Laissez le bon temps roullet!!! and all I wanted was a little Zaino...
 

My birthday is just around the corner and my wife has been dropping little hints on what I may need. Getting a little low on my shelf stock of zaino prods., I’ve been mentioning that this would be a nice gift.

Well tonight she bowled me over by handing me 2 first class airfares and a 7-night reservation for a suite at the Monteleone in New Orleans the 3rd week in May! Laissez le bon temps roullet!!! (let the good times roll).

The Big Easy, the Crescent City! One of my favorite places. I've been in and out of NO for most of my adult life. I first went to Mardi gras there at age 19 back in the '70's. I lived there for 6 mos. (on a generous expense account) in the mid-'80's setting up a regional sales office and worked several trade shows there in the ‘90’s. This will be my 1st trip back since Katrina.

My wife has never been, so most of our itinerary will be to hit the ‘must do’s’ – dinners at Antoine’s, Commanders Palace, jazz brunch at Court of the Two Sisters, oysters at Pascales Manale, breakfast at Café’ du Monde, and the Bluebird, clubbing on Magazine street, Hurricanes at Pat Obrien's, the Creole Creamery, Mardi gras museum. All places I’ve been and know well.

But, I’m wondering what new sites may have popped up post Katrina that are worth checking out. We’ll be mostly using cabs, though we will get a visitor’s pass for the RTA for unlimited access to the garden district, irish canal, touro, uptown, riverside, etc. Having lived there in the past, I know the area well so cross streets with your recommendations are welcome. Especially hope that LoveBunny will chime in. Thanks.

Wow! very nice... much better than a couple jars of Zaino :D

I went there for a business meeting almost exactly a year ago. Stayed at the Monteleone also, we ate at most of the places you mentioned, my first time there and loved it. We walked everywhere, no need for a cab, shuttled in from airport to hotel. I hate to admit it, but I was in bed and asleep by midnight every night, not a big fan of hangovers. Music was top notch. Best memories were the meals from balconies watching over the streets. Enjoy.

That's kinda what I was thinking. :)

:cheers:

I thought it translated to "AMERICA -THE GREATEST, THE BEST IN THE UNIVERSE :, WE LOVE YOU, WE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU BEHIND" :D

Oh, crap, I can't believe it's been that long since I came on this site! I totally missed this. I hope you had a good time here.

Hey! Where you been Bunn. When discussing front trunk space in my Box I often refer to the pic of you sitting comfortably in yours.

Better much than Z
 

The last time we were in NO was for our wedding anniversary pre Katrina. We stayed at a B&B in the Garden District and took the streetcar in to the city about a block from the French Quarters. It was wonderful. I wish I could remember the name of the place but I found it on the NO website. We were in the Louis Armstrong suite.

There was a lunch place I believe on Chanel street across from a place that had great pralines. It had the best corn beef and pastrami sandwiches. I think it had a man's first name. One dish unique to NO is barbecued shrimp. It's not like anything you get elsewhere. Nola's is also very nice but cozy.

If your wife is new to the area she may like to go on a Cajun swamp tour. It's always cooler there. The one we went to was off the interstate going north of the lake. You get to feed the gators and hold the babes. I was surprised at how high the gators can jump out of the water. I would not want to be in a canoe. Further down the interstate is a very famous plantation. The live oak front approach is used in many films.

We also took a ride on the paddle boat with Dixie jazz music and a buffet. It was a lot of fun in the evening.

I didn't realize I hadn't logged in in so long!

We had a blast!!

My wife fell in love w/ the city.

Stayed on Royal St. (Monteleone), did all the obligatory stops: Central Grocery for Muffeletta, Antoines, Commander's, Polo Club Lounge, Snug Harbor, Bombay Club, Court of the two Sisters, Creole Creamery, Cafe du Monde, Port of Call, Pascal's Manale. Our 2 best meals were at Pascal's and the Louisiana Bistro on Dauphine St. where you order a 3-course meal and the chef makes it up, bringing each course to your table. Also found a good Sushi place next to the House of Blues. We had breakfast on the last day the Bluebird was open - a NOLA institutions for 40 yrs.


It was a bad week for music because everyone was laying low after the JazzFest, but we saw Charmaine Neville and her band at Snug Harbor and it was a really good show. Also had a fun nite at Snake & Jakes Christmas Club Lounge, even though practically everyone in the place was 25 yrs. younger than us. Went to a dive club on Frenchmans St. where the couple just re-opened after having been closed for 2 mos. caused they couldn't make rent - they had just gotten their liquor license that day, but too late to order from the distributors, so we drank retail liquor, but they were a great couple and hopefully will make it.

Rode the streetcar out to Tulane where my wife interviewed an upcoming graduate as a prospective assistant, whom she did later hire. Because of interupting our vacation, the owners of my wife's company paid to have us stay an extra 2 nights -airfare and hotel!

For my B'day, my wife had a custom Panama made for me at a shop on Royal St. - have received compliments everytime I've worn it since.

The city had not changed as much as I had thought which to me is a good thing and I'm certain we'll be returning, if even for a long weekend within the next year, schedules permitting.

Thanks to those who gave us some very good recommendations!

:cheers:

It sounds like you had a great time! What weekend were you at the Monteleone? Me and some girlfriends stayed there to celebrate my birthday and another girl's birthday a couple weekends ago.

God Bless your wife. I spent time there in early 70s, and it is too personal to talk about. I think you have memories for a lifetime as I have. You are lucky, cherish the minutes. :cheers: :cheers:

We flew down Fri. the 15th and returned home on the 24th. Longer than we planned, but as I said, my wife took 2 hrs. out of her vacation to do an interview, and the owners of her co. paid to have us stay an extra 2 days - a fair trade ;)

There were a few hotties in the Carousel Lounge at the Monteleone, but I'm sure I would have spotted you... or at least the Boxster parked outside...lol

We didn't even go there actually. Not that you were looking, but were there any hot guys there? Might have to check it out.

I'm not very objective when it comes to Hot guys, but there were several in there, guys I mean, hot..?? They were well dressed and seemed to be locals.

But the best 'trolling' I saw was at the Polo Club Lounge in the Windor Court Hotel. This seemed to be more of a hangout for locals, and well-heeled ones at that. They were drinking 'Louie' and Crystal and one of them was explaining that the other day he woke up with a craving for fried chicken and gravy with corn bread for breakfast and "sent my 'man' to fetch me some". I didn't get the impression he was talking about his gay lover either... ;)

:cheers: