The only time we've been to New Orleans as adults, we went to the Mayfield Room to see Shamarr Allen. The band was great, and the room is fabulous!

heading to New Orleans in October for the first time, staying at Hotel Monteleone, love to read your impressions and suggestions

So, the Hotel - (please keep in mind I have been staying there on & off for the past 15 years or so) - here is/was my problem. Although the service continues to be 'top-notch' they have discontinued what was an excellent breakfast buffet since they have opened their new restaurant in house, Criollo. A horrible decision in my opinion. It was always nice to just go downstairs & eat a good breakfast w/out having to worry about where to go, etc. That is no more. It appears they have given in to greed. Did we try the new restaurant, absolutely not, particularly when they failed to even mention that the afore-mentioned included breakfast had been discontinued. A bit shady & under-handed for my taste, & I let them know about it....That is too bad.

We stayed in one of the 'Royal Suites' which is basically just a larger room but it does have a separate shower & huge bathtub, worth the splurge to us.

Friday was a slow day, we atsrted w/breakfst @ Cafe Beignet just a few blocks away & commenced to wandering since this was our only 'unplanned/free day'. For lunch we dined @ Cafe Maspero where we had the usual, a muffalettas & Abita Ambers. It was hot but not typical Nola hot but we decided to opt for a bit of a 'cool-down' poolside prior to getting ready to go out for the evening. After which we decided to return to The Mayfield Room for Happy hour as they have several drinks & appetizers for $5 (always a great deal, the drinks there are all doubles) so a drink there prior to my B-Day surprise.

My SO had made arrangements to attend a cooking class @ the New Orleans Cooking school. There were to be but 7 in our class so I will expound on that more in the next installment...

Next - Cooking - A roux, some Gumbo & pralines.

Loving your report! We were in Nola two years ago for the Red Dress Run and had a blast. Loved seeing my 6 foot 4 inch hubby in a red dress from the Dress Barn Woman collection!

So we arrived @ the NOLA cooking school around 6. After a brief history lesson on cooking, & Nola, we embarked on our journey. We started w/Gumbo & we did the whole bit - chopping & slicing & dicing & were allowed to be creative so ours had a little beer added as well as a healthy dose of hot items. It was a chicken & Andouille Gumbo - we also had to make a roux (we burned ours first go round) which lends me to the point that you always listen to the head chef, not the assistants. Of course, as is required all the time in my household, libations are required, all thoughtfully provided by the school.
We had a good group in all, a Mother/Daughter combo, 2 parents w/their daughter & my gf & I. Mostly 40-60 age range except for the one Daughter who was in her early 20's & quite a hoot.
We had also chosen chicken & fish as main courses & were given squash & zucchini to prepare as we liked.
So here, my inner cook stepped in & I decided to share how I fix those not necessarily favorite veggies....dredge them, flour them & cook them w/honey. It seemed to be a big hit. After we ate our fixin's (way too much to eat, we took lots home w/us) then my gf & one of the other girls make pralines (my gf's favorite) which turned out very well. Very simple actually, so no more store bought pralines for us. Following that we intended to go back to the Royal Sonesta for the Midnight burlesque show but couldn't 'hang' after our late night on Thursday - so off to bed, @ a decent hour. Follwing a late night swim in the Monteleone pool.

Next - The Red Dress Run & the ruination of Dirty Linen Night - Thanks to the Nola Arts Council....& greed.

Saturday - We meandered over to the Red Dress Run site, held this year @ Louis Armstrong Park, on Rampart. I would guess the participation was way up & there were as many 'non-paying participants' as legitimate participants. It WAS quite the show as usual. We also visited here - http://www.voodoospiritualtemple.org/
Pretty much the normal 'new-agey' spiritual type place & nothing special. We also discovered a great used furniture from all over the world joint also on Rampart -http://www.discoverieswholesalewarehouse.com/
Very inexpensive w/some great pieces - probably a good thing I didn't have a U-Haul w/me.
Following that we wandered back to the Quarter for some Lunch & relaxation prior to DLN.

Next - DLN...I promise

I had totally forgotten I'd not finished this ! DLN was good, but not great. There was a lot of issues w/the city wanting to get people in trouble for serving drinks w/out liquor licenses, etc. They (the Arts Council) instead, in an effort to 'cash in' set up drink tents serving nasty beer all up & down the street. Of course, this being Nola, many artists refused to bend to the pressure & good for them. I am only hopeful that the Arts Council can see that they are doing more harm than good & 'step aside' for following DLN's. ie . Don't mess up a good thing.

Sunday we had our traditional brunch @ Mr.s B's to close out our adventure. Nola, as always, never fails to live up to our expectations & more...

Laissez les bons temps rouler !!!

Wonderful trip report - I dearly love New Orleans and the Red Dress Run is something I want to see. We're considering going in 2013 but I've always been hesitant about NOLA in the summer, however after reading this it may just happen after all.

And as for your statement,
"Nola, as always, never fails to live up to our expectations & more..."

Well said!!!

topping for gelatolover

ccolor - As an aside we have already planned to stay a week in Nola this year - forgoing the Monteleone for a time share condo that my 'not quite' BIL has access to for a minimal cost. Nice place we discovered last year by just kind of wandering in out of curiosity. The weather IS a crap-shoot. Several years ago (I was by myself on that trip) everytime I ventured out & got a good distance form the hotel a 'pop up momsonn' would occur & I would get soaked to the bone. I think it happened to me 3 times...& when it wasn't raining, it was hot. Last year was quite nice...

SAnParis2 - I'm still waffling about August. We're definitely going in May and a probably for October, but I don't know if DH will be up for 3 visits in one season.
A friend of mine is going soon and staying at a condo - the pictures she sent look wonderful and it's right on the edge of the French Market. Shoot, it's NOLA, how can it be bad?