New Orleans, Louisiana, sometimes called "Nawlins" or "The Big Easy," is a city rich in its mélange of cultural history that blends delicious flavors, sights, and sounds, into an intriguing mix that offers something for every visitor.

From the mansions in the Garden District, to the excitement of the colorful French Quarter, to the strains of traditional Jazz, Blues, R&B, Rock, and Funk; from Creole, Cajun, and French, to contemporary cuisine; New Orleans, founded in 1718, is a city that enchants and captures the hearts of its visitors. I am well acquainted with its siren call because I lost my heart to this city in the 1990s, and each time that I return, I find another reason to love it.

Since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in August 2005, the city has been working hard in its efforts to rebuild and attract visitors. Visiting New Orleans in July 2008 during the Tales of the Cocktail, I was so pleased to see vital signs that the visitors are returning, namely that the restaurants were busy, there were people in the art galleries and shops, and the traffic on the roads had increased, all good indicators that things are picking up - finally. Make no mistake though, there are people still waiting to return to their homes, and I met several people on this visit who despite almost three years after the hurricane, are still not settled. Yet, despite all odds, these people are survivors, they keep on moving with a smile, they are the soul of New Orleans, and what makes this city so endearing.

Like the arrondissements in Paris, each district in New Orleans has its own very distinct personality, style, and magic. To truly appreciate this wonderful city, it is necessary to step outside the French Quarter and experience the other parts of the city as well.

However, the French Quarter is a great place to begin, and since Edward F. Nesta and I were attending the Tales of the Cocktail, a five-day culinary and cocktail celebration, we stayed at the 570 room and suite Hotel Monteleone where the main events took place. The Hotel Monteleone, located on Royal Street, also called Rue Royale, has been family owned since 1886, and it is said that the French Quarter begins in the hotel's lobby.

In addition to the convenience of staying in the French Quarter, and its close proximity to many sightseeing attractions, the hotel has two restaurants: Le Café, and the elegant Hunt Room; Carousel Piano Bar & Lounge, Spa, Business Center,  Fitness Center, and an outdoor pool located on the top floor of the hotel. For those interested in the paranormal, the hotel has a legacy of having some friendly spirits among its midst, although I have never encountered any, except the friendly spirits at Tales of the Cocktail, during my many stays at the hotel.

Hotel Monteleone
214 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
United States
Telephone:                 +1-504-523-3341
Toll-Free Telephone: 1-800-535-9595
Email:                         This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  
www.HotelMonteleone.com  

The French Quarter is very easy to walk, and we always make time to take a leisurely stroll down Royal Street to browse in the antique stores that specialize in furniture, crystal, silver, jewelry, cocktail shakers, bar accessories, and statuary, as well as the eclectic art galleries that line the street, and the interesting boutiques.

After enjoying a traditional New Orleans Breakfast at Brennan's Restaurant that started with Southern Baked Apple with Double Cream, continued with Egg Hussarde-Egg Sardou a combination of a poached eggs, Canadian bacon, creamed spinach, Holland rusk, artichoke bottoms, topped with Marchand de Vin Sauce and Hollandaise Sauce, and for a grand finale, ended with the dessert that Brennan's made famous - Bananas Foster, a luscious mixture of bananas, brown sugar, butter, and spirits of course, made and flambéed tableside, and served with vanilla ice cream, we knew that we had to take a very long walk thinking of all the calories we had just consumed, but hey, this is New Orleans, and who are we to rebuff a traditional Breakfast at Brennan's.

Brennan's Restaurant 
417 Royal Street 
New Orleans, LA 70130 
United States  
Telephone:                  +1-504-525-2309  
www.BrennansNewOrleans.com    

For something new on Royal Street, you might enjoy experiencing The Absinthe Museum of America (scheduled opening July 19, 2008). Absinthe was a highly popular spirit from 1875-1913, and was illegal in the United States for the last 97 years. Recently, Absinthe got the green light in a manner of speaking in the United States, and once again Absinthe is flowing in New Orleans, which is the perfect time, as the cocktail, the Sazerac, which uses Absinthe, was named the Official Cocktail of New Orleans in July 2008.

Open daily from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm.

The Absinthe Museum of America
823 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
United States

The St. Louis Cathedral 

We continued our stroll to The St. Louis Cathedral founded in 1720, an impressive white structure with three steeples located across from Jackson Square that is one of the main landmarks of the French Quarter. If you visit, be sure to notice the ornate ceiling and the altars painted in 1825 by the Italian artist, Francisco Zapari. Other points of interest are the organ acquired by the cathedral in 1829, and the two angels that welcome visitors as you enter the church.

The St. Louis Cathedral
615 Pere Antoine Alley
New Orleans, LA 
Telephone:                  +1-504-525-9585 
www.StLouisCathedral.org

The impressive bronze statue of General Andrew Jackson on horseback is the focal point of Jackson Square. Enter Jackson Square through the elaborate wrought iron gates opposite St. Louis Cathedral or the Decatur Street entrance, and take a stroll through the pretty gardens in this attractive park.

General Andrew Jackson

The names on the signs in the Jackson Square area are very interesting, especially the sign, Pirates Alley. According to information that I acquired when taking a Walking City Tour a few years ago with Guide Extraordinaire, Joe Gendusa, pirates once sold their booty at the fence behind the cathedral, which is how the word "fence," meaning to sell ill-begotten goods, originated.

Next to The Saint Louis Cathedral is  The Cabildo where you can learn about the history of Louisiana and New Orleans.

The Cabildo
701 Chartres Street, Jackson Square
New Orleans, LA 70116
United States 
Telephone:                  +1-504-568-6968 
Toll-Free Telephone: 1-800-568-6968 
www.lsm.crt.state.la.us/cabildo/cab-intro.htm 

We also always enjoy visiting The Presbytere, the museum has a year-round Mardi Gras exhibit. If you have always wanted to experience a New Orleans Mardi Gras, here is your opportunity to don a few costumes, take a few photographs, and learn about the history of Mardi Gras, one of the highlights of the New Orleans social season.

The Presbytere
751 Chartres Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
United States
Telephone:                  +1-504-568-6968
Toll-Free Telephone: 1-800-568-6968
www.lsm.crt.state.la.us/presbex.htm 

Walking through the French Quarter, or taking a quaint horse-drawn carriage ride, I could not help but admire the houses with romantic, lacy wrought iron balconies graced with feathery ferns and colorful flowers hanging from baskets, and the courtyards barely visible through the gates, providing an enticing almost voyeuristic view of the gardens.

View of the French Quarter

In the newly renovated French Market, colorful vendors' stands festooned with typical New Orleans and Mardi Gras souvenirs, clothing, and jewelry beckoned. In the past, the French Market was a great place to purchase hot sauces, locally grown pecans, and produce, but as of July 2008, that area was yet to be completed, but looked ready to open shortly.

French Market

When we exited the French Market at Esplanade, we saw a sign for the Old U.S. Mint located directly across the street, and decided to visit. It was a serendipitous discovery, as in addition to the interesting information we learned about the U.S. Mint, which operated in New Orleans from 1838-1909, and served as a mint for both the U.S. and the Confederacy, the museum had a special exhibition, Treasures of Napoléon, which featured an impressive collection of 250 artifacts of Napoleon's including his letters, personal items including snuff boxes, clothing, books, and paintings.

Old U.S. Mint

Although I had been to many exhibitions on Napoléon around the world, I learned many new things at this exhibition including that "The bee is one of France's oldest symbols dating back to the ancient King Childeris I (c 437 - 481) who was found with 300 inlaid bees of gold and garnets. Napoleon chose the bee as his personal emblem, therefore anointing himself as successor to the King, 1300 year legacy of French Sovereigns."

Having visited Martinique, the birthplace of Napoléon's beloved Joséphine, I knew some of their history, however what I did not know, was that after several years of marriage, and no heir conceived, despite their love and dedication to one another, had their marriage annulled so that Napoléon could marry Austrian Archduchess Marie-Louise, to produce an heir for the throne. Ironically, although this marriage did produce an heir, who later became the King of Rome (and the Duke of Reichstadt), he died without leaving an heir. On the other hand Joséphine's two children from a previous marriage furthered their royal ties. Joséphine's daughter Hortense married Napoléon's brother Louis, and gave birth to Napoleon III, Emperor from 1851-1870, and her son Eugène's daughter, married the King of Sweden and Norway.

The museum has rotating exhibits as well as the permanent U.S. Mint collection, is open Tuesday - Sunday from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, and is closed on Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is charged but is free for children under 12 years.

Old U.S. Mint
400 Esplanade Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70116
Orleans, LA 70116
United States
Telephone:                  +1-504-568-6968
Toll-Free Telephone: 1-800-568-6968
www.lsm.crt.state.la.us/mintex.htm 

The French Quarter is teeming with house museums each with its own fascinating histories. Since we had previously visited the Hermann-Grimma House, (built in 1831, 820 Saint Louis Street), and the Beauregard-Keyes House, (built in 1826, 113 Chartres Street), this time we visited Madame John's Legacy, which we learned about through speaking with a staff member at the U.S. State Mint.

Madame John's Legacy, built in 1788, is the oldest house in the Mississippi River Valley, and is one of three houses that survived the two fires in the French Quarter in 1788 and in 1794. The house is a Louisiana French Colonial design, and is a rarity in the French Quarter. Although the house is unfurnished, it offers visitors a glimpse at its architectural style.

Madam John's Legacy

Madame John's Legacy is open Tuesday - Sunday, from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. There is no admission charge.

Madame John's Legacy
632 Dumaine Street near the corner of Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
United States
Telephone:                  +1-504-568-6968
Toll-Free Telephone: 1-800-568-6968
www.lsm.crt.state.la.us/madam.htm 

Jazz is the heartbeat of New Orleans, and as our readers know from reading the Music Scene, we are huge Jazz fans. There is something about traditional New Orleans Jazz that gets your feet tapping, your hands clapping in time to the beat, and your body swaying in your chair.

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band captures that famous traditional New Orleans Jazz sound, and the night that we went to hear them play, the air was thick and humid, saved by a cool breeze of an overhead fan. However, no one in the room gave much thought to the temperature, as the wooden benches were packed, and the Jazz was hot.

Preservation Hall opened in 1961 to preserve the culture and history of traditional New Orleans Jazz, and the talented band whose line-up includes: Ben Jaffe - Director, Tuba; Rickie Monie - Piano; Walter Payton - Bass; Joseph Lastie, Jr. - Drums; Carl Le Blanc - Banjo; Elliot "Stackman" Callies - Tenor Sax; Darryl Adams - Alto Sax; Frederick Lonzo - Trombone; Frank Demond - Trombone; Shannon Powell - Percussion; Clint Maedgen - Guest Vocals, Sax; Ralph Johnson - Clarinet; Lucien Barbarin - Trombone; Leroy Jones - Trumpet; and Mark Braud - Trumpet; hold true to Jazz traditions.

The evening passed in a blur of excitement with one song after another, however, when the band played "the" New Orleans Jazz favorite, "When the Saints go Marching In" not a person was sitting, and with hands swinging to and fro overhead, the audience made a procession line dancing around the small room and out the door.

Preservation Hall opens at 8:00 pm on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and the music starts at 8:15 pm and ends at 11:00 pm. Admission is $10 per person, and all ages are welcome in the non-smoking environment.

Preservation Hall
726 St. Peter Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
United States
Telephone:      +1-504-522-2841
www.PreservationHall.com 

Decatur Street is one my favorite streets in New Orleans, as Café du Monde, Aunt Sally's, and the House of Blues are all located here. Every trip to New Orleans requires us to make a pilgrimage to visit the trio of the senses.

A trip to New Orleans without indulging in a beignet or two at Café du Monde would be like visiting Paris and not having a croissant, it is a necessary experience! Café du Monde has been serving beignets, a type of square French-style fried puffy doughnut decadently covered with enough powdered sugar to ice an entire cake, and its famous chicory coffee and café au lait since 1862.

Café du Monde is one of our favorite late night haunts, as it is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with the exception of Christmas Day. Of course, we made time in our schedule to stop for an order of beignets, made to order and steaming hot, just the way we like them.

Look for the distinct Café du Monde green and white striped awning across from Jackson Square.

Café du Monde
1039 Decatur Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
United States
Toll-Free Telephone: 1-800-642-7257
www.CafeduMonde.com 

Nothing says New Orleans more than pralines, a rich confection made of butter, sugar, cream, and pecans that are cooked in a copper pot over a gas stove, and simply melt in the mouth. Aunt Sally's is family owned and has been making pralines since the 1930s, and every time that we come to New Orleans, we always stop at Aunt Sally's to indulge in a little sugar rush and satisfy our praline sweet-tooth fix, and they even ship pralines for post-New Orleans cravings.

Aunt Sally's
810 Decatur Street
New Orleans, LA 7011
United States
Toll-Free Telephone: 1-800-642-7257
www.AuntSallys.com 

The House of Blues is another one of our New Orleans music club haunts. During this visit, we caught the high-energy band, Old 97's plus Sleepercar, with our friends, Rob Clemenz and Rick Duplantier, who turned us on to this talented band. After the concert, we hung out in the private club, the Foundation Room, where we had a few cocktails.

Having Fun at the House of Blues

House of Blues
225 Decatur Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
Telephone:    +1-504-310-4964
www.HOB.com 

Two other interesting museums that we always enjoy visiting are The Museum of the American Cocktail and the Pharmacy Museum.

The Museum of the American Cocktail finally has a permanent home located in the Riverwalk Marketplace. If you are fascinated with the history of the cocktail, then this is a must-see museum. The museum has a wonderful collection of all things cocktail from old bartending books, stills, bottles, shakers, and so much more, and also has a Gift Shop.

The museum is open Monday - Saturday from 10:00 am - 7:00 pm, and on Sunday from 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm. Admission is charged.

The Museum of the American Cocktail
Riverwalk Marketplace
1 Julia Street, Suite 169 (walk up outside stairway)
New Orleans, LA 70130
Telephone:       +1-504-569-0405
Email:                 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  
www.MuseumoftheAmericanCocktail.org 

The Pharmacy Museum is also an intriguing place to visit, as Louis J. Dufilho, Jr., who lived in New Orleans, became America's first licensed pharmacist in 1816, and opened up his apothecary shop in 1823. The museum tells the history of pharmacy and there are wonderful artifacts on display.

It is also fitting, as it was a pharmacist who created bitters, first used as a digestive for stomach upsets, and pre-1900 were the required ingredient in a cocktail, as without bitters the libation was known as a crusta.

The Pharmacy Museum is open Tuesday - Friday. Please call for tour times. Admission charged. Free admission under 6 years.

The Pharmacy Museum
Located between St. Louis and Toulouse Streets
New Orleans, LA 70130
United States
Telephone:      +1-504-565-8027
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  
www.PharmacyMuseum.org  

I love to look at vintage fashion, and the Mardi Gras Museum located inside Arnaud's Restaurant is a treasure trove of styles. This museum is on my "must-visit" list every time that I visit New Orleans. This sensational exhibition includes the elaborate gowns worn during the Mardi Gras Balls by the Mardi Gras Queens and the costumes worn by the Mardi Gras Kings, as well as black and white photographs taken when the Queen and King wore them.

Mardi Gras Costumes at Arnaud's Museum

Arnaud's Restaurant
813 Bienville Street
New Orleans, LA
United States
Telephone:      +1-504-523-5433
Toll-Free:       1-866-230-8895
www.Arnauds.com 

Moving out of the French Quarter, another museum that we always enjoy visiting is the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. If you enjoy visiting aquariums, the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is a wonderful learning experience. The aquarium has an excellent collection where you can discover the underwater world. The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is open Tuesday - Sunday from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, and is closed on Monday. Admission is charged.

Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
423 Canal Street, corner of St. Peter Street
New Orleans, LA
United States
Telephone:      +1-504-581-4629
Toll-Free:       1-800-774-7394
www.AudubonInstitute.com  

If you want to try your hand with Lady Luck, visit Harrah's New Orleans Casino, located at Canal Street at the River.

Harrah's New Orleans Casino
Canal Street at the River
New Orleans, LA 70130
United States
Telephone:      +1-504-533-6000
www.HarrahsNewOrleans.com 

A new area that we discovered on this visit is the City Park district. City Park is the 6^th largest city park in the United States, where Spanish moss languidly hangs from the gnarled oak trees conjuring up images of the old South. This area was heavily damaged with flooding during Hurricane Katrina, but has been restored, and walking through the park we were impressed with the gardens, the stone bridges, and many historic buildings including The Peristyle, built from 1907 - 1917.

City Park

City Park is also the home of the New Orleans Botanical Gardens, Sidney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Gardens, Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, Storyland (a children's playground), and the New Orleans Museum of Modern Art.

Across from City Park is the restaurant, Ralph's on the Park where we hosted a Spirited Dinner as part of the Tales of the Cocktail. Edward and I were the guest Bar Chefs for the special cocktail pairing dinner where a few of the courses included the cocktail "Marie's Garden" (Hine Cognac, tomato juice, homemade pesto, lime juice, Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters, hot sauce) paired with a Creole Tomato Salad with baby Arugula, Vidalia Onion, and Shaved Parmesan, with a basil vinaigrette; the cocktail "Fenneltini" (Fennel infused Pearl Coconut Vodka, Extra Dry Vermouth) paired with Fennel Crusted Yellowfin Tuna; and the "Toast of the Town" (Mount Gay Rum Eclipse, Domaine de Canton French Ginger Liqueur, Half & Half, Fee Brothers Caramel Cordial Syrup, with melted dark chocolate and crushed pecan rim) paired with Chocolate Pecan Pie.

Edward and Debra with the Dona Flor Cocktail

Read more about Ralph's on the Park in the Restaurants, Chefs' Recipes, Liquor Cabinet, and Luxury Products - Gifts sections.

Ralph's on the Park
900 City Park Avenue
New Orleans, Louisiana 70119
United States
Telephone:      +1-504-488-1000
www.RalphsonthePark.com 

The Garden District, bordered by Jackson and Louisiana Avenues between St. Charles Avenue and Magazine Street, is another one of my favorite areas of New Orleans to admire the varied examples of architectural styles of French, Spanish, English, and Greek revival mansions.

Tulane University                       Loyola University        

To get the true Garden District experience, take the St. Charles Streetcar to the Garden District. The route will take you past Tulane University and Loyola University, and will provide an inviting glimpse of the magnificent mansions. Afterwards, hop off the streetcar to explore the area and take a walking tour. As you walk past these stately homes, notice that while some of the homes have gardens in the front of the house (English), others have gardens in the back of the house (French).

Sites of New Orleans

As a grand finale to this visit to New Orleans, we had Sunday Brunch with our friends, Rob Clemenz, and Rick Duplantier at Commander's Palace, where the Jazz was hot and the cocktails deliciously cold on a warm July day.

We began with The Papa Doble (white rum, cherry liqueur, fresh lime, and grapefruit juice), Holly Berry Martini (Stoli Citros Vodka, Chambord Liqueur, and Pama Pomegranate Liqueur, and fresh lemon juice), and the Sazerac, the Official Cocktail of New Orleans, (Sazerac Rye Whiskey, Peychaud's Bitters, Herbsaint, twist of lemon), and ended with frozen crème brulee, and bread pudding. In between, we enjoyed multiple courses, beginning with a delightful amuse bouche of conch fritter.

Brunch at Commander's Palace

Commanders' Palace is open for lunch Monday - Friday from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm; Dinner Monday - Sunday from 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm; and for Jazz Brunch on Saturday 11:30 am - 1:00 pm; and on Sunday from 10:30 am - 1:30 pm.

Before you leave Commander's Palace, pick up their Walking Tour of the Garden District, which provides insightful history of the homes, as well as the Lafayette Cemetery.

Commander's Palace
1403 Washington Avenue
New Orleans, LA 71030
Telephone:      +1-504-899-8221
www.CommandersPalace.com 

What is especially attractive about New Orleans is its close proximity to so many cities; from New York it is a mere 3 hours and 15 minutes on a non-stop flight, making it a fabulous weekend getaway.

So, what are you waiting for? New Orleans has so much to discover and is a perfect destination at any time of the year whether you want to experience Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday is February 5^th, in 2009), the Jazz Festival (end of April), the Food and Wine Festival (May), Tales of the Cocktail (July), Reveillon Dinners (month of December), or just want to soak up a little of its delightful ambience. Laissez les bons temps roulez!

The French Quarter

Important Information for New Orleans

New Orleans' vocabulary, especially when it comes to gastronomy, may be a bit of a challenge to visitors. To assist you with understanding the gastronomy, I have included some vocabulary to help you sound like a native ... at least you will be able to read the menus.

Read other articles on the Tales of the Cocktail and New Orleans in the Hotels and Resorts, Restaurants, Chefs' Recipes, Liquor Cabinet, Awards, and Luxury Products: Gifts sections.

For information on the Tales of the Cocktail, please visit the website: www.TalesoftheCocktail.com. For information on New Orleans, please visit the website: www.NewOrleansCVB.com.

© October 2008. Luxury Experience. www.LuxuryExperience.com All rights reserved.