RSSNew Orleans, New Perspective
Jun 22
June 22, 2011
Our first day in New Orleans (May 28) started just about five — maybe closer to four — hours after the day we drove down ended. My best friend Pam and I agree that you can sleep when you’re dead, but you can only eat breakfast at Croissant d’Or when you’re in New Orleans.
My sweetheart, on his first visit to my favorite city, got off to a rocky start. It was probably nine or 10 blocks from the hotel to the patisserie on Ursulines, and he kept asking — already soaked by the worse-than-Kansas humidity — if we were sure we knew where we were going.
That was pretty much his New Orleans experience — getting dragged hither and yon by two crazy women with a long list of favorite places we just had to see. He’d probably tell you (off the record) that it wasn’t quite how he expected his honeymoon to go.
But New Orleans won his heart, just as I knew it would. As I told him on the night of our arrival, while we were wandering lost in a not-very-upscale neighborhood, hating the city of my dreams might not be a deal breaker — but it sure would require some renegotiation!
Anyway, this year, instead of reiterating what I adore about NOLA, we’re going to see some of it from Larry’s point of view. These are the things he enjoyed most.
• The World War II Museum.
I’d told him repeatedly how impressed I was with this museum’s chronicle of the War to End All Wars. He didn’t expect to be dazzled by “Beyond All Boundaries,” the multi-sensory film shown in the still-new theater across the street, and he certainly didn’t expect to see his late father in a mural. We’re still working on getting a copy of the photo, but it made for a very emotional visit.
• Food. And more food. And more food.
I’m happy to say he enjoyed every place I love — Coop’s, the French Market Restaurant & Bar, Ralph & Kacoo’s, Pat O’Brien’s — but we also tried something new (on the recommendation of the hairdresser who gave me back my short hair).
Louisiana Bistro, a tiny dining room on Dauphine Street, offers something called “Feed Me,” and it’s a culinary delight. All you choose is the number of courses you want to eat — and alert the chef to any food allergies or fears. The rest is a delightful surprise.
We had three courses, starting with crawfish beignets. Next came alligator soup, a dark brown roux with a slow-rolling heat. The final course was buffalo ribs with mashed sweet potatoes — and of course, we had to try the bread pudding. (It’s Pam’s ambition — with my help — to taste every bread pudding in the French Quarter and rate them all. We take notes.)
Around us, we saw other tables getting completely different meals. It was just plain fun to leave ourselves in someone else’s hands.
• Everything Audubon.
We did the zoo — and stopped to see my favorite white gators and furry little nutria — after enjoying a streetcar ride out to La Madeleine for lunch. We did the aquarium, a perfect escape from the heat, marveling once again on its revitalization after the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. And we did the insectarium, where the butterflies were out in full force, dancing to their own silent music. While he enjoyed it all, I think Larry’s favorite thing was tasting bug snacks at the snack bar. Huh.
• The street performers.
The French Quarter is always full of mimes and musicians, making a living in their own little corners of the world. Some of them, like the one pictured here, are just amazing. We also enjoyed the art exhibited around Jackson Square and in the galleries — although Pam’s and my passion for Pete the Cat is still a mystery to him.
• And we both enjoyed an unscheduled stop at Vicksburg on the way home. I’d been driving past one of the Civil War’s best-known battle sites for years and had never been able to visit. I believe Pam was bored out of her mind. We came home and bought Ken Burns’ Civil War series!
After this year’s introduction, I can envision the next New Orleans vacation happening at my sweetheart’s pace — which would mean spending less time racing from place to place, trying to see it all, and more time sitting in sidewalk cafes, sipping coffee with chicory and watching the world go by. I think my feet and I can live with that!
This French Quarter street performer was motionless for who knows how long, in spite of the heat and passers-by sticking their faces in his.
Although I've visited the Audubon InsectariumAlthough I've visited the Audubon Insectarium many times, the butterflies were busier and more beautiful than ever before.
The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas was not only beautiful but cool!
One of my favorite things about walking in the Quarter is the beautiful ironwork.