Mike, if you have the time and have rented a vehicle, you might consider driving out to "the country" for a meal. One suggestion is Middendorf's - they pretty much invented the thin fried catfish. I haven't been in ages, but it was always good. It's an interesting drive and not really that far (less than an hour). http://middendorfsrestaurant.com/ If you are into Chinese food, the best place is Trey Yuen across the lake. Just take the Causeway and you're there - that's another interesting drive, also under an hour. These guys use Louisiana products in Chinese food. The best alligator I have ever had, and the crawfish dishes - mmmm. http://treyyuen.com/ And I've never been to this last place, but supposedly they have the best crawfish anywhere. http://www.nola.com/dining/index.ssf/2011/03/cajun_claws_just_might_have_th.html
Thanks for the advice, but the odds are pretty good that we're not going to rent a car. The place we're staying is at the east end of Bourbon, right were it dead ends into Pauger St, and more than likely we'll use taxis, public transportation or walk to get around. Don't have to worry about drinking and driving that way
Just drinking and walking! I'm incredibly jealous, but soon enough we'll be empty nesters and will be able to go down there whenever we like.
I have a friend who tried the drinking and walking approach during Jazzfest. When he "woke up" he looked around and said, "this is a funny looking cab. Hey, why are my hands stuck behind my back?" Yep. The cab was a squad car and he had been picked up and later charged with public intox. That is a real feat in New Orleans. Not sure if I mentioned this earlier in the thread (months ago) but as I have gotten a bit . . . more mature . . . this has become my favorite bar. Lafitte's Blacksmith shop. It claims to be the oldest bar in America. I have no idea if that is true. But they have stayed true to their roots by basically having no electricity in the bar (perhaps a couple of lights in the bathrooms and they do have some refrigeration behind the bar). So, its open onto the street and inside at night, its all candles and a piano. Good place to hang for a long period of time. It's on Bourbon, but its pretty far down. You have to go through the crazy part, through the gay stretch and to St. Philip. There was also a little convenience store near by that I wish I remember the name. Had the best Po Boys that I have had in NO.
I remember going in to Lafitte's when I was in college and not staying very long. Have I told you guys the story about The Dungeon? Well the Dungeon is some bar on one of the side streets of the Quarter. Plain wooden door on the outside, walk down a narrow alley, and then into a courtyard. One time my friends and I arrived and some guy was sitting on the courtyard bench and said "$3.00 cover charge" I replied "There's no cover charge" the guy in a nice drunk whisper says "Shhhrhrhrh - nobody else knows." Well you get into the Dungeon and the word on the street is "Don't drink out of a Glass", so we order beers, and then climb up the stairs, I literally mean climb. You have to use your hands to get up this "ladder" to the dance area. Walk in and "Kashmir" is blaring on four giant speakers - I think they were Carver 6' bad boys. You could feel the bass lines in your innerds. It was so loud, talking was not possible, and only if you knew sign language did you have any chance to communicate. If you put your beer down on the bar it would vibrate away from you. Good times... well a few years later we went back, and although I love The Cars, hearing "Let's Go" on those speakers didn't have the same affect on my innerds.
When I was in college there my girlfirends and I used to hang out in the gay bars in the French Quarter because they were almost completely free of tourists in town for conventions trying to pick us up.
28-30 years ago. Good times... Oh, ran into Jimmy Page, yeah, the Jimmy Page, at Old Absinthe House. Didn't say hello, I was probably 20 or 21 and just happened to see a guy in the bar who looked like him. Ran into the lead singer of the Smithereens down there too, but that was probably late 80's, early 90's.
Sounds like fun, lol. Once I get a vehicle and a steady income I'll have to check that place out. Do/did they sell absinthe there??
Just set the wheels in motion for Voodoo Fest 2012! Wooooooo Frickin' Hooooooo! http://www.neworleans.com/new-orleans-events/new-orleans-voodoo-experience/
Just bought tickets for this show http://tipitinas.com/show.asp?id=201205110 We're scheduled to land around 9:30 PM, figure half hour to the hotel. Check in, get cleaned up a little, hop in a cab and be at Tipitina's by around 10:30
When I lived in Louisiana, you could count on shows to start late. Hell, if all goes according to schedule, you might have to wait a half hour for the sound check?
So last night my wife and I met Jeff Watkins, the guy who played sax for James Brown for the last 12 years of Brown's life, and was in Joss Stone's band for a while, at a club on Frenchman St named d.b.a. Started talking to him after the first set about playing the sax (I played all through high school), my Selmer Mark VI tenor, what it was like touring with James, other places to go see music, and just music in general. Told him it was my 50th and how I was actually born on Mother's Day, so it was also the 50th anniversary of Mom being a mom. This was after a day that started with an attempt to hit the House of Blues gospel brunch (sold out before we got there), a tour of the swamp on a small boat, and an amazing dinner at Commander's Palace. I got to talk about playing the sax with one of the best sax players I ever heard! Best. Birthday. Ever!!
Glad to hear that Mike! Happy belated BD! My 50th was a week before yours, nothing fancy so I just played 100 bucks on the powerball, hit 3 numbers out of 5 twice, just got my money back. Ignorance tax indeed!
Saw three shows last night. Kermit Ruffins at Bullet's Sports Bar, Treme Bass Band at d.b.a., and Rebirth Brass Band at the Maple Leaf Bar Yah you right!
Mike, where did you stay? I'm going down in June - my siblings and I rented a house near the Garden District for five days but I think I'm going to go down a couple of days early and stay in the Quarter or downtown. Anywhere that's near the streetcar line, basically. I ridiculously excited about it.