New Orleans
New Orleans, N’awlins, the Crescent City or the Big Easy.
I think this city has the most unique culture of any place in the United States
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A mix of Southern, Black, Creole, French, Caribbean - and now Asian and Latin influences -
New Orleans has its very own cuisine, music and rhythm of life.
From the jazz clubs on Frenchmen Street to the hip restaurants on Magazine Street, just wondering how the city’s streets, riverside, and squares give you easy access to all that New Orleans has to offer.
The French Quarter
The best way to start your journey is to head to the heart of the city - the French Quarter. Walk up Bourbon Street - with its cacophony of neon signs, slushy alcoholic drinks and street performers - to Jackson Square to see the historic St. Louis Cathedral, with its iconic three spires. From here you can easily get to the Marigny neighborhood (don’t miss the architecture), the St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 and the nearby jazz clubs. Music, with food a close second, was my main goal for this trip, so let’s check out some of the best places I found for live music.
Preservation Hall
Preservation Hall has been a jazz fixture in New Orleans since 1961, featuring a rotating list of ‘who’s who’ musicians. I saw the Preservation Hall All-Stars, and they were incredible. The sets are an hour or so long, so this is a great way to kick off a night of great, classic New Orleans jazz. Several pro tips: there is no bar or bathroom, so be prepared. Also, no photography during the show, but as you can see, the musicians are more than happy to talk after the performance. Also, spring for the front row seats…the ones along the sides are great and have the wall as support, or else you on benches or standing. Can’t recommend this enough!
Fritzels Jazz Club
After Preservation Hall, go up a block on Bourbon Street to Fritzels Jazz Club, a small, intimate setting for some great live music. Fritzels is the best kind of ‘no-frills’ neighborhood bar…nothing flashy, no sugary neon drinks, just a tight spot to hear some amazing bands day or night.
Frenchmen Street
Beyond the uber touristy Bourbon Street is the spot where the locals go for authentic jazz - Frenchmen Street in the Marigny neighborhood. Although the secret may be out on the hot spots of d.b.a and the Blue Nile, I absolutely loved the Spotted Cat for its fun and unpretentious vibe, but still a spot for serious jazz. Pro tip on all these clubs - TIP THE BAND…they have Venmo, CDs for sale and cash is always king. Frenchmen Street is only a few blocks long and all the live music is right next door to each other, so pop in, catch a set, if it’s good stay and drink (and TIP), if not, the next great bar is just around the corner.
Restaurants - Beyond Beignets
Beignets are ubiquitous but oh so good.
Every culture seems to have their take on fried dough - the New Orleans way is squarish puffs covered in powered sugar. Some people prefer Cafe du Monde, I like the Cafe Beignet. Whichever way, you can’t go wrong.
Herbsaint
Herbsaint - the “sacred herb” is both the name for the absinthe substitute created in New Orleans in 1934 and the flagship restaurant of Chef Donald Link’s restaurant group. On a corner off of Lafayette Square, this handsome restaurant with a small but buzzy bar was my favorite meal in New Orleans by far. While the food was excellent, the staff - all five who stopped by to ensure my meal was perfect - went above and beyond. Since the place was packed, they put me at their ‘worst’ table - right behind the service stand and the open front door. This was a blessing in disguise as they more than made up for it my location with their hospitality. Gem lettuce salad with a sauv blanc and Muscovy Duck with a pinot noir were matches made in heaven. Thanks, Herbsaint!
Gris Gris
In the Lower Garden district, at the end of the fashionable Magazine Street is Gris Gris - a two -level restaurant with a happening open kitchen on the first floor and bar / balcony on the second. Serving up sophisticated Southern cuisine in a cool and laid back environment, Gris Gris was really excellent. Gris Gris - a good luck vodoo talasman - served up a really creative deconstructed fried oyster BLT, with gulf oysters, pork belly and tomato jam, and I had awesome scallops in a brown butter as an entree. Well worth the adventure through the Garden District for this top spot!
Windsor Court
The Grande Dame hotel of New Orleans, the Windsor Court, does everything with a genteel polish. From ladies who lunch in the lobby to the sweet suites, this hotel is a calm oasis in the crazy of New Orleans. Bet bet for this hotel is to get tucked in to a nice table or saddle up the the bar of the Polo Room on the second floor. As I’ve said many times before, one of my favorite things is to get a burger and fries at the poshest hotel in town, and I stand by my decision. Check out the style and glamour of the Polo Bar…
Voodoo Musuem
No trip to New Orleans is complete without a stop by the Voodoo Museum. Whether you believe in spirits, voodoo dolls, or the efficacy of potions, spells, and chants, the Voodoo Museum is part of the unquestionably spirit-filled city’s history. Here you can see tributes to the great queen of Voodoo, Marie Laveau, alters to the dead, dolls and all sorts of paranormal artifacts.
Bourbon Street
Loud, touristy, drunken frat bros - Bourbon Street is simultaneously a main attraction and the place you want to spend the least amount of time. There’s nothing authentic about a Disneyland for adults with open carry liquor laws. The one thing I absolutely love about it is the neon sign. I’m a sucker for good signage. Here are some of the best.
