene's Cuisine is right in the Quarter and is great...
There are about 30 more I could mention but I won't...
Most of the good restaurants are closed on Monday, some even on Sunday... so plan accordingly...
Cheap, casual eats:
Go to Central Grocery in the Quarter, get a moufellata to go... one of them will feed you both... along with some chips and drinks, it's lunch... find a bench in Jackson Square and watch people while you eat...
Spend an hour or so at Cafe Du Monde... eat way too many great beignets while drinking good coffee and watching people... but don't wear black, the beignets will mark you for the rest of the day...
If you find yourself on Magazine St looking in all the shops full of odd stuff... or in the Garden District gawking at old houses... and if it's afternoon and you need a great lunch, find Joey K's... it's a 1920's NOLA neighborhood restaurant, which means it's better than fine... get the shrimp/oyster po'boys... if you want lettuce and tomato on them, order them "dressed"... plus get their excellent big-ass margarita's... their gumbo is either absolutely great or pretty good, as best I can tell it depends on who was in the kitchen the day before...
"The only change is that baseball has turned Paige from a second-class citizen to a second-class immortal." - Satchel Paige
HOF
Posted 02 January 2016 - 08:56 AM
HOF
Posted 02 January 2016 - 09:14 AM
HOF
la cerveza está muy fría
Posted 02 January 2016 - 09:37 AM
@fuzydunlop
HOF
Posted 02 January 2016 - 09:47 AM
HOF
Posted 02 January 2016 - 09:57 AM
Brigtsens is awesome shack, no doubt. One of my favorites. Dante's across the street might be even better. Jacque-imos is probably my go to. Boucherie has great food and the best dessert anywhere. And none of these places are in the quarter. Jazzfest might not be the best weekend. The city will be packed.
Fair-weather ex-diehard
Posted 02 January 2016 - 02:28 PM
Yea, that's my issue. I'm not a big music guy to begin with but that still may be interesting to go to.
Problem is, do I want my first experience down there to be when it's that packed?
The other issue is, because of my wife's job, she is booked for most weekends starting in April through the end of Oct, except this weekend which she has already taken off.
"The only change is that baseball has turned Paige from a second-class citizen to a second-class immortal." - Satchel Paige
HOF
Posted 02 January 2016 - 02:30 PM
Rob, you probably won't mind seeing what Shack has to say about all this:
Somebody please quote this so Rob will see it... he can still ignore it then, but at least he will have seen it...
*****
No need for a car unless you stay far away from the French Quarter. Take a car into the Quarter and you will regret it.
Depending on which restaurants you go to, you may need a cab once.
For some restaurants, you take the St. Charles street car... but you oughta do that anyway.
You don't need to stay in the French Quarter, but staying nearby would be a good idea.
The French Quarter itself is small... but, even so, there are mini-neighborhoods within it... when you look at a map of it, the places to the far right are likely to be less noisy, without a bunch of loud drunks outside your window... but other spots are OK too... just say away from Bourbon Street, it's the craziest area... just a couple blocks away from it would be good.
We used to stay in a very cool B&B in the Marigny... just a short walk to the Quarter... got to be friends with the guys who owned it, but they sold it and moved to Puerto Vallarta... it's pretty much the same place, dunno anything firsthand about the hospitality aspect of the new owners though...http://www.bandwcour...s.com/home.html If you decide to stay there, I can tell you which rooms are best...
Serious Eats:
For years, we went hunting for the best restaurant in New Orleans... there are *lots* of good choices...
Almost nobody knows about this place because it never makes the tourist hype list, but it became our champ and has never been dethroned... Brigtsen's (pronounced "Brightsens) http://brigtsens.com/awards.html Back when Paul Prudhomme was being a famous on TV, Frank Brigtsen ran his restaurant... when Frank left to start his own place, Prudhomme's place, K-Paul's, had to close for 6 months for "remodeling"
Upperline is absolutely wonderful... the streetcar will get you close... you'll notice a lady sitting on a stool where she can survey everything that goes on... woe is the employee who doesn't do everything the right way
Commander's Palace is a legend but is also over-hyped in general... the worthwhile thing to do there is their famous Brunch, it too is hyped but is also quite wonderful... even if you don't like Bread Pudding, you will love theirs... the street car will get you quite near it... it's in the Garden District, so if you like walking around looking at cool old houses, a ton of them are nearby... you can also walk around in one of the famous NOLA cemeteries across the street either before or after, you will have seen it in movies...
K-Paul's remains great... just be aware that it's secretly 2 places in one... there is upstairs and then there is downstairs... be sure to get a reservation for upstairs... downstairs is for tourists who don't know any better....
Irene's Cuisine is right in the Quarter and is great...
There are about 30 more I could mention but I won't...
Most of the good restaurants are closed on Monday, some even on Sunday... so plan accordingly...
Cheap, casual eats:
Go to Central Grocery in the Quarter, get a moufellata to go... one of them will feed you both... along with some chips and drinks, it's lunch... find a bench in Jackson Square and watch people while you eat...
Spend an hour or so at Cafe Du Monde... eat way too many great beignets while drinking good coffee and watching people... but don't wear black, the beignets will mark you for the rest of the day...
If you find yourself on Magazine St looking in all the shops full of odd stuff... or in the Garden District gawking at old houses... and if it's afternoon and you need a great lunch, find Joey K's... it's a 1920's NOLA neighborhood restaurant, which means it's better than fine... get the shrimp/oyster po'boys... if you want lettuce and tomato on them, order them "dressed"... plus get their excellent big-ass margarita's... their gumbo is either absolutely great or pretty good, as best I can tell it depends on who was in the kitchen the day before...
JazzFest is amazing... but it has become a real zoo... didn't used to be, but it has been for a while now...
On the other hand, while everybody's at JazzFest, there will be more room everywhere else
If you go then, just make reservations for everyplace pronto... including restaurants... and plan on dining early to miss the onslaught...
ps: Last time I was at JazzFest, Emmy Lou Harris walked right up right next to me, sneezed onto her lacy arm-covering thingees, looked at the resulting mess, and said "Awww, shit!"
^^ That's my name. Don't wear it out.
Posted 02 January 2016 - 03:05 PM
Got married there. Been there two other times. Don't get a car. You can get a shuttle to your hotel from the airport and they schedule to pick you up upon your arrival as well. $35 per person if I'm not mistaken. A cab ride to the airport was a flat $38 I think. So for two of you, $70 round trip with the shuttle. Or $76 round trip with a cab who might not be helpful with luggage, or a comfy a ride.
100% go to The Court of Two Sisters for brunch one day. Best shrimp and grits, everything is amazing there. Outdoor seating with live jazz music.
Check out the French Market. Its like our Cross Street Market but 100 times better. Get some cheaper but tasty eats there if your going to go fancy for dinners. Gator po boys and whatnot.
Commanders Palace was a nice dinner. Was a bit over hyped like Shack said. When you pay $100 per person I want to be blown away. It was good. But not knock your socks off. I haven't made it to Emeril's spot yet (called NOLA), but I imagine it will be worth it. It'd have to be.
Don't be afraid of Bourbon street. It smells funny. Its a lot of amateurs. But screw it. Get a giant beer, walk from one end to the other, peek inside the strip clubs as you walk by (don't go into "Love Acts" though). Pop into some shitty bar for 30 seconds for $2 Jager shots. Be 18, or 21 again for a an hour.
If you like dueling Piano bars, Pat O'Briens is a lot of fun and the pianists are really talented. Laffitees (check the spelling) is the oldest building that is a bar in America. Still use candle light instead of electricity at night which is cool. Both those places are on Bourbon Street.
There are some signature drinks down there. Get a Hand Grenade on Bourbon Street. I don't remember the name of the other but it was blue, came in a skull mug that lights up. That was disgusting so don't bother with that.
I could go on and on. Probably will later. If I could have a second home, it would be in New Orleans.
#1: Love Acts! LOLOLOLOL! That was the BIGGEST WASTE OF TIME I've ever spent, anywhere. The first time we went, we spent an hour there waiting for the "Love Acts" thing, and I swear it was slightly racier than something you'd see on SYTYCD. My then-girlfriend and I were so effing mad.
#2: Yes to Hand Grenades. That said, also get a Jester. They're deceptively strong, but given that you're going right at the edge of when it gets hot/humid, the fact that it's strong AND refreshing will do you a world of good.
#3: Cafe Du Monde goes without saying, though I figured that everyone else would mention it. We went literally every day when we were there. Bought about 10 boxes of mix to take home. The main CDM (with the large covered area outside) is fantastic for people-watching.
#4: Mid-City apparently has some pretty nice spots to eat, if you feel like being a little out-of-the-way from all of the hullabaloo.
The greatest thing about NO is that, even when it's at its busiest, there's a ton of places to sit down and just chill out without much activity.
ETA: The people I know that went to NOLA (I went, but I'm NOT the person to ask about food, ever) enjoyed it, but not for the price, if that makes sense. Kinda what you guys are saying about Commander's Palace.
HOF
Posted 06 January 2016 - 01:45 PM
I went to Commander's Palace, it was one of the best meals of my life. Didn't think it was overhyped at all. That said, if you are on a budget or aren't a foodie, it might not be worth it.
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