Our travel editor marches to the beat of the Big Easy.
By: Jenna MahoneyWe've Got the Beat
If there’s one word that’s synonymous with NOLA it’s “jazz.” After all, the airport is named for Louis Armstrong, and no matter where you are, the streets of the city quite literally sing. While Bourbon Street gets all the hype, true music fans head to Frenchmen Street in the Marigny, which abuts the French Quarter. Favorite spots include D.B.A., the Spotted Cat and Snug Harbor. For a more upscale experience, enjoy a nightcap and listen to live music at the Polo Club at the Windsor Court Hotel. Note: Zydeco (a purely southern Louisiana music genre) is a little harder to find — ask your waiters, tour guides or taxi drivers for their favorite places to enjoy Cajun music.
Photo Credit: Richard Nowitz
#EEATS
Food is as much a part of experiencing New Orleans as are its sights and sounds. And the city boasts not only its own cuisine, but also an exciting food scene that’s constantly evolving.
Photo Credit: Richard Nowitz
One of the hottest spots of the moment is Cochon in the hip Warehouse District. As the name indicates, the menu is heavy on pork (even the biscuits have lard) and regional classics. Linger over lunch on the outdoor upper gallery (balcony) of Dickie Brennan’s Tableau in the French Quarter. Overlooking leafy Jackson Square, it’s the perfect perch for bird’s-eye people-watching.
Photos courtesy of the New Orleans Conventions and Visitors Bureau
The best brunches are at Café Amelie in the French Quarter, which boasts one of the most romantic courtyards around, along with the best shrimp and grits in the city. Café Atchafalaya in the picturesque Garden District has a cool make-your-own Bloody Mary Bar and some of the tastiest cold-brew coffee on the planet. To try your hand at local cuisine, take an interactive class, complete with tastings, at Langlois Culinary Crossroads.
Photo courtesy of The Old No.77
