New Orleans Long Weekend Report
Feb 25th, 2002, 05:41 AM
#1
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New Orleans Long Weekend Report
Here's a report to thank those that responded to my many questions.
Landed at the New Orleans Airport to find most of the airport shut down due to a bomb scare. Disconcerting to say the least. Some confusion over where our luggage was but we were fortunate to be only slightly inconvenienced. Many others were far inconvenienced than our flight.
Stayed at the Omni Royal Orleans. The comments on the board that I had read before the trip turned out to be very accurate. Great location, small but very pretty rooms, very good service. We had a very reasonable rate so we weren't complaining about the size of the room - but it really was very small.
Bourbon Street was a trip. Never saw anything like it before. The music just pours out of every doorway as do the drunks and the alcohol. Its just amazing.
The French Quarter during the day was so alive with performers and musicians everywhere. The music is so wonderful and really makes you feel like you are somewhere special. The horse carriages really add to the fun atmosphere. The French Market area was fun to walk around and we bought all our tacky souveniers from the vendors at the flea market for about 1/3 of what the same stuff was selling for elsewhere - beads, masks, voodoo dolls, tshirts etc. But we also bought hot sauces, remoulade sauces, alligator jerky too.
Central Grocery was fun to peek into but most of the Italian foodstuffs there are readily available here in Boston so we passed on it.
Had dinners at Bella Luna - very lovely restaurant, great food, great service and at Irene's cuisine - very long wait but the piano player made it more tolerable. Food was very good but again better Italian is available in Boston. Service left much to be desired.
Also ate at Arnauds Remoulade - nothing to write home about but it was late, we were hungry, it was open. Johnny's Po'Boys served a very good breakfast with zero atmosphere. Felix Oysters was also good for a oyster po'boy.
Also went to the Fairgrounds race track which turned out to be a great day. The short cab ride there brought us out of the French Quarter along Esplanade where we saw lots of the shotgun style homes and a few larger homes. The track itself was beautiful inside and out.
Also went into Harrah's Casino for a bit but it was dead and the tables had too high a minimum for our tastes. But it was attractive as casino's go.
Royal St was great for windowshopping at art galleries and antique shops. Royal St was so close to Bourbon physically but miles away in spirit. Royal St is as elegant as Bourbon is trashy.
All in all a great trip - can't wait to do again someday.
Landed at the New Orleans Airport to find most of the airport shut down due to a bomb scare. Disconcerting to say the least. Some confusion over where our luggage was but we were fortunate to be only slightly inconvenienced. Many others were far inconvenienced than our flight.
Stayed at the Omni Royal Orleans. The comments on the board that I had read before the trip turned out to be very accurate. Great location, small but very pretty rooms, very good service. We had a very reasonable rate so we weren't complaining about the size of the room - but it really was very small.
Bourbon Street was a trip. Never saw anything like it before. The music just pours out of every doorway as do the drunks and the alcohol. Its just amazing.
The French Quarter during the day was so alive with performers and musicians everywhere. The music is so wonderful and really makes you feel like you are somewhere special. The horse carriages really add to the fun atmosphere. The French Market area was fun to walk around and we bought all our tacky souveniers from the vendors at the flea market for about 1/3 of what the same stuff was selling for elsewhere - beads, masks, voodoo dolls, tshirts etc. But we also bought hot sauces, remoulade sauces, alligator jerky too.
Central Grocery was fun to peek into but most of the Italian foodstuffs there are readily available here in Boston so we passed on it.
Had dinners at Bella Luna - very lovely restaurant, great food, great service and at Irene's cuisine - very long wait but the piano player made it more tolerable. Food was very good but again better Italian is available in Boston. Service left much to be desired.
Also ate at Arnauds Remoulade - nothing to write home about but it was late, we were hungry, it was open. Johnny's Po'Boys served a very good breakfast with zero atmosphere. Felix Oysters was also good for a oyster po'boy.
Also went to the Fairgrounds race track which turned out to be a great day. The short cab ride there brought us out of the French Quarter along Esplanade where we saw lots of the shotgun style homes and a few larger homes. The track itself was beautiful inside and out.
Also went into Harrah's Casino for a bit but it was dead and the tables had too high a minimum for our tastes. But it was attractive as casino's go.
Royal St was great for windowshopping at art galleries and antique shops. Royal St was so close to Bourbon physically but miles away in spirit. Royal St is as elegant as Bourbon is trashy.
All in all a great trip - can't wait to do again someday.
Feb 28th, 2002, 04:21 AM
#5
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Chuck - I think we did kind of blow it by not really experiencing creole cuisine while in NO (Arnuads Remoulade was the closest we came)but after looking at lots of menus on the internet the selections just didn't strike a chord with my DH. And Bella Luna while there are definately Italian influences really wasn't an Italian restaurant - the name is deceiving.
One thing I can say is that I think I'm now addicted to remoulade sauce. I bought 3 jars from different manufacturers home and will be looking for a recipe to try myself.
One thing I can say is that I think I'm now addicted to remoulade sauce. I bought 3 jars from different manufacturers home and will be looking for a recipe to try myself.
Feb 28th, 2002, 04:45 AM
#7
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Lisa - no I didn't really walk around the CBD at all so we didn't come across the other Omni. Though I was curious about it because it looked like the rooms were larger. After returning from the trip I was looking over a map and realized that the Royal Crescent would have been very close to the FQ also. I am sure its a good pick.
