Down on the bayou … – Pixeled Passport

| 21 – 24 Sept 2017 | The rare domestic excursion, we decided to use our Alaska Airlines companion fare on a long weekend in New Orleans. I’d been to NOLA in the early 90s for a trade show and did not think highly of the city; I was looking forward to seeing with new perspective.

BTW, if you’re looking into New Orleans real estate, specifically a haunted condo on the French Quarter, there are several available. Yeah, it’s on the sign, just like “Pool”, “Balcony”, “Parking” …. or “Haunted”.

Here’s a look at the weekend highlights …

We arrived at our B&B around 7:30pm on Thursday. I’d pre-scouted nearby dinner options thinking we may not want to go too far afield. Fortunately we were very close to St. Roch Market which has 12 counters featuring a variety of cuisine, all with a local twist.

We stayed at the lovely Marigny Manor House Bed and Breakfast, conveniently located in the Marigny triangle opposite the French Quarter. We selected the Bourbon Room which was expertly appointed, and boasted elegant high ceilings and a private balcony with a view of the city skyline. After dark, when the heat and humidity calmed down, it was a great spot to sip a daquari from nearby Gene’s and take in the neighborhood. Brian and Alvin were charming hosts and have plenty of local intel to share to ensure you have a great stay in NOLA.

You don’t go to New Orleans and not go to the famous Café du Monde. Get there early though (8am was good) if you don’t want to wait. The menu only has a few options – beignets and coffees – so table service is pretty quick.

We took advantage of the lack of people to check out the architecture of the French Quarter. There are a few from the Garden District in here too, but you get the idea.

Tiled street names on the sidewalks and these hitching posts are everywhere n the French Quarter.

As always, the blog staple, pizza. Louisiana Pizza Kitchen serves up excellent pizza and local beers.

Shop local. Tchoup Industries makes simple bags and accessories from waxed canvas, leather and recycled materials. Workshop in house! Queork, in the French Quarter, makes bags, shoes, accessories and housewares locally from cork sourced in Portugal. You knew there’d be a bag in here somewhere. 🙂

Dat Dog. No, seriously, you need to check it out – it’s *that* good. I’d seen it online in the foodie blogs, then our B&B hosts also recommended it. This was dinner on the day we’d tried, and failed, to go to three different places for burgers, then got shut out from charcuterie at the nearby butcher shop because they were closed for the weekend.

Switching gears from food to transportation. New Orleans has a number of street car lines, including the historic St. Charles line. A single ride is $1.25, and the all-day pass is $3.00. A total bargain. Sure, they’re not air-conditioned, and they’re a little rickety, but they’re widely used by the locals and a great way to cover a lot of ground “quickly” and take in some local flavor

Architecture and history are cool, but I recommend checking out the history of voodoo. We spent two hours with our guide from Free Tours by Foot, learning about the history of voodoo, up to present day. It was interesting and informative, and fortunately had sufficient shade to provide protection from the hot sun.

Three words for you: Fried Chicken Festival. Forty vendors (both local and out-of-towners), two stages with music, cocktails, and local beers in the city park on the banks of the Mississippi. It was cool to see groups of families and friends out enjoying the festivities.