What is great about this thought is that it can apply to so many different events in NOLA. People come for a regular visit and have no idea there is some crazy event going on all around them until they walk in the middle of it. But, the best part of our city is they will most likely be welcomed and encouraged to join the party. But, I think about someone walking out on the street during NOLA’s “Running of the Bulls” and being completed blindsided by a bunch of roller-girls dressed as bulls whacking people with wiffle ball bats!!!
I guess we can forgive Marie Laveau (La-Vo) being pronounced (La-Vu). I blame @Randy for throwing you off your game there.
Glad to hear the pod on our great city and I celebrate all of us sickos that live in New Orleans and are “unfit to live anywhere else.” If only we were back in normal times with both jazzfest and the Zurich this weekend.
Absolute tragedy a foody like @Tron has never been here. Maybe we can figure out a way to get the locals and some of the guys on at MCC when the renovation is done, plus a round at Audubon of course. Cheers @LivingLagunaLoca for a very thorough job.
@Sergios_Landscaping and I have been talking about doing a meeting for a while. I think Jazz Fest in October might end up being a good weekend to look at.
this place is fire!!! happened across it when we stayed in Mid City one year. had garlic crab claws, oysters, and a couple other sides. left with their house hurricane made with about 18 Ciroc flavors and were floored before we made it back to made it to the end of the block.
before covid we went to NOLA three years running the week after JazzFest so we could attend the Crawfish Mambo. a UNO grad friend of ours invited us our first year and was like, “yeah, some small event put on by my alma mater…”. turns out to be this huge event with live music in a parking lot that’s like $25-30 entry for all-you-can-eat crawfish from 50+ vendors competing for the “best crawfish in NOLA”.
I can’t wait to go back, I love that stupid city. full of culture and flavor, with music coming out of its pours. I don’t know that I could live there, but I love staying there.
big shout outs to Red Gravy (shrimp and grits), August, The Blue Crab (bleu cheese “ice cream” wedge salad), Meauxbar, Crabby Jack’s, Key’s Fuel Mart (prize-winning fried chicken), and like twenty other spots I’m forgetting. give me all the food
lastly, the biggest shoutout to the best pool hall in the south, Buffalo’s. this place is 24/7/365, has like 30 tables, including a bumper pool table in the back, the owner is an absolute looney tune, and there’s always some big action going on. they also have a house rule where your feet don’t need to touch the ground for a legal shot; it’s wild. a trip to NOLA isn’t the same without going to Buff’s around midnight and hanging out for a few hours watching the locals/pros grind out money matches until the next morning.
Your point about walking into the middle of something is spot on. There is always something going on and the people are always welcoming. After stumbling upon a few of these events we now try and plan for some of them but nothing beats not knowing and magically being there on a great weekend and joining in the revelry.
Great pod. A few years ago I had a week long conference in NO. We were housed near river walk and didn’t have a car. First night we walked to bourbon street and quickly left. Not the scene I was looking for. Every night after we went to Frenchman street. Really loved the Spotted Cat for great vibe and amazing music.
Maybe I missed it but I would love to hear a locals take on the Frenchman street scene. @LivingLagunaLoca
Was it Pride or was it Decadence? Decadence is insane and I mean that in the best possible way. My wife and I have so much fun in this city and it has something for everyone and every life style; except people with a stick up their ass. Well, I guess even some of those people can enjoy telling everyone they’re going to hell.
I agree Frenchman is great. Just walking around catching great music on a random weekday late afternoon is great. Pardon me for being this guy, but it was better before all the tourist learned about it. But, it is still great.
For all the shit that happens here I can’t imagine living anywhere else. If you love it, it will pull you back no matter where you go. I sometime pinch myself, and I love that my son gets to grow up here; especially during Carnival season. October Jazzfest should be awesome weather.
It was definitely Pride. We had a blast. I distinctly remember Napoleon’s being a raging party and someone grabbing my junk at the bar and my wife just laughing because my response was “did you find what you’re looking for, or should I unzip for you?”
Decadence is awesome! It’s a bit of a sensory overload the first time you go, but it’s one of the most purely happy and fun weekends of the year.
It was funny a few years ago LSO played BYU at the Superdome the weekend of Decadence, and you could see the shock on certain people’s faces when they would stumble into the section of the Quarter where things get “weird”.
About 10 years ago, I was living in DC and came back into town with a girl who was part french part russian that I was in school with and we were walking through the quarter. Right outside of Oz. At that moment she demanded we go inside to get a drink. This is middle of the afternoon so not crazy yet. We walk in and sit at the bar. The bartender is obviously more interested in me than her, starts meowing at me and tells me I can have anything I want imply, well, you know. As this continues, her, not being used to not getting the attention demands we leave. It was hilarious.
I’ve had the great fortune to travel many times to NOLA at different phases of my life. Early years highlighted by long nights at Pat O’Briens. Recently more focused on food.
A couple things/recommendations to add to the great info on the pod:
Ruby Slipper for brunch. Awesome biscuit “Benedicts”
Roosevelt Hotel to get the original Sazerac
Muriel, as @anon15484665 recommends. Emeril in the Warehouse district has also been fantastic time and again.
Antoines and Gallatoires are stuffy and “cliche” I guess, but they are also famous for a reason. They do amazing classic New Orleans food. I think they were both special dinner experiences. Antoines invented oysters Rockefeller, and as someone who loves that dish it was fun to taste the original.
Brennan’s is ditto to above, but I went for brunch. Just a really interesting scene. The bananas foster is tremendous. Reputation well earned, in my opinion. It was a long time ago so maybe it’s changed over time.
chicory coffee at Cafe du Monde is unbelievable. I’ve tried to recreate it at home and it can’t be done.
Any po boy smothered in crawfish etou is to die for.
I think any person who has the means should travel to NOLA at some point. It’s truly one of a kind. Something for everyone there. But it’s not for everyone. My first time traveling there for a conference we stayed in a decent hotel at in the French Quarter. At 7am a prostitute and her pimp were engaged in a heated conversation outside of our window. Just a normal morning in the quarter. My colleague who was in the room next to me called me and said he was scared to leave the hotel. He was kind of a tenderfoot.
