Overdue Trip Report 3/6 ~ 3/9 - Funnest Trip EVA

sorry it took so long to post but it took %26gt; week to recover from the FUNNEST vacation ever!

we are 4 couples in our 40s.. all our first trip to NO, traveled from 3/6 early through 3/9 late.

we stayed at the inn on bourbon and while if we went again we would all agree to stay off bourbon, it was an experience and we were glad we stayed here on our first trip as we all had bourbon street balconies and had tons of fun hanging out on them and getting front row stage for all the goings on below! There were some issues with some guests screaming in hallways in the wee hours… but all in all a great experience.

Friday we arrived about 10:30am to hotel and were surprised that half of us could check in early… then we all bee lined to johnnys for our first po-boy… just awesome and just loved the localness about the place.

Then we had our private tour with bloody mary… which, while it was good, we were a little to hyped up I think for a slow moving, information packed tour… really we should have just done the cocktail tour since we were all geared up to start the partying… But I do think she is great and puts on a great tour… it was us, not her! I hope we weren’t too rude but we were like a bunch of kids with ADHD.

After tour we walked around Jackson square, checked out café dumonde (yum), up and down bourbon, sampling drinks and music… ended up at 544 and stayed for a while to watch an awesome band with the washboard… boy, the kid playing that thing really put on a show.. we had a blast.

We all went back to hotel and finished checking in and getting ready for night. We tried to do acme for dinner but the line was huge, so we ended up at mr. bs (again, most choices from info gathered here). While everyone’s meals were excellent (bbq messy but great), it was a little too formal for our taste and the rest of the meals we had were definitely more casual. (we are just more of the eat something quick and continue the partying types)

After dinner we headed up and down bourbon, listened to music, drank, danced till late night and had a great time! I cant remember all the places we went… but the one we stayed the longest had a band where the lead singer/guitar player was blind… truly amazing…

Saturday we went for breakfast at petunias… amazing food and bloody marys (I loved those spicy green beans they put it them so much I have already ordered 3 jars from a resource in NOLA)!! Beware it will be the most expensive breakfast, but totally worth it!! Then headed down to marketplace, riverwalk, had drinks at the crazy lobster (I never heard this mentioned on forum but I have to say the huge steam pots coming out looked amazing.. but we only did drinks… which were great… is this not a “for locals'; type place?), listened to a live band right there (great), and then hopped the Creole queen riverboat for a quick trip down the Mississippi. We were going to do the Nanchez but Creole was right there, timing was right and it was great… we had some drinks, met a nice couple that got married on the boat, and the highlight was meeting the Reverend Evil Bob (lives and works in nola) who married them.. he was a blast and we had a lot of laughs with him… again, as throughout the trip, we were obnoxious NYers, hope we didn’t offend anyone by laughing too loud!

We then walked over to harrahs after that and lost a bit… hit a few bars for drinks/music %26amp; back to hotel to change for dinner… We ended up at Maspero’s? (again, ACME line huge) We did appetizers and drinks and everything was excellent… they must have known the NY thing because we were in a side room, to ourselves for most of the meal and definitely had ourselves a ball… not saying too much, but there was a contest having to do with horseradish sauce… enough said… loads of laughs (%26amp;tears)!

After dinner we walked down to Frenchman street, which ended up being our favorite place.. we hit all the places.. snug harbor, spotted cat, dba, apple barrel, etc.. TONS of great music, great drinks, lots of laughs, everything we were looking for! We walked home (felt totally safe with a LOUD crowd of us.. did I mention, nyers?) and fell into bed. We all agreed that Saturday was our funnest day ever (yes, I know that’s not a word but it’s the only word fitting!)

Sunday… Next morning everyone, surprisingly, felt pretty good… we head out to Mothers for early lunch. Now I know some aren’t fans, but most of us had the “special” po-boy which everyone just LOVED… the coleslaw and mustard on it were just perfect… really, everyone thought it was their best sandwich of the trip… JMHO.

We then hopped the trolley and rode all the way to the end of the garden district line… we all needed some down time and this was a great way to do that! Few of the guys ended up going to the civil war museum while the rest of us went back to FQ and to Pat O’Brians to sample their Hurricane. We choose the piano bar room…(wanted to cool off) and while I personally am not a huge fan of that piano bar atmosphere, we enjoyed our drinks and were on our way. Back to our rooms to rest up for evening!

We headed back to Frenchman street for a repeat performance… we stopped at some restaurant along the way.. cant remember name.. it was a few doors down (on Decatur) from a brew house that wouldn’t let us in with outside drinks… hmmm.. I thought we were in NOLA… or did they just know “our type”?... anyway, maybe it was Tujagues? It was very casual (perfect) and the food was good… lots had burgers… or light apps… we didn’t want to fill up too much as we were headed down to Frenchman again for a long night. We hit all the bars again, saw more great music, drank more great drinks… had a great time!

Monday… last day… everyone sad… got up and out early… café du monde for breakfast and then off to the French market for shopping and souvenirs. 2 of us bought beautiful silver fleur de lis necklaces that we love… hit all the cute little antique type stores all around, found a lot of unique things for around the house to always remind us of this trip.

For lunch we went to Deanies and again, more amazing food.. the potatoes on the table were delicious %26amp; we all thought the broiled oysters %26amp; the HUGE bloody marys were the best of the trip… sad we couldn’t do crawfish boil as they were out, but we all had great meals anyway.

After lunch, more walking around, last minute shopping and browsing down royal… caught a street band we were looking for after seeing them on youtube… loose marbles… they were on royal and they were fun. Sadly we went back to hotel to pack, checkout and get our ride to airport at 3:30.

We had the BEST time in NOLA and we CANT believe we had never been there before.. seems almost criminal! And although it took a good week to recover (not as young as we used to be), it was all worth it and really cant wait to do it again!

Thanks to everyone on this forum for all the great advise… all my friends laughed at my “to do outline” but they were happy in the end that we hit most of the “must dos”. There were things we missed (coops, swamp tour, hanging in garden district for food/music, preservation hall) but it just gives us more of a reason to come back! Porelly… now I am jealous your trip is still ahead of you and mine is done… you are going to have a blast!

Overdue Trip Report 3/6 ~ 3/9 - Funnest Trip EVA

';Funnest'; trip report in a while. Good job! :-) Glad you enjoyed the city and tell your friends.

Overdue Trip Report 3/6 ~ 3/9 - Funnest Trip EVA

Thanks for the TR, leave Fri for 3 nights. 1st trip since Tales of the Cocktail in July.

We%26#39;ll be starting with the usual 25 cent Martini Lunch at Commanders. Only other planned event is HOB - Back in Black on Sat.

Will difinately spend some time at the Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone and the Absinthe House. Six months + too long for us to wait for our NOLA fix.

Thanks for your report! And glad you had such a good time :)

Lol!

I%26#39;m really starting to think I%26#39;ve entertained you all royally with my excitement and hyperness about my trip! A personnal note, shucks! he, heee

Great trip report, sounds like you guys had a blast! That%26#39;s the 1 thing I%26#39;m going to miss going there by myself, no one to sit,laugh, and be silly with at bars/restaurants. Hopefully I%26#39;ll find friendly bartenders and waiters. :)

15 days to goooooooo!!!!!!

we all have been telling anyone who will listen how much FUN it was... I really cant believe I have never been before... I would say its the craziest / livliest city I have ever been before... I though key west was fun, this was just CRAZY fun!

Spacey,

Don%26#39;t know if you caught our very recent trip report from 03/11 - 03/15 - We know what you mean about crazy fun. We also LOVE Key West, but after this trip, we definately decided that NO is MUCH better!

We met some people from New York while we were there - they too were REALLY having a good time! LOL

Great report. Thanks! Was the restaurant on Decatur French Market Cafe? Sounds more like that than Tujagues.

your trip review made me so happy! 22 days and counting for me....oh how i can%26#39;t wait for the music :0)....AND let%26#39;s NOT forget the food!

Great trip report!! Glad to see New Orleans has won over another first timer...it really is an AMAZING place, and everyone should experience it!! :)

I dont know if the restaurant was French Market Cafe? it was a very large/casual place, very open... with long wooden tables they just put together for us? when you walk in a long bar was to the right and the open dining room more torwards your left?

funny enough that the sister of the girl who got married on the boat that we met waitressed at the restaurant (we recognized her because her and her sister both sported the same fleur de lis tatoo... and she said she was covering for her sister who left for her honeymoon! small city!