new orleans

[grasshopper]

i'll be in new orleans (for jazzfest) may 4-7.

i've been there several times but i was wondering if anyone around here has any special advice for cool places to go in N.O. ? shopping, clubs, venues, restaurants, etc..

thanks for any ideas you want to share..

[azad]

new orleans HAD alot of shit going on, but i don't know how it is nowadays.

toma açaí

[grasshopper]

i really don't know what to expect. i'm sure it will be different.

i hope the people are feeling positive about the future, and not too bitter or depressed.

I'm going to try and show love for new orleans.

[Guest]

New Orleans will always be a great city. It's fucked up right now, but let's not act like it's dead (because it isn't).

Magazine Street has a lot of shopping and restaurants, most of which are open againâ€â€try Turncoats (1926 Magazine) to pick up some clothes by local designers (pick up a Defend New Orleans tee), get records across the street at Jim Russell's Rare Records, keep walking down the street to get ice cream from the little pink place (I forgot the name), go to Aidan Gill's for shaving gear (or just to see the interior), and just keep going down the street. Tee Eva's, on Magazine past Napoleon., is a New Orleans food institution and is not to be missed if it's open. La Boulangerie, which is nearby, is a great French bakery that now has seating inside, and there's an amazing chocolate shop called Blue Frog Chocolates that sells New Orleans sweets. Drop by Octavia Books, on Octavia St. near Whole Foods, and support local dudes.

Visit the Contemporary Arts Center on Camp St. on May 6 or afterwards and support local art. If you walk around there (they'll tell you where to go), there are a lot of small galleries on side streets, too. Check out Royal Street: it's a little kitschy sometimes, but there's New Orleans art there, too.

Frenchman Street, in the Fauborg-Marigny neighborhood, might not be up and running like it used to be, but you should check it out at nighttime; find a restaurant or bar where it looks like people are having a good time, and stop in. It's below the French Quarterâ€â€if you don't have a car, take a cab or something to Frenchman St. (below Esplanade).

The French Quarter is more touristy, but if you look around, there's some great stuff. Absolutely stop by Cafe du Monde, on Decatur Street, to get beignets and coffee with chicory. Go late at night. Talk to your waiter/waitress. Check out the records at Magic Bus on Toulouse St. and just wander around. Have a muffuletta at the Central Grocery on Decatur. There's a little clothing shop called Red Lantern farther down Decatur, too; the stock isn't always great, but they're friendly people, and they've got some unique New Orleans items. There's a Pharmacy Museum down there somewhere (Chartres maybe?) that's worth a look, and all the used/rare book places are really interesting, if they're open again. Hang out in Jackson Square, get your palm read, and watch some street performers. Visit the cathedral.

If you want to spend a lot of money on dinner (highly recommended in NO), try Arnaud's on Bienville St., Galatoire's on Bourbon, or K-Paul's on Chartres. Commander's Palace, the New Orleans institution, isn't open yet, I think, but you can visit the Palace Café, their slightly more downmarket (but still incredible) place on Canalâ€â€I recommend the catfish meuniere with creme brulee for dessert, and if Jim is still working there, request him as your waiter. It's much cheaper than the rest, at about $25/meal, and it's casual.

Bourbon St. is inevitable, I guess, but keep in mind that no matter what people tell you, Bourbon is not the city. It's dirty, sleazy, and will probably be loaded with tourists. Worth a visit, but don't spend all of your time or money there; go where locals go.

I'm probably forgetting a few places, since I haven't been home in months, but that's a good start. Stay out late and talk to local people, try not to walk around dark areas by yourself, and don't get yourself lost. Eat more than you should, listen to a lot of music, and don't go to chain stores. Try to avoid shops that are too obviously touristy. You might also be interested in a cemetery tour or a ghost tour, too; they sound cheesy, but they're fun, and the people who lead them are real characters.

I've probably written a lot, but that's because I love New Orleans, and it's depressing to see how it's been treated. It's a beautiful city. If you have the time, though, have someone drive you through the Ninth Ward, maybe down St. Claude, to get an idea of how neglected the city is. It's depressing, but it will put th

[englandmj7]

wonder how prices are at restaurants and stuff down there since the hurricane......much cheaper?

poor fellas

[azad]

so... how was it?

toma açaí

[TragicBliss]

Bump because I'll be in New Orleans for Jazz Fest THIS yeat ('07), Anyone else want to add to this thread? I know a few more great restaurants etc. but I'm looking for the real deal shit.

[the wit of the staircase]

will you be in town the first or second weekend?

i'll put together a rough guide in a bit.

[the wit of the staircase]

Stay:

Soniat House

Drink:

Alcohol options at the fest are terrible. It’s miller products or whatever you smuggle in.

Post jazz fest stop by pal’s lounge at rendon and St. Philip. It’s a terrific neighborhood bar a few blocks from the fairgrounds.

One Eyed Jacks – 615 Toulouse St.

DBA – Frenchman st

The Saint – 961 St. Mary (I think) in the lower garden district.

Circle bar- lee circle. I hate this place.

Molly’s at the Market – on Decatur near the French market

The Spellcaster and Saturn bar or pretty much any bar in the bywater – where hipsters go to sweat, get robbed, and drink cheap beer

If you’re wandering down magazine stop by miss may’s for VERY cheap drinks

Donna’s on Rampart is a brass band institution

Big Daddy’s – the worse strip club you may ever go to

Eat:

The food at jazz fest is always fantastic. The crawfish bread is not to be missed.

The Port of Call – amazing burgers on esplanade. You will have to wait. Drink several monsoons while you wait.

Jacques Imo’s – on oak st. will require a cab ride. You will have to wait here for a very long time. Go next door to the maple leaf while you wait. They’ll come for you when your table is ready.

Commander’s palace- if you’re going to shell out for an expensive meal it should be here.

Coop’s place – next to molly’s on decatur. open pretty late. Really decent bar food.

Petunia’s – on st louis a block off bourbon. Best breakfast in the city.

Adolfo’s – tiny Italian place up a flight of stairs on Frenchman

Brightsen’s – will also require a cab ride. It would be a toss up if I were to eat here or commander’s. It’s very very good.

Snug Harbor on Frenchman has the same burgers as the port of call usually without the wait.

If you’re going to a show at tips dick and jenny’s is a great option a block or so down. I’d put my name down before I went to the show and eat after or leave the show to eat.

You’ll probably want to spend most of your time in the Decatur/ Frenchman area. But there are a lot of shows in the warehouse district at night.

Rather than taking a cab to the fairgrounds I’d take a shuttle from downtown. The cab line to leave the fairgrounds is brutal.

This is a pretty terrible list that I just threw together off the top of my head. If you have any specific questions let me know. During jazz fest there are shows that usually go on until well after daylight at a several different venues. If you want “the real deal shit†I’m sure you could rent a fema trailer in the lower 9th ward for the weekend.

[TragicBliss]

If you want “the real deal shit” I’m sure you could rent a fema trailer in the lower 9th ward for the weekend.

Haaa... Thanks for the tips guys. I'm looking for a couple high end joints to eat at and some local spots to get a bood bite and have a drink during the day. Anything going on besides the Festival at night I need to see? Jazz legends etc? I'll be there during the second weekend.

[the wit of the staircase]

thursday:

from 8 to 10 on there's a free swamp pop show at jackson square. with little band of gold and a few others playing.

mmw and others at the howlin wolf

galactic and the dirty dozen are playing at tips.

charlie hunter is at preservation hall

friday:

the dirty dozen and ween are playing at the CAC

there's a bunch of stuff at blue nile

there's a bunch of stuff at the howlin wolf

sat:

dr. john and gov't mule at the CAC

george clinton at republic

also stuff at tips, blue nile, and the howling wolf

sun:

rebirth plays free at the howlin wolf

later there's a show that will go on until 8 or 9 in the morning. if you're still in town it shouldn't be missed

also anyone playing during the day might stop by any of the shows at night and hop on stage for a while. so you can end up with some amazing surprises.

links:

http://www.whereyat.net/

http://www.howlin-wolf.com/

http://www.tipitinas.com/default.asp

http://www.superflypresents.com/

http://blog.nola.com/lagniappe/2007/04/100_great_places_to_eat.html

have fun and don't get shot!

[HelperMonkey]

Drink:

Molly’s at the Market – on Decatur near the French market

Eat:

The food at jazz fest is always fantastic. The crawfish bread is not to be missed.

Brightsen’s – will also require a cab ride. It would be a toss up if I were to eat here or commander’s. It’s very very good.

I'll second those. Molly's on the Market is one of my all time favorite bars. Something about the crowd that hangs out there, the ambiance, open air feel and their incredible frozen irish coffees, makes it feel like a place I never want to leave. It's well worth a visit.

Brighsten's was the best meal we had when we went about a year ago. It's a fairly long cab ride and it's not cheap, but it's some of the better fine dining in the city, yet in a really comfortable, homey setting.

[airportlobbytx]

As noted, Molly's is the central meet up in New Orleans. A few restaurants - Liuzza's (by the track, there are actually two unrelated Liuzza's) - great po-boys and gumbo. Napolean House - just a cool old place. You can't beat Galatoire's for real New Orleans old school ambience for fine dining. Late night - Verti Mart on Royal in the quarter has good takeout (and I second Coops next to Molly's - they have some really good jambalaya and fried chicken, surprisingly).

I actually like the Circle Bar quite a bit. The bars on Marigny are good. There are no shortage of good bars in New Orleans.

[the wit of the staircase]

there's going to be a great show at one eyed jack's on friday.

[azad]

going back for the first time since katrina. any resto recommendations for vegheads?

any other ideas are more than welcome.

[the wit of the staircase]

i'm not vegan, but these are places i seem to end up when i'm with people who are. if you were here prekatrina your options are pretty much the same.

bennechin on royal is good.

angeli on decatur is open late.

lola's on esplanade near city park / bayou st. john is a spanish place with a few offerings. and the cracked out garlic stuff that looks like some sort of butter that comes with the bread is vegan.

13 on frenchman - people will tell you to go here. i won't.

mona's on frenchman

but in general, you're pretty much fucked. i'm not promising that anything that seems like it should be vegan anywhere in town will actually be vegan. so if you are one of those people who cry over whey or lard, you may want to not eat while you're here.

[azad]

i'm not vegan, but these are places i seem to end up when i'm with people who are. if you were here prekatrina your options are pretty much the same.

bennechin on royal is good.

angeli on decatur is open late.

lola's on esplanade near city park / bayou st. john is a spanish place with a few offerings. and the cracked out garlic stuff that looks like some sort of butter that comes with the bread is vegan.

13 on frenchman - people will tell you to go here. i won't.

mona's on frenchman

but in general, you're pretty much fucked. i'm not promising that anything that seems like it should be vegan anywhere in town will actually be vegan. so if you are one of those people who cry over whey or lard, you may want to not eat while you're here.

if you eat out, you aren't vegan. anyone who thinks food at a 'vegan' restaurant (or at least a resto with vegan options) made by your local dredlock-sporting veganista makes all the more legit is naive. the risk of what is called contamination is much higher when you eat out for obvious reasons. if one wants to be a strict vegan, one must eat at home, or in kitchens whose adherence of veganism is hardline (down to the dyes in kitchenware).

thanks for the info. i'll be sure the check out some of these joints.