# Flew down to New Orleans for the weekend



## Melensdad

Staying at the Windsor Court Hotel, outside the edge of the French Quarter, and am enjoying the food but despising the heat/humidity.

Beautiful hotel, not sure what the cost is because my wife booked us into it.  Got a double king suite on the club floor so I'm betting its a pretty penny to stay here.  Right now I'm enjoying the a complimentary glass of bourbon from the club down the hall.  

Dinner reservations at Arnauds tonight, in the Jazz Room.  http://www.arnaudsrestaurant.com/dinin/the-jazz-bistro/

Had coffee at Cafe Dumonde http://www.cafedumonde.com and went to Katie's  http://www.katiesinmidcity.com for a casual lunch of charbroiled oysters and a soft shell crab Po-boy sandwich.  

We walked Bourbon Street last night about midnight, its nastier than I remembered.  Walked around the French quarter today, stopped in the Cathedral for a visit, and rode  the trolly around.

Tomorrow I want to get to Tulane University, just to see it.  We have brunch at Mr B's Bistro http://www.mrbsbistro.com

Short trip, so we fly home late tomorrow night.


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## EastTexFrank

Yup Bob, about 3 days in New Orleans is about the optimum stay.  I'm glad that you enjoyed yours.  

When I worked offshore in the Gulf of Mexico our office was in New Orleans, in the hotel complex next to the Superdome.  I used to be called through there on a regular basis for one thing and another.  I always enjoyed my 2 or 3 day visits but like Las Vegas, that was long enough.  

The best time I ever had there was when I met up with a geologist buddy who worked and lived there and we went to some of the grottiest places with some the best Cajun food that I have ever eaten.  It certainly helps to have a "native guide" to get you away from all the tourist traps.  

Still, I also enjoyed the tourist havens.  If you go to New Orleans you have to be able to say that you went to such and such a place and ate or drank this or that.  I'd fight you for a soft shell crab Po-boy ... and a Hurricane.  

It's a fun place to visit but no place to live.


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## Melensdad

Arnauld's: Crabcakes en crute.


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## Melensdad

Coffee prepared table side.


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## Melensdad

A little private jazz session.


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## Melensdad

I used to come down here for business pretty often. But it's been 9+ years. Still can find my way around.  But I agree, 3 days is about the right amount of time for this city.  Maybe 4 if you've never been here before.


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## muleman RIP

Turned them for you!


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## XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

Melensdad said:


> I used to come down here for business pretty often. But it's been 9+ years. Still can find my way around.  But I agree, 3 days is about the right amount of time for this city.  Maybe 4 if you've never been here before.



Agreed 3-4 days is enough.  I've went to Arnauds ~15 years ago.  It was good, there is better food (in my opinion) else where in NO.  Hard to find really bad food in that town.

They don't seem to have really suffered too much from the Hurricane,  lots of new shiny stuff in that town these days.


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## Melensdad

Great food everywhere down here. Arnauds has great food and is a great restaurant experience too. Some places are dumps with great food. Some places are nice with great food. Arnauds has greatness all around, especially in the Jazz dining room. As for the main dining rooms, food is still great, service is still great, but the circus of the Jazz musicians is removed. 

Woke up late this morning. We hoped to catch mass at the cathedral. It started at 9.  I got up at 8:35. Family is still sleeping.  I figured there was no way to make it on time, it's a 15 walk from out hotel. No way to get everyone up, dressed and out the door in 10. 

Brunch at Mr Bs Bistro at noon.


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## EastTexFrank

I'm a crab cake connoisseur but I don't think that I've ever had one en crute.  That alone would have been worth the trip.  

When we go someplace we try to have at least one meal in one of the city's highly ranked restaurants.  My wife is the "foodie" so she picks where she wants to go.  On a short trip the problem often is getting a reservation.  My problem is that I have to pack some decent clothes so they don't ask us to leave.  WTH.  

I'm glad that you guys are having a great time.


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## Melensdad

Mr B's Bistro for Jazz Brunch. The little girl in the photo never looked up from her phone the entire time. I'm sure she will have wonderful memories of this meal.

Probably had no clue the Jazz band was behind her!?!


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## Doc

Red Gravy is  a little restaurant down there opened by one of the mods of Net Cooking Talk (Roseann).  She is doing great from what I hear.


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## Melensdad

Just finishing our last meal before leaving the city. Fried livers with sweet pepper relish. Totally awesome.


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## Dargo

Not to offend anyone from NO, but when I was there in Feb and a bus driver touted that, after testing, every square inch of the French Quarter has officially been urinated and shat upon, that pretty well sealed my thought that I would never willingly return to NO again. My relatives who lived in Houma and Metairie have since passed, so only business meetings would be a reason to return. I'm sure I can get out of them. ;-)

The only bad part is that I honestly have had some very good food there over the years. Besides, odds are that Mother Nature will eventually win the battle of the coastal land that is below sea level. Isn't their official bird the mosquito?  During my last trip the big mosquito I slapped had two ticks on it!


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## Melensdad

Just landed in Chicago. Plane is stuck on the tarmac waiting for a gate. Hot and humid on the plane, I feel like Im still in NOLA.


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## EastTexFrank

Welcome home Bob.


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## Big Dog

I gained 60# living in Loozyana, spent 17 years in BR. NO was a usually a quarterly 2 day romp while living in LA. Matter of fact we  hit BR last month on the scooters and yesterday I just got back from  Lafayette. I too hand a 2 day run though LA and I managed to enjoy some LA back country specialties like cracklins, boudin, and gumbo while there.

I was down to surprise and celebrate my friend and old 2 man  team skeet partner, Mike Vickers, induction into the LA Skeet Shooting  Hall of Fame!


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