After spending 4 days in New Orleans, there are two things that became abundantly clear:
- I didn’t pay enough attention in History classes
- My body cannot take 4 days in New Orleans!
Here are my top nine lessons from New Orleans:
9. The French Quarter is Spanish!
Ok, that’s kind of not true. The majority of the architecture in the French Quarter is Spanish and was built during the period of Spain’s rule in Louisiana. Most of the original French buildings were destroyed during “the great fire of 1788” and a second large fire in 1794. During the 40 years of Spain’s rule, however, the original French settlers clung to their roots and continued such traditions as cooking with butter and celebrating Mardi Gras. According to one bartender, it disturbs French tourists immensely that very few people in The Quarter actually speak French. (One more reason to love New Orleans…they irritate the French)
8. Bourbon Street is NOT named for the American liquor!
Rue Bourbon, as it was originally called, was named after the Bourbon family who was the ruling house of France at the time. Many other streets were also named after France’s ruling families and Catholic saints. (Who knew that Bourbon Kentucky was also named after the French House of Bourbon)
It does seem ironic that an area built around saints and royalty is now the epicenter of debauchery in the New Orleans! My recommendations….pace yourself!
7. Louisiana has an amazing abundance of seafood!
Go into any restaurant in the French Quarter (probably anywhere in Louisiana) and you can get fresh oysters, fish, crab, (real, not “k”rab), ridiculously large shrimp, and alligator (which may or may not be classified as “sea”food, but this is NOLA so it is in!) The odd thing is that with very few exceptions almost everything offered is deep fried. Oysters seem to be the one exception (although you can get those fried as well) as they tend to be eaten raw or classically cooked (there’s that pesky lingering French influence). If it’s not deep fried, chances are it is in a gumbo. Every restaurant has their own closely guarded recipe but all include the dark rue that gives it that characteristic smoky flavor. Here’s a tip….if you have crab/shellfish allergies, avoid the seafood gumbo and go with the chicken/andouille sausage! Equally as good and won’t make you spend hours in a hospital and/or bathroom!
6. Open Containers and To Go cups are AWESOME!
The French Quarter is one of the few places in the US where open containers of alcohol are legal. No need to try to finish your drink quickly because your friends are ready and you aren’t, in NOLA, get a plastic “to go” cup and take it with you! And if open containers aren’t enough to make you happy, there are drive through Daiquiri stores that sell the ready to drink cocktails. It is not considered an open container as long as there is a lid on it and/or tape covering the straw hole. RIDICULOUS!!!! I am ready to start a petition to make any place I live “to go” container friendly! I would even make it “green” by mandating that you bring reusable to go cups from home.
5. 24 hour bars
Need I say more? I learned this lesson long ago when working in Las Vegas. I do not possess the ability to leave someplace when I am having fun (just ask my husband or anyone who has been to a “festival” with me) I need someone to tell me to get my behind home or tomorrow will be seriously ugly! Closing time is sometimes a blessing. Many of the bars don’t close at all and the ones that do seem to close around 4am. I am no longer capable of functioning the day after a 4am bender. (see #2 above)
4. Tempurpedic beds ROCK!
Ok, so I didn’t go for the all out test at the hotel by having Adam set his wine glass on his side of the bed while I jumped on my side, but the Tempurpedic mattress in our hotel was the MOST COMFORTABLE bed I have EVER slept on! I seriously didn’t want to get out of it in the morning (reason 6 may have contributed). The hotel was the Dauphine Orleans which was one block north of Bourbon Street. Great location and crazy comfortable beds. I do not recommend room 216 however as it is right next to the elevator and you will hear the “ding” which precedes loud happy (drunk) people coming in later than you. If you do get this room, see #6 above.
3. Artwork….Artwork…Artwork
We are not talking about cheap reproductions or signed prints here. This is serious artwork for serious prices. I had one salesmen giving us the “rock bottom, super low, don’t tell my boss I did this” price of $12,000 for a glisee…NOT an original piece, but a reproduction that had some original paint effects and an original signature. He did make a good point that the value of this piece was $24,000 and that was the amount we could insure it for. I think I am beginning to understand the basics of insurance fraud! (note: if my piece goes missing it is purely coincidence!)
2. Friendly People!
For people such as Adam and myself, that love to meet new people and talk to anyone that will listen (or in my case, listen to anyone that will talk), New Orleans is the perfect town. Every place we went was filled with friendly people. We talked with, laughed with, drank with, swapped business cards with and fielded offers of hospitality from ($10 Harley motorcycle rentals for the day) people from this city as well as tourists. You would expect tourists to be friendly; after all, they are on vacation. But for New Orleans residents, who deal with drunken tourists all day, every day, to not just have the tolerance to deal with us but to actually “seem” to enjoy it, well that says a lot about this city.
1. New Orleans has not fully recovered from hurricane Katrina
If you don’t leave the French Quarter, you probably won’t notice. The Quarter was mostly spared of flooding (and looting) after the hurricane as it is one of the higher spots at 5′ above sea level. You don’t have to go far however (just a few blocks north, adjacent to Louis Armstrong Park) to see homes that are still boarded up with spray paint remaining from the house to house searches for survivors. I can’t speak to why these homes were never rebuilt (politics and insurance arguments would require much more than 4 days time and my patience could tolerate) What I can say is that we were able to take a flight over New Orleans in a small plane at 1,500 ft and see the damage that was done 5 years ago and is still visible. There is a large boat still sitting in an otherwise deserted patch of swamp. Not anywhere near where a boat that size should be. There are more empty spaces in the 9th ward where homes used to be than there are actual homes. There are still Fema trailers in some areas. There is a large vacant hospital that instead of rebuilding will have a brand new state of the art hospital built next to it. For a city this size to recover to the extent that it has it awe-inspiring, but wandering off the beaten path, you get the feeling that there is still a lot to do. This city is full of survivors. It has survived two large fires, has been flooded 9 times by the Mississippi, has been flooded 5 times by major storms (prior to Katrina) and survived diseases (yellow fever and cholera) that killed tens of thousands. They will get through this too but it will take some time. Go to New Orleans, eat and drink to your heart’s content. Talk to the locals, listen to great music and watch talented performers, spend your tourist dollars at local businesses. It is what we can do to give back to a city that brings us too many great things to count!
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