flygirl

did I get your attention? ;-)

will post more later, wanted to tell y'all about the bachelorette party weekend - just got back late last night and am exhausted!

the basics:

Stayed at Wyndham Canal Place hotel. 200 bucks a night for a double. not sure if this is a 4 or 5 star, my guess is not 5 star. very nice presentation, fab location, spiffy large rooms, but it just was missing that extra edge to make it a 5 star. I don't have any real complaints, but the 200 we paid was a discount b/c we knew someone who has brownie points with the hotel and I don't know I would pay a whole bunch more for it! (now the bride to be got a huge huge suite for the same 200, again due to knowing a VIP - THAT was well worth it. it had to have been 1300 SF, minimum, maybe more even. penthouse, yada yada.)

I cannot recommend Uglesich's enough. (stories to follow, I just wanted to make the list now) or Commander's Palace Jazz brunch, or Brennan's new restaurant on Bourbon. We also went to a place called Mandinas, in the Garden District. Cafe du Monde was an every morning staple b/c I think it is the law. by Sunday I felt like Mr. Creosote ("I think I still have some room in my esophagus". "Would you like an oyster, it's wafer thin".)

check out Rock and Bowl if you can. we saw the Iguanas there one night. I just love the variety and quantity of live music in NOLA. the buskers are really good! unlike some you may find on the Tube for instance.

re: actual bachelorette party stories, still on the fence if I should post any, b/c as you know "what happens at a bachelorette party stays at a bachelorette party". ha ha

ok, have to run. will post more later...

RNC

I thought that was you dancing with a brass pole.

flygirl

nah, it was a brass monkey. and it wasn't me!

other impressions of NOLA:

Beignets and chicory cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde

music blaring out of every open door. most of it original/good, some of it 80s hell.

Go-cups before noon. Big Ass Beers to go. Chimay in a 750ml bottle (yep, that is wine bottle size). Bourbon milk punch with a sprinkle of nutmeg.

the aforementioned Rock and Bowl, where Mick Jagger actually ponied up the 5 bucks cover under protest. You rock, you bowl. repeat.

Igor's home of the Hurricane, billed as a Bar, Grill, Gameroom, and Laundromat. spin your clothes as your head spins over the hurricanes.

rows and rows of alcohol slurpees. they look like either ice cream machines or slurpee machines - just pull the lever and off you go.

Fab record store on Decatur - Louisiana Music Factory. Get your fix of jazz here. local music or not.

unique food (or only done well, here): jambalaya
po poys
beignets
fried green tomatoes with shrimp remoulade (uglesichs)
remoulade, period.
"muddy water" at uglesichs (a must try)
turtle soup with sherry
soft shell crab amandine
pralines
crawfish cakes
oysters with all sortsa stuff on em
griled pompano. (yum!)

we waited 2.5 hours for Uglesichs food, and it was so worth it.

streets named after the Muses.

cheesy souvenir shops (no way!)

street cars crammed to the gills.

lines of mule drawn carriages in front of Jackson Square.

beads hanging from the trees along the parade route. funny story - friend of a friend grew up in NOLA and is scarred by Mardi Gras. evidently his siblings used to put him out in front of their house on the parade route, in his little stroller, b/c they could get the most beads that way -everyone chucks them at cute little kids. so he hates Mardi Gras b/c his main memories are of being strapped to a chair as people pelted him with beads! ok, funny in a dark way - but he laughed as he told the story so it's ok.

the D-Day museum

psychics lining Jackson Square. thing is, the day we decided to go out and get our cards read, it rained - and many of them just pulled up on the sidewalk under the awnings. no umbrellas. if a pyschic doesn't have the good sense (or foresight) to have an umbrella with them, welp, can't say I'd have any faith in them anyway!

many many street musicians and all of them good. I sang Sitting on the Dock of the Bay with one group of them (the rest of the group demurred, they just kept trying to push me up to the mike).. and we were serenaded outside of Cafe du Monde daily & even picked up some street music there (yah ok very touristy)

very very friendly people.

we didn't do the HOB Gospel Brunch, or any Sunday brunch actually. I really think I would have exploded. bring me a bucket!

we didn't do any walking tours (bummer!) so next time for sure.

we barely walked through any cemetery. a short bit before we went into Commander's Palace. I noticed a number of tombstones all in German, anyone have any idea why that is? I didn't know NOLA was a stopping place for those of German descent.

we didn't flash anyone.

more to follow..

anyone have any impressions of NOLA they would like to add?

I love it down there, can't wait to go back!!

Boomer

Oh, I think I need to plan a trip to Nawlins.

Flygirl, sounds like you and the Wild Girls had soooooo much fun!!!!!

uhoh_busted

whee! When I was last there (with business) I was asked to make dinner reservations. I went immediately to Rants & Raves -- and picked Irene's Cuisine. Now EVERYWHERE we go on business, I am asked to find the best spot!